Frontier Airlines: How to Navigate the Four Fare Bundles and What Passengers Really Say

History and positioning

After years as a pure ultra low-cost model, Frontier has gradually eliminated change fees on some fares and introduced four fare tiers - Basic, Economy, Premium and Business - each with a different level of included services, in an attempt to make the comparison between the advertised price and the final cost of the trip more transparent.

The fleet

The fleet is made up of Airbus A320neo and A321neo aircraft, chosen for their fuel efficiency and configured with a seat density above average, in line with the airline's ultra low-cost model.

Fares and baggage

The Basic fare includes only a personal item, with no carry-on bag, seat selection or free changes. The Economy fare adds a carry-on bag, a standard seat and the elimination of change fees. Premium adds priority boarding and a seat with more legroom, while Business includes two checked bags of 23 kg each and a front-row seat. Understanding the difference between these four levels before buying is essential, because the Basic fare advertised online often does not represent the real cost of the trip for those who need a carry-on bag.

Routes and network

The network is low-density on many secondary and leisure routes, with Denver as the main hub, joined by smaller bases in several cities with moderate tourist demand.

What passengers say

Opinion on review sites remains polarized between those who understand and make good use of the bundle system and those who are surprised by the final costs.

• What more experienced passengers praise: the ability to choose exactly which services to pay for through the four bundles, unbeatable Basic fares for those traveling with just a personal item, the elimination of change fees on fares above Basic.
• What they complain about most often: a large price gap between Basic and Economy when you add even just a carry-on bag, reduced space on board given the high number of seats per aircraft, customer service judged slow in the event of a cancellation.

Frontier Airlines suits those who travel with just a personal item and have no need to change their date, and so can really take advantage of the lowest Basic fare. It is less suitable for those who expect to have to change their flight or who need a standard carry-on bag, because at that point the Economy bundle or higher drastically reduces the initial price advantage. Before buying, work out the cost of the Economy bundle even if you are aiming for the Basic fare: the difference is often smaller than what you will end up paying anyway to add a carry-on bag after purchase.