Rate Frontier EarlyReturns
Jul 15, 2011 | 11:10 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: San Francisco, CA
Posts: 106
Rate Frontier EarlyReturns
InsideFlyer magazine is going to review Frontier EarlyReturns in the September issue and would like your input.
If you would like to participate, please post your response in the thread with the pros and cons of membership in EarlyReturns and grade the program from A to F (A being the highest grade). You can include a plus or minus with the rating.
We look at: Earning Ability, Award Choices, Partnerships, Elite-Level Program, Rules & Conditions, Service Support, Online Services and the general plus features and minus features of the program. Feel free to write about some or all of these topics.
You can also respond directly to me at [email protected].
Thank you!
If you would like to participate, please post your response in the thread with the pros and cons of membership in EarlyReturns and grade the program from A to F (A being the highest grade). You can include a plus or minus with the rating.
We look at: Earning Ability, Award Choices, Partnerships, Elite-Level Program, Rules & Conditions, Service Support, Online Services and the general plus features and minus features of the program. Feel free to write about some or all of these topics.
You can also respond directly to me at [email protected].
Thank you!
Jul 16, 2011 | 9:40 am
#2
In Memoriam, FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Durham, NC (RDU/GSO/CLT)
Programs: AA EXP/MM, DL GM, UA Platinum, HH DIA, Hyatt Explorist, IHG Platinum, Marriott Titanium, Hertz PC
Posts: 33,856
Rating: B
Pros:
- One of the few programs left with a 500 mile minimum
- Two elite tiers with decent perks for an airline that can't offer upgrades
- Expiry date on miles seems fair
Cons:
- For whatever reason, Frontier gives lower mileage credit on flights compared to similar airlines. PHX-DEN nets 589 miles while on UA/US you earn 602.
I have never tried to redeem my miles so I can't judge based on that.
Pros:
- One of the few programs left with a 500 mile minimum
- Two elite tiers with decent perks for an airline that can't offer upgrades
- Expiry date on miles seems fair
Cons:
- For whatever reason, Frontier gives lower mileage credit on flights compared to similar airlines. PHX-DEN nets 589 miles while on UA/US you earn 602.
I have never tried to redeem my miles so I can't judge based on that.
Jul 16, 2011 | 9:57 am
#3
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: MKE
Programs: Delta Skymiles, Frontier EarlyReturns Summit
Posts: 766
Might be able to gain some insight from this thread:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/front...rs-do-not.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/front...rs-do-not.html
Jul 26, 2011 | 12:34 pm
#5
Join Date: May 2011
Location: AUS
Programs: DL GM, F9 50K, NK Gold...AS MVP 50K soon?
Posts: 213
B
Pros
Redemption options start at 12.5k miles for a OW flight
Miles bonuses with only slightly more expensive tickets
No miles penalty for booking a one-way flight
FF status is relatively easy to obtain (20 one way flights for Ascent) and has decent benefits
250 mile minimum credit on all flights
Cons
No FF alliances mean that miles can only be redeemed for Frontier, which has limited international options
Program used to be MUCH more generous (10k miles for a OW ticket, 15k for a R/T)
Credit card program requires an annual fee to get any sort of reasonable benefits, and even then miles don't accumulate very quickly
Higher-demand flights cost 22.5k miles for a OW, even if pricing on the flight is less than a longer, non-peak flight
I've gotten award flights from Frontier before, but they were all before the airline adopted its current award tiers (12.5k OW, twice that for round trip). If I flew them exclusively I could probably hit Ascent status by the end of the year but shortly after that point I'll probably go back to TX, and DEN and MKE aren't on the way to most places I want to go.
As an airline, I prefer Frontier to American and Southwest (the only airlines that I've used for more than four segments). However for me their rewards program just isn't that amazing.
Pros
Redemption options start at 12.5k miles for a OW flight
Miles bonuses with only slightly more expensive tickets
No miles penalty for booking a one-way flight
FF status is relatively easy to obtain (20 one way flights for Ascent) and has decent benefits
250 mile minimum credit on all flights
Cons
No FF alliances mean that miles can only be redeemed for Frontier, which has limited international options
Program used to be MUCH more generous (10k miles for a OW ticket, 15k for a R/T)
Credit card program requires an annual fee to get any sort of reasonable benefits, and even then miles don't accumulate very quickly
Higher-demand flights cost 22.5k miles for a OW, even if pricing on the flight is less than a longer, non-peak flight
I've gotten award flights from Frontier before, but they were all before the airline adopted its current award tiers (12.5k OW, twice that for round trip). If I flew them exclusively I could probably hit Ascent status by the end of the year but shortly after that point I'll probably go back to TX, and DEN and MKE aren't on the way to most places I want to go.
As an airline, I prefer Frontier to American and Southwest (the only airlines that I've used for more than four segments). However for me their rewards program just isn't that amazing.