What Sunclass Airlines does

Sunclass Airlines ApS is a Danish charter airline headquartered in Drag\u00f8r near Copenhagen, founded in its current form in 2019 (rebranded from Thomas Cook Airlines following the parent's collapse) and tracing its corporate lineage back to Scanair (1961), Conair, Premiair, MyTravel Airways, and Thomas Cook Airlines. The company operates an all-Airbus fleet of 13 aircraft \u2014 six A321s, three A321neos, and three (soon four) A330-900neos \u2014 serving approximately 2.1 million passengers annually on Nordic leisure routes to Mediterranean, Canary Islands, Middle East, Cape Verde, Thailand, and other long-haul destinations. Aircraft technology includes CFM LEAP-1A engines on the A321neo (fuel consumption of 0.0195 L/pkm), advanced A330-900neo avionics with autoland capability down to 75 metres visibility, dual turbulence-warning radar, and satellite communications; onboard entertainment differs by fleet, with BYOD wireless streaming on A321/A321neo and seat-back IFE screens on A330-900neo.

Sunclass is the captive charter airline of Nordic Leisure Travel Group (NLTG), the integrated Nordic travel group owned by Strawberry Group, Altor and TDR Capital. Its primary customers are the NLTG package-holiday brands \u2014 Spies (Denmark), Ving (Norway and Sweden), Tj\u00e4reborg (Finland), and Globetrotter \u2014 which collectively sell around 1.325 million holidays per year. The airline also sells seat upgrades, pre-ordered meals, and baggage services directly to passengers booked through third-party tour operators TUI, Apollo, Sunweb, and Club La Santa via its upgrade portal (inflightshop.sunclassairlines.dk). Revenue is generated via multi-year charter contracts (no public list-price ticketing), direct ancillary sales, onboard taxfree (Airshoppen), air cargo on scheduled routes (coordinated via Total Cargo Expertise and HWF agents), ad hoc charter flights for corporate events, and special-baggage handling for sports equipment.

The company reports 1,001\u20135,000 employees, a CVR-registered ApS in Denmark, GDPR-compliant operations, and a fiscal year 2024/25 pre-tax profit of DKK 123 million (up from DKK 4 million the prior year). It has won the Danish Travel Award for Denmark's Best Charter Airline in both 2024 and 2025 (Epinion survey of 3,100+ travellers), became a member of Airlines for Europe (A4E) in December 2025, and is currently subject to Norwegian's announced SEK 7.94 billion acquisition of NLTG targeted to close in H2 2026, subject to EU regulatory approval.

Name

Sunclass Airlines

Legal name

Sunclass Airlines ApS

Website

https://dk.sunclassairlines.dk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Sunclass Airlines is a Danish charter airline operating 13 Airbus aircraft as the captive carrier of Nordic Leisure Travel Group (Spies, Ving, Tj\u00e4reborg, Globetrotter), serving 2.1 million Nordic package-holiday passengers annually to Mediterranean, Canary Islands, and long-haul leisure destinations worldwide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Charter Airline Services

NAICS

Nonscheduled Chartered Passenger Air Transportation (481211), Air Transportation (481)

SIC

Air Transportation, Nonscheduled (4522)

akta.pro primary industry

Long-Haul Full-Service Airlines (Widebody Operators) (THABAAAH)

akta.pro secondary industry

Full-Service Airlines (Passenger + Belly Cargo Integrated) (THABAAAF)

Keywords

• Charter airline services
• Package holiday flights
• Leisure air transport
• Aircraft fleet operations
• In-flight catering

Headquarters

HQ city

Dragør

HQ country

Denmark

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Infrastructure, Personnel, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Charter Flight Operations: Sunclass Airlines primarily operates as a charter airline for Nordic Leisure Travel Group's package holiday brands (Spies, Ving, Tjäreborg, Globetrotter) and third-party tour operators (TUI, Apollo, Sunweb, Club La Santa). Revenue is generated through multi-year charter contracts with tour operators who purchase flight capacity as part of bundled package holidays. The airline also sells seat upgrades (seat selection), pre-ordered meals, and ancillary services directly to end consumers.
2. Ad Hoc and Charter Flights: Sunclass Airlines also operates ad hoc charter flights for businesses and organisations requiring bespoke solutions for product launches, sporting events, and corporate events. Destinations, departure times, onboard service, and ground handling are customised to client requirements.
3. Air Cargo Transport: Freight transport services offered on most scheduled routes. All cargo shipments are coordinated through freight agent Total Cargo Expertise, with local booking contacts in Denmark, Sweden, Norway, and Finland via HWF offices.
4. Taxfree and Onboard Retail Sales: Onboard taxfree shopping via Airshoppen platform. Passengers can pre-order duty-free goods (perfumes, spirits, tobacco, cosmetics, electronics) through the Airshoppen e-commerce portal before or during the flight.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Sunclass Airlines is the largest charter airline in the Nordic countries, operating scheduled and ad hoc charter flights on behalf of Nordic Leisure Travel Group's (NLTG) package holiday brands (Spies, Ving, Tj\u00e4reborg, Globetrotter) and third-party tour operators such as TUI, Apollo, Sunweb, and Club La Santa. It flies roughly 2.1 million passengers per year on routes to Mediterranean, Canary Islands, Middle East, Cape Verde, and Thailand, anchored by multi-year charter contracts and supplemented by direct-to-consumer ancillary sales (baggage, seat selection, pre-order meals) and Airshoppen taxfree shopping.

Product overview

Sunclass Airlines is a Danish charter airline and Nordic Leisure Travel Group (NLTG) company operating a fleet of 13 Airbus aircraft (A321, A321neo, A330-900neo) serving approximately 2.1 million passengers annually on leisure routes. The product portfolio centers on the core airline service supplemented by onboard amenities including Sunclass Network entertainment (accessible via personal devices or built-in screens), meal services (Sunclass Menu, Premium Menu, Special Meals, and Light Meals), and Airshoppen taxfree shopping. Additional services include cargo transport, ad hoc charter flights, and special baggage handling for sports equipment. Sunclass operates primarily as the airline for NLTG's package travel brands including Spies, Ving, Tjäreborg, and others.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Sunclass Airlines Charter Flights Core Nordic charter flight operations serving approximately 2.1 million passengers per year on leisure routes to Mediterranean, Canary Islands, Cape Verde, Middle East, and Thailand via an all-Airbus fleet of A321, A321neo, and A330-900neo aircraft. Flights are operated primarily as captive charter capacity for Nordic Leisure Travel Group tour operator brands (Spies, Ving, Tj\u00e4reborg, Globetrotter) and third-party tour operators (TUI, Apollo, Sunweb, Club La Santa) and bundled into package holidays.
• Sunclass 3-Course Pre-Order Meal Pre-order three-course onboard meal including starter, hot main course, and dessert, served with coffee/tea (DKK 20 value); included in the ticket for Plus/Premium cabin classes and available as an add-on for Economy passengers. Comes with a price guarantee against equivalent airport dining and a satisfaction guarantee (refund if not delivered as promised). No pork in any meals. Available on flights operated for any tour operator via the Sunclass upgrade portal.
• Premium Onboard Meal Upgrade Premium upgrade meal above the standard Sunclass Menu, offered as brunch or a meat/fish three-course menu and including alcoholic beverages (beer, wine, cava) or soft drinks plus coffee/tea. No pork in any meals. Pre-orderable via Sunclass upgrade portal.
• Special Dietary Meals Dietary-specific pre-order meals including diabetes-friendly, gluten-free, lactose-free, vegetarian, and vegan options for passengers with dietary requirements. Pre-orderable via Sunclass upgrade portal.
• Light Onboard Meals Simple onboard meal options including Classic Cheeseburger, Pizza Margherita, chicken kebab roll, and sandwiches served with coffee/tea, offered as a lighter alternative to the Sunclass Menu.
• Airshoppen Taxfree Shopping Onboard and online taxfree shopping platform allowing Sunclass Airlines passengers to pre-order duty-free goods (perfumes, spirits, tobacco, cosmetics, electronics) before or during flights. Accessible at sunclass.airshoppen.com.
• Special Baggage Handling (Sports Equipment) Special baggage transport service for sports equipment including golf bags (max 15 kg), surfboards/bodyboards (max 30 kg), bicycles (max 25 kg), diving equipment (max 30 kg without tanks), and windsurfing sets (max 30 kg). Pricing published per item per segment with differentiated rates for short-haul, Gran Canaria/Tenerife/Madeira, and long-haul destinations. Example short-haul rates: golf DKK 220, surf DKK 300, bike DKK 350, diving DKK 300, windsurf DKK 450 per item per direction. Long-haul example rates: golf DKK 440, surf DKK 600, bike DKK 700, diving DKK 600, windsurf DKK 900.
• Cargo Transport Services Air cargo transport on most scheduled passenger routes to Nordic and leisure destinations. All bookings are coordinated through Total Cargo Expertise with local booking contacts (HWF) in Denmark (Drag\u00f8r), Sweden (Arlandastad), Norway (Oslo/Gardermoen), and Finland (Vantaa). Serves freight forwarders and shippers needing belly-cargo capacity on leisure routes.
• Ad Hoc Charter Flights Bespoke charter flights for businesses and organisations requiring customised solutions for product launches, sporting events, and corporate events. Destinations, departure times, onboard service, and ground handling are tailored to client requirements.

Quantifiable outcome

• Up to 23% CO2 reduction per passenger-kilometre on A330-900neo vs previous generation aircraft
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

AI capability1 record

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Nordic Leisure Travel Group (NLTG)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSunclass Airlines is an integral part of Nordic Leisure Travel Group (NLTG), the integrated Nordic travel group that encompasses package holiday brands (Spies, Ving Sverige, Ving Norge, Globetrotter, Tjäreborg), hotel businesses (Hotels & Resorts including Sunwing Family Resorts, Ocean Beach Club, Sunprime Hotels), and the airline itself. The group sells approximately 1,325,000 package holidays per year across Denmark, Sweden, Norway, and Finland. Sunclass Airlines is the captive charter carrier for nearly all flight operations of the group's tour operator brands. The group operates with an integrated business model where all components — tour operators, airline, and hotels — are coordinated.
• AirshoppencoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAirshoppen is the taxfree shopping platform for Sunclass Airlines and other NLTG brands. It operates at sunclass.airshoppen.com and dk.airshoppen.com, allowing passengers to pre-order duty-free goods before or during flights. Products include perfumes, spirits, tobacco, cosmetics, and electronics. Airshoppen is part of the NLTG retail ecosystem.
• Total Cargo ExpertiseminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerTotal Cargo Expertise is the freight agent coordinating all air cargo shipments on Sunclass Airlines' routes. The company manages booking, routing, and operational coordination. Headquartered in Moerfelden-Walldorf, Germany, with local booking contacts (HWF) in Denmark, Sweden, Norway, and Finland.
• HWF Denmark / Sweden / Norway / FinlandminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHWF offices handle local cargo booking for Sunclass Airlines in each Nordic country — HWF Denmark (Dragør), HWF Sweden (Arlandastad), HWF Norway (Oslo/Gardermoen), and HWF Finland (Vantaa). These agents facilitate local cargo shipment bookings on Sunclass routes.
• World Travel Catering and Onboard Services Expo (WTCE)minorOthersSunclass Airlines uses the World Travel Catering and Onboard Services Expo (WTCE) as a platform to discover new onboard catering suppliers and innovative food and beverage products. The airline has used WTCE to identify and evaluate new catering options to counter declining pre-order meal uptake.
• Airlines for Europe (A4E)minorOthersSunclass Airlines became a member of Airlines for Europe (A4E) from 1 December, joining Europe's largest aviation industry organisation. A4E advocates for safe, sustainable, and competitive European aviation. Sunclass joined to support these shared priorities and contribute to industry policy development.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• TUI fly: TUI fly is the in-house charter airline of TUI Group, flying European package holiday customers to leisure destinations. Directly comparable to Sunclass as a captive charter carrier integrated with a European tour operator, serving the same leisure travel use case.
• Condor Airlines: Condor is a German leisure/charter airline serving package holiday customers across Europe. Comparable to Sunclass in fleet composition (Airbus narrow- and wide-body), customer base (leisure travellers booked through tour operators), and route network (Mediterranean, Canaries, long-haul).
• Smartwings: Smartwings is a Czech-based charter airline operating leisure flights for tour operators across Central Europe. Comparable to Sunclass as a charter specialist serving package holiday brands, with similar fleet mix and seasonal demand profile.
• Jet2.com: Jet2.com is the UK's largest charter/leisure airline, tightly integrated with Jet2holidays package holidays. Direct comparable to Sunclass as a vertically integrated tour-operator-aligned leisure carrier with similar business model and customer proposition.
• Corendon Airlines: Corendon Airlines is a Dutch-Turkish charter leisure airline affiliated with the Corendon tour operator group. Directly comparable to Sunclass as an integrated tour-operator charter carrier serving European holidaymakers on Mediterranean/Canary routes.
• Freebird Airlines: Freebird Airlines is a Turkish charter carrier serving European tour operators on Mediterranean leisure routes. Comparable to Sunclass in charter business model, tour operator customer base, and short-haul leisure route focus.
• Nouvelair: Nouvelair is a Tunisian charter airline serving European tour operators with leisure flights to North African and Mediterranean destinations. Comparable to Sunclass as a charter specialist selling capacity to third-party tour operators on a similar aircraft mix.

Broad incumbents

• Norwegian Air Shuttle: Norwegian is the acquiring party of NLTG (Sunclass's parent) and a major Nordic-focused scheduled carrier with overlapping Nordic-to-Mediterranean leisure route network. Comparable to Sunclass on Nordic origin geography and partially on leisure route network, but operates a scheduled rather than charter model.
• SAS (Scandinavian Airlines): SAS is the legacy flag carrier of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden. Comparable to Sunclass on Nordic origin geography and overlapping long-haul route presence, but is a scheduled network carrier rather than a charter specialist.

Emerging players

• Pegasus Airlines: Pegasus is a Turkish low-cost carrier increasingly serving European leisure routes. Comparable to Sunclass on Mediterranean/short-haul leisure demand patterns and ancillary revenue focus, but competes as an LCC rather than a charter airline.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Sunclass Airlines