Delta debuts direct flight from Salt Lake City to South Korea

SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) — The Asia-Pacific is now one step closer to the Wasatch Front’s doorstep.

On Thursday morning, the first nonstop flight from Salt Lake International Airport to Incheon International Airport in Seoul, South Korea, departed, connecting Utah to more than 50 destinations on the other side of the Pacific Ocean.

The flight, which was first announced in September 2024, is the first and only direct flight connecting Salt Lake City to Asia, according to Delta Air Lines. Flights will operate on an Airbus A350-900, which features 306 seats.

The direct trip will take nearly 13 hours of travel to complete to South Korea and only about 11 hours and 30 minutes to return to Salt Lake. While it may be a long trip, the new nonstop route gives passengers an option to avoid lengthy layovers in Seattle, Los Angeles, or Minneapolis.

Delta Airlines previously said it is “continuing to invest in Salt Lake City as a major hub, with nearly 250 daily flights to over 90 destinations and growing.” Delta officials said they believe the new service to South Korea will help increase overall tourism and economic opportunities while strengthening Salt Lake as a global city.

Delta offers similar flights to South Korea in Atlanta, Detroit, Minneapolis-St. Paul and Seattle.