Once Minnesota's beloved hometown airline, Sun Country's transformation into a low-cost carrier means there's a tradeoff: Flyers can get low, low fares to many destinations … in exchange for higher fees for all the extras, which can add up fast. And Sun Country baggage fees are among the biggest of the bunch.
It's an a la carte pricing model that's standard across budget airlines: You get what you want to pay for. Don't care about bags or seat assignment? You can get a good deal. But the cost to add anything more than a backpack adds up quick, varying from flight to flight. And those costs are always increasing.
Sun Country just raised many of its bag fees for flights departing April 30 and onward. But there's a positive twist: So long as you pay for bags while purchasing your tickets, those fees have remained unchanged.
Still, bringing baggage on Sun Country can nearly double the cost of your ticket … especially if you wait to add a bag: The closer you get to takeoff, the more expensive your Sun Country baggage will be. Plus, the airline has different policies for carry-on bags, checked bags, personal items, and additional luggage that can determine what you'll pay.
Let's dive in.
Read more: Sun Country Now Tacks on a Sneaky Fee … But You Can Avoid It
Sun Country Airlines Carry-On Bag Size
Want to bring a carry-on bag bigger than a backpack or purse? You'll have to pay for it – and make sure it fits.
Your Sun Country Airlines carry-on – which the carrier calls an “Overhead” bag – can be no more than 24 inches high, 16 inches wide, and 11 inches deep. That's the standard carry-on size across most airlines. But Sun Country also sets a weight limit: It can't weigh more than 35 pounds.
As you can see from Sun Country's graphic above, the size of your carry-on is pretty strictly regulated. Whether Sun Country will also force you to weigh your carry-on bag is another matter: In practice, we've never seen it happen.
Sun Country Airlines Checked Bag Size
Just like any other airline, checking a bag will cost you extra with Sun Country. To make sure you're not overpaying, you'll have to make sure it's the right size … and weight.
Your checked bag can weigh a maximum of 50 pounds – the standard across most major U.S. airlines (but more than the 40-pound limit you get on other budget airlines like Spirit and Frontier). If your bag weighs over 50 pounds, you'll be subject to additional overweight bag fees on Sun Country – more on that later.
Additionally, its total size cannot exceed 62 inches, which is calculated by adding together the length, width, and height of the baggage. Yet again, this is a pretty standard size limit across all airlines.
Sun Country Airlines charges some steep fees for overweight checked bags, so make sure to weigh what you've got at the airport before you leave.
Sun Country Baggage Fees
If you're bringing anything more than a personal item like a backpack or purse on a Sun Country flight, you'll have to pay them. And if you wait, you'll have to pay even more.
Sun Country Airlines baggage fees vary from flight-to-flight and based on when you pay for your bags. For the very latest fees, Sun Country has a handy online baggage fees calculator, where you can tap in the details for your flight for an up-to-date cost for your bags.
Those fees recently increased by $5 to $10 or so across the board for flights departing April 30, 2024, and onward … with one exception: Baggage rates remain unchanged so long as you pay at the time of booking with Sun Country. But if you wait until later, do it while checking in, or – God forbid – at the airport, you'll pay more – much more.
Based upon our searches for both domestic and international flights on the carrier, you can expect to pay roughly the same fees for bags flying Sun Country no matter where you're going, give or take a few dollars. In fact, the only rates that vary are for adding a bag during the purchase process. After that, you'll pay a flat fee of $50 to $65, depending on how many bags you check and how long you wait to pay.
Here's the baggage fees from Minneapolis-St. Paul (MSP) to Phoenix (PHX) as an example. And these are one-way rates: Double them for a roundtrip fare.
Let's break this down a bit further, looking at the cost of carry-on bags versus checking luggage.
Sun Country Carry-On Fees
Just like all the other budget airlines out there, you can't even stow a carry-on bag in the overhead bin for free with Sun Country.
