SLC is almost impossible to get out of. A good trick is to bridge it with another city just like you did. The last time I flew domestic out of SLC, Comair still had mainline priority, and I used an S2 and was the only nonrev to clear(middle seat). I wanted to ride SLC-CDG last year, but had to bridge in PHX to get from ATL-SLC(ATL-PHX-SLC)(I got SLC-CDG BizElite!). You can get crazy w/ a bridge city too. SLC-JFK no good? Maybe SLC-NRT-JFK, or SLC-CDG-PIT-JFK.

It can be crazy in a hub, and weather really exagerates this. You could have 1/2 the flights cxld, and nobody gets on, or you could have 1/2 the people misconnect, and sit in F on a wide open flight. Always ALWAYS wait at the gate if it doesn't affect plans B and C. Even after the plane leaves, hang around a bit if you can. As a gate agent I've had a plane gate return because a lady was scared to fly. Her family got off and I got a few nonrevs on that stuck around.

And look into all kind of options. I had 2 very nice older ladies on buddy passes about 6 months ago when ATL was a stormy mess. A wx cxl here, a mtc cxl there, and they're all oversold anyway. There was nothing I could do to get them on any of my flights. They couldn't get somebody to drive them to BWI, but could get someone to drive them to LNS(Lancaster, PA). I informed them Cape Air flies LNS-BWI for appx $50 each way. They were happy w/ that option, so I called Cape Air and made their res, and changed their buddy pass from MDT-ATL to BWI-ATL. I checked their PNR, and a few hours later these nice young ladies were in ATL.

Sometimes you have to really work to get where you're going, but it's usually worth it.