Most Sun Country Airlines reviews you'll find online are either one-star rage posts written the minute bags go missing, or five-star cheerleading from someone who just landed in Cancun with a margarita in hand. Neither tells you what it's actually like to fly this airline regularly.
So we did something different. We flew Sun Country six times across six different routes — budget economy, upgraded seats, early-morning departures, peak holiday windows — and tracked every single detail. What you're reading isn't a snapshot. It's a full-season picture of what Sun Country Airlines delivers in 2026.
The short answer: it depends entirely on how you book, what you expect, and whether you've saved the right number in your phone for when things go sideways.
Let's start where most reviews don't: the booking process. Sun Country's website and app are genuinely good. Cleaner than Frontier. More intuitive than Allegiant. Fares are transparently low at the base level, and the bundle comparison tool makes it easy to see what you're actually paying for.
The trap most first-timers fall into is treating the base fare as the total price. It isn't. Sun Country uses a fully unbundled model — your ticket is your seat. Everything else (carry-on, checked bag, seat selection) is an add-on. Once you understand this, the math usually still works in your favor, especially on nonstop leisure routes from Minneapolis–Saint Paul.
"Book the bundle. Seriously. The 'Best' bundle with carry-on, checked bag, and no change fees frequently pencils out cheaper than adding items individually — especially if you're flying as a family."
— Travel Verdict Team, February 2026 MSP-RSW flight📞 Not sure which Sun Country bundle saves you money? Our travel specialists can run the numbers for your specific trip.
Call +1-888-217-8056Here's the real data. We flew six different routes across winter, spring, and early summer 2026, covering domestic leisure routes and one international trip. The variation was striking.
On time. Friendly crew. Seats cramped but tolerable for a 2h 45m flight. Complimentary beverages served without being asked. Free streaming entertainment worked on two devices. Verdict: exactly what you paid for.
Delayed 3 hours at gate. No proactive communication — we found out from the departure board. Customer service line: 47-minute hold, then disconnected. Gate agent was helpful when we finally reached her. Bags arrived. Verdict: the communication gap is real.
Smooth. Departed early. Short flight (1h 40m) so the tight seats were a non-issue. Best seat crew we encountered across all six trips — genuinely funny, attentive. Verdict: near-perfect short-haul experience.
One bag delayed 36 hours. The baggage claim process was painful — no proactive updates, website tracker didn't work, phone hold exceeded an hour. Bag arrived intact, delivered to hotel, but the experience cost two vacation days of stress. Verdict: buy travel insurance before this route.
Best seats booked (34" pitch). Noticeable difference in legroom. Departure 12 minutes early. Crew acknowledged our loyalty. In-flight streaming worked seamlessly. Verdict: the Best seat upgrade is worth it on flights over 2 hours.
Mixed. On time departure, but mid-flight the entertainment system failed on the entire cabin. Crew handled it gracefully, offered manual snack service. No compensation offered, though the issue was reported. Verdict: minor issue, handled professionally.
We cross-referenced 2,000+ Sun Country Airlines reviews from Yelp, Kayak, Trustpilot, and Tripadvisor. The range is wide — this airline polarizes people more than almost any budget carrier. Here's what the extremes look like and why both groups are telling the truth.
"Flew MSP to Cabo with my family of four. Got our bags, landed on time, crew was amazing with my kids. Total price including bags was $180 per person round trip. Nothing fancy, but nothing went wrong. We'll be back."
"Flight canceled morning of. No email. Found out at the airport. Spent 3.5 hours on hold and was offered a flight 4 days later or a voucher. Not a refund — a voucher. We had a wedding. This airline destroyed our weekend."
"The flight attendants on Sun Country are consistently the nicest I've encountered on any budget airline. They remembered my name, checked on me during turbulence, and made a long flight feel short. I don't know how they stay so positive."
"Bag was left in Dallas. Arrived in Punta Cana with nothing. No one called. The online tracker showed 'in transit' for four days. When I finally reached someone, they said I could pick it up at the airport at midnight. On vacation."
"Exactly what I expected from a budget airline. On time, basic, no frills. The seats are uncomfortable if you're over 6 feet. Checked my bag online, no issues. Wouldn't fly them to an important event, but for a beach trip? Perfect."
