Travelers will have more opportunities to escape the Upper Midwest this coming winter as Sun Country expands its route offerings. The Minneapolis-based carrier will add 9 new airports and 18 routes overall, including 10 where the carrier is the only non-stop service in the market.
With more and more people excited to resume traveling, we’re thrilled to be able to offer them the opportunity to visit these incredible vacation destinations this winter. We’re really proud to bring our brand of convenient, affordable travel to more cities in the Upper Midwest, so folks can enjoy the vacations they’ve been dreaming about.
– Sun Country Airlines Chief Revenue Officer Grant Whitney
Betting on the fact that travelers are less willing than ever to connect in a major hub, Sun Country plans a significant expansion of point-to-point markets served, while trading on brand loyalty across the region.
Bypassing the bus
Sun Country made news in November 2019 when it announced a partnership with Landline to deliver bus connections to smaller Minnesota markets. Rather than flying passengers onward they would connect to a handful of towns around the Minneapolis hub via bus. Two of those markets now are slated to receive flights.
Duluth and Rochester will each add flights to Phoenix and Fort Myers for the winter each operating 2x weekly. Those markets are also served from Minneapolis, allowing a bus connection one way if the day of week options on the non-stop flight don’t line up for customers.
Doubling up in Phoenix
The airline will launch service from Minneapolis to six destinations, including 4x weekly service to Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport. This is on top of the daily flights to Phoenix Sky Harbor airport.
The move makes Sun Country the only US airline to operate to both airports. WestJet currently publishes flights to both as well, though what the transborder market will look like when the border reopens is unclear.
New Airports
The planned expansion adds nine new airports to the flight map, though two are served by Landline:
- Duluth International Airport (DLH)
- Owen Roberts International Airport (GCM) in Grand Cayman
- Green Bay Austin Straubel International Airport (GRB)
- Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport (MKE)
- Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport (AZA)
- Punta Gorda Airport (PGD)
- Rochester International Airport (RST)
- St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport (PIE)
- Providenciales International Airport (PLS) in Turks and Caicos
With the new network in place the carrier will operate to five Florida Gulf Coast markets from six gateways in the Upper Midwest. It will also be a significant player at Milwaukee from the get-go, with five markets on offer, including the only non-stop option to Cancun.
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