Ultra-low-cost carriers don't have the best reputation, and Frontier Airlines is arguably at the bottom of the list. Sure, the tickets are cheap … but bringing anything bigger than a backpack adds to your fare, as does choosing a seat to avoid getting stuck between two strangers. Even booking your ticket online will cost you extra.
Yet even budget airlines have elite status programs that can save you money on those extras – and Frontier's is the easiest to earn right now thanks to its ridiculously generous Status Match program. Having elite status with any of the major U.S. airlines will qualify for a status match with Frontier, of course … but what is noteworthy is that hotel status will get you there as well, including the instant elite status you get just from holding the right credit cards.
It's not free: You'll need to pay a $99 fee to match your airline, hotel, or cruise line status with Frontier for the first time, or a bit more if you're doing it again. But if you've got Frontier flights in mind for next year, the savings you'll get on bags and Frontier's many other fees can easily outweigh the cost of paying for a status match.
Read on to see how it works and why you should consider matching your status to Frontier before this promotion ends Dec. 31.
How Does Frontier's Status Match Work?
Frontier Airlines is trying to attract new customers and build loyalty from frequent travelers. That's nothing new: Airlines try to poach each other's passengers all the time.
But what makes Frontier's status match different is that they aren't just allowing flyers who have status with other airlines to move over to Frontier: Status with hotel chains and even cruise line loyalty programs works, too. And unlike most airline status matches, you get your Frontier status for a full year automatically, with no flying requirements to keep it active.
The biggest hitch is that you have to pay a fee to apply for the status match at frontierstatusmatch.com. And it's nonrefundable, regardless of if your application is approved or not. It costs $99 for first-time applicants who match to Frontier Gold and Platinum Status – or $149 for top-tier Frontier Diamond status. If you've previously matched your status to Frontier since Nov. 1, 2020, you'll get charged an extra $50.
Frontier Airlines is making some changes to their frequent flyer program starting in the New Year, with some genuinely positive changes on tap. So long as you successfully match your status by the Dec. 31 deadline, you'll get that new Frontier Elite status all the way through December 2024.
Status with plenty of travel companies can give you a one-year boost with Frontier. As of publication, Frontier is status matching elites from 16 airline programs, 15 hotel loyalty programs, and even 15 cruise line rewards programs.
To get started, you'll first need a Frontier Miles frequent flyer account, which is free to join. Go to frontierstatusmatch.com and simply enter your loyalty program information onto the application page.
You'll also need to go and log in to the loyalty program you've got status with, and take a picture of your account information to upload into the application.
If all goes well, you should receive a confirmation and hear back within roughly three days. In my experience, it was an overnight process: I woke up with Frontier Airlines elite status.
Airline Programs that Match to Frontier
Status with all the big U.S. airlines will get you a year of status with Frontier. But as you can see, so will status with several international carriers.
| Airline | Gold (20K) | Platinum (50K) | Diamond (100K) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aeromexico | Gold | Platinum | Titanium |
| Air Canada | Prestige 25K | Elite 35K Elite 50K | Elite 75K Super Elite 100K |
| Alaska Airlines | MVP | MVP Gold | MVP 100K MVP 75K |
| American Airlines | Gold | Platinum | Concierge Key Executive Platinum Platinum Pro |
| Avianca | Silver | Gold | Diamond |
| Caribbean Airlines | Silver | Gold | Executive Gold |
| Copa Airlines | Silver | Gold | Presidential Platinum |
| Delta Air Lines | Silver Medallion | Gold Medallion | Delta 360 Diamond Medallion Platinum Medallion |
| GOL | Silver | Gold | Diamond |
| Hawaiian Airlines | Gold | Platinum | N/A |
| JetBlue | Mosaic 1 | Mosaic 2 | Mosaic 3 Mosaic 4 |
| LATAM | Gold Gold Plus | Platinum | Black Signature Black |
| Southwest | A-List | A-List Preferred | Companion Pass |
| Spirit Airlines | Silver | Gold | N/A |
| United Airlines | Premier Silver | Premier Gold | Global Services Premier 1K Premier Platinum |
| WestJet | Silver | Gold | Platinum |
If you're due to lose elite status with an airline when the year ends or soon after, the time is now to get elite status with Frontier and snag a full year of benefits. And if you've got top airline status, that's what you'll want to use for this matching promo: That's your only pathway to automatic, top-tier Frontier Diamond status.
Hotel Programs that Match to Frontier
What really sets this promotion apart is that it's not just status with another airline that works to match over to Frontier. Status with hotel chains works, too.
