Frontier Airlines will launch a first class cabin in late 2025 as it continues in its efforts to reinvent itself and remain competitive in a market where premium services deliver outsized revenue. The move comes just months after Frontier launched a “EuroBiz” premium offering and then switched from drip pricing to fare bundles.
The carrier will also update its loyalty program, adding a companion pass benefit for the top two tiers. Complimentary upgrade benefits will also shift with the changes.
We’ve listened to customers, and they want more – more premium options, like first class seating, attainable seat upgrades, more free travel for their companions, and the ability to use miles on more than just airfare. These changes represent an exciting new chapter in our transformation into The New Frontier. – Barry Biffle, CEO, Frontier Airlines
First Class Seating on Frontier
Blocking the middle seat is enough to be considered premium on a number of European airlines, but that does not appear to have translated sufficiently to the US market. Frontier’s UpFront Plus was easy to launch with minimal capital costs, but the carrier is now planning for two rows of wider 2-2 seating, delivering more space than the current UpFront Plus offering.
But Frontier‘s move is more about space than a proper premium experience. It will keep the buy-on-board approach to inflight rather than bundling snacks or drinks with the new first class seats. This will keep its premium cabin more like Spirit’s old Big Front Seat offer and less like that carrier’s new Go Big! which includes snacks, drinks, and free Wi-Fi on board, plus a baggage allowance.
Free Upgrades for Elites
Frontier is also pushing hard on free seat upgrades for its elite members as part of the new seat launch. Elite members get access to “preferred” seats today, depending on status. That will expand to more elites having access to Premium and UpFront Plus seats, as well as access to the new first class cabin. As with the offering today, those benefits are subject to different timeframes based on status level.
And arguably a benefit the carrier hopes it doesn’t have to deliver on.
Free upgrades are something Delta recently called out as the “biggest loss leader” in its portfolio and an offering it is happy to see no longer delivered at nearly the same levels as a decade ago. That Frontier is pushing hard to mimic a benefit of the legacy programs a decade ago, especially as things like complimentary upgrades are no longer a core offering of those programs, is an interesting twist. Yes, free upgrades are still advertised, but the legacy airlines don’t actually expect to deliver on that, preferring to sell the seats at a reasonable markup.
Perhaps that’s also Frontier’s plan. But it still has to pretend it wants top elites to get them for free.
Companion Pass Coming
Frontier will also offer its top two elite tiers a new Companion Pass benefit from mid-2025. Platinum and Diamond Elite members will have the option to add an additional passenger to every booking they make, paying only the government taxes and fees.
Read more: Big Front Seat is dead; Long live Go Big!
This is similar to the Southwest Companion Pass, but with the twist that the companion passenger need not be named in advance. A Frontier Platinum or Diamond elite can choose anyone as their companion, changing it each flight. The only requirement is that the companion also have a frequent flyer account with the carrier.
Points as a Currency
Frontier has not been shy about its loyalty program tying point value to dollars and cents. From mid-2025 that will extend further with new redemption options. Baggage fees, seating upgrades, and other ancillary option will be payable with points.
Most significantly, this allows smaller redemptions while still providing value to the program members rather than requiring them to save enough for a ticket redemption. And anything that enables additional redemption options is typically good news for the airline and the program member.
As part of this round of announcements the carrier also has a new cobrand credit card promotion and a Platinum status accelerator on offer. The promo offers Platinum status at 20,000 points instead of 50,000 through April 2025. For the credit card promo new signups will receive first 50,000 miles after paying the annual fee in full and spending $500 with the card within the first 90 days of account opening. The additional 50,000 Travel Miles requires a second registration, and will be awarded to cardmembers once they have spent $3,000 on purchases within the first 180 days of account opening.
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