Fewer change fees? Frontier overhauls pricing structure, offering bundled fares upfront

17.05.2024 - 16:15 / thepointsguy.com / Barry Biffle

Frontier Airlines is making major changes to how it presents fares and fees, offering a clearer range of ticket types that passengers will see right off the bat when booking a flight.

It's a move that could mean a very different booking experience for travelers used to the barrage of add-on fees typical of ultra-low-cost carriers in the U.S.

These "sweeping changes," as Frontier put it in announcing the news Friday, are now live on the airline's booking channels.

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Going forward, Frontier will ostensibly rely less on the classic budget airline business model of displaying an ultra-low base fare upfront — one that excludes everything from seat selection to a full-size carry-on bag, although those types of tickets will still be available.

From the outset of the booking process, Frontier will offer a menu of four options, each with ascending prices and amenities: Basic, Economy, Premium and Business.

This assortment of choices at least sounds more reminiscent of what you'll find when booking with a larger network carrier. However, keep in mind, Frontier isn't embarking on a major overhaul of its actual planes; don't expect a spacious first-class recliner on one of its aircraft anytime soon.

Frontier is also eliminating change and cancellation fees for three of its four new ticket types, bringing back live phone support for customers, and giving customers a longer timeframe to redeem flight credits.

"Today marks the beginning of a new era for Frontier — one with transparency in our prices, no change fees and the lowest total price," CEO Barry Biffle said in a statement Friday.

Here's the rundown of what you'll get with each of Frontier's new ticket types.

It's worth noting, Frontier still classifies the benefits you get with the higher-level (non-basic) fares — like bags and seat selection — as part of a "bundle."

However, what's different now is that the airline is advertising the full price of the bundle right off the bat, lumped in with the fare itself — instead of after a traveler selects a base fare.

Today, Frontier customers can pick a fare, and then choose to add on ancillary items a la carte, or as part of a bundle.

Frontier announced a few other changes as part of its sweeping moves Friday:

Frontier's new booking menu is now live on its website. Here's what it looks like when you go to book — you can see the four options (Basic, Economy, Premium and Business) for this June flight from Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU) to Denver International Airport (DEN).

A Basic fare on this one-way flight starts at $181. Think of this as your "traditional" Frontier fare, which only includes the ticket and a personal item. If