Sun Country brings back Duluth to Fort Myers nonstop flights for 2027

Sun Country Airlines will bring back nonstop service between Duluth International Airport and Southwest Florida International Airport for the 2027 winter season, restoring a route that has long mattered to Northland travelers heading to Florida. The flights are scheduled to start Jan. 29, 2027, and run through April 12, 2027, with service twice a week, mostly on Mondays and Fridays and some weeks on Thursdays and Sundays.

For Duluth and the rest of St. Louis County, the route is more than a seasonal convenience. It is a test of whether the region can keep enough passengers flying local to support commercial service at Duluth International instead of sending travelers to Minneapolis-St. Paul. Airport records show DLH captures just 32% to 35% of the local market, while 68% to 70% of travelers still drive to Minneapolis-St. Paul, a split that makes every nonstop route strategically important.

Duluth Airport Authority executive director Tom Werner has said the Fort Myers flight has been a favorite and that its return is good for the community, but he has also stressed that the route depends on demand from local travelers. That message fits a broader reality at airports like Duluth, where schedule decisions are driven not only by convenience but by whether enough people choose the local airport over a larger hub with more connections.

The Fort Myers route has already been through a stop-and-start stretch. The airport announced in September 2024 that Sun Country would return to Fort Myers for the 2025 season beginning Jan. 31, 2025, then later said in October 2025 that the airline would not come back for winter 2025-2026. In November 2024 board discussion, Werner said revenue data for Fort Myers and similar warm-weather routes was below goal, and that stronger numbers would be needed to justify more service from Duluth.

That history makes the 2027 restart especially important for families, retirees and other seasonal travelers who value a direct trip to Southwest Florida. A nonstop route can save the time and friction of a connection, especially when compared with routing through a larger airport and paying the costs that come with extra legs, longer travel days and more baggage handling.

The broader airport picture is strong enough to give the announcement weight. A March 2025 economic-impact study said Duluth International Airport contributes $1.4 billion to the Minnesota economy and supports more than 4,000 full-time jobs annually. Airport records also showed 278,000 total passengers in 2024, up 11% from 2023, a sign that demand is growing even as the airport continues to fight for more and better service.

Sun Country President Eric Levenhagen said the airline was opening its schedule through April 2027 and that seasonal service between Duluth and Fort Myers would resume. For Duluth International, that makes the route part of a larger contest: whether the airport can keep enough travelers local to expand its role in the region’s air service network.