Five things to know about Frontier Airlines in South Florida: Some love it, others don't
Frontier Airlines recently announced new service from Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport and Palm Beach International Airport (PBIA). The ultra-low-cost carrier (ULCC), in May, will offer flights from Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood to Cincinnati and in June, it will offer flights to Puerto Rico from both South Florida airports.
Like Spirit Airlines, Frontier flights can often be had for less than $100 and sometimes for as little as $19, but there is a catch: Everything is a la carte. Be prepared to pack a backpack and to let Frontier assign you a seat if you really want to save money. Otherwise, that bargain-basement deal could turn out to be as expensive as if you flew on a legacy carrier.
Frontier was the airline that wanted to buy Spirit two years ago. But JetBlue stepped in and offered much more, forcing Frontier to walk away from the deal. A judge recently ruled that the JetBlue-Spirit merger would harm competition and raise prices. JetBlue and Spirit agreed earlier this month to call off the merger. There has been speculation that Frontier might again try to buy Spirit but Frontier has yet to comment on those rumors.
More: Fort Lauderdale airport to get new service but will also lose service as well this summer
So here are five things that you might not know about Frontier:
Frontier offers a deal for frequent frequent fliers
Taking a page out of the all-you-can-eat buffets, the Denver-based airline is offering an annual all-you-can-fly pass for $599. The pass allows access to unlimited flights from May 1, 2024 to April 30, 2025. Make sure you carefully read the terms and conditions on Frontier’s website, flyfrontier.com/deals/gowild-pass/.
Even after shelling out that $599, you will still be charged extra for full-sized luggage and advance-seat assignments. The pass can be used on the Frontier network that includes more than 100 destinations. Frontier planes fly to Mexico, the Caribbean and Latin America. There are blackout dates.
There is also a summer pass available that runs from May 1 to Sept. 30. The price is $399.
Frontier Airlines baggage sizes: How big can that backpack be?
Be careful as Frontier agents have been known to be quite aggressive enforcing the 10-inch deep, 16-inch wide and 24-inch tall rule. And there is no grace for handles, wheels and straps. The maximum weight is 35 pounds. The cost for a carry-on-bag that exceeds those measurements is around $60 and about $100 if you check it at the gate.
Don’t expect standard seats to recline
To get as many seats as possible on its planes, nearly all seats, the standard ones, do not recline. The seats are so crammed together that it can be difficult to use a lap-top computer. If you want more comfortable seats, you will need to pay for what is called “stretch seating.” The perk can cost between $16 and $56, depending on when you make your purchase.
Frontier has its critics
Angry passengers have created a Facebook page titled, “I Hate Frontier Airlines,” facebook.com/groups/ihatefrontierairlines/.
One post talked about a departure scheduled for Tampa on a Saturday night, March 9. The plane did not leave until 3:15 a.m., forcing the passenger to miss his connection in Denver. He says there was one agent to accommodate 150 upset passengers.
In 2023, Frontier had the country’s worst on-time performance rate of 77%. It edged out low-cost carrier, Spirit Airlines, by about 2 percentage points.
The good news: You can't beat the fares
Frontier is touting a spring sale for as little as $29 (one-way). Frontier, from PBIA and Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood, flies to Philadelphia and Trenton, N.J. among several other places. Frontier will be flying to San Juan from PBI in June.
So everything is a compromise, if you are into economy flying that can often cost less than a good dinner, Frontier may be worth taking a look at.
Mike Diamond is a journalist at The Palm Beach Post, part of the USA TODAY Florida Network. He covers Palm Beach County government and transportation. You can reach him at mdiamond@pbpost.com. Help support local journalism. Subscribe today.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Frontier Airlines: Facts on adding flights at PBIA, FT Lauderdale