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Sun Country Airlines launches new Landline bus connections

Nov. 04, 2019
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3 min read
Landline at Duluth
Sun Country Airlines launches new Landline bus connections
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Sun Country Airlines launched bus connections to Duluth and Mankato in Minnesota on Monday with its new partner Landline.

The new service allows passengers to book "flights" between Sun Country's Minneapolis/St. Paul (MSP) hub and both Duluth (DLH) and Mankato (MKT) as part of itineraries connecting to the carrier's flights. Landline, which bills itself as the equivalent of a regional airline on the ground, offers four round-trips to Duluth and five round-trips to Mankato.

"We want to increase access to our customers," said Jude Bricker, CEO of Sun Country, at an event to mark the first joint bus departure at Duluth International Airport on Monday. "Carrying Minnesotans where they want to go really is our business."

Related: On Sun Country, your connection could end up being on a bus

A Landline bus operating in partnership with Sun Country Airlines at Duluth International Airport. (Photo by Edward Russell/TPG)

Two Duluth residents on the first run to Minneapolis were Jeff Davis and Jeremiah Kanabe, who had won a trip to San Diego through a competition marking the launch of the new partnership. They both agreed that flying out of Duluth is expensive, and said they normally drive to Minneapolis to catch flights. The new Landline service was a welcome -- and Kanabe said often cheaper -- alternative to driving.

The idea of a bus connection between smaller communities and a larger hub airport is not new. United Airlines offers a bus service between its Newark (EWR) hub and Allentown (ABE) in Pennsylvania, and numerous U.S. carriers have offered similar products in the past.

Sun Country and Landline say their partnership is different because once a traveler checks in for the bus at either the Duluth or Mankato airports, they are considered an airline passenger and given all the associated protections. For example, if the bus is delayed and a passenger misses their connecting flight, the airline will re-accommodate them on another flight.

In addition, passengers receive boarding passes and can check luggage through to their destination at their departure airport.

"It's the start of a new era of air travel when air and ground transportation are seamlessly connected," said David Sunde, CEO and co-founder of Landline, at the Duluth airport event.

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Sun Country Airlines CEO Jude Bricker speaking at the launch of the carrier's new partnership with Landline. (Photo by Edward Russell/TPG)

The first bus departed Duluth on-time at 10:50am local time, arriving at Terminal 2 at the Minneapolis airport shortly before its scheduled 1:50pm local time arrival. Despite some snow flurries along the route, the ride was uneventful with a cabin attendant providing passengers with free snacks and non-alcoholic drinks.

Future expansion of Sun Country and Landline's partnership will depend on how the initial routes perform. Success will be measured on its financial sustainability, said Bricker, but both the airline and bus operator hope to add new routes from the Minneapolis/St. Paul airport in the future.

Potential new Landline markets include Fargo (FAR), Hibbing (HIB), Madison (MSN), and Sioux Falls (FSD), all of which are within a 2-4.5 hour drive from Minneapolis/St. Paul, said Bricker.

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  • Solid welcome bonus

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  • Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
  • You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
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  • $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
  • $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
  • Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
  • No Foreign Transaction Fees.
  • Annual Fee is $325.
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