A Brief Review of Frontier Airlines
And if We’ll Ever Fly Them Again

August 30, 2017

So I’m not in the habit of writing airline reviews. I mainly write about family travel with an emphasis on education and what we’ve learned. But ever since we few Frontier Airlines earlier this month, I keep getting questions about our experience. So I thought I’d give my brief review here.

Price
Low-cost airline tickets are what attracted us (and everyone else) to Frontier Airlines. We were shopping for a round trip flight from San Diego to Denver and found an $85 fare on FA. What? On the search engine we were using, all other airlines were coming up with tickets that were twice as much (or more). So we booked! And then we crossed our fingers.

Baggage Policy
It stinks! But you’re probably already aware of that. The key here is to plan ahead and be creative. Our family of four usually packs in carry-on size bags, and we often carry them on to the flight with us. The problem with that is FA charges MORE for carry-ons than they do for checked bags. We decided to get creative to get more bang for our buck. The cost to bring a carry-on onto the flight is XX. The cost to check a 50 lb. suitcase is $XX. We used our packing cubes to keep each family member's things separated, stuffed them all in a large duffel bag and checked that. FA will allow you to bring a personal item onto the flight for free. That meant my husband’s briefcase was fine, the boys’ backpacks were fine and my oversized shoulder bag (purse, I mean) was fine. Don’t make the mistake of paying these fees at the airport where they all increase significantly (see table below). Get online and purchase them ahead of time to save money.

Table of Baggage Fees 

*These figures were accurate at the time of publication. Check online for the latest information.

In-Flight
It’s pretty bare bones. The seats are thin, and they don’t recline. There is no entertainment so bring your own. And the only thing that is free is water.

Crew
Everyone we met whether at the check-in counter or on the flight was friendly. The flights were on time, and everyone who worked for Frontier was courteous.
 

Our Verdict

So bottom line, would we fly them again? Absolutely, yes! The minor inconveniences were so worth the cost savings! We got to Denver and back and saved a boat load of money!

Here are five tips to enhance your experience:

• Either pack your things in a backpack (free) to carry on the flight. Or check a suitcase. Don’t pay the extra for a carry-on.
• If you’re a family traveling together, save money by packing together in a large suitcase or duffel bag using packing cubes to keep your things separated.
• Pay for your checked bags ahead of time and not when you get to the airport.
• Pack sandwiches or snacks to enjoy on the flight.
• Load up your computer or tablet with a new movie or book before leaving home.

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