Delta Air Lines and Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC) signed a new long-term lease agreement, cementing the SkyTeam carrier as the top airline at the Utah airport.

Delta operates a western US hub at SLC, where it has 5,000 employees based. The new agreement extends Delta’s lease of gates at the airport to 2044, committing the airline to $2.8 billion in payments. It also calls for the expansion of the number of SLC Delta gates from 55 to 66, with 11 new gates to be built by 2027.

The agreement has two five-year options for renewal, so Delta could operate on the accord's terms through 2054.

“Salt Lake City is key to Delta’s continued success in bolstering its position as the leading global premium carrier for the region, and this lease agreement and subsequent expansion plan are a testament to that,” Delta senior VP of corporate real estate Holden Shannon said in a statement.

Delta operates more than 240 daily flights to nearly 90 destinations from SLC.

Commenting on the lease agreement, SLC director Bill Wyatt said: “Our passengers can look forward to more flights to more destinations in the coming years and greater connectivity worldwide.”