From Hilton to Marriott to IHG and Hyatt, all the major U.S. hotel chains will get you status with Frontier – as will some of the smaller ones. But considering how much easier it is to earn hotel status than with an airline, it could be your ticket to a full year of status with Frontier.
| Hotel Chain | Gold (20K) | Platinum (50K) | Diamond (100K) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accor ALL | Silver | Diamond Platinum Gold | N/A |
| Best Western Rewards | Gold | Diamond Select Diamond Platinum | N/A |
| Choice Hotels International Privileges | Gold | Diamond Platinum | N/A |
| GHA Discovery | Gold | Titanium Platinum | N/A |
| Hilton Honors | Silver | Diamond Gold | N/A |
| World of Hyatt | Discoverist | Globalist Explorist | N/A |
| IHG One Rewards | Silver Elite | Royal Ambassador Platinum Elite Diamond Elite Gold Elite | N/A |
| Marriott Bonvoy | Silver Elite | Ambassador Elite Titanium Elite Platinum Elite Gold Elite | N/A |
| NH Hotels Rewards | Silver | Platinum Gold | N/A |
| Nordic Choice Hotels & Resorts Club | Silver | Platinum Gold | N/A |
| Radisson Hotel Group Rewards | Premium | VIP | N/A |
| Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts Golden Circle | Gold | Diamond Jade | N/A |
| Sonesta Travel Pass | Preferred | Elite | N/A |
| World Hotels Rewards | Gold | Diamond Select Diamond Platinum | N/A |
| Wyndham Hotels and Resorts Rewards | Gold | Diamond Platinum | N/A |
Unfortunately, even the highest Diamond Hilton Honors Status or Hyatt Globalists can't match all the way up to the top tier with Frontier. The best you can get is Frontier Platinum status.
Cruise Programs that Match to Frontier
Yes, even cruise lines offer loyalty programs. If you've got it, you can use it to match your status to Frontier, too.
| Cruise Line | Gold (20K) | Platinum (50K) | Diamond (100K) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Azamara Circle | Explorer | Discoverer Platinum Discoverer Plus Discoverer | N/A |
| Carnival VIFP | Red | Diamond Platinum Gold | N/A |
| Celebrity Cruises Captains Circle | Classic | Zenith Elite Plus Elite Select | N/A |
| Cunard World Club | Silver | Diamond Platinum Gold | N/A |
| Disney Cruise Line Castaway Club | Gold | Platinum | N/A |
| Holland America Line Mariner Society | 2-Star Mariner | 5-Star Mariner 4-Star Mariner 3-Star Mariner | N/A |
| MSC Cruises Voyagers Club | Silver | Diamond Gold | N/A |
| Norwegian Cruise Line Latitudes Rewards | Silver | Ambassador Diamond Sapphire Platinum Gold | N/A |
| Oceania Cruises Club | Silver | President's Circle Diamond Platinum Gold | N/A |
| P&O Peninsular Club | Pacific | Ligurian Baltic Mediterranean Atlantic | N/A |
| Princess Cruise Lines Captains Circle | Gold | Elite Platinum Ruby | N/A |
| Regent Seven Seas Cruises Society | Bronze | Commodore Diamond Titanium Platinum Gold Silver | N/A |
| Royal Caribbean Crown & Anchor Society | Gold | Pinnacle Club Diamond Plus Diamond Emerald Platinum | N/A |
| Scenic Club | Platinum | Emerald Diamond | N/A |
| Stena Line Extra | Gold | N/A | N/A |
What Benefits Do I Get with Frontier Elite Status?
If you're an average traveler like me, you're probably not worried about earning airline status – it's better to buy the cheapest ticket you can, even if it means boarding last.
But Frontier was my first taste of enjoying the benefits of elite status, so take it from me: It can be worth it. It's your best bet to bypass all those hefty fees for carry-ons and checked luggage, board earlier, and pick a seat for free. In short, it's the best way to book that cheap Frontier fare and actually keep it cheap.
Plus, Frontier's status program is getting even better in the new year with new benefits at each tier – plus the addition of a whole new tier of status: Silver (10K). So long as you match before the Dec. 31 deadline, you'll get the same elite status for all of 2024, including all these brand-new perks.
Choose Your Seat with Silver Status (10K Miles)
You won't be able to match to Frontier's new Silver Status, but you'll get the same benefits (and much more) no matter how far up the rungs you go.
Silver Status will require flying 10,000 miles or spending $1,000 with Frontier starting Jan. 1, 2024. With Silver status or anything higher, you can pick a standard seat onboard each Frontier flight for free. These seat assignments often cost $20 to $30 or more each way, so the savings are significant. Heck, even the major U.S. airlines don't give you free seats when you buy the cheapest basic economy fares.
