We learned that once more, MSP International Airport is the best in the country, thanks to the annual JD Power North America Airport Satisfaction Study. But are airline issues lurking for travelers as we get close to MEA week, one of the busiest travel times of the year in Minnesota?
Some airline issues may be lurking and that is due to issues with now Allegiant-owned Sun Country, and a lack of competition for Delta, which uses MSP as one of its main hubs.
Minnesotans trying to get away for MEA break in October may quickly notice those familiar Sun Country flights aren't flying out of MSP as much. The budget airline has been a local favorite, especially for those warmer-weather destinations, for decades. But the recent purchase of the airline by Las Vegas-based Allegiant has led to issues.
"Sun Country is flying 20% less in October 2026 than it did last year, and if you look back two years ago, that difference is even greater," explains Thrifty Traveler's Kyle Potter.
He says so far Allegiant Air's $1.5 billion acquisition of Sun Country hasn't been exactly what the airline has promised.
"Not just that Allegiant hasn't added any additional service after really officially taking the reins of the airline a couple of months ago, but that they've made some pretty significant reductions in where and how often Sun Country is flying," Potter adds.
According to Potter, Allegiant says these reductions are temporary as the airline tries to replace pilots who have left Sun Country for other opportunities.
That's very different from their original message to MSP travelers when purchasing Sun Country, which included reassurances flights wouldn't be cut, and in fact would be added to local schedules. That included a promise MSP, the home base for Sun Country since they were founded, would continue to remain an important hub for them.
"And so, it just flies in the face of the promise that Allegiant made to certainly Minnesota travelers, but also to regulators," Potter explains.
Potter and Thrifty Traveler tracked some of the changes which include some brutal numbers in September:
- MSP’s operation down by more than a third - 36% compared to 2025.
- Capacity is also down 20% in October (MEA break) and by 4-6% thru the winter, typically high-time for Sun Country flights out of MSP.
- Not only has Sun Country not added new destinations for this year or next but they’ve cut seven cities altogether: Through the winter, there are no more flights to Austin, Asheville, Grand Rapids, Louisville, St. Louis, Toronto or Vancouver.
"When Delta doesn't have competition, they have all the wiggle room that they need to charge Minnesotans even higher fares than they already do," Potter says.
Which means if you're looking for flights this fall, especially high-demand times around MEA, Thanksgiving, or Christmas, you better start looking now.
"If you see a price that you like, I would book it now. If you see a price that you don't like, but you can stomach, you can book that now and at least if you're flying on an airline like Delta that allows you to change or cancel your fares for free, as long as you book at least a standard economy ticket, not the cheapest basic economy ticket," Potter explains. "What that means is that if prices do in fact drop over the coming days, weeks or months and change, you could rebook that ticket and pocket the difference as an airline voucher to put towards your next trip."
At the very least, it keeps you from losing out by booking now in fear of prices going up, but as MEA break gets closer and closer, Potter says prices are far more likely to increase than they are to decrease.
"They've made some pretty significant reductions in where and how often Sun Country is flying"
"They've made some pretty significant reductions in where and how often Sun Country is flying"
