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Allegiant Air and Sun Country Airlines announced that the waiting period required under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976 has been terminated early. This marks a significant regulatory milestone for Allegiant’s proposed acquisition of Sun Country. The early termination provides antitrust clearance from US regulators, which is an important step toward completing the planned combination of the two airlines.
Despite the progress, the transaction remains subject to several additional conditions before it can be finalized. These include approval of an interim exemption application by the US Department of Transportation (DOT) as well as approval from the shareholders of both Allegiant and Sun Country. The companies now expect the deal to close in either the second or third quarter of 2026 if all remaining approvals are secured.
Las Vegas-based Allegiant operates as an integrated travel company centered around its airline business. Since launching in 1999, the carrier has built a network connecting travelers from small and mid-sized cities to popular vacation destinations using nonstop flights. The airline emphasizes low fares with base ticket prices typically less than half the cost of the average domestic round-trip ticket.
Sun Country Airlines (based in Minnesota) operates a hybrid low-cost business model that combines scheduled passenger flights, charter operations, and cargo services. The airline primarily serves leisure travelers and passengers visiting friends and relatives. In addition to its passenger network across the United States and destinations in Mexico, Central America, Canada, and the Caribbean, Sun Country also operates cargo flights for Amazon.
Allegiant CEO, Greg Anderson, said:
We are pleased to receive US antitrust clearance from the Department of Justice. We remain confident that this combination will deliver meaningful benefits for our customers, team members and the communities we serve. Together, Allegiant and Sun Country will create a stronger leisure-focused airline, offering a broader network, more travel options and increase long-term value creation for our shareholders.”
Anthony’s Take: If completed (which is looking likely), the merger would combine Allegiant’s strong presence in smaller markets with Sun Country’s diversified operations that include charter and cargo services. The deal could allow the combined airline to expand route networks, improve operational efficiency and strengthen its position in the competitive low-cost airline sector in North America.
(Image Credits: Allegiant Air and Sun Country Airlines.)
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Advertiser & Editorial Disclosure: The Bulkhead Seat earns an affiliate commission for anyone approved through the links above This compensation may impact how and where links appear on this site. We work to provide the best publicly available offers to our readers. We frequently update them, but this site does not include all available offers. Opinions, reviews, analyses & recommendations are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, endorsed, or approved by any of these entities.
