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Salt Lake City International Airport

Salt Lake City, Utah (United States)

IATA: SLC ICAO: KSLC

Longest Active Runway

12,002 ft

3,658 meters

Field Elevation

4,227 ft

1,288 m MSL

Runway Inventory

4 active

Lighted / Paved

Coordinates & Class

40.7889°, -111.9799°

LARGE AIRPORT

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Multi-Universe Rankings & Statistical Standing

Ranking Universes Guide →

RunwayFacts Published Dataset

#187 of 650

In curated primary commercial index

Global Commercial Universe

#293 of 7558

Top 3.9% percentile worldwide

National Standing (United States)

#19 in US

#59 of 2020 in full national registry

vs Large Airport Median

+20%

Compared to 10,000 ft baseline

💡 Statistical Statement: Salt Lake City International Airport's longest active runway measures 12,002 ft (3,658 m). Within RunwayFacts' published index of 650 aerodromes, it ranks #187. Across the broader global dataset of 7558 commercial facilities, it ranks #293 worldwide (Top 3.9%) and #19 nationally in United States.

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Editorial Aerodrome Deep Dive: Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC)

Curated Aerodrome Profile

Salt Lake City International Airport is the primary mountain hub for Delta Air Lines. Elevated at 4,227 ft above sea level, true airspeeds on takeoff are considerably higher than at coastal facilities. To accommodate long-haul flights to London, Paris, and Amsterdam, both primary parallel runways (16L/34R and 16R/34L) measure 12,000 ft. Its wide runway separation permits uninterrupted dual visual and instrument operations against the scenic backdrop of the Wasatch Range.

Runway Layout & Magnetic Alignments

Four active runways: three parallel north-south strips 16L/34R (12,003 ft), 16R/34L (12,000 ft), 17/35 (9,599 ft) and crosswind Runway 14/32 (4,900 ft).

Expansion Milestones & Predecessor Facilities

Established in 1911 as Woodward Field. Built into a major Western hub by Western Airlines and Delta; completed a massive $4.5 billion 'New SLC' terminal redevelopment in 2020.

Regional Differentiation & Cluster Role

Dominates the Intermountain West, providing non-stop European connections that bypass Denver (DEN, 340 NM east) and Las Vegas (LAS, 319 NM southwest).

Data Nuances & Operational Quirks

Operating at 4,227 ft MSL between the Great Salt Lake and Wasatch Mountains; high elevation and hot summer temperatures demand long runways to overcome density altitude.

📚 Official Aerodrome Sourcing: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) · FAA Form 5010-1 Airport Master Record & NFDC Surveyed Aeronautical Data · AirNav SLC Master Record ↗

Verification Methodology →

🔬 Operational & Aerodrome Engineering Comparative Analysis

Comparative aviation metrics evaluated against regional and global physical operational criteria.

ICAO Code 4E / 4F Super-Heavy

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Elevation & Atmospheric Density

Mid-Altitude Plateau / Valley Facility

Salt Lake City International Airport operates at a surveyed field elevation of 4,227 ft (1,288 m MSL) in Salt Lake City. Operating in high density-altitude conditions, aircraft true airspeed on takeoff and landing runs noticeably higher than indicated airspeed, requiring extended runway lengths.

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Regional Density & Alternates (100 NM)

0 Qualifying Aerodromes in Vicinity

Dominates the Intermountain West, providing non-stop European connections that bypass Denver (DEN, 340 NM east) and Las Vegas (LAS, 319 NM southwest). The facility operates as an isolated regional aviation anchor with no other major paved commercial aerodromes within 100 NM.

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Fleet Compatibility & Ground Roll

Primary Runway: 12,002 ft (3,658 m)

Salt Lake City International Airport's active flight strips comprise 16L/34R (12,002 ft), 16R/34L (12,000 ft), 17/35 (9,596 ft), 14/32 (4,893 ft). With a longest active threshold of 12,002 ft (3,658 m), the aerodrome satisfies unrestricted long-haul takeoff and landing distance requirements for heavy twin-aisle and four-engine widebodies (ICAO Code 4E/4F).

🛫 Physical Runway Inventory & Surface Engineering

Runway Designator	Length (ft / m)	Width (ft / m)	Surface Material	Lighting	Status
16L/34R	12,002 ft (3658m)	150 ft (46m)	`Asphalt (ASP)`	✅ Lighted	✅ Active
16R/34L	12,000 ft (3658m)	150 ft (46m)	`Concrete (CON)`	✅ Lighted	✅ Active
17/35	9,596 ft (2925m)	150 ft (46m)	`Asphalt (ASP)`	✅ Lighted	✅ Active
14/32	4,893 ft (1491m)	150 ft (46m)	`Asphalt (ASP)`	✅ Lighted	✅ Active

🛡️ Data Provenance & Verification Metadata

Source Dataset: OurAirports Open Aviation Database

Snapshot Version: 2026-09-01

Dataset Integrity: Cryptographic SHA-256 Checksum Verified & Fail-Closed Schema Inspected

Source Verification: Source-reported registry data

Read Complete Methodology & Verification Protocol → GET /api/airport/slc.json ↗