Airline and airport executives, staff and passengers gathered Wednesday at Dulles International Airport to celebrate the launch of Sun Country Airlines' nonstop service from Washington, D.C., to Minneapolis, Minnesota, on a 186-passenger aircraft. The flight departed from Gate B49 under a sunny sky.

Speaking on behalf of the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority, Vice President and Dulles Airport Manager Richard Golinowski said, “The employees of Dulles International are 100 percent focused on taking care of our customers, just like Sun Country is, as part of our mission. We are fully prepared for an expansion of growth at this airport which includes carriers like Sun Country.”

With this new option, Sun Country becomes the 42nd airline at Dulles International. The airport served more than 25 million passengers in 2023 and became the fastest growing international gateway in the United States. The airport has a station along Metrorail’s Silver Line, which provides access to multiple points in the metropolitan region for $6 or less per rider.

“Minnesotans will welcome this new opportunity to access the Washington, D.C., region,” said Rose Neale, senior vice president and general counsel of Sun Country Airlines. “The monuments, museums, government buildings and history of the nation’s capital is a perfect vacation for leisure travelers and families. And we invite your region’s travelers to enjoy summer in Minnesota – the land of 10,000 lakes.”

Sun Country’s new route to Washington is part of a 10-city summer expansion for the airline, and the Washington, D.C., area is a popular destination for Minnesotans. Flights will operate three times weekly during spring, six times weekly during peak summer and four times weekly during the fall. Passengers can check schedules and book travel at www.suncountry.com.