Sun Country Airlines History: Minnesota's Hometown Airline – Airline Employee Shop

Sun Country Airlines History

Sun Country Airlines was started by former Braniff crews in Minnesota, survived several near-collapses, and joined Allegiant in 2026. Here's a short history of Sun Country, plus the Sun Country Airlines collection that celebrates it.

Born from Braniff (1982-1994)

After Braniff International shut down in 1982, a group of its former pilots and flight attendants, backed by Twin Cities investors, built a new charter airline. Sun Country was incorporated on July 2, 1982. Its first revenue flight, on January 20, 1983, flew from Sioux Falls to Las Vegas on a Boeing 727 leased from Air Florida. From 1986 the airline also flew wide-body McDonnell Douglas DC-10s, which served until 2001.

Scheduled flights and hard times (1995-2011)

Sun Country began scheduled passenger service from Minneapolis-St. Paul in 1995. In December 2001, after price wars and the September 11 attacks, it stopped flying and filed for bankruptcy. An investor group bought key assets in January 2002, and the airline recalled its people and returned to the air in April 2002. Petters Group and Whitebox Advisors bought it in 2006. When fraud at Petters came to light, Sun Country filed for Chapter 11 in October 2008. It emerged in 2011, and in July 2011 the Davis family bought the airline.

A new model (2017-2025)

Apollo Global Management funds bought Sun Country in December 2017, and CEO Jude Bricker reshaped it as a low-cost airline mixing scheduled, charter and cargo flying. Amazon took a minority stake in December 2019, and Sun Country flew its first cargo flight for Amazon in May 2020. The company went public on the Nasdaq on March 17, 2021. By late 2025 it flew Boeing 737-800s and 737-900ERs for passengers, plus 20 Boeing 737-800 freighters for Amazon.

Joining Allegiant (2026)

Allegiant agreed to buy Sun Country in January 2026, and the deal closed on May 13, 2026. The airlines fly separately until they share one operating certificate. Allegiant has said the Sun Country name will then be phased out.

A few things collectors love

  • Sun Country's first flight used a Boeing 727 leased from Air Florida.
  • Its DC-10 wide-bodies flew from 1986 to 2001.
  • Sun Country became the official airline of Major League Soccer in 2022.

Shop Sun Country Airlines

Browse Sun Country Airlines logo T-shirts, coffee mugs, coasters, tote bags and vintage designs in the Sun Country Airlines collection. Add an airline bag tag or key tag for the frequent flyer in your life.

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