Frontier Airlines is offering Gold elite status through December 2026 even if you do not have any status today with another airline. All you have to be is a member of the Southwest Airlines, Alaska Airlines, Spirit Airlines or JetBlue frequent flyer programs.

• Presumably they think customers of a lower cost airline are more likely to be their customers.
  
• They aren’t trying to compete with United, Delta or American with this offer.
  
• It’s a paid status match ($69), but you’ll more than make that back with a single trip. So it’s a great incentive to give status to people who participate in other programs and will actually fly them.

Frontier has (4) elite status levels – Silver, Gold, Platinum, and Diamond. Gold members receiveL

• priority customer service
  
• family pooling of points
  
• a free carry-on bag as well as free seat assignments (preferred seat at booking, and premium seat if available at check-in)
  
• Plus, premium seating if available at check-in and UpFront Plus seating four hours prior to departure
  
• Also, earn 14 points per dollar on Frontier purchases, accelerating Platinum or Diamond status and earning rewards.

In the past Frontier has offered matches up to top tier status which was amazing. No such luck here.

Honestly Gold easily covers the $69 cost with one trip. A carry-on and seat assignment alone will cost that one-way. Fly Frontier roundtrip once and you’ve probably more than doubled your money.

So if you live in a Frontier city and fly much and can live without wifi, you should do this. And if you’re flying Southwest, you’ve already decided you can live without wifi, since theirs is practically non-functional.

Frontier actually serves more non-stop destinations from my home of Austin than United does, and it’s a big enough United station to have a club.

But they’re biggest in Denver; Orlando; Las Vegas; Atlanta; Philadelphia; Dallas-Fort Worth; Phoenix; San Juan; Tampa and Cleveland.

Oh, What Could Have Been

In the Spring, Frontier offered Gold status to all Southwest members. It was an awesome deal. This one is broader, to Southwest and other airlines too but it’s also $29 more expensive. But that was only valid for about 8 months. This will be worth it for many of you.

And if you don’t have any airline status, leverage basic Southwest, Alaska, Spirit or JetBlue membership for Frontier Gold status and use that to match with some other airlines as well.

The offer runs through September 9. If you’ve had a Frontier status match in the past, you are eligible for this one. Love it.

You need to have joined the competitor frequent flyer program prior to today to qualify. And status upgrade to your Frontier account is promised within 24-48 hours. (Make sure that the email address on your Frontier account matches the email address you submit with this offer, or else you may be rejected.)