Ultimate guide to Frontier Miles: How to earn and redeem miles, elite status and more
With its discount fares and robust frequent flyer program, Frontier Miles can be a great value for frequent Frontier Airlines travelers.
As a Frontier Miles member, you can earn miles and elite status. Frontier elite status offers multiple perks to make your travels more enjoyable and less expensive, including complimentary carry-on luggage, advance seat assignments and the ability to pool your miles. You can then redeem your miles for award travel.
It's worth noting the Frontier Miles loyalty program saw major changes in January 2024, moving to a revenue-based model of accumulating miles and status and introducing updates to its elite program. Earlier this month, Frontier announced more changes coming in 2025, including the addition of first-class-style seating and a companion pass for top-tier elite members.
Here's an overview of how the program works.
How to earn Frontier points and miles
The Frontier Miles program is free to join. It awards two types of rewards: miles, which are redeemable for award flights, and elite status points, which are used to reach elite status and get perks like free bags and seat selections.
In 2024, Frontier overhauled its loyalty program's earning structure. These changes affected how you accrue both elite status points and redeemable flight miles.
Let's take a look at the many ways to earn Frontier miles and elite points, such as by making eligible Frontier purchases, spending on the carrier's cobranded credit card and making transactions with Frontier's partners.
Earn points and miles on eligible Frontier purchases
Under its new revenue-based mileage accrual system, Frontier Miles allows you to earn based on the dollar amount of your ticket plus any additional products you purchase (including bags, seat assignments and bundles of optional services). Frontier Miles were previously accumulated based on the length of your flight.
Earning rates on purchases vary depending on your status. Nonelites earn at the starting rate of 10 miles and 10 points per dollar spent, and earning rates go up to as many as 20 miles and points for every dollar spent at the highest tier (Elite Diamond).
In 2024, Frontier added a fourth status tier that requires earning 10,000 elite status points in a calendar year. Frontier Miles also changed the names of its elite status tiers.
Tier names, qualification levels and mileage multipliers are as follows:
| Tier | Qualification | Multiplier |
|---|---|---|
| Member (no status) | After enrollment | 10 miles and points per dollar spent |
| Elite Silver (new tier) | 10,000 points | 12 miles and points per dollar spent |
| Elite Gold | 20,000 points | 14 miles and points per dollar spent |
| Elite Platinum | 50,000 points | 16 miles and points per dollar spent |
| Elite Diamond | 100,000 points | 20 miles and points per dollar spent |
Related: How to get airline elite status
Earn redeemable miles and elite points with the Frontier Airlines credit card
Frontier Airlines partners with Barclays to offer the Frontier Airlines World Mastercard®. New cardmembers earn 50,000 bonus miles and a $100 flight voucher after spending $500 on purchases and paying the $99 annual fee in full, both within the first 90 days of account opening.
And, if you're a current cardmember with other eligible domestic airline carriers, you can earn double the usual welcome bonus: 50,000 miles after paying the annual fee in full and spending $500 on the card within the first 90 days of account opening, and another 50,000 miles after spending $3,000 on purchases within the first 180 days of account opening. To take advantage of this offer, customers should apply for the card here and then validate their eligibility and register for the elevated welcome offer here by Jan. 31, 2025.
With this card, you'll earn 5 miles for every dollar spent on eligible purchases made directly with Frontier (including airfare, fees and onboard purchases), 3 miles per dollar spent at restaurants and 1 mile per dollar spent on all other purchases. For each mile you earn with this card, you'll also earn one point toward elite status.
The card offers valuable benefits like Zone 2 boarding on all Frontier flights, free bags and family pooling. You can also earn a $100 flight voucher each account anniversary when you spend $2,500 or more on purchases with your card during the card membership year.
Unless you place a high value on Frontier Airlines miles and elite status, we generally don't recommend this card. Most travelers are better off with a transferable points credit card like the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card.
The information for the Frontier Airlines World Mastercard has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Earn miles with Frontier's partners
Frontier offers several more ways to earn miles, but keep in mind that these earn miles only, not points toward elite status.
Frontier has relationships with several major rental car companies, so you can earn bonus miles and access negotiated rates when booking through Frontier's partner page. While earning rates depend on the rental car company, you can generally earn between 50 and 100 miles per rental, per day or between 500 and 1,000 miles per rental.
Frontier Miles also partners with Marriott Bonvoy and Wyndham Rewards. Bonvoy members can earn 1 to 2 Frontier miles per dollar spent at participating Marriott brands, and Wyndham Rewards members can also earn 1 to 2 Frontier miles per dollar spent at participating hotels, depending on their status tier. In both cases, you must update your hotel loyalty account preferences to earn Frontier miles instead of hotel points. We don't recommend doing this since you'll typically get a lower return with Frontier miles.
