Sun Country drops 25 destinations after pilot shortage

Sun Country Airlines has stopped flying to 25 destinations, most of them domestic routes from its Minneapolis-St. Paul (MSP) hub, according to Simple Flying. Most of the routes had their final flights in August or September 2026, and the cuts also remove the airline's entire Canadian network.

Why the routes were cut

Simple Flying reports that the cutbacks followed the completion of the merger between Sun Country Airlines and Allegiant Air in May. The outlet says the airline saw higher-than-expected pilot attrition after the deal, with many pilots reportedly leaving for Delta Air Lines. Without enough pilots to operate its full schedule, the carrier dropped several routes altogether.

Which destinations are affected

The list published by Simple Flying shows these destinations dropped from Minneapolis:

• Northeast: Portland (Maine), Buffalo, Hartford, Providence, Pittsburgh, Syracuse and Burlington
• South and Southeast: Asheville, Richmond, Wilmington, San Antonio, Tulsa and Austin
• Midwest: Grand Rapids, Traverse City and Rapid City
• West and Alaska: Anchorage, Bozeman, Kalispell, Spokane, Boise and Missoula
• Canada: Vancouver and Toronto

The only route not from Minneapolis is Fort Myers (RSW) to Appleton (ATW), which last operated in April. According to Simple Flying, citing the US Department of Transportation, it was the only nonstop overlap between the two airlines' networks. Allegiant now operates it, with twice-weekly nonstop flights.

Exit from Canada

Sun Country entered the Canadian market in 2022 and had served Toronto, Vancouver and Montreal. Its last flights to Vancouver were in August and to Toronto in September. Simple Flying says US DOT data showed load factors of 60% to 78% on these routes through July, sometimes above 90%, though it notes that load factor alone does not show profitability. The services were seasonal, and competition at MSP is strong: Delta offers multiple daily flights to Toronto, Vancouver and Montreal, while Air Canada flies multiple daily to Toronto and a daily seasonal service to Montreal in summer.

Smaller schedule this winter

Citing Cirium schedule data, Simple Flying reports Sun Country's flights and seat capacity are down about 11.5% this year compared with 2025. From November to March 2027 it has roughly 10,515 flights scheduled, almost 370 fewer than the 10,884 in the same period a year earlier. MSP remains its busiest hub, with around 185 weekly departures. Orlando and Fort Myers are among its major domestic destinations, and Cancún is its busiest international market.

What this means for travellers

• Because most of these routes ended in August or September, any booking made since then should already have been dealt with; travellers who still hold tickets to these cities should check them with the airline.
• Anyone planning trips from Minneapolis to the affected cities will need another carrier, with Delta the largest at MSP according to Simple Flying.
• Travellers between Fort Myers and Appleton can still fly nonstop with Allegiant.
• Fewer flights overall may mean less choice and, as some commentators have worried, potentially higher fares. The sources do not say whether the airline plans to restore any routes.

Sources: Simple Flying