The Real Pros and Cons to Flying Frontier Airlines: What You Need to Know

Frontier Airlines is a budget airline with no frills. Deciding if it is a good fit for your next trip depends on your priorities. Today we are comparing the pros and cons of flying Frontier Airlines to help decide if it is a good option for your next trip.

Frontier Airlines started in 1994 and has gained popularity for its deep discounted flight deals. I have seen one-way flights for $19.00!

These deals are intriguing and I was curious about what it would be like to fly with my family of 5 using Frontier Airlines.

In the name of research, I booked us the least expensive flight I could find with no extras to test what it is like to fly Frontier.

The results are a mix bag of great and meh results. Let’s dig into the pros and cons of flying Frontier and my commentary on would we do it again.

Overview of Frontier Airlines

Frontier Airlines offer domestic flight within the United States as well as International flights to the Caribbean and Mexico. They use an all Airbus fleet and are a popular low-cost carrier.

Frontier Airlines has routes between major cities in the USA including Denver, Orlando, Los Angeles, and more. To see if Frontier flies from your home city check here.

There are less options on flight days/times as well as cities Frontier flies from because it is a smaller airline.

Frontier is a budget friendly no frills airline. The seats are not very spacious but they seemed typical of an economy flight.

They do not offer in-flight snacks or drinks and also do not have WiFi. Snack and drinks are available to purchase.

When booking your flight, bags and seat assignment are not included. If you would like to pick your seat and check luggage you will need to pay an extra fee for each.

The prices for bags/seats vary depending on the flight. There is also an option to get “the works” at time of booking.

This includes your seat assignment, one checked bag, as well as no fee cancellation policy. More information can be found here.

Pros of Frontier Airlines

The biggest pro of flying Frontier is the price. The low fares for Frontier Airlines are often too good to be true!

The cost of the flight is a huge advantage to flying Frontier, you are saving a lot on your vacation budget for transportation.

At times I can find one-way flights for $19.00 a person. I have booked our family of five round-trip to Orlando for $318.00.

These discount deals can be found during promotions that are offered multiple times a month. Keep an eye on the Frontier website or sign-up for emails to be notified.

Frontier Airlines is also an eco-friendly airline that prides itself on being “43% more fuel efficient than other airlines”.

Another pro of flying with Frontier is you get what you pay for and you don’t pay for things you don’t need.

If you are a light packer, why pay more?

Everything is ala cart when booking with Frontier and that can be a great perk for solo travelers or guests not concerned with luggage and seat choice.

Recap of the Advantages to Flying Frontier

• Flight Cost: Frontier runs promos weekly that offer up to 80% off. I have seen flights as low as $38.00 one-way. More recently I have seen one-way tickets with blackout dates starting at $19.00 from Buffalo to Orlando.
• Kids Fly Free Frontier Airlines: Members of the Discount Den club offers kids fly free on select days. This is for kids under 15 and per paying adult.
• Non-Stop flights to certain destinations.
• Frontier is rated a good airline and hasn’t had safety issues in over 20+ years. All airlines go through the same safety regulations.
• Guests can bring a small personal item like a purse or small/medium size backpack.

Cons of Frontier Airlines

The cons of flying Frontier is a bit more nuanced. Frontier charges for all the extras.

First the $19.00 price I shared above does not include a seat choice or bags.

Second because Frontier has a smaller fleet, one delay or cancelled flight can have a domino effect on all the flights for the day.

There are also no snack or drink services during your flight included. Guests can purchase items.

Another con to be aware of, especially if you are traveling with young children. Frontier assigns you a seat at check-in if you do not purchase one.

This could be a huge disadvantage for families. If you choose to not purchase seats together be prepared to be split up and prepare your kids for the potential of not sitting together.

Customer service is also an area where Frontier falls short. There are often no attendants working at the gate desk to help you with ticket information, printing boarding passes, or any other questions you may have.

When I have flown Frontier I have never had an issue with customer service but that was because I didn’t need any assistance. On the flight the flight attendants were fantastic and even helped a passenger that was having some flight anxiety.

I think customer service is situational but something to be aware of.

Recap of the Disadvantages to Flying Frontier Airlines

• Additional Fees: Carry-On Bag, Seat selection fees are not included in price.
• No snack or drink service on flight. It is available for purchase.
• Cancelations/Delays/Flight Changes due to small amount of daily flight options.
• Customer Service is not great and you have to pay a fee to talk with a customer service rep. Learn more here.

New for 2024 at Frontier Airlines

Frontier has updated their policies to include no change/cancel fees for economy, premium, and business travelers. They still offer the basic ticket for those not wanting to upgrade but this gives people more options while still keeping ticket prices low.

How Does Frontier Compare to Other Budget Airlines?

Prices for Frontier and other budget friendly airlines like Spirit and Allegiant are pretty comparable.

All airlines offer budget prices with “extras” guests can purchase. Be sure to read the fine print when booking with a budget airline.

My Experience Flying Frontier Airlines

Flying Frontier has its pros and cons. I think some people will find it is easy and saves them money, while others expect more from their inflight experience.