For example, basic Bonvoy members earn 10 points per dollar spent at Autograph Collection hotels. According to TPG's December 2024 valuations, which peg Bonvoy points at 0.85 cents each, that's a return of 8.5%. Compare that to the 2 Frontier miles per dollar you would earn at Autograph Collection hotels, which provides only a 2.2% return.
You also have the option to transfer your hotel points into Frontier miles. Marriott transfers to Frontier at a 3:1 ratio, while Wyndham transfers to Frontier at a 5:1 ratio. These are not favorable ratios; you're probably better off redeeming those points for hotel stays. However, it's an option worth knowing if you ever need to top off your Frontier miles account for redemption.
Frontier has a few other partners to give you more options for earning miles. You can earn 4 miles per dollar spent at Vinesse Wines and 10 miles per dollar spent when you order flowers from Teleflora. Or, you can book a cruise through Frontier Cruises and earn miles at a preset rate:
- One- to five-night cruises: 1,500 miles
- Six- to eight-night cruises: 3,000 miles
- Nine- to 12-night cruises: 5,000 miles
- Cruises 13 nights and longer: 10,000 miles
This may be a useful option for Frontier loyalists, but you can often earn more miles by booking through other cruise platforms.
Lastly, you can buy Frontier miles at a rate of 2.5 cents per mile. This is considerably higher than TPG's December 2024 valuation of 1.1 cents per Frontier mile, so we don't advise it in most cases. However, if you're planning a redemption and you're short a few miles, it could make sense.
Related: When does it make sense to buy points and miles?
How to redeem Frontier miles
For now, the only way to redeem your Frontier miles is for flights. The airline publishes an award chart with starting award rates, but there are a few added fees that you should be aware of before booking. Here's a breakdown of the specifics.
Frontier offers three different redemption tiers: Value, Standard and Last Seat.
Value: This is the lowest redemption rate for all Frontier redemptions and can be compared to a saver ticket on a traditional carrier. These are generally offered on off-peak dates and less desirable flights, but we've found Value tickets on other dates and routes when there's low demand. These tickets start at 10,000 miles one-way plus taxes and fees.
Standard: Standard awards are generally priced at twice the cost of a Value ticket, starting at 20,000 miles one-way plus taxes and fees. These awards are available on more (but not all) dates.
Last Seat: As the name suggests, Last Seat awards are available until the last seat on the plane is booked. Unfortunately, these awards are only bookable by Frontier elite members and cost 2,500 more miles each way than Standard awards. This can be a good option if you're booking at the last minute and paid fares are high.
Here's a look at Frontier's current award chart, with starting award rates:
Travel within the US and Puerto Rico
| Award travel type | Value | Standard | Last Seat | Taxes and fees |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| One-way | 10,000 miles | 20,000 miles | 22,500 miles | $5.60 |
| Round-trip | 20,000 miles | 40,000 miles | 45,000 miles | $11.20 |
To or from Mexico, the Dominican Republic, Jamaica, El Salvador, Guatemala, the Bahamas, Costa Rica and Antigua
| Award travel type | Value | Standard | Last Seat | Taxes and fees (vary by country) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| One-way | 15,000 miles | 25,000 miles | 27,500 miles | $5.60 to $49.65 |
| Round-trip | 30,000 miles | 50,000 miles | 55,000 miles | $55.50 to $168.70 |
Fees associated with Frontier award tickets
Frontier previously imposed award redemption fees when booking flights with miles, and these fees increased the closer you booked to departure. However, a Frontier representative confirmed to TPG that the carrier is not imposing these fees at this time — and hasn't since 2022.
Redeem miles for add-ons in 2025
Frontier has announced plans to give members more options to use their miles. Starting in mid-2025, you'll be able to redeem miles for bundled features such as baggage, seats and other add-ons.
Considering Frontier provides many add-on options — and how quickly the fees can stack up, even if you book your ticket with miles — being able to redeem miles for these items could be a great asset for Frontier Miles members.
Related: Frontier Airlines announces 16 routes this winter
Frontier's Discount Den membership
Frontier Airlines offers a membership program called Discount Den. While not the same as elite status, this program provides access to discounted fares for a $59.99 annual membership fee. New members must pay a $40 enrollment fee on top of the annual fee.
On Kids Fly Free flights, one child under the age of 15 can fly free for every adult Discount Den fare purchased, offering excellent savings on certain routes.
We've found that Discount Den can offer pretty good deals, too. On this one-way flight from San Francisco to Las Vegas, a Discount Den member would save $20 per ticket compared to the standard price.
These discounts also apply to international flights. For example, you can score $20 in savings per person when flying from Chicago to Cancun.
We recommend that frequent Frontier flyers consider a Discount Den membership if they get more than $59.99 annually in savings from the service. It's easier to get value from a Discount Den membership when you travel with kids; a family of four may recoup the annual cost from just one family vacation a year.
Related: Should you join Frontier's Discount Den or the Spirit Saver$ Club?
