Airport lands new nonstop route

Sun Country Airlines is the latest carrier to expand service at Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport, with nonstop seasonal service to Minneapolis-St. Paul.

The new nonstop seasonal service to the airport, under the call letters SRQ, will operate twice a week on Fridays and Mondays beginning Dec. 20, according to a statement.

"We are very excited to welcome Sun Country Airlines to the Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport,” SRQ President and Chief Executive Officer Rick Piccolo says in the statement. “The Minneapolis-St. Paul area is a high-demand destination that visitors and locals have been requesting for some time. With modern aircraft and affordable fares, we are confident that Sun Country's new nonstop service will be a great success.” 

The airline first added new routes beyond its home base of Minneapolis-St. Paul in June 2018 and has experienced extensive growth over the past year, the release states. It now operates 86 routes across 53 airports.

“At Sun Country Airlines, we pride ourselves on affordably connecting our guests to their favorite people, places and memories,” Sun Country Airlines Chief Revenue Officer Grant Whitney says in the release. “We are excited to continue building on our Florida Gulf Coast service to accommodate more guests with their travel needs.”

Over the past year and a half, Sarasota Bradenton International Airport has added two new airlines, Allegiant Air and Frontier Airlines, and 26 new destinations.