You'll always get the best deal adding a carry-on bag to your reservation when you book your ticket – and those prices vary from route to route. Otherwise, you can expect to pay a flat $50 fee each way to bring your carry-on bag with Sun Country.
Here's what you can expect, give or take a few dollars.
| At time of booking | Before check-in | While checking in online | Calling reservations | At the airport |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $25-$40 | $50 | $50 | $50 | $55 |
Sun Country Checked Bag Fees
Need to bring a bigger bag flying Sun Country? You'll pay a bit more … probably.
The cost of checking a bag on Sun Country is typically $2 to $8 more than packing in just a carry-on. But not always: Occasionally, the rates are identical.
And just like paying for a carry-on, you'll always get the lowest price when paying for baggage during checkout for your flight. Otherwise, expect to pay a flat $50 each way for a checked bag – or $55 if you wait to pay for luggage until you get to the airport.
Here's the typical cost of a first checked bag with Sun Country, as of publication. Remember: These are one-way rates. You'll have to double them for a roundtrip.
| At time of booking | Before check-in | While checking in online | Calling reservations | At the airport |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $30-$45 | $50 | $50 | $50 | $55 |
Have a lot of luggage? The cost of checking a second or third bag with Sun Country is set in stone – though, as always, you'll save some money
Here's the cost of checking a second or third bag with Sun Country, as of publication.
| At time of booking | Before check-in | While checking in online | Calling reservations | At the airport |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $45 | $60 | $60 | $60 | $65 |
Oversize and Overweight Bags
Bag too big? Or too heavy? Sun Country's baggage fees get heftier, too.
If your bag is more than 63 linear inches (remember, add the length plus the width plus the height) or more than 51 pounds, it's likely to be subject to some oversized baggage fees. And the heavier it is, the more it may cost you.
These fees get added on top of the standard baggage fees you might have already paid.
So let's say you paid $36 to check a bag from Minneapolis-St. Paul (MSP) to Phoenix (PHX) only to find it weighs in at 55 pounds at the airport. That would cost you another $20 for a total of $56. If it weighs 62 pounds, that adds a whopping $60 extra to your checked bag, bringing the final cost to $96. Ouch.
Checked luggage over 70 pounds is not accepted on flights to or from Canada, Jamaica, and Puerto Rico. Bags over 100 pounds are not accepted on any Sun Country flight, period.
Free Bags on Sun Country Airlines
The only free bags available to all travelers on Sun Country Airlines are personal items.
In order for your bag to be considered a personal item, it has to fit underneath the seat in front of you and be less than 17 inches tall, 13 inches wide, and 9 inches deep.
All active duty U.S. Military can bring two free checked bags and one free overhead bag on all Sun Country flights. Active duty military must present a valid Common Access Card (CAC) with “Uniformed Services” affiliation at the airport.
How to Save on Sun Country Airlines Baggage Fees
The single best way to save money on Sun Country Airlines baggage fees is to purchase your bags when you book your flight.
The cheapest any bag is going to be is during checkout, and the bags only get more expensive from there. Waiting all the way until you get to the airport is the most expensive time to do it, by far.
In some cases, adding a carry-on or checked bags purchased at booking can cost half as much as bags purchased at the airport. It pays to be prepared and plan ahead when flying Sun Country.
The only other surefire way to save money on Sun Country baggage fees is to hold Sun Country's Visa credit card. Sun Country Visa Signature cardholders get 50% off their first bag when purchased online. If you're traveling with a companion, that traveler will also get half-off their first checked bag so long as they're on the reservation with you.
Other Sun Country Airlines Baggage Policies
As always, there are tons of unique items that have special baggage policies and fees with Sun Country.
Sun Country Airlines Pet Policy
Cats and dogs are allowed as carry-on baggage on flights within the contiguous 48 United States.
