History of the Airport

• 2005
  Bag claim carousel modifications, Explosive Dectection System (EDS) upgrades in Terminal Two, sterile corridor extension (two gates added), and reconfiguration of the east landside area.
• 2004
  Reconfiguration of the west landside area.
• 2002
  The city and airport hosted the Olympic Winter Games.
• 1999
  The Federal Aviation Administration opened a new air traffic control tower and terminal radar approach control facility. Fire Station #11 was relocated to the east side of the airfield and the airport interior received major renovation.
• 1998
  United Parcel Service became the first tenant in the north cargo complex with a new processing facility.
• 1997
  A regional Aircraft Rescue Fire Fighter Training Center was built.
• 1996
  Southwest Airlines opened a reservations center.
• 1995
  A third air carrier runway, Concourse E and the International Terminal were completed.
• 1994
  A building to house the National Weather Service on the airport's east side was opened.
• 1992
  A hangar and training facility for SkyWest Airlines opened.
• 1991
  A four-level, short-term parking terrace and an 18-hole golf course, Wingpointe, were built.
• 1987
  Western Airlines merged with Delta Air Lines. The hub operation was expanded and additional facilities were required.
• 1985
  Ground access improvements were completed, runways were rehabilitated and support facilities were built.
• 1984
  Terminal Two was expanded to accommodate an additional concourse.
• 1982
  Western Airlines made Salt Lake City an operational hub, requiring additional facility upgrades.
• 1981
  Terminal One was expanded and remodeled.
• 1978
  Terminal Two was completed to house Western Airlines. A new Executive Terminal was also completed that year on the east side of the airport to serve general aviation needs and house various agencies. The west runway and taxiway systems were extended.
• 1975
  From 1975 to 1980 the airport grew to 7,500 acres.
• 1968
  The airport was renamed the "Salt Lake City International Airport."
• 1960
  A new terminal building (currently Terminal One) was dedicated. It was a seven-year $8,000,000 improvement project.
• 1950
  The jet age ushered in major improvements including upgrading of the three runways to support the largest commercial jet aircraft, and equipping the primary runway with a Category II Instrument Landing System (ILS).
• 1943
  The airport became a training base and replacement depot for the U.S. Air Force. Salt Lake City Municipal Airport II was built at the southwest end of the Salt Lake Valley to accommodate the number of trainees.
• 1933
  At a cost of $52,000, Salt Lake City built an airport administration building that housed a passenger waiting room, mail room, airport manager's office, lunch room, weather observatory, radio control room and leased office space to airlines. A third runway was also added.1930
  Woodward Field was renamed "Salt Lake City Municipal Airport." It consisted of 400 acres, 11 hangars and two gravel runways.
• 1927
  Charles "Lucky Lindy" Lindbergh made a stopover at Woodward Field. Salt Lake City residents had an opportunity to see his "Spirit of St. Louis," the first monoplane to cross the Atlantic Ocean.
• 1926
  The first commercial passenger flight took place at Woodward Field. Ben F. Redman and J. A. Tomlinson perched atop U.S. mail sacks and flew with pilot C. N. "Jimmy" James on his regular eight-hour mail delivery flight to Los Angeles. This Western Air Express operation was the beginning of Western Airlines, which later merged with Delta Air Lines.
• 1925
  A. R. "Tailspin Tommy" Thompson purchased the business and sponsored aerobatic shows at the fledgling airport.
• 1922
  Ken Unger opened Unger Aviation at Woodward Field.
• 1920
  Salt Lake City purchased 100 acres surrounding the landing strip for $40.00 per acre. The resulting airfield was named "Woodward Field," after local pilot John P. Woodward. World heavyweight boxing champion Jack Dempsey was on hand to help christen the airfield, which was a mail service facility only.
• 1911
  A cinder-covered landing strip in a marshy pasture called Basque Flats (after the Spanish- French sheepherders in the area) was the rudimentary beginning of the airport. It was originally used for aerobatic flights and was the site of the "Great International Aviation Carnival."