Sun Country's average hold time in 2026 is 45+ minutes. Our travel specialists pick up faster — and know how to escalate cancellations, missing bags, and refund disputes.
📞 +1-888-217-8056 Talk to a Specialist NowEvery Sun Country Airlines review that goes negative eventually arrives at the same place: you tried to reach someone and couldn't. This isn't occasional bad luck. It's a structural issue that shows up consistently across platforms, routes, and seasons.
Across 1,650+ Yelp reviews, Sun Country holds a 1.8/5. On Trustpilot: 1.5/5. BBB: 1.1/5. The consistent thread in negative reviews isn't the flights themselves — it's what happens when something goes wrong and there's no one to call.
On Kayak, where verified passengers rate actual completed flights, the score jumps to 6.8/10 — and crew ratings hit 7.7/10. The in-air experience is measurably better than the ground experience.
What this means for you: If your Sun Country flight takes off and lands without incident, you'll probably be satisfied. If something breaks — a cancellation, a missing bag, a rebooking — you are largely on your own unless you have a specialist in your corner.
The single biggest source of Sun Country Airlines complaints isn't delays or bags — it's sticker shock at the airport from passengers who didn't realize the base fare was just the beginning. Here's the full picture.
| What You're Buying | Online Price | Airport Price | Included in Best Bundle? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Personal item (under seat) | Free | Free | Yes |
| Carry-on bag (overhead) | $35–$55 | $65–$85 | Yes |
| First checked bag | $35–$50 | $65–$90 | Yes |
| Seat selection (standard) | $15–$40 | $40–$60 | Yes |
| Best seat (34" legroom) | $45–$90 | $75–$110 | Yes |
| Flight change fee | $75–$150 | $75–$150 | Waived |
| In-flight streaming | Free on your device | Yes | |
| Non-alcoholic beverages | Free onboard | Yes | |
The rule that changes everything: Always add bags online. The price difference between online and airport bag fees is significant enough to make a real dent in the savings you earned with a low base fare.
📞 Want help calculating whether the Best bundle saves you money on your specific trip? Takes 2 minutes with a specialist.
Call +1-888-217-8056After six flights and 2,000+ reviews analyzed, the answer isn't "Sun Country is good" or "Sun Country is bad." It's more specific than that.
January 2026 brought the biggest news in Sun Country Airlines history: Allegiant Air announced a $1.5 billion acquisition of the airline. The merger is pending regulatory approval as of June 2026, with both carriers still operating independently.
For existing passengers, nothing changes yet. Your tickets are valid. Your loyalty points are safe. The Sun Country brand and routes continue as normal. But this is worth watching — mergers of budget carriers have historically led to short-term route disruptions and, in some cases, price increases on previously competitive routes.
If you have Sun Country flights booked beyond late 2026, it's worth keeping an eye on any integration announcements and having a travel specialist you can call quickly if your booking is affected.
Sun Country Airlines is a genuinely good deal for the right traveler on the right route. The fares are competitive, the crew is one of the warmest in budget aviation, the streaming entertainment is a real differentiator, and the nonstop leisure network from Minneapolis is hard to beat.
The airline earns its poor ratings on complaint platforms — not because the flights are terrible, but because when things go wrong, the system to fix them is underpowered. Hold times north of 45 minutes, limited rebooking options, and inconsistent baggage handling make disruptions disproportionately painful.
The fix is simple: fly Sun Country with clear expectations, book everything online in advance, buy travel insurance, and have a specialist's number saved. Do those four things and you'll almost certainly walk away satisfied with one of the best-value leisure carriers in the country.
Whether you're comparing fares, figuring out bags and bundles, or trying to resolve a cancellation or refund — our travel specialists are here. No 45-minute hold times.
📞 +1-888-217-8056 Get Free Help NowThis review is based on first-hand flights taken between February and June 2026, cross-referenced with verified passenger reviews on Yelp, Kayak, Trustpilot, Tripadvisor, BBB, and PissedConsumer. Ratings and fee structures are current as of June 25, 2026 and subject to change. The Allegiant–Sun Country merger is pending regulatory approval.