BYO Seatmate: Frontier Airlines Friends Fly Free Offer Bookable This Week

If you spend much time in the travel deals realm, you've likely heard of the Southwest Companion Pass (and ways to earn it without flying a ton). However, there's another budget airline that decided to make it potentially easier to bring along a child or friend on select flights for free. Frontier Airlines formally launched "Kids Fly Free" earlier in 2019, but after a soft launch in April, the airline then made "Friends Fly Free" a regularly occurring promotion with no attached age limits. Not surprisingly, there are some caveats and the deal isn't always available for booking. However, if you can navigate the rules and purchase by July 24, a friend can fly with you for free on eligible Frontier flights from August 12 to Feb. 12, 2020.

Frontier Friends Fly Free Rules

Frontier Airlines' "Kids Fly Free" and "Friends Fly Free" promotions each require an annual $59.99 Frontier Discount Den membership (here's the math behind why I bought one). While there are similarities in the two offers, there are differences. The kid-specific offer that allows you to fly a child aged 14 years and younger for free with each paid adult on Frontier is valid on set dates published months in advance (often Tuesdays and Wednesdays), but is consistently available for booking.

However, since "Friends Fly Free" is just a periodic feature for Discount Den members, you have to book when the deal is available. To book a friend to fly free with you on an eligible Frontier flight, use the code FRIENDS on Frontier's site.

You can view the full list of terms here. The current list of eligible routes and dates is here. Be aware that round-trip travel is required with the FRIENDS promo code.

Related: The Best Airline Credit Cards for Family Travel

How to Book Frontier Friends Fly Free Flights

• Go to FlyFrontier.com.
• Book flights during an eligible sale on an eligible nonstop domestic route.
• Use the code FRIENDS on the flight search screen as shown above.
• Have a $59.99 annual Frontier Discount Den Membership (or purchase one during the booking process).
• The discount will be reflected on the final checkout screen as shown below as a Discount Den savings.
• Add-on fees, such as seat assignments or bag fees, will be charged per person at a non-discounted rate.

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Note that one Discount Den membership can result in multiple friends flying free in a buy one, get one free manner. In the example above, two round-trip tickets from Houston to Las Vegas cost $86 total with Friends Fly Free, but as shown below, four can be booked with one Discount Den membership for just $172.

Bottom Line

Frontier Airlines is an ultra low-cost carrier that charges extra for everything (other than bringing a friend), but actually has one of the best frequent flyer programs in the US for families. Its program allows family pooling of miles for elites and cardholders, has a credit card that you can use to spend your way to elite status, offers cheap fares starting at $15–$30 each way and has a growing route network with more than 100 destinations.

This won't be the perfect airline or promotion for everyone (be sure and purchase your tickets using a credit card that has good built-in travel protections), but if you just want to fly for as little cash as possible, Frontier can be worth a look -- especially with the Friends Fly Free offer.

If this is your first time to consider Frontier Airlines, here's everything you need to know.