Monterey Regional Airport to welcome flights from Minneapolis-St. Paul

MONTEREY – Another nonstop flight will make its debut this summer expanding on the Monterey airport’s ability to directly reach a metropolitan area, this one in the Midwest.

Sun Country Airlines will begin offering seasonal service between Monterey Regional Airport – MRY – and Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport – MSP – from Aug. 8 through Nov. 3 with flights on Thursday and Sunday. MSP is the base for hometown carrier Sun Country Airlines and is Delta Air Lines’ second largest hub.

Sun Country’s MSP-MRY route stands to expand leisure and business travel to the Central Coast and the Midwest with flights between the two points twice a week providing access to both for extended stays.

Monterey Regional Airport Executive Director Mike La Pier said discussions with Sun Country have been ongoing for about three years. He said that the Monterey airport talks to a lot of airlines regularly at gatherings where multiple airlines and airport leaders meet.

“This is an opportunity to open up the Midwest and a good move for us,” said La Pier. “Minnesota generates more golf rounds than any other state in the union on a per capita basis.”

La Pier described Sun Country as “a good mix of a quality carrier and low air fares.”

But another reason to take note of this new route is the fact that MPS serves a region that includes headquarters for corporations such as Target, Best Buy and Kohl’s which could benefit Monterey County’s conference and business group travel.

“Connecting Minneapolis/St. Paul and Monterey County is a tremendous opportunity for both leisure and business travelers,” said Rob O’Keefe, president & CEO of See Monterey, in a press release. “The connection creates an easy getaway for travelers who want to explore places like Big Sur, Pebble Beach and Salinas Valley. Plus there are a significant number of Fortune 500 corporate hubs such as Best Buy and Target which can benefit from incredibly inspiring meetings and conferences in our destination.”

On the flip side, the state and specifically the twin cities of Minnesota – Minneapolis and St. Paul – offer many outdoor activities and a bustling metropolitan area. The state is also known as the “Land of Ten Thousand Lakes.”

“If you’ve never been to Minnesota and sat quietly in a canoe on a lake, it is one of the most relaxing experiences … the outdoor opportunities are phenomenal,” said La Pier.

The beginning of the direct link between MRY and MPS will be seasonal, with flights twice a week from August to November. Just as travelers from Minnesota are seeing their weather turn colder, Monterey County is experiencing what is arguably its best weather of the year. Midwesterners can experience Monterey County’s temperate climate and scenic beauty while people from the Central Coast can enjoy Minnesota’s late summer offerings, fall colors and crisp temperatures.

“Minnesotans will be eager to visit Monterey for the scenic California coastline and access to picturesque Carmel-by-the-Sea, the famous Monterey Bay Aquarium, and golfers’ course bucket list Pebble Beach,” said Grant Whitney, Sun Country Senior Vice President and Chief Revenue Officer in the release. “Sun Country and our Minneapolis-St. Paul community will warmly welcome visitors from Monterey to Minnesota, where you’ll experience great fall weather, scenic lakes throughout the city, outdoor activity, pro sports and a terrific entertainment and restaurant scene.”

The seasonal route will be a sort of trial run for what has the potential to become an expanded service allowing for a proving ground for the market to see if it can be supported, said La Pier.

“Every carrier goes through a ‘prove it or lose it’ period to see if the service does well financially,” he said. He added that he is confident that Sun Country will do well in this market.

Last October, the Monterey Regional Airport announced it had been awarded a $750,000 grant to help it develop its focus on Chicago, which would provide access to another gateway to the Midwest, East Coast and international destinations, while improving access to Monterey County.

“Chicago is going to be a marathon, not a sprint,” said La Pier.

In conversations with American Airlines and United Air Lines, La Pier said the Monterey Regional Airport is on those carrier’s radar as Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport is a hub for both American Airlines and United Airlines – two of the four major domestic airlines that serve more than 400,000 passengers a year at the Monterey airport. The other two are Alaska Airlines and Alegiant, and starting this summer, the number of domestic airlines servicing Monterey airport will increase to five to include Sun Country.

La Pier said he is confident service to Chicago will happen but he cannot say exactly when that will be.

The $750,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation under the Small Community Air Service Development Program will support Monterey airport’s goal of non-stop service to Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport.

La Pier said the grant is good for five years and he is confident that within that timeframe the Monterey Regional Airport will have service to Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport.