Resolution to Get Healthier? SLC Can Help

Let’s face it: travel can throw a big wrench into healthy New Year’s resolutions. Normal routines are disrupted. Healthier food options can be scarcer (or maybe indulgence is part of the trip!) Making time for the gym usually isn’t the priority or isn’t available at the destination.

Excuses don’t fly at Salt Lake City International Airport, thanks to several health-conscious features and offerings.

Smart watch shows 6,500 steps in 58 minutes and 2.75 miles.

Tasty and Nourishing

The New SLC reflects Utah’s healthy lifestyle in many of its dining options.

Counting macros? Restaurants like Protein Bar & Kitchen and Pick Up Stix showcase their protein counts and options right on the menu.

Those seeking more plant-based eats can customize to their heart’s content at Aubergine Kitchen, Garbanzo Mediterranean Fresh and Vessel Kitchen.

Those dashing to catch a flight can grab a multitude of fresh and healthy choices, like a veggie tray at SLC Essentials or hard-boiled eggs at TripAdvisor. 

Thanks to SLC’s street pricing policy, all food pricing must reflect what customers would pay at locations outside of the airport, making healthy eating on the fly more affordable.

A concessions stand with fresh healthy food to go.
Fresh options are available at many concessions and restaurants.

Getting Those Steps In

Yes, we know, SLC has a reputation about town for “the walk.”

While it’s not in the top five longest airport walks in the U.S., SLC can help reach those step goals. Not only is walking good for the body, but it can bring stress relief and improve immune system function

For those with some time to kill, walking a brisk loop around the airport—the length of each concourse and through both tunnels—will net around 5,600 steps or 2.43 miles. Depending on pace, this loop takes just under an hour to complete.

A map shows two concourses connected by two underground pedestrian tunnels. SLC Loop is labeled with 2.43 miles or about 5,600 steps.
Got an hour? Walking both concourses will net you more than 5,000 steps.

For those with mobility limitations, SLC offers multiple accessibility options for traversing the concourses, including electric shuttles in both tunnels and throughout Concourse A.

Drop the Stress

More than one in three Americans will focus on improving their mental health as a New Year’s resolution, according to a 2026 poll from the American Psychiatric Association. Part of that mental health focus aims at reducing stress.

SLC works to make flying as stress-free as possible; it is consistently in the top three major airports for on-time departure performance, and was ranked ninth for overall customer satisfaction in 2025. 

The airport also strives to be soothing for the senses. It infuses art throughout the traveler’s experience, from striking large-scale sculptures like “The Canyon” and “Northern Light,” to local visual designs showcased on vinyl wall wraps in the restrooms.

“The River Tunnel” is a living art experience, as travelers walk beneath the “current” of fabric-covered aluminum fins above and across blue terrazzo flooring below. Calming blue lighting gives a relaxed vibe, while a carefully curated travel-themed playlist keeps the flow of passengers meandering through its three sections.

Sensory Room sign
Look for our Sensory Room signs; two locations in Concourse B and one in Concourse A.

A few minutes of peace and quiet can be enjoyed in any of SLC’s three sensory rooms. These spaces were designed for passengers with sensory sensitivities or challenges, and offer bean bag chairs, visual light panels, activity panels, and air walls.

Sometimes, stress relief needs a more tactile approach. That’s where Pilot Pups come in. The volunteers from Intermountain Therapy Animals bring their best pooches to the airport to help heal anxiety with a few pets and belly rubs.

Family-Friendly Flying

A family of three walks with luggage through an airport hallway.
Families can find many amenities to make travel smoother for everyone.

The New SLC was built with families in mind.

That’s why parents visiting SLC will find vital amenities wherever they go. Diaper changing tables are in most of the women’s and men’s restrooms. SLC Airport offers more Mother’s Rooms than any other U.S. airport, with 20 locations offering a quiet, private space to nurse or express milk.

No one loves waiting in line, and parents juggling strollers, kids and luggage will find relief through the security checkpoint. The TSA checkpoint on Level 2 offers a “Families on the Fly” lane, which aims to provide more time and space for those traveling with kids through security screening.

Whatever your focus for 2026, Salt Lake City International resolves to provide its customers with an unforgettable travel experience.