If you’re flying out of Salt Lake City anytime soon, congratulations—you’re traveling through the best airport in the country. According to the 2025 AirHelp Score, which analyzed more than 200 airports around the globe, Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC) snagged the top spot in the U.S. and eighth worldwide with a score of 8.29 out of 10.
What makes SLC stand out? For starters, punctuality. A whopping 84-percent of flights take off and land on time, a stat that travelers at notoriously delay-prone hubs can only dream about. That reliability carried the most weight in the rankings, but it wasn’t the only factor. AirHelp also dug into millions of flight records, government data and over 13,500 passenger reviews covering everything from staff friendliness to wait times to how decent your food options are.
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SLC scored big on those fronts too, thanks in part to its ambitious overhaul known as The New SLC. The $5 billion new terminal, designed by architecture firm Hok, has been rolling out in phases since 2020 and is on track for completion in 2026. Out with the cramped mid-century terminals, in with a sleek 909,000-square-foot central hub and two airy concourses. Right now, the airport offers 45 gates, but that number will more than double to 94 once the dust settles.
Travelers passing through already notice the difference. The new terminal is flooded with natural light from 50-foot glass walls, framing panoramic views of the Wasatch Mountains. It feels less like a holding pen before your flight and more like a modern civic space designed with passengers in mind. Add in streamlined operations, clean facilities and plenty of spots to grab a bite or browse, and you’ve got an airport that actually earns its bragging rights.
So if you’ve got a choice of connections, you might want to route yourself through Utah’s capital. Salt Lake City International isn’t just a layover anymore—it’s a model for how airports should work.