Frontier's promos seem to be getting cheaper!
Nov 29, 2018, 1:20 pm
#1
FlyerTalk Evangelist
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Join Date: Mar 2000
Posts: 17,423
Frontier's promos seem to be getting cheaper!
We had 99% off (not really, but still very cheap) fares last week, and today they've launched an extensive sale with lots of $20 fares (which actually come out closer to $19). I bought a 1300 mile flight for $19. This seems nuts, but if they're selling at this price, I'll be doing some Frontier flying. You do need to be flexible, though. If you have to fly on a certain date, or at a peak time, you won't be flying for $19. But if you're flexible, and control your own schedule, Frontier is by far the best deal in USA air travel (even if it's service is sometimes "meh").
Dec 3, 2018, 11:55 pm
#2
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Atlanta, GA, USA
Programs: Frontier Gold, DL estranged 1MMer, Spirit VIP, CO/NW/UA/AA once gold/plat/comped gold now dust.
Posts: 38,151
The first two weeks of December are an excellent time to hunt (different story for the second half of the month, but they have to make their money sometime).
I also put a thread in MilesBuzz about the current 3x miles promotion 11/29-12/15 where they're all status miles, so it looks like you could get status on just 2 transcon RTs that sometimes can be had for under $100 each (the RT, not each way) under a 75% or higher sale (albeit likely midweek). I think Points Guy reported on a promo they had during August where you could qualify similarly, but in this case it looks like you get both the RDMs and EQMs. It seems like quite a deal but it's getting only light publicity.
Thanks to the airline-imposed (invented) fees, though, it looks like $20 each way is their bottomest bottom these days. From ATL you can get the $20 often to Florida destinations, but I tend to favor paying a bit more ($60s-90s RT) for DEN, SLC or LAS (LAS more lately due to weather), and those also earn more miles.
Am debating whether to do my only second-ever "pure" MR to SLC or LAS for $85-95 to get to the 50K status and more RDMs. Though I need to start spending some of my RDMs.
I also put a thread in MilesBuzz about the current 3x miles promotion 11/29-12/15 where they're all status miles, so it looks like you could get status on just 2 transcon RTs that sometimes can be had for under $100 each (the RT, not each way) under a 75% or higher sale (albeit likely midweek). I think Points Guy reported on a promo they had during August where you could qualify similarly, but in this case it looks like you get both the RDMs and EQMs. It seems like quite a deal but it's getting only light publicity.
Thanks to the airline-imposed (invented) fees, though, it looks like $20 each way is their bottomest bottom these days. From ATL you can get the $20 often to Florida destinations, but I tend to favor paying a bit more ($60s-90s RT) for DEN, SLC or LAS (LAS more lately due to weather), and those also earn more miles.
Am debating whether to do my only second-ever "pure" MR to SLC or LAS for $85-95 to get to the 50K status and more RDMs. Though I need to start spending some of my RDMs.
Dec 4, 2018, 7:25 pm
#3
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2000
Posts: 17,423
The first two weeks of December are an excellent time to hunt (different story for the second half of the month, but they have to make their money sometime).
I also put a thread in MilesBuzz about the current 3x miles promotion 11/29-12/15 where they're all status miles, so it looks like you could get status on just 2 transcon RTs that sometimes can be had for under $100 each (the RT, not each way) under a 75% or higher sale (albeit likely midweek). I think Points Guy reported on a promo they had during August where you could qualify similarly, but in this case it looks like you get both the RDMs and EQMs. It seems like quite a deal but it's getting only light publicity.
Thanks to the airline-imposed (invented) fees, though, it looks like $20 each way is their bottomest bottom these days. From ATL you can get the $20 often to Florida destinations, but I tend to favor paying a bit more ($60s-90s RT) for DEN, SLC or LAS (LAS more lately due to weather), and those also earn more miles.
Am debating whether to do my only second-ever "pure" MR to SLC or LAS for $85-95 to get to the 50K status and more RDMs. Though I need to start spending some of my RDMs.
I also put a thread in MilesBuzz about the current 3x miles promotion 11/29-12/15 where they're all status miles, so it looks like you could get status on just 2 transcon RTs that sometimes can be had for under $100 each (the RT, not each way) under a 75% or higher sale (albeit likely midweek). I think Points Guy reported on a promo they had during August where you could qualify similarly, but in this case it looks like you get both the RDMs and EQMs. It seems like quite a deal but it's getting only light publicity.
Thanks to the airline-imposed (invented) fees, though, it looks like $20 each way is their bottomest bottom these days. From ATL you can get the $20 often to Florida destinations, but I tend to favor paying a bit more ($60s-90s RT) for DEN, SLC or LAS (LAS more lately due to weather), and those also earn more miles.
