What Delta's grip in Salt Lake City means for airfare

What they're saying: "It's undeniable that the No. 1 thing that lowers fares is competition, and airports that have less competition have higher fares. Period. That is true for Delta, certainly in Minneapolis as well as Salt Lake and Atlanta," Potter tells Axios, referring to Delta hubs.

The other side: "There are no penalties associated with hub status," a Delta spokesperson wrote to Axios.

By the numbers: The average airfare at the Salt Lake City airport was $450 in the second quarter of 2025, about $65 more than the national average, according to federal data.

• Salt Lake City ranked the fourth most expensive airport in the country based on 2024 data.

Zoom in: Axios found that round-trip fares from Salt Lake City to Las Vegas in late-January 2026 ranged from $597 to $1,007. Low-cost carriers like Frontier and Southwest charged between $95 to $268 for the trip.

The big picture: Salt Lake City is a fast-growing Mountain West hub for Delta, which accounts for about 70% of total traffic.

What we're watching: The airline is pouring money into the airport, building a 48,000-square-foot cargo facility and recently opening its second largest Sky Club.