The airline will take advantage of charter operations to launch more passenger service.
A Sun Country 737 in Los Angeles (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Katie Zera)
Minneapolis-based ultra-low-cost carrier Sun Country has announced two new routes from its Minneapolis/St.Paul hub. The carrier will offer routes from Minneapolis to Monterey and Manchester-Boston Regional Airport.
Flights to each destination will launch in August. Flights to Monterey will operate twice weekly, while flights to Manchester will operate once weekly. Neither flight will face direct competition, though JetBlue will indirectly compete in the Boston market with its flight to Boston’s Logan International Airport.
Each flight plays an important role in the Minneapolis market. Monterey is the latest warm, sunny destination for midwesterners seeking a getaway. Meanwhile, Sun Country believes its flight to Manchester will capture a key market: passengers traveling between the two cities to visit family and friends.
“Sun Country’s route to MSP is a highly requested route and is an easy nonstop flight for Granite Staters to reach the natural beauty that can be found in the Twin Cities. Coupled with our convenient and easy-to-access airport and the simplicity of Sun Country’s terminal in MSP, this creates a perfect combination for residents of New Hampshire flying to Minneapolis and beyond and for visitors ready to explore our beautiful state,” said Manchester-Boston Regional Airport Director Ted Kitchens.
“We are grateful for this incredibly exciting addition to our airport and look forward to a long and successful partnership with Sun Country Airlines,” Kitchens continued.
“Minnesotans will be eager to visit New Hampshire for the American history it offers and the beautiful fall colors of New England,” Grant Whitney, Sun Country Senior Vice President and Chief Revenue Officer, said, about the Manchester route.
“Sun Country and our Minneapolis/St. Paul community will warmly welcome visitors from New Hampshire to Minnesota, where you’ll experience great fall weather, scenic lakes throughout the city, outdoor activity, and a terrific entertainment and restaurant scene,” Whitney added.
Monterey, meanwhile, hosts a notable aquarium in addition to multiple golf courses. It is also a relatively short drive from the Bay Area.
Both new routes align closely with Sun Country’s charter business. The carrier often strives to closely match scheduled and chartered routes to improve operational efficiency. In particular, Sun Country can use its limited scheduled service as a way to profit off of flights used to reposition aircraft already flying to pick up charter passengers.
“Our unique ability to integrate our scheduled service and charter business is a differentiator that allows us to meet our customers’ needs while maximizing efficiency,” Whitney said. “Sun Country is proud of our diversified business model of scheduled service, charter, and cargo.”
This model will also allow Sun Country to add flights to Atlanta, Ga. and Austin, Texas starting next month. Toronto and Montreal, as well as destinations in Montana, Idaho, and New Mexico, have recently been added.
Sun Country says that the 100+ destinations it serves give “customers and community an unparalleled breadth of destinations for a leisure airline.”
Receive a daily dose of the airline industry's top stories along with market insights right in your inbox.
Southwest is ceasing operations at four airports and limiting capacity at others, citing ongoing Boeing delivery delays. The all-Boeing operator…
South Africa’s national carrier, South African Airways (SAA), will not be adding any routes to its network in the near…
Air China is planning the resumption of service to Cuba with the opening of reservations for a new route from…
