Sun Country is a relatively new ultra low cost carrier (ULCC). Compared to other ULCC carriers Sun Country did not start out with the ultra low cost operating model. Initially the carrier flew routes from Minneapolis to sunny warm destinations. As the airline progressed, Apollo Global Management and Amazon Air bought a minority stake in the airline in 2017 changing the operating model in the process. How does allegiant stack up in a crowded competitive ULCC market. Sun Country Airlines economy product will be reviewed aboard a Boeing 737-800 from Minneapolis (MSP) to Providence (PVD).
Booking Experience
Booking is accomplished right on Sun Country’s website. Sun Country is transparent on their price policies. For bags fees range from $34 per checked bag at booking but increase to $45 per bag at check-in and $50 per bag if paying at the airport. Seat selection incurs a charge in addition to the base fare. Sun Country has three classes of seats; Best (priority boarding, extra recline, 1 free alcoholic beverage and power outlets), exit row and standard. Seat selection toward the front of the aircraft costs more than towards the back. Prices range from $15 to $35 depending on the seat location. Checking in online is super simple and provides all relevant information pertaining to the flight.
Ground Experience
At Minneapolis Saint Paul International Airport (MSP) Sun Country operates out of terminal 2 “Humphry Terminal.” There are kiosks and full service check in desks. Arriving at the airport, passengers were directed to the full service check in desks as the kiosks were out of order. Despite the large amount of passengers in line, the wait time was only five minutes. The agent working asked if this was the first time flying Sun Country and wished us a great flight. After dropping bags and getting paper boarding passes it was straight over to security and eventually the gate.
First Impressions
Boarding commenced right on time. Upon stepping aboard flight attendants were greeting passengers and assisting with luggage stowage. “Best” seats are in an overall dark blue with a splash of orange on the headrests. The standard and exit row seats are in a dark blue color. The aircraft was in clean condition. Upon reaching the seat it becomes apparent that the seats are configured in a bit more mainline configuration with full sized tray tables and USB power. Surprisingly the selected standard seats feature a full recline and 29 inches of seat pitch. Right on schedule the doors closed and pushback commenced for the two hour thirty minute flight to providence.
Inflight Experience
After takeoff crew began the beverage and buy on board service. Sun Country is an outlier in the ULCC market offering complimentary beverages including water, soda and coffee. In the seatback pockets is a menu outlining complimentary and buy on board options. For Sun Country credit card holders, an alcoholic beverage can be purchased free of charge when presenting the credit card to a crew member. Streaming inflight entertainment is featured on select aircraft. On this particular aircraft, the system was not able to connect. Other passengers notified the crew of issue. Unlike Frontier or Spirit Airlines it is possible to charge devices in the seatback. The USB charger under the seatback operated without issue.
Final Approach
The remaining flight time was rather uneventful. The aircraft landed in providence right on time. Compared to flying on Allegiant, Frontier or Spirit a week earlier, Sun Country stood out for their punctuality. There are some other factors that have set Sun Country apart from the rest. While their booking process does have a significant amount of addon charges, the website is transparent with the fees. Even prior to booking it is possible to enter the flight information and see the cost for bags. While the onboard product is basic, it is a step above the competition with “creature comforts” such as a full sized tray table and USB chargers. Overall Sun Country is basic yet provides a good value for the money especially when compared to competing ULCC carriers.