There is no wrong answer and you have to do what works for you. The best way to determine if this is good for you is to weight the pros and cons for your travel group.

The pros and cons of flying Frontier match up pretty evenly but if I had to sum up my personal opinion of flying with Frontier it would be this.

The cost ($318.00 Roundtrip for 5 of us) outweighed the cons of not purchasing bags or our seats.

We did run into delays, but again the low prices for domestic travel was a huge factor in our decision to fly Frontier.

If you want my full experience scroll down to the end of this article where I go into details on our experience. Below are a few FAQ’s about flying Frontier.

Frontier Airlines Baggage Size

There are three categories to Frontier Airlines baggage size. Personal item is included with your flight. Carry On and Check require an add-on price. They are:

• Personal Item: 8″D X 18″W X 14″H (Must Fit Under the Seat.)
• Carry On Bag: 10″D X 16″W X 24″H< 35 lbs (Prices start at $45.00)
• Checked Bag: 62 Linear Inches< 40 LBS (Prices start at $40.00)

Frontier Airlines Safety Ratings

Frontier Airlines is certified by the FAA and has never had a fatal crash. This article goes into more details.

Kids Fly Free on Frontier Flights

Kids Fly Free is a huge perk to the Discount Den members that children under 15 can fly free with a paying adult. This allowed us to have 2 kids fly free on our most recent flight.

When you are searching for flights the Kids Fly Free banner will be on the price if it is available.

You must be a Discount Den member to take advantage of this offer. There is an annual fee that goes along with it.

It is worth comparing prices of joining even if you will only use it for this flight. Details here.

Unlimited Flights from Frontier Airlines

Unlimited flights is for guests that fly a lot. It is called the Go Wild Pass. You pay a flat fee and in theory can fly whenever you want. I do not have any experience with the unlimited flight pass but learn more here for the latest updates and pricing.

My Frontier Airlines Review

I wanted to share my personal review for flying Frontier Airlines because I think it gets more bad reviews that it should.

Through the years I had heard rumors that people had terrible experiences but not specifics. I’ve heard people say it is the worst airline ever.

There are additional costs to your basic ticket price but I really wanted to try booking with Frontier Airlines to see if it would be an affordable option for my family.

I also wondered how such a inexpensive flight could be safe. What was the fine print? How could they offer such low fares and cheap flights?

I decided to give it a try and have since flown with Frontier 2 times.

We planned a quick visit to Orlando at the end of March 2022. It was during spring break and many airlines were encountering delays. It was our first time flying Frontier and I was a bit nervous about how it would go.

Our flight to Orlando was supposed to depart at 7:30pm but didn’t depart until around 9:55pm.

It was disappointing to arrive so late into Orlando (around 1:00am) and many of the car rental places had very long lines.

We were exhausted and it delayed our early morning start time at Universal Studios the following day. With that being said, many flights were delayed due to weather.

We did want to stick to a budget for this trip to Universal Orlando so we did not purchase anything extra.

We explained to the kids that we may not be seated together. This was a risk we were willing to take and might not be a great fit for every family.

I suggest talking as a family before making this decision.

I was a little nervous about this but was hopeful at least the kids would be seated together and if we didn’t like it we wouldn’t fly with them again.

As soon as our flight opened for check-in (24 hours before flight) I logged in and checked us in.

Luckily, for both flights we were all seated together. Frontier does try to keep parties together but there is no guarantee.

The flight itself was fine, although we did encounter a lot of turbulence. The flight attendants and pilot kept everyone informed and I felt safe during the flight.

On our return flight we had another short delay (45 minutes). The biggest issue we had was the lack of communication between what was on the boards at the airport and what we were being texted.

Again I think this has more to do with staffing issues as a whole for the airline industry.

May 2022: I had an opportunity to fly Frontier Airlines again for a trip back from Orlando. This flight was delayed 2 hours. I was very frustrated to have to deal with another delay, especially when surrounding airlines were not having delays. This was not due to weather.

It was also the bumpiest flight I have ever been on. Again this could not be blamed on Frontier but still made my flying experience stressful.

When I returned home I received a $25.00 flight voucher for a future flight. I didn’t complain during my travels so I do not know if this was due to the rough flight or the delay.

Would I Fly Frontier Again

So would I fly Frontier again. The honest answer is I am not sure.

The cost savings is great but the risk of delays can derail the costs quickly if you have a cancelled flight.

We didn’t have to worry about any extra fees because we set our expectations accordingly. If you need to check bags or select seats, be prepared for a lot of fees.

I have heard people have great experiences but because both of mine were delayed and the bumpy flight, I am not sure I am willing to fly again with Frontier.

This is not to say that I would never, I would just try to fly a different airline when I can.

If you are looking for a quick and inexpensive domestic flights you can find some great deals with Frontier. I would not use Frontier for international destinations because of the duration of flight.

For long flights I would probably stick with a different airline because of the free access to WiFi but for a quick non-stop flight Frontier can save you a lot of money.

The pros and cons of Frontier Airlines will weigh differently depending on your situation and family. I hope this review of flying with Frontier helps you decide the best option for your family.

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