Sunshine Airport

Sunshine Airport is the first course of the Star Cup in Mario Kart 8 and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe and is the first airport course in the Mario Kart series. It takes place in an airport on Isle Delfino. Airplanes can be seen parked and taking off. Sunshine Airport is themed and named after Super Mario Sunshine. Shine Sprites are visible throughout the course. The course physics are altered in 200cc, with the ramps with Dash Panels propelling racers at a shorter distance. The aircraft standing around the airfield are based on a variety of different aircraft, ranging from the to, to  or even  jets, alongside ,  and other aircraft.

Course layout
The course begins in the terminal. After a hairpin turn, players will exit the terminal by taking a jump onto the apron. After this, there is a small jump over a conveyor belt, after which the track proceeds under a plane. Once passing under it, a ramp leads to a raised track which then turns left. The track then splits into two alternate paths; one where a jump can be taken onto the wing of another plane, proceed through it and come out on the other wing, or one where the jump is not taken, leading the player to drive under the plane. Shortly after, players will take a left turn, and then hit some Dash Panels leading to a Glide Ramp, where a plane flies over the lead racer. This plane changes every lap. The gilding section travels up into an anti-gravity platform suspended in the air, which loops around a three-quarter turn. Several Spin Boost Pillars are present here. Afterwards, racers hit a Glide Ramp and enter another gliding section. Players descend, land on a helicopter pad outside the terminal, then turn left and re-enter the terminal. There is one last right turn to the finish line.

When Lakitu is holding the start signal, he is shown on the right side of the player. When crossing the finish line to start another lap, he’s also shown on the right side of the player, holding the lap count signs.

At the finish, a departure board can be seen on the right, including names of various other tracks. Posters of Water Park, Dry Dry Desert and Sweet Sweet Canyon can also be seen.

When under a flying plane, sounds in the game become muffled.

Shortcuts

 * One can cut off the left turn before the first gliding section by using a speed item and jumping off a small ramp situated in the water.
 * If taking the lower route under the second plane, there is a large patch of grass to the right that serves as an offroad shortcut.
 * The left turn into the terminal can be cut off if one boosts through the grass.
 * One can drive through an area with conveyors carrying luggage cutting off the final turn. The crates may contain Mushrooms or Green Shells.

Staff ghost
The staff ghost for this track is Rosalina on the Circuit Special, and the time is 2:24.429. The Mario Kart 8 Deluxe 200cc staff ghost is Luigi with a time of 1:45.437.

References to the Mario series

 * At one point, a couple of Koopa rock formations reminiscent of the one from Koopa Troopa Beach in Mario Kart 64 and Mario Kart 7 can be seen in the background.
 * There are some storage crates in Sunshine Airport with the serial number "55402MS". This serial number is a possible reference to the European release date for Super Mario Sunshine (October 4, 2002; MS, possibly standing for "Mario Sunshine.")
 * There is an intercom in the airport that makes references to Birdo, Sweet Sweet Canyon, and Dolphin Shoals. These are the voice lines that can be heard within the station:
 * "This is the final boarding call for Boomerang Bros. International Airline, Flight 117a to Sweet Sweet Canyon, departing from Gate 3."
 * This is inconsistent with the signboard before the finish line, which says flight "Sweet Sweet Canyon BBIA 4300."
 * "Passengers departing on Galaxy Airlines, Flight 2580, bound for Dolphin Shoals, should proceed to customs and immigration at this time."
 * "Paging Galaxy Airlines, Flight 2218, passenger Ms. Birdo, please proceed to the information counter on Floor 2."
 * Some of the crates on the conveyor belts have panels that resemble ? Blocks, Empty Blocks and Brick Blocks.

Sponsors

 * Boomerang Bros. International Airlines (Planes, posters, trackside banners, departures boards)
 * Galaxy Air (Planes, posters, images on screens, departures boards, trackside banners)
 * Mario Kart TV (Vans)
 * Mario Motors (Stickers)
 * Mushroom Piston (Stickers)
 * Paratroopa Airlines (Posters, departures boards)
 * Peach & Daisy Royal Patisserie (Stickers, trackside banners)
 * Princess Orange (Trackside banners, stickers)
 * Propeller Toad Transport (Crates, planes, departures boards, trackside banners)
 * Red Shell Strike Equipment (Stickers)
 * Star Cup (Banners, ramps, trackside banners)
 * Super Marine World (Trackside banners)
 * Toad Harbor (Stickers)
 * Waluigi Sea Bed (Stickers)
 * Wild Yoshi Sanctuary (Stickers)

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe

 * Nintendo Magazine 2022 Summer: "The course takes place at the airport on "Isle Delfino", a tropical paradise. Under the sunny summer skies, you can enjoy a refreshing race making full use of the Spin Turbo. Towards the end of the course, you might just race past a massive airplane."

Mario Kart 8 Original Soundtrack liner notes
"This was the first track on Mario Kart 8 I was responsible for, and I had a great time working on it. The combination of the gorgeous graphics and the sheer silliness of racing around an airport made it really exciting. I was aiming to create music with a fresh, airy feel, to give you a taste of southern seas and tropical sky."

Trivia

 * A Sunshine Airport patch appears on the back of the Racing Outfit in Super Mario Odyssey.