A seemingly cheap ticket with Frontier could quickly become expensive once you choose your seats and add other extras. Plus, all these fees are charged per segment: You'll have to pay double for a round-trip flight. And if you want to sit at the front of the plane, you'll have to cough up even more cash.
But if you have status with Frontier, whether that be at Silver or Diamond, you won't have to worry about paying to select a seat. Here's what I see for this exact same flight from Seattle (SEA) to Phoenix (PHX) with my Frontier status.
Just note that at Silver status, you only get to choose the standard seats: The front few rows and exit rows are off-limits without paying extra fees. Regardless, having any level of Frontier status will help you save.
And the savings get even better once you get to Frontier Gold and above.
Get a Free Carry On with Gold Status (Elite 20K)
Gold status is where it gets sweet.
Even the lowest tiers of status with airlines, hotels, and cruise lines will match you to Frontier's new Gold Status for 2024. That would otherwise require flying 20,000 miles with Frontier.
The highlight of Frontier Gold status is being able to bring on a carry-on bag for free. Few airlines are more vigilant about stopping budget travelers from bringing anything more than a backpack or purse onboard than Frontier. And Frontier baggage fees mean that the cost of adding a standard carry-on bag is steep.
Paying $65 for a carry-on from Seattle to Phoenix? Each way?! No thank you: That's almost double the cost of the ticket itself! And much like picking seats, you have to double it for a roundtrip.
But I've got Frontier status, so this is what I see.
Once you have status with Frontier at Gold, you can bring both a personal item and carry-on bag onboard. With seat selection and bags covered, all you need to do is pay for your ticket.
With Gold status, you also get all of the same benefits that come with Silver, plus Zone 1 Priority Boarding and the ability to pick a premium seat at check-in. If there's still space available at check-in, you can treat yourself to a front or exit row seat.
Don't currently have any status with an airline or cruise line, you could open up a credit card that grants you instant hotel status to qualify for the match to Frontier Gold status. One no-annual fee option (see rates & fees) stands out: the *Hilton Honors*, which grants you automatic Hilton Honors Silver status.
Learn more about the *Hilton Honors*
Get a Free Checked Bag with Frontier Platinum Status (Elite 50K)
This is what I've got, and I'm so glad that I do.
Though I won't get all the benefits of Frontier's new Platinum Status until the New Year, I've been enjoying the extra space in exit rows and seats at the front of the plane – which I can select for free while booking my flights. And of course, I can bring a carry-on bag on Frontier flights for free.
Come January, I can also check a bag for free – a new perk of Frontier Platinum Status. For now, I still have to pay hefty fees to check a bag. I'm looking forward to that changing.
Other cool benefits include getting a pet fee waiver for furry friends flying with you and 50% off Frontier's Discount Den membership. Plus, friends and family members who are on my reservation can save on seat selection fees while also getting priority boarding.
Very on brand with Frontier Platinum, I matched to this status thanks to my *amex platinum*, which comes with complimentary Hilton Gold status.
Learn more about *amex platinum*.
If you already have the Platinum Card, why not treat yourself to elite status with Frontier just by being a Hilton elite? You're already spending $695 a year (see fees & rates) for the annual fee, so don't spend a ton more on seat selection fees, carry-on luggage, and checked baggage when you fly Frontier.
A far cheaper option is the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card, which also unlocks complimentary Gold status with just a $150 annual fee.
Free Refunds with Frontier Diamond Status (Elite 100K)
If you have high status with another airline – think Delta Platinum Medallion or United Premier Platinum status or higher – Frontier's Diamond status is what you get. Sorry, but even top-tier status with a hotel or cruise line loyalty program won't cut it.
Frontier Diamond flyers get to board first, can pick stretch seating from the get-go, a complimentary Discount Den membership to save a bit more on Frontier fares, and all the other benefits that come with lower tiers of status. In 2024, they'll get a free first and second checked bag for everyone on the reservation – a ton of savings in bag fees!
Arguably, the best perk of all is free refunds on all flights so long as you cancel at least a day ahead of departure.
But honestly, you're not getting that much more with Diamond status than you would with Platinum. It's much harder to match to Diamond Status and costs you $149 for the first year. A Frontier Platinum Status match is cheaper at $99 and far easier, since several credit cards will unlock the hotel status you need to match.
Bottom Line
Even if you fly (or could fly) Frontier just a few times a year, don't sleep on this Frontier Status Match.
Sure, you won't get the most legroom, seatback entertainment, or complimentary drinks and snacks flying Frontier. But the savings are undeniable – especially when you can easily save on all the extra fees for bags, seat selection, and more.
Just be sure to take advantage before Dec. 31!