Summary

  • Sun Country Airlines operates its longest US route from Minneapolis to Anchorage, 2,518 miles long with 61 flights each way.
  • The carrier faces competition on routes to San Francisco and San Juan but not on its Minneapolis-Oakland route.
  • Minneapolis-Los Angeles is a popular route with up to eight daily flights from Delta and some competition from Spirit Airlines.

Sun Country Airlines was founded in 1982 and is today primarily a leisure-oriented airline. Based at Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport (MSP), the ultra-low-cost carrier offers flights to more than 80 destinations across the US, Canada, Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean. Using July 2024 data from Cirium, an aviation analytics company, what are Sun County Airlines’ longest US domestic routes?

But first, let’s take a look at Sun Country Airlines’ fleet. According to ch-aviation, the carrier’s fleet is currently made up of 44 Boeing 737-800s, which have an average age of just under 16 years old. Each aircraft is capable of carrying up to 186 passengers in a two-class configuration – 30 in economy plus and 156 in economy class. The airline has five 737-900ERs on order, and also operates 12 737-800BCFs, which are operated on behalf of Amazon Air.

You might also like:

42 Years Since Its Foundation: The Story Of Sun Country Airlines

From its early years as a full-service leisure carrier to its modern-day ULCC and cargo operations, Sun Country Airlines has a varied history.

5

Minneapolis (MSP) – Los Angeles (LAX)

1,526 miles (2,456 km)

Sun Country Airlines will operate 88 flights each way between Minneapolis and Los Angeles in July 2024, with up to four flights per day. Westbound flights have a block time of roughly three hours and 50 minutes, depending on the flight and time of day.

Several Sun Country Airlines Aircraft Parked Side By Side.

Photo: Sun Country Airlines

Los Angeles was the seventh-busiest domestic route from Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport, with 497,000 passengers last year. Sun Country Airlines faces significant competition in the form of:

  • Up to eight daily flights operated by Delta Air Lines
  • A seasonal service from fellow ultra-low-cost carrier Spirit Airlines.

4

Minneapolis (MSP) – Oakland (OAK)

1,578 miles (2,539 km)

Sun Country Airlines has 11 flights scheduled between Minneapolis and Oakland in July 2024, with two to three flights per week in each direction. Oakland is the second of three Californian destinations to feature in this list.

Sun Country Airlines 737-800 Rising in Low Light

Photo: Joe Kunzler | Simple Flying

Sun Country Airlines is the only carrier that operates the Minneapolis-Oakland route, so it does not face any direct competition. Average block times are as follows:

  • Westbound – just over four hours
  • Eastbound – three hours and 40 minutes.

You might also like:

Polarized Responses To Oakland Airport Renaming

Port of Oakland Commission’s second & final reading on renaming OAK to San Francisco Bay Oakland International Airport has generated fierce replies.

3

Minneapolis (MSP) – San Francisco (SFO)

1,589 miles (2,557 km)

The last of Sun Country Airlines’ California routes to make it into the top 5 longest US domestic routes, the carrier will operate 81 flights each way between Minneapolis and San Francisco in July 2024.

Closeup of Sun Country Airlines aircraft taking off from the MSP - Minneapolis / St Paul Airport in Minnesota

Photo: natmac stock | Shutterstock

Block times are very similar to those seen on the airline’s San Francisco route, which is unsurprising given the difference in distance between the two routes is just 12 miles (19 km). Sun Country Airlines goes head-to-head on the route with two of the largest carriers in the country:

  • Delta Air Lines
  • United Airlines.

You might also like:

San Francisco Airport Lounges: The Simple Flying Guide

The airport is home to around 20 lounges.

2

Minneapolis (MSP) – San Juan (SJU)

2,404 miles (3,869 km)

With just four flights scheduled each way between Minneapolis and San Juan in July 2024, this is by far the lowest-frequency route to make it into Sun Country Airlines’ top 5 longest US domestic routes. The route’s once-weekly frequency is clearly aimed at leisure travelers.

Sun Country Airlines Boeing 737

Photo: Ian Dewar Photography | Shutterstock

On its route to San Juan, Sun Country Airlines faces direct competition from Delta Air Lines, which also operates once-weekly services using its Boeing 737 aircraft. Average block times are as follows:

  • Southbound – five hours and 15 minutes
  • Northbound – five hours and 40 minutes.

You might also like:

JetBlue Continues To Expand Operations In Puerto Rico By Planning A Crew Base In San Juan

The airline plans to open the crew base by the end of the year.

1

Minneapolis (MSP) – Anchorage (ANC)

2,518 miles (4,052 km)

Sun Country Airlines’ longest US domestic route in July 2024 is between Minneapolis and Anchorage in Alaska, coming in at 2,518 miles long. The carrier will operate 61 flights each way in for the whole month, equating to a double-daily service.

Anchorage Airport Aerial View

Photo: Vincenzo Pace | Simple Flying

Westbound flights take an average of five hours and 50 minutes. In terms of direct competition, Sun Country Airlines goes head-to-head with:

  • Delta Air Lines – thrice-daily services operated by the Boeing 737
  • Alaska Airlines – once-daily summer seasonal service operated by the Boeing 737.

You might also like:

Analyzing Sun Country Airlines’ Position In The US Aviation Market

The carrier is in a relatively unique place.

Sun Country Airlines’ five longest US domestic routes in July 2024 can be seen in the image below:

Sun Country Airlines longest US domestic routes

Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport is also a major hub for Delta Air Lines, so it is no surprise that Sun Country Airlines goes head-to-head with the SkyTeam member on all but one of its five longest US domestic routes. In 2023, Delta Air Lines had a market share of 58%, followed by SkyWest Airlines (9%) and Sun Country Airlines (6%). Last year, the airport processed more than 34 million passengers, which is still some way behind its pre-pandemic peak of 39 million passengers in 2019.

The five busiest domestic routes from the airport last year were:

  • Denver (DEN) – 912,000 passengers
  • Phoenix (PHX) – 636,000 passengers
  • Chicago (ORD) – 606,000 passengers
  • Atlanta (ATL) – 600,000 passengers
  • Las Vegas (LAS) – 577,000 passengers
Delta Air Lines Airbus A350

Photo: Delta Air Lines

The airport also sees a handful of long-haul flights across the Atlantic, operated by Delta Air Lines and several European carriers. When it comes to international flights, the five busiest routes last year were:

  • Amsterdam (AMS) – 390,000 passengers
  • Cancun (CUN) – 357,000 passengers
  • Paris (CDG) – 210,000 passengers
  • Toronto (YYZ) – 157,000 passengers
  • Calgary (YYC) – 130,000 passengers.

Have you flown on any of Sun Country Airlines’ longest US domestic routes listed above? What are your experiences of flying with the airline? Do you envisage the carrier launching any other long domestic services? Let us know by commenting below.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *