Rumor: New Sun Country Airlines Route

Grandforks12 · Sat Sep 29, 2018 6:04 pm

I have confirmation from airport authority in Fargo, ND at Hector Airport that in the next month Sun Country Airlines will announce a new service between Fargo, ND and Minneaplois St. Paul starting 5x weekly in February of 2019 and eventually going daily in March. That aircraft that will serve this route will be a 737-700 with a early morning 6-7am departure from Fargo and a 845pm departure from Minneapolis. Sun Country continues its expansion.

FSDan · Sat Sep 29, 2018 7:03 pm

Assuming the timing of this flight allows connections to Florida and the Caribbean at MSP (and it sounds like that's likely the case), it seems like this route has a good chance of working. I bet there are some budget-minded travelers who currently drive from Fargo to MSP to get a cheap nonstop on Sun Country as it is today.

dinker225 · Sat Sep 29, 2018 7:05 pm

Sun Country is running out of RON space at MSP. This is a simple solution to park an airplane and maybe generate some feed for the morning departures.

lavalampluva · Sat Sep 29, 2018 7:08 pm

At first it sounds outside the SY business model, but it should do well with allowing connections at MSP for sun destinations. I can see them doing this from other upper Midwest cities (FSD, GRB, maybe YWG).

slcdeltarumd11 · Sat Sep 29, 2018 7:16 pm

Seems like a smart move to me. Fargo is a market that could definitely use some competition on routes. Help Delta's pricing even if you don't use sun country. Last minute in/out if Fargo can be insane , competition should help.

EstherLouise · Sat Sep 29, 2018 7:31 pm

There's not enough time to serve everyone the cheeseburgers between FAR and MSP.

stlgph · Sat Sep 29, 2018 8:07 pm

Could see a similar service ran out of Duluth, particularly in the winter months.

SFOThinker · Sat Sep 29, 2018 8:47 pm

Seems useful for people needing to spend a day on business in the Twin Cities and return home in the evening, in addition to those connecting to sun destinations.

SteveXC500 · Sat Sep 29, 2018 11:33 pm

EstherLouise wrote:
There's not enough time to serve everyone the cheeseburgers between FAR and MSP.

Did they quit doing that to be ULCC?

CIDFlyer · Sun Sep 30, 2018 2:08 am

Interesting. Hope to see them
Expand this to some more Midwest markets like DLH, CID, DSM, GRB etc

tys777 · Sun Sep 30, 2018 3:53 am

stlgph wrote:
Could see a similar service ran out of Duluth, particularly in the winter months.

Doubt it, we couldn't even keep G4 service. Also, people here are conditioned to driving to MSP (easy drive on I-35) and there are 16 shuttles a day. I currently do a mix of driving to MSP and flying out of DLH. Also, Duluth air demand actually slows in the winter. Sure, you'd have people going south for holidays, but I don't think that they could fill more than 1 or 2 flights a week and it would have to be cheaper than MSP otherwise people will just drive there and fly which will kill margins.

This the same problem with STC as a market. I think if this new service is true, the Dakota's and upper midwest could be candidates. Thinking BIS, GRB, FSD, RAP.

flyguy84 · Sun Sep 30, 2018 4:33 am

This won't last long... Delta will quickly run them off this route.

flyfresno · Sun Sep 30, 2018 4:44 am

tys777 wrote:
stlgph wrote:
Could see a similar service ran out of Duluth, particularly in the winter months.

Doubt it, we couldn't even keep G4 service. Also, people here are conditioned to driving to MSP (easy drive on I-35) and there are 16 shuttles a day. I currently do a mix of driving to MSP and flying out of DLH. Also, Duluth air demand actually slows in the winter. Sure, you'd have people going south for holidays, but I don't think that they could fill more than 1 or 2 flights a week and it would have to be cheaper than MSP otherwise people will just drive there and fly which will kill margins.

This the same problem with STC as a market. I think if this new service is true, the Dakota's and upper midwest could be candidates. Thinking BIS, GRB, FSD, RAP.

MSN-MSP?

stlgph · Sun Sep 30, 2018 7:26 am

tys777 wrote:
stlgph wrote:
Could see a similar service ran out of Duluth, particularly in the winter months.

Doubt it, we couldn't even keep G4 service. Also, people here are conditioned to driving to MSP (easy drive on I-35) and there are 16 shuttles a day. I currently do a mix of driving to MSP and flying out of DLH. Also, Duluth air demand actually slows in the winter. Sure, you'd have people going south for holidays, but I don't think that they could fill more than 1 or 2 flights a week and it would have to be cheaper than MSP otherwise people will just drive there and fly which will kill margins.

This the same problem with STC as a market. I think if this new service is true, the Dakota's and upper midwest could be candidates. Thinking BIS, GRB, FSD, RAP.

It's cold in the winter. Minnesota travels more to warm climates.
Allegiant offered Phoenix and Orlando. As has happened with Allegiant, sometimes the pony gets tapped out going to the same markets over and over again. Sun Country would offer more destinations.
Allegiant has been making a habit of returning to old markets. Do it before it happens.

MIflyer12 · Sun Sep 30, 2018 11:03 am

flyguy84 wrote:
This won't last long... Delta will quickly run them off this route.

There's 4x United to ORD - one of which is even mainline. UA has as many seats of out the market as Delta, which is 4x CR2 and 1x CR7.

FARmd90 · Sun Sep 30, 2018 11:31 am

MIflyer12 wrote:
flyguy84 wrote:
This won't last long... Delta will quickly run them off this route.

There's 4x United to ORD - one of which is even mainline. UA has as many seats of out the market as Delta, which is 4x CR2 and 1x CR7.

What route are you talking about? FAR-ORD? United has never sent mainline into Fargo and can’t even keep a 2 class CR7 or 175 going into Fargo consistently to either DEN or ORD.

FARmd90 · Sun Sep 30, 2018 11:31 am

MIflyer12 wrote:
flyguy84 wrote:
This won't last long... Delta will quickly run them off this route.

There's 4x United to ORD - one of which is even mainline. UA has as many seats of out the market as Delta, which is 4x CR2 and 1x CR7.

What route are you talking about? FAR-ORD? United has never sent mainline into Fargo and can’t even keep a 2 class CR7 or 175 going into Fargo consistently to either DEN or ORD.

FARmd90 · Sun Sep 30, 2018 11:33 am

MIflyer12 wrote:
flyguy84 wrote:
This won't last long... Delta will quickly run them off this route.

There's 4x United to ORD - one of which is even mainline. UA has as many seats of out the market as Delta, which is 4x CR2 and 1x CR7.

What route are you talking about? FAR-ORD? United has never sent mainline into Fargo and can’t even keep a 2 class CR7 or 175 going into Fargo consistently to either DEN or ORD. Duluth might be a different story but if Fargo couldn’t support mainline, I don’t see how Duluth could.

716131 · Sun Sep 30, 2018 11:39 am

FARmd90 wrote:
MIflyer12 wrote:
flyguy84 wrote:
This won't last long... Delta will quickly run them off this route.

There's 4x United to ORD - one of which is even mainline. UA has as many seats of out the market as Delta, which is 4x CR2 and 1x CR7.

What route are you talking about? FAR-ORD? United has never sent mainline into Fargo and can’t even keep a 2 class CR7 or 175 going into Fargo consistently to either DEN or ORD. Duluth might be a different story but if Fargo couldn’t support mainline, I don’t see how Duluth could.

I think he's talking about other mainline airline out of Fargo.

azstar · Sun Sep 30, 2018 12:07 pm

I just flew to Fargo from Tucson the end of September. $1400.00/RT. There is no nonstop service between Tucson and MSP during the summer, so my options were limited. AA/UA via ORD (which adds a couple hours travel time) AA via DFW (ER175 DFW-FAR) or UA via DEN. The DEN-FAR flight was 100% full both directions (UA has reduced from 4X CRJ200 to 2XERJ175 and 1 CRJ700). I don't think FAR-MSP on Sun Country will have much of an impact since there aren't many connections on them from MSP and, I imagine, MSP is not a destination for FAR flyers. But, it adds a low cost option in addition to Frontier (which does not provide much connecting service since their DEN flight leaves at 7:55 PM) and Allegiant, which I won't fly.

xdlx · Sun Sep 30, 2018 12:14 pm

flyguy84 wrote:
This won't last long... Delta will quickly run them off this route.

They should start MSP-SJU to see if DL follows and breaks the bland ATL/JFK offerings

FARmd90 · Sun Sep 30, 2018 12:37 pm

azstar wrote:
I just flew to Fargo from Tucson the end of September. $1400.00/RT. There is no nonstop service between Tucson and MSP during the summer, so my options were limited. AA/UA via ORD (which adds a couple hours travel time) AA via DFW (ER175 DFW-FAR) or UA via DEN. The DEN-FAR flight was 100% full both directions (UA has reduced from 4X CRJ200 to 2XERJ175 and 1 CRJ700). I don't think FAR-MSP on Sun Country will have much of an impact since there aren't many connections on them from MSP and, I imagine, MSP is not a destination for FAR flyers. But, it adds a low cost option in addition to Frontier (which does not provide much connecting service since their DEN flight leaves at 7:55 PM) and Allegiant, which I won't fly.

I didn’t even see United change planes on DEN-FAR. Good to see United grow capacity a bit and offer a better product other than CRJ-200s and 145s.

tys777 · Sun Sep 30, 2018 1:34 pm

MIflyer12 wrote:
flyguy84 wrote:
This won't last long... Delta will quickly run them off this route.

There's 4x United to ORD - one of which is even mainline. UA has as many seats of out the market as Delta, which is 4x CR2 and 1x CR7.

If you are talking about DLH-ORD which I suspect you are, it typically goes down to 3x for the winter and this year is actually going down to 2x.

Also, DLH-MSP used to have an overnight RON and a DTW flight on DL, demand just isnt there anymore and not a potential market for SY imo unless they undercut themselves out of MSP. it's a market that will just drive instead and catch their flight.

CIDFlyer · Sun Sep 30, 2018 3:45 pm

UA must be doing really good at DLH to have a mainline flight.

ktarabay98 · Sun Sep 30, 2018 6:10 pm

xdlx wrote:
They should start MSP-SJU to see if DL follows and breaks the bland ATL/JFK offerings

Both Sun Country and Delta already operates MSP-SJU as a winter seasonal route. On W17/18 only Sun country operated the route but for W18/19 DL will resume the seasonal route starting once a week on December, and increasing to 2-weekly on february.

EstherLouise · Sun Sep 30, 2018 10:10 pm

She said, "Whoa, no. Guadalajara won't do." I didn't know SY could be so cruel.

tys777 · Sun Sep 30, 2018 10:33 pm

CIDFlyer wrote:
UA must be doing really good at DLH to have a mainline flight.

Mixed bag really. I think it's more to rotate for MX with AAR. But that is maybe one plane every week or so, so maybe?

klakzky123 · Sun Sep 30, 2018 10:53 pm

slcdeltarumd11 wrote:
Seems like a smart move to me. Fargo is a market that could definitely use some competition on routes. Help Delta's pricing even if you don't use sun country. Last minute in/out if Fargo can be insane , competition should help.

Last minute fares can be over $1000 R/T. It's down right crazy at times. DL mints money on FAR-MSP flights. Fargo is geographically situated to enable airlines to extract some pretty impressive yields.

Seems like a relatively cheap way to RON while potentially capturing some decent yields. Directly flights on DL at their cheapest are $200 R/T. Of the airports near MSP, FAR almost certainly has the highest yields.

bfitzflyer · Sun Sep 30, 2018 10:59 pm

SY has made a living at more or less not poking the 10K gorilla in MSP and I think DL not wanting a larger competior at MSP, will be interesting to see the response if any. As long as leisure destinations, DL seems to let them exist...

joeblow10 · Sun Sep 30, 2018 11:13 pm

klakzky123 wrote:
slcdeltarumd11 wrote:
Seems like a smart move to me. Fargo is a market that could definitely use some competition on routes. Help Delta's pricing even if you don't use sun country. Last minute in/out if Fargo can be insane , competition should help.

Last minute fares can be over $1000 R/T. It's down right crazy at times. DL mints money on FAR-MSP flights. Fargo is geographically situated to enable airlines to extract some pretty impressive yields.

Seems like a relatively cheap way to RON while potentially capturing some decent yields. Directly flights on DL at their cheapest are $200 R/T. Of the airports near MSP, FAR almost certainly has the highest yields.

That entire region in ND/SD/MN is outright ridiculous in terms of fares...

I used to frequent GFK and FAR and rarely had a fare less than $600 RT, and those were booked several weeks in advance. FSD is equally as outrageous as I'm in and out of there a decent amount now, and I refuse to fly F9 after they've cancelled on me a number of times.

I probably wouldn't fly SY after hearing some of the meltdown tales much like F9, but the more competition, the better

N292UX · Mon Oct 01, 2018 4:39 am

I was expecting something more outlandish, like CRW-PSP, but hey this could be pretty interesting if launched

mtnwest1979 · Mon Oct 01, 2018 5:00 am

N292UX wrote:
I was expecting something more outlandish, like CRW-PSP, but hey this could be pretty interesting if launched

I hear that will be Elite Airways' next announced-not ever started route lol.

