The airport celebrated a major milestone with first-ever commercial international service in its new customs facility that opened earlier this month
TULSA, OKLA – May 21, 2026 – Tulsa International Airport (TUL) and Sun Country Airlines today celebrated the launch of new twice-weekly seasonal service to Cancun (CUN) and Minneapolis (MSP). Passengers departing on the inaugural Cancun flight this morning were welcomed with a ceremonial ribbon cutting, a Ballet Folklórico dance performance by Tierra Mestiza, a breakfast taco buffet, local coffee from Luchador Coffee and other giveaways.
Tulsa International Airport CEO Alexis Higgins, Tulsa Mayor Monroe Nichols, Consul of Mexico Edurne Nerea Pineda Ayerbe and leaders from Sun Country Airlines shared remarks highlighting the significance of the new service for the Tulsa region.
Passengers traveling on the inaugural Minneapolis flight later this evening will also enjoy a themed celebration marking the return of nonstop service to MSP. Minneapolis had remained the only pre-pandemic nonstop destination that had not yet returned to Tulsa’s route map, with the last nonstop flight operating in April 2020.
Sun Country Airlines is known for providing simple, stress-free travel experiences with nonstop flights and affordable fares. The new Cancun route marks Tulsa International Airport’s first-ever commercial international service, expanding the region’s access to popular leisure destinations while strengthening Tulsa’s growing air service network.
New Nonstop Service Details from Tulsa International Airport (TUL):
| SERVICE TO | SERVICE START | SERVICE FREQUENCY | AIRCRAFT |
| Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport (MSP) | May 21, 2026 | Twice-Weekly
Offered on Thursdays & Sundays through August 9, 2026 |
737-800, 186 seats |
| Cancun International Airport (CUN) | May 21, 2026 | Twice-Weekly
Offered on Thursdays & Sundays through August 9, 2026 |
737-800, 186 seats |
TUL’s new International Customs Facility, from which both new routes operate out of, is a 45,000-square-foot expansion designed to welcome commercial international service for the first time in the airport’s history. The modern facility features family-friendly amenities, including a mother’s room, an indoor pet relief area, high ceilings with abundant natural light and modern, comfortable furniture. U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has maintained an on-site presence at Tulsa International Airport for decades, however, until now, CBP has only been able to accept and clear international general aviation and cargo flights.
“We are absolutely thrilled to welcome Sun Country Airlines to Tulsa International Airport as we celebrate these historic inaugural flights,” Tulsa Mayor Monroe Nichols said. “Launching nonstop service to Minneapolis-Saint Paul and Cancun is a monumental double-win for Tulsa and for our region. I am deeply grateful to Sun Country for recognizing the strength of our market and investing in our community, and I’m extremely proud of the team at Tulsa International Airport for continuing to dream big and deliver on bringing new connections to our community.”
“Launching international commercial service has been years in the making, and today’s celebration represents the hard work of countless partners who believed in this vision”, said Alexis Higgins, CEO of Tulsa Airports Improvement Trust. “We’re proud to welcome Sun Country Airlines to Tulsa and grateful they chose our community to help make this defining moment possible.”
“We know travelers are looking for convenient, affordable ways to visit family and friends and explore new destinations and are thrilled to connect Tulsa to both the Twin Cities and Cancun,” said Charles Breer, Senior Director of Airport Affairs at Sun Country. “We thank our airport partners, community leaders, and everyone here in Tulsa for the warm welcome and strong partnership as we launch this exciting new service and congratulate TUL on the opening of their new Customs & Border Protection facility.”
Tickets for new routes are available for purchase at https://www.suncountry.com/.
Media assets from today’s celebration can be downloaded here.
About Sun Country Airlines: Sun Country Airlines is a wholly owned subsidiary of Allegiant Air. A low-cost air carrier, Sun Country Airlines’ mission is to connect guests to their favorite people and places to create lifelong memories and transformative experiences. Sun Country dynamically and synergistically deploys shared resources for our passenger service, including scheduled service and charter, and cargo service segments. Based in Minnesota, we focus on serving leisure and visiting friends and relatives (“VFR”) passengers and charter customers and providing cargo service to Amazon, with flights throughout the United States and to destinations in Mexico, Central America, Canada, and the Caribbean.
For photos, b-roll and additional company information, visit https://www.stories.suncountry.com/multimedia.
About Tulsa International Airport: Tulsa International Airport (TUL) is dedicated to providing a seamless, friendly, and accessible travel experience for all passengers. Known for its customer-centric approach and forward-thinking initiatives, TUL connects travelers to destinations across the globe while maintaining its commitment to the community it serves. Seven air carriers offer nonstop service from TUL to 26 destinations across the country. In 2025, the airport served over 3 million passengers. For more information, visit www.flytulsa.com.
###