The planned combination of Allegiant Air and Sun Country Airlines centers on building a larger, leisure-focused U.S. carrier while managing a complex but largely contained fleet integration. According to company disclosures, the merged airline is expected to begin with roughly 195 to 200 aircraft, including a significant number of owned rather than leased jets, plus a 737 MAX order book and additional options.
Allegiant has outlined a phased, multi‑year integration framework, with early work already under way on a pro forma 2027 fleet plan. Management has indicated there are no immediate plans to retire Sun Country aircraft beyond any exits already envisioned by Sun Country leadership, pending a detailed review of each airframe’s maintenance status.
The fleet strategy is designed to keep ownership costs low and allow capacity to flex with demand, but regulatory and execution risks remain. The carriers must secure a single FAA operating certificate and align operations, safety procedures, and maintenance programs, all while avoiding disruptions to customers. Allegiant has cautioned in SEC filings that integration could prove more costly, slower, or more difficult than anticipated, and that expected synergies and cost savings, estimated at about $140 million annually within three years, may take longer to realize.