Frontier's Go Wild! Pass
Frontier Airlines also offers an all-you-can-fly pass, which it calls Go Wild!
TPG tested the pass in 2023 and found unexpectedly high fees and limited availability. Plus, you can only use it on domestic U.S. and Puerto Rico travel.
You'll generally get the most value from the pass by booking last-minute flights. For instance, when we searched in December for a flight from Chicago to Denver on Jan. 2, the pass provided $92 in savings compared to the standard fare. However, the same flight on Feb. 6 is actually more expensive if you hold a GoWild! pass.
You can currently choose a monthly pass for $149 per month or a fall and winter pass (valid September through February) for $399. In the past, Frontier has offered summer passes for $499 and annual passes for $599. You can find the latest Go Wild! Pass offers here.
Related: All about Frontier Airlines' all-you-can-fly passes for 2024-25
Frontier elite status
Frontier elite status underwent a major revamp in 2024.
It added a new tier, Elite Silver, and renamed all its status tiers, now called Elite Silver, Elite Gold, Elite Platinum and Elite Diamond. Aside from the addition of Elite Silver, which requires 10,000 points, the elite status point thresholds for Frontier's new tiers mirror the program's previous requirements: Elite Gold (previously Elite 20K), Elite Platinum (previously Elite 50K) and Elite Diamond (previously Elite 100K).
Aside from earning elite status through spending a certain amount, you can also get status with the cobranded Frontier credit card. Cardholders will earn instant Elite Gold status after they make their first purchase on the card in the first 90 days after account opening.
The airline has offered status-matching programs in the past, though none were available as of December 2024. However, for a limited time, Frontier is offering a fast track to status. If you earn 20,000 elite status points (by flying on Frontier or spending on the Frontier Airlines World Mastercard) from now through April 30, 2025, you'll get Elite Platinum status for all of 2025. You must first register for this offer here.
Let's look at each of these status tiers and their respective benefits.
Elite Silver status:
- 12 miles and elite points earned per $1 spent
- No change/cancel fees (more than seven days from departure)
- Priority customer care
- Family pooling
- Standard seat at booking
- Preferred seat at check-in
- Zone 2 boarding (for everyone on booking)
Elite Gold status (includes the same benefits as Silver, plus):
- 14 miles and elite points earned per $1 spent
- Carry-on bag (for member only)
- Preferred seat at booking
- Premium seat at check-in
- UpFront Plus (4 hours to departure): Benefit coming soon
- Zone 1 boarding
Elite Platinum status (includes the same benefits as Gold, plus):
- 16 miles and elite points earned per $1 spent
- Carry-on bag (for everyone on booking)
- First checked bag (for everyone on booking)
- Standard seat at booking (for everyone on booking)
- Standard seat at check-in (for everyone on booking)
- Preferred seat at check-in (for everyone on booking)
- Premium seat at check-in (for everyone on booking)
- Premium seat at booking
- UpFront Plus (12 hours to departure): Benefit coming soon
- Zone 1 boarding (for everyone on booking)
- Companion travel
- Pet-in-cabin fee waiver
- 50% off Discount Den membership
- Gift Silver status
Elite Diamond status (includes the same benefits as Platinum, plus):
- 20 miles and elite points earned per $1 spent
- Refundability (more than 1 day from departure)
- Two checked bags (for everyone on booking)
- Premium seat at booking (for everyone on booking)
- UpFront Plus (24 hours to departure): Benefit coming soon
- Board first (for everyone on booking)
- Discount Den membership
- Gift Gold status
New Frontier elite benefits coming in 2025
Frontier recently announced that starting in early 2025, elite members will enjoy free upgrades on every flight, subject to availability and status level. These upgrades will range from UpFront Plus seating with guaranteed empty middle seats to the carrier's new premium first-class-style seating, slated to debut in late 2025.
Frontier also plans to introduce a companion pass as a perk for top-tier Platinum and Diamond members in mid-2025. According to a press release, "Bring a friend or family member on any flight with unmatched flexibility ... with an unlimited number of bookings for anyone, on any flight." It remains to be seen how this companion pass will work — and what kinds of fees and limitations it may carry — but if it stacks up to the coveted Southwest Companion Pass, this could be a huge draw for Frontier flyers to reach Platinum and Diamond status.
Related: How to earn last-minute airline elite status — and whether or not it's worth it
Bottom line
The Frontier Miles loyalty program is worthwhile for those who fly on the airline often. It underwent a significant revamp in 2024, resulting in a shift to revenue-based earnings, which could make it harder to earn enough miles for an award ticket and points for elite status. However, its award chart is easy to understand (compared to most airlines' dynamic pricing models) and can provide excellent value if you avoid the pesky booking fees. Frontier Airlines' elite status could also be beneficial for families and those who want to avoid fees when flying on the low-cost carrier.