Discover Salt Lake City, Utah

A huge amount of Utah's land area is protected within a state or national park, which tells you the geography is really something special. The days you spend in this picturesque state will fill your mind (and your phone) with incredible images of nature's artistry.

If winter sports are your thing, Utah is known for the Greatest Snow on Earth^®. Soft, dry powder comes easy to the Wasatch Mountains, helping all of your skiing dreams to come true. In the other seasons, Utah is about hiking, biking, rock climbing and photography. And while your primary reason for visiting might not be the food scene, the food is darned good too.

About our flights to Utah

Air New Zealand's alliance with United Airlines makes it easy to book all the way from Auckland to Utah (Salt Lake City airport) through our website or the Air New Zealand app on your phone. Depending on the day and time you prefer to travel, your Utah flights will transit through Houston, Los Angeles or San Francisco. If you want to add other USA destinations to your trip, use the multistop booking feature - so much easier than booking all the flights separately. The Auckland to Utah flight time depends on transit duration, however it's generally about 15 hours.

If you're interested in cheap flights to Utah from Auckland or any other city in New Zealand, we run regular special offers. You can sign up for low fare alerts to receive early notice of cheap flights to Salt Lake City. You can also sign up to receive regular email updates about flight deals, packages, competitions and exclusive opportunities.

The Greatest Snow on Earth^®

There's strong science behind Utah's Greatest Snow on Earth^® claim. The nearby mountains brew their own special climate, resulting in deep powder snow that provides a skiing nirvana called 'flotation'. When light snow has enough body to stop skis and snowboards from sinking to the snow base, there's the feeling of literally floating down the mountain. Those who know say it's a feeling you have to experience at least once in your snow sport life. From Salt Lake City, Utah's state capital, there are more than 10 ski resorts within an hour's drive.

• Snowbird is loved for super-deep powder and varying terrain that suits intermediate to expert skiers and snowboarders. It has Utah's longest season and 10 lifts including the Tram, which conveys 120 skiers at a time
• Alta has 116 runs, which are exclusively for skiers. Even boarders have been known to jump onto skis to enjoy this resort. Alf's High Rustler is Alta's signature run - 1,000 vertical feet of thrills
• Snowbasin is one of the USA's original ski areas. As well as great skiing and boarding, it has a reputation for outstanding food
• Deer Valley Resort is a skiers-only resort with a world-class ski school, so if you want to tighten up your technique, this is the place to do it. This resort is high in Ski Magazine's rankings of North American resorts
• Park City is the largest snow resort in the USA and its town is as much fun as the slopes. They say that you haven't skied Utah until you've skied Park City

National parks and state parks

Utah's most astonishing landscapes are safely stashed away in an impressive range of conservation areas. The Mighty 5^® national parks - Arches, Bryce Canyon, Canyonlands, Capitol Reef and Zion - have extraordinary hoodoos (red rock pillars), fins (deep, narrow walls), arches, buttes and canyons. While hiking is the obvious way to discover these parks, there are scenic drives that let you take in the astounding scenery from the comfort of your car. The parks are busiest from March to October, but there are many trails to choose from so crowds are unlikely.

State parks are another massive resource for hiking, camping and general Utah sightseeing. There are nearly 50 of them, embracing everything from tranquil lakes and creeks to pink sand dunes and petrified forests. Here are some highlights:

• Kodachrome Basin State Park - loved for its sandstone spires in vivid colours, set against bright blue skies
• Dead Horse Point State Park - a landscape straight out of a Western movie with immense vertical cliffs and deep canyons
• Goblin Valley State Park - a surreal landscape featuring sandstone pillars that look like goblins
• Bear Lake State Park - brilliantly blue waters with sandy beaches for water fun and camping
• Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park - true to its name, this park is a mountainous sea of pink sand that's great for dune boarding
• Natural Bridges national monument - three majestic bridges (Kachina, Owachomo and Sipapu) that span the White and Anderson canyons

Recommended Utah road trips

When every landscape you see demands an OMG comment, it makes sense to hire a car and hit the road. Apart from winter, driving in Utah is straightforward (even around the bends) and every journey is like being in your own personal travelogue.

Utah's tourism authority has some excellent recommendations. You can drive the 'Iconic Classics' to see the Mighty 5^® National Parks, the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument and Lake Powell. Or you can do the Southern Dinos and Goblins route, which leads to fossils, petroglyphs, slot canyons and other natural phenomena. There are also plenty of lesser-known road trips, like Beaver Canyon to the Sevier Valley and the West Desert Ramble.

If time's on your side, driving the slower back roads of Utah is a way to discover small town life, abandoned mining sites, pioneering history and (always) incredible red-rock formations. Research the old Pony Express route and see where that takes you.

Culture in all its forms

There are some unique cultural experiences to be had in Utah, so it's not all about rock formations and snow resorts. Here are some of the human talent attractions you can enjoy:

• Catch a performance by the Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square, an all-Mormon 360-person chorus of singers who are giving service to the world through song
• See a show at Southern Utah's Tuacahn Amphitheatre, where the dramatic desert scenery competes with the drama unfolding on the stage
• Discover Peery's Egyptian Theatre in Ogden, a 1924 theatre that replicates the courtyard between two Egyptian temples. It's been restored to original condition and hosts performances that range from ballet to beauty contests
• Brewvies Cinema Pub in Salt Lake City combines cult movies with pizza and craft beer. What a combo!
• The Pioneer Memorial Museum, also in Salt Lake City, tells the stories from Utah's colonial past. You'll also learn about the state's Mormon history
• Urban Lounge, The State Room, Garage on Beck, The Depot and The Rail are some of the best live music venues in Salt Lake City
• Utah Museum of Contemporary Art has four gallery spaces and an auditorium. It's known for ground-breaking works that will really stretch your mind