Allegiant Travel is buying its competitor Sun Country Airlines for $1.5 billion, the companies announced Sunday.
Sun Country flies nonstop from Seattle-Tacoma Airport to Minneapolis, where the airline has its main base. From Minneapolis, the airline flies to cities across the U.S., Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean. Allegiant flies out of Bellingham, Pasco, and Spokane airports and mainly focuses on smaller cities.
Together, the two airlines plan to serve 22 million passengers each year, flying to nearly 175 cities with 195 planes. Sun Country only uses Boeing 737-800 planes. Most of Allegiant’s planes are Airbus A320s, plus some Boeing 737 MAX jets.
Nothing changes right away for travelers. Passengers should keep booking and flying with each airline as normal, the companies said.
If the government approves the deal, it should be finalized by late 2026. After that, everything will be called Allegiant, and the Sun Country name will go away. However, both airlines will keep operating separately until they get a single permit from the Federal Aviation Administration.
The boards of both airlines approved the deal. The $1.5 billion price includes $400 million of Sun Country’s debt.
