The carrier's Boeing 737-800 freighter operations for Amazon in the US have helped it increase cargo revenue by 50% year on year in the third quarter
US low cost carrier Sun Country Airlines has now deployed its full fleet of 20 freighter aircraft for Amazon and improved its cargo revenue by 50% year on year.
The Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport (MSP)-based airline said in its third quarter results press release that it was now operating all 20 Boeing 737-800 freighters as per its contract with e-commerce giant Amazon.
Jude Bricker, president and chief executive of Sun Country, said: "The quarter marked a significant operational milestone as the company completed its cargo segment transformation. By September, we had deployed our full fleet of 20 freighter aircraft for Amazon, representing a 14% expansion in total operating aircraft compared to the beginning of the year."
In the third quarter of 2025, cargo revenue was $44m, a 50.9% increase versus the third quarter of 2024, on a 33.7% increase in cargo block hours.
"This improvement was primarily driven by the increase in the number of cargo aircraft in service and the new Amazon contract rates which began to go into effect in June 2024," said Sun Country.
The company reported total revenue of $255.5m for the third quarter, which was 2.4% greater than the third quarter of 2024.
“Our distinctive business strategy continued to deliver strong results in the third quarter, with the combination of cargo and charter operations reaching their highest revenue contribution since late 2020,” said Torque Zubeck, chief financial officer. “Cargo and charter combined to generate 40% of our total revenue this quarter."
Sun Country first started operating aircraft for Amazon in May 2020 after the two companies struck a 10-aircraft sublease deal, which was later extended by two more aircraft.
The deal for eight more 737-800Fs between the two airlines was announced in June last year.
Despite the increase in cargo revenue as a result of business with Amazon, Bricker and president and chief financial officer Dave Davis said in February that taking on more business with Amazon would be an unlikely move in the next few years.