N292UX · Mon Oct 01, 2018 1:17 pm

mtnwest1979 wrote:
N292UX wrote:
I was expecting something more outlandish, like CRW-PSP, but hey this could be pretty interesting if launched

I hear that will be Elite Airways' next announced-not ever started route lol.

My goodness they run AVL-VRB. On high season, there's a chance that could fill a 1 seater.

azstar · Mon Oct 01, 2018 3:08 pm

FARmd90 wrote:
azstar wrote:
I just flew to Fargo from Tucson the end of September. $1400.00/RT. There is no nonstop service between Tucson and MSP during the summer, so my options were limited. AA/UA via ORD (which adds a couple hours travel time) AA via DFW (ER175 DFW-FAR) or UA via DEN. The DEN-FAR flight was 100% full both directions (UA has reduced from 4X CRJ200 to 2XERJ175 and 1 CRJ700). I don't think FAR-MSP on Sun Country will have much of an impact since there aren't many connections on them from MSP and, I imagine, MSP is not a destination for FAR flyers. But, it adds a low cost option in addition to Frontier (which does not provide much connecting service since their DEN flight leaves at 7:55 PM) and Allegiant, which I won't fly.

I didn’t even see United change planes on DEN-FAR. Good to see United grow capacity a bit and offer a better product other than CRJ-200s and 145s.

I just checked the Oct schedule DEN-FAR. Sadly, it's now 3X ERJ145, which is even worse than CRJ200, IMO.

Flighty · Mon Oct 01, 2018 3:55 pm

Shots fired. That is a sweetheart, crown jewel NW/DL route.

rainaviation · Fri Oct 05, 2018 10:54 pm

Grandforks12 wrote:
I have confirmation from airport authority in Fargo, ND at Hector Airport that in the next month Sun Country Airlines will announce a new service between Fargo, ND and Minneaplois St. Paul starting 5x weekly in February of 2019 and eventually going daily in March. That aircraft that will serve this route will be a 737-700 with a early morning 6-7am departure from Fargo and a 845pm departure from Minneapolis. Sun Country continues its expansion.

Problem... They are getting rid of their -700's next month!

sunking737 · Sat Oct 06, 2018 12:09 am

rainaviation wrote:
Grandforks12 wrote:
I have confirmation from airport authority in Fargo, ND at Hector Airport that in the next month Sun Country Airlines will announce a new service between Fargo, ND and Minneaplois St. Paul starting 5x weekly in February of 2019 and eventually going daily in March. That aircraft that will serve this route will be a 737-700 with a early morning 6-7am departure from Fargo and a 845pm departure from Minneapolis. Sun Country continues its expansion.

Problem... They are getting rid of their -700's next month!

I have not heard that one yet. 5 birds coming this fall. 2 from AM, and 3 from HV. Rumored to have 30 737's this winter season. HV are winter lease, AM are new to fleet

rainaviation · Thu Dec 27, 2018 11:35 pm

So, apparently this rumor was only a rumor! Where is the FAR announcement?

compensateme · Fri Dec 28, 2018 1:29 am

rainaviation wrote:
So, apparently this rumor was only a rumor! Where is the FAR announcement?

No need to bump this thread. Plenty of “runors” are reported on here that are manufactured by the original poster themselves; others are the result of misinformation. Most likely, that’s the case here.

MSPSXMFLIER · Fri Dec 28, 2018 2:03 am

If this were going to happen, SY would've made the announcement sometime this past fall, to gear up for their winter schedule of service to Florida, Mexico, Central America and Caribbean. It's either wishful thinking on someone's part, a complete misunderstanding of something said or just someone who likes to toss rumors around on here.

rainaviation · Fri Dec 28, 2018 4:26 am

MSPSXMFLIER wrote:
If this were going to happen, SY would've made the announcement sometime this past fall, to gear up for their winter schedule of service to Florida, Mexico, Central America and Caribbean. It's either wishful thinking on someone's part, a complete misunderstanding of something said or just someone who likes to toss rumors around on here.

Yep!

Grandforks12 · Thu Jan 10, 2019 5:48 am

Just wanted to update this post as Sun Country officially ceased the idea of starting Fargo operations after Delta decided to upgrade their two launches to not just mainline but, a 717 and a 757-200 for now with a -300 coming in the few weeks. Delta felt the need to "scare off" Sun Country with as much capacity as possible and large multi-class aircraft. Sun Country decided they couldn't compete and scraped the idea for now all together.

Thanks for staying with this story,

Stay Tuned for more Fargo, ND news!

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