ALLEGIANT AND SUN COUNTRY MERGER CLEARS EARLY HURDLES
April 22, 2026
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On March 16, 2026, Allegiant and Sun Country announced that the U.S. Department of Justice terminated the statutory waiting period under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976, marking an important step towards combining the two U.S. low-cost air carriers. Having received U.S. antitrust clearance from DOJ, Allegiant and Sun Country then applied for approval from DOT on March 25, 2026, seeking to transfer all international authority held by Sun Country to Allegiant. In related filings, Allegiant and Sun Country contend that the proposed merger will not harm competition within the domestic airline industry as only one nonstop overlapping route (between Appleton, WI and Fort Myers, FL) is currently operated by both carriers. If anything, the parties claim that Allegiant’s proposed acquisition of Sun Country could create a more viable competitor to American, Delta, and United within the leisure-focused market. Upon completion of the merger, Allegiant and Sun Country are expected to operate as standalone carriers for the foreseeable future with independent, albeit overlapping, management. The transaction is expected to close in the second or third quarter of 2026.
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