But there is one massive change that was just released with this promotion — only round-trip flights are eligible for the deal. These means those looking to book a one-way flight on Frontier are out of luck. With that being said, both the departure and return flight do not have to fall on an eligible date. You can still take advantage of the promotion on just one of the flights as long as you are booked as a round-trip itinerary.
Up until now, you could only book Frontier flights through mid-November 2019, but the airline just extended its calendar into 2020 for Discount Den members only. This means, you can go ahead and book your Thanksgiving, Christmas and even some spring break flights. It also means the Kids Fly Free promotion has also been extended through March 11, 2020.
Although the promotion really is as good as it seems (despite the new round-trip stipulation), there are some other restrictions of which you need to be aware. Unlike the Southwest Companion Pass, where you can fly BOGO 365 days a year on any scheduled flight, dates and routes are more limited with Frontier. For most of the year, flights on Tuesdays and Wednesdays are eligible as well as Thursdays and Saturdays during late summer and into the fall. Additionally, only US domestic flights apply and there is still a long list of excluded routes. You also must book 14 days in advance to take advantage of the promotion.
On the bright side, any family is eligible to take advantage of this promotion and it does not have to be "earned" like the Southwest Companion Pass. Just one family member needs to purchase the Frontier Discount Den membership, which costs $59.99 for the year. The membership not only gets you access to the Kids Fly Free promotion, but also to lower-priced Frontier flights and early accessibility to schedule extensions like we are seeing today. Note: Those without a Discount Den membership will get access to the new dates within the next few weeks.
Booking Your Child’s Free Frontier Flight
To book your child’s free Frontier flight with a Discount Den membership, log in to your Frontier account and search for your desired route. Make sure to include the number of adults and children that will be on the reservation. You’ll notice that right now only Discount Den pricing appears, since non-Discount Den members cannot book past Nov. 13. Your flight options will appear and you’ll see the “Kids Fly Free” icon below the flight price on eligible dates. (Note: If you do not yet have a Discount Den membership, continue with your flight selection and a pop-up window will appear giving you the option to purchase the membership.)
You’ll then be prompted to customize your fare (including any bundle options) and select your seats (this costs extra). Your reservation’s final pricing will display after you’ve selected any add-ons.
For this sample reservation above, the final price for two passengers (one adult and one child) is just $77.96 round-trip. That is an absolute steal for two passengers to fly from Providence to Orlando during the winter months.
Bottom Line
Now that Frontier has extended its booking window, your kids can fly free the rest of the fall and throughout most of the winter. Of course, there are now more restrictions in place than we've seen in the past but if you can make this promotion work for you, it is well worth it. Just remember though, when comparing a Frontier itinerary with another airline, take into account all the extra charges, such as checked bags, full-size carry-on bags and seat assignments. Even though you will not actually have to pay for your child’s plane ticket, you will still have to pay these add-on fees for every passenger in your party if you choose to add them.
Here are some additional tips to help you weigh the pros and cons of ultra low-cost flying:
Jennifer Yellin covers family travel deals for TPG and blogs at Deals We Like. Follow her family’s adventures on Twitter and Instagram.