Small dogs and cats are supposed to be reserved through Sun Country Reservations as there is a limit of six animals on each aircraft. Pets on Sun Country Airlines cost $75 each way. Walk-up requests can be accommodated for $100 each way – so long as the flight hasn't hit its six-pet limit.
These restrictions do not apply to service animals, however.
Mobility Devices and Special Equipment
Mobility devices like wheelchairs, walkers, and canes are allowed on Sun Country flights free of charge … with some restrictions.
Walkers and canes can be brought onboard and stored in the cabin, while manual wheelchairs must be checked at the ticket counter. In all cases, those items are free of charge.
Powered wheelchairs must be able to fit through the aircraft cargo door, which is 48 inches wide and 35 inches tall. The batteries on each powered chair must be marked as spillable or non-spillable. All powered chairs must be checked in an hour before flight time.
Other items like portable oxygen concentrators (POC) must be approved by the FAA and be reserved by Sun Country 48 hours before their departure.
Car Seats, Strollers, and Infant Equipment
FAA-approved child restraint systems like car seats are permitted on board when a ticket is purchased for the child using the seat.
Both car seats and strollers may be checked at the ticket counter or at the gate – and both items fly free on Sun Country flights.
Items like diaper bags, breast pumps, and cribs are also allowed on Sun Country flights. One diaper bag per infant is permitted along with the passenger's personal item. Breast pumps are not subject to baggage fees, either.
Cribs, however, are considered regular baggage by Sun Country and are therefore subject to baggage fees. Booster seats are not allowed onboard.
Firearms and Ammunition
All firearms and ammunition are accepted only as checked baggage on Sun Country and can only be transported within the United States.
Ammunition must be packed in the manufacturer's container and can be carried in the firearms case up to 11 pounds, total. Firearms must be stored in a hard-sided, locked container and travelers have to sign a “Firearms Unloaded” declaration at the check-in counter before travel.
Nobody under the age of 18 may check a firearm unless they provide proof of firearm safety training. Pellet and BB guns are treated like regular firearms, too.
Paintball guns are allowed in checked bags and are not subject to regular gun case requirements on Sun Country. Customers do have to declare the paintball guns to check-in agents.
Musical Instruments
The size of your musical instrument will determine if you can bring it onboard the plane or have to check it. Normal baggage fees apply to all musical instruments unless they are your personal item.
Smaller-sized instruments in their cases can be brought on board if they fit into the overhead bin or under the seat in front of you.
Larger instruments, like cellos, tubas, and guitars, must be checked. The only exception is that you can also buy a bulkhead seat for your instrument to fly with you.
Sporting Equipment
Some sports equipment can be paid and checked just like any other piece of luggage, but other equipment may require an additional charge when flying Sun Country.
Below are the items you can substitute for one checked bag:
- Ski or snowboard equipment (Includes boot bag, only two skis allowed)
- Bowling equipment
- Hockey equipment (includes up to five sticks bound together)
- Fishing equipment (includes two rods, a boot bag, and a tackle box)
- Golfing equipment (includes a bag, clubs, and a pair of shoes)
- Lacrosse equipment (includes up two sticks bound together)
- Other sports bags including baseball, softball, hockey, lacrosse, bowling, golf, dance, and more are considered normal bags
Some sports equipment is considered oversized and will be subject to those Sun Country baggage fees. Those include:
- Scuba diving equipment
- Surfboards, wakeboards, and kiteboards (maximum length of 5 feet)
- Windsurfing equipment (maximum mast length of five feet)
- Bicycles (non-motorized bikes only)
- Antlers
- Trailer hitches
Bottom Line
Just like any budget airline, Sun Country Airlines baggage fees can make or break the affordability of your next flight. While it starts with a low fare on the Minnesota-based carrier, the baggage fees can really add up.
The best way to save on Sun Country baggage fees is by purchasing whatever bags you need right when you book your fare – and make sure it's not oversize or overweight. The longer you wait to book your baggage on Sun Country, the more expensive those fees will get.