Frontier Airlines Is Changing the Way It Boards Its Flights

Frontier Airlines is changing the way it boards its flights.

Frontier is expanding its boarding groups from four (plus preboarding) to seven (also plus preboarding), which gives the airline more opportunities to reward its loyalty members and more opportunities to sell bundled tickets for those looking to board early.

Here is a breakdown of exactly which passengers board when, effective today:

• Preboarding: Customers with disabilities and those needing extra time, active-duty military, FRONTIER Miles Elite Diamond members, and families traveling with children under the age of 2 (and those traveling with a car seat or stroller).
• Group 1: FRONTIER Miles Elite Platinum and Gold members, customers who purchased Business or Premium Bundles, and customers who purchased Board First.
• Group 2: FRONTIER Miles members who purchased an Economy Bundle or a carry-on bag.
• Group 3: All other customers who purchased an Economy Bundle or carry-on bag.
• Group 4: FRONTIER Miles Elite Silver members (who were not eligible for an earlier boarding group), FRONTIER Airlines World Mastercard cardmembers, customers who purchased priority boarding, and customers seated in Premium or Exit Row (who were not eligible for an earlier boarding group).
• Group 5: All other FRONTIER Miles members.
• Group 6: Basic fare customers seated in the rear half of the cabin.
• Group 7: Basic fare customers seated in the front half of the cabin.

The news follows Frontier leaning more into a traditional model, issuing a new first class that will debut later this year. It also offers UpFront Plus seating, where customers enjoy a window or aisle seat with extra legroom and a guaranteed empty middle seat.

It’s been a tough time for the ultra-low-cost carriers in the U.S.. Spirit Airlines this week unveiled that it has secured some $475 million financing amid its second bankruptcy filing in a year, and is still hoping to remerge as a more traditional carrier. Frontier itself had tried to merge with Spirit in 2022, but the deal was rejected by shareholders.