Minneapolis-based ultra-low-cost carrier Sun Country Airlines is one of the key players in the American budget sector, with the vast majority of its aircraft fitted entirely with economy class seats. However, among the 51 planes registered to the carrier that ch-aviation currently lists as active, there is one notable exception.
What’s it like onboard?
The aircraft in question is a Boeing 737-800 that bears the registration N839SY. According to ch-aviation, the plane is just under seven years old and previously flew for Norwegian Air International and Norwegian Air Sweden before crossing the Atlantic to join Sun Country Airlines. That transfer took place in 2021.
A quick look at aeroLOPA’s seat map data will tell you that, as is typical for a budget carrier, Sun Country Airlines configures its passenger-carrying Boeing 737-800s in an all-economy layout. This setup can accommodate 186 passengers, but N836SY is very different. Indeed, its configuration is essentially the polar opposite, consisting entirely of business class seats, with just 68 of these onboard.
The aircraft, pictured above during its time at Norwegian, offers considerably more space per passenger thanks to its VIP configuration, with just four seats per row rather than the usual six. According to Sun Country Airlines, it offers a “35 to 38-inch pitch, expanded catering options, and a captive WiFi system.“
Where does it fly?
Given that an all-business-class configuration somewhat contradicts Sun Country Airlines’ ultra-low-cost operating model, it is perhaps unsurprising to see that N839SY isn’t used for regularly scheduled flights. Instead, it is set aside for high-value charters, with traveling professional sports teams being a key market.
Indeed, as seen in the tweet embedded above, Major League Soccer team Los Angeles FC has used the aircraft for cross-country journeys to and from away fixtures against teams such as Houston Dynamo. The extra space offered onboard is surely a comfort to players both before and after a tricky fixture on the road.
Data from Flightradar24 suggests that the aircraft, which sports a more plain livery than Sun Country Airlines, regular Boeing 737-800s, is generally based at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). From here, October 2023 saw it fly to the likes of Kailua-Kona and Everett before spending a week in Minneapolis.
Like Ryanair, Sun Country also has a VIP 737-700
Information from ch-aviation also shows that Sun Country Airlines has a VIP-configured Boeing 737-700 in its fleet. This smaller aircraft, which bears the registration N713SY, has 64 business class seats onboard in a four-abreast configuration and is 23 years old. However, in October 2023, it flew to Marana for storage.
Photo: Ryanair
Interestingly, Sun Country Airlines isn’t the only major budget carrier to have flown a VIP-configured 737-700 over the years. Indeed, Ryanair also used to have such an aircraft at its disposal, namely the 60-seat EI-SEV, whose corporate interior can be seen in the photograph above. However, tracking data from Flightradar24 shows that this unique aircraft hasn’t flown for the carrier since March 2023.
Did you know about Sun Country’s VIP aircraft? Perhaps you’ve even seen one on your travels? Let us know your thoughts and experiences in the comments!
Sources: aeroLOPA, ch-aviation, Flightradar24, Ryanair, Sun Country Airlines