Am debating whether to do my only second-ever "pure" MR to SLC or LAS for $85-95 to get to the 50K status and more RDMs. Though I need to start spending some of my RDMs.
Even with $20 fares, I'll still probably only fly Frontier 3-5 times next year. That's enough for me. If the majors stopped matching a lot of their fares, I would fly them more, however.
Dec 6, 2018, 4:02 pm
#4
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: USA
Programs: AC SE100K, F9 100k, NK Gold, UA *S, Hyatt Glob, Bonvoy Titanium
Posts: 5,195
free stretch seat, free carryon bag makes it semi worthwhile
Though I may feel differently after 6 one way Frontier transcons in the next 3 days
Dec 6, 2018, 4:14 pm
#5
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 580
Something tells me there aren't too many flyertalkers chasing Frontier status, but it certainly wouldn't be a bad idea if you got it. What would it actually get you? Free seat assignments in Stretch?
Even with $20 fares, I'll still probably only fly Frontier 3-5 times next year. That's enough for me. If the majors stopped matching a lot of their fares, I would fly them more, however.
Even with $20 fares, I'll still probably only fly Frontier 3-5 times next year. That's enough for me. If the majors stopped matching a lot of their fares, I would fly them more, however.
Thanks to the airline-imposed (invented) fees, though, it looks like $20 each way is their bottomest bottom these days. From ATL you can get the $20 often to Florida destinations, but I tend to favor paying a bit more ($60s-90s RT) for DEN, SLC or LAS (LAS more lately due to weather), and those also earn more miles.
Dec 9, 2018, 3:28 am
#6
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Atlanta, GA, USA
Programs: Frontier Gold, DL estranged 1MMer, Spirit VIP, CO/NW/UA/AA once gold/plat/comped gold now dust.
Posts: 38,151
Something tells me there aren't too many flyertalkers chasing Frontier status, but it certainly wouldn't be a bad idea if you got it. What would it actually get you? Free seat assignments in Stretch?
Even with $20 fares, I'll still probably only fly Frontier 3-5 times next year. That's enough for me. If the majors stopped matching a lot of their fares, I would fly them more, however.
Even with $20 fares, I'll still probably only fly Frontier 3-5 times next year. That's enough for me. If the majors stopped matching a lot of their fares, I would fly them more, however.
I decided to go ahead with the trip as an almost-MR to LAS, with about 10 hours on the ground and a car rent at $22 a-i that earns WN miles. Airfare was $87-ish RT. It'll earn enough RDMs for a domestic one-way and should put me over the top for 50K rather than 20K. The added benefits at 50K are slight, but you do get to pick a free stretch seat at time of booking, which eliminates the need to check in and grab it at the 24-hour window (as for 20Ks).
If they mint even a few more 20Ks via the credit card or an offer like the 3X one, the stretch seats on transcon flights will be tougher to upgrade to , so getting to book 'em early is a nice convenience. There's also the 50%-off discount den and 25% mile bonus for 50K.
With the 20K the big things are the free full-size carry-on, priority boarding (you're in the pre-board) and seat selection at time of booking for free with ability to upgrade at the 24-hour window,
Because Frontier charges for carry-ons you don't get the bin space as chronically overfilled as on legacies. That + stretch seats begins to approximate the regular-economy experience on legacies.
Dec 9, 2018, 6:11 pm
#7
FlyerTalk Evangelist
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Join Date: Mar 2000
Posts: 17,423
Wow, tell us how it went! I personally wouldn't do this for Frontier status (I don't think I'd even do it for titanium status on one of the majors), but it would interesting to hear how it went. Certainly more interesting than the latest post by some credit-card selling blogger about his latest biz class trip to the Maldives.
Dec 9, 2018, 8:29 pm
#8
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Atlanta, GA, USA
Programs: Frontier Gold, DL estranged 1MMer, Spirit VIP, CO/NW/UA/AA once gold/plat/comped gold now dust.
Posts: 38,151
Train wrecks always make for more interesting stories than blogger freebie trips. I think that's the secret to success of a lot of travel writers like Paul Theroux. Make that critical swing-vote non-traveler segment happy that they didn't go.
I could well be up against 100% full flights in both directions for my ATL-LAS-ATL almost-MR in a few days. But at least I get to avoid the randomly assigned middle seat.
I could well be up against 100% full flights in both directions for my ATL-LAS-ATL almost-MR in a few days. But at least I get to avoid the randomly assigned middle seat.