Name: American Express® Gold Card
Brand: American Express

Quick summary

Frontier Airlines offers a four-tier elite status program, with benefits increasing at each level and new enhancements planned for 2025.
Elite status can be earned through points accumulated from travel spending and select promotions, with even the lowest tier providing practical perks like waived change fees and seat selection.
Higher elite tiers unlock valuable benefits such as free carry-on and checked bags, priority boarding, and companion travel options, with top status levels offering upgrades to premium seating and additional perks.
Frequent Frontier flyers, especially those based in major hub cities, may find elite status worthwhile for the potential savings on fees and added conveniences.

What to consider

Elite status points are earned based on spending with Frontier and through occasional promotions or status matches.
Some benefits, such as companion passes and premium seat upgrades, are only available at higher status levels and may require significant travel or spending.
Frontier does not partner with other airlines, and its route network is limited compared to larger carriers, which may affect the value of elite status for some travelers.

What you'll miss from the article

A detailed breakdown of each elite status tier's benefits and strategies to maximize value based on your travel habits.

Generated by AI with support from our editorial team.

Frontier Airlines is a low-cost carrier that serves the U.S., Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean. It’s one of those airlines that charge extra for just about everything. For example, you could pay $60 each way to add a carry-on bag.

Thankfully, with Frontier Miles elite status, some of these charges are waived, saving regular flyers plenty of money. And Frontier is making some genuinely exciting changes to its program (and its airplanes) this year — which may entice some travelers to give the airline a try.

Let’s look at Frontier elite status for 2025 to help you decide if it’s a worthwhile pursuit for your travel style.

What is Frontier Miles elite status?

The interior of a Frontier Airlines Airbus A321neo — DAVID SLOTNICK/THE POINTS GUY

In years past, Frontier Miles elite status was awarded only to the most loyal Frontier customers. In 2024, Frontier enacted changes that made low-level Frontier status easier than ever to earn.

Frontier Miles has four elite status levels: Elite Silver, Elite Gold, Elite Platinum and Elite Diamond. You must earn points to achieve status. Frontier Miles is free to join, and you can do so online.

Whenever you fly with Frontier, you earn two types of rewards:

Elite status points: These help you qualify for elite status.
Miles: These can be used for future flights.

Once you’ve earned sufficient elite status points, your account will immediately be upgraded. You’ll keep the highest status you earn throughout the remainder of the current year and the following calendar year. For example, if you were to earn Frontier Elite Gold status in May 2025, your status wouldn’t expire until Dec. 31, 2026, giving you more than 18 months of elite status.

How to qualify for Frontier elite status

Here’s how to qualify for each Frontier elite status tier based on your calendar year activity:

Elite Silver: Earn 10,000 elite status points
Elite Gold: Earn 20,000 elite status points
Elite Platinum: Earn 50,000 elite status points
Elite Diamond: Earn 100,000 elite status points

There are two main ways to earn elite status points — as well as some potential shortcuts to unlocking perks with Frontier without hitting these thresholds.

First, you’ll earn Frontier elite status points from spending with Frontier. That is, you'll earn on the base fare price, as well as any extras you might purchase (like checked bags, Discount Den membership or seat assignments). Depending on your Frontier status level, you will receive between 10 and 20 elite status points per dollar and the same number of redeemable Frontier miles.

You can also earn Frontier elite status points with the carrier's cobranded credit card. Specifically, you’ll earn 1 elite status point for every dollar you spend on the Frontier Airlines World Mastercard® — though we’ll take a deeper dive into this card later.

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.

Beyond that activity, Frontier intermittently offers a status match for travelers with elite status with other airlines. And you’ll sometimes find Frontier elite status fast-track opportunities — like the chance to unlock Elite Platinum status when you earn 20,000 elite status points by April 30, 2025. This would unlock status through 2025.

Frontier elite status benefits

All Frontier loyalty members will earn 10 miles and 10 elite status points for every dollar spent with Frontier in 2025.

However, Frontier will be making some notable additions to its elite status benefits for the 2025 status year. Most exciting is a multiuse Companion Pass for high-level elite members, as well as new seat classes to which you can be upgraded:

UpFront Plus (currently available): Seats near the front of the plane with extra legroom and a blocked middle seat (for extra elbow room)
First class (coming late 2025): The two front rows will have even more space and comfort — similar to a standard domestic first-class seat on legacy carriers like American Airlines and Delta Air Lines

Here’s what you can expect from each status tier — and note that, if not explicitly stated, each perk only extends to the elite traveler (and not others on the reservation).

Elite Silver

Frontier’s lowest status level is its easiest to earn — and comes with very practical benefits that can save you money on purchases you likely planned to make anyway:

No change or cancellation fees (seven days or more from departure) for everyone on your itinerary
Standard seat selection at booking
Preferred seat selection at check-in (when available)
Priority boarding (Zone 2) for you and everyone on your itinerary
Priority customer care
Family pooling
Earn 12 miles and 12 elite status points per dollar spent with Frontier

Elite Gold

Elite Gold is the level at which frequent Frontier travelers will begin to see serious savings. You’ll get all the benefits of Elite Silver status with the following upgrades:

Priority boarding (Zone 1)
Priority boarding (Zone 2) for everyone on your reservation
Free carry-on bag
Preferred seat at booking
Premium seat at check-in (when available)
UpFront Plus seat upgrade (for more space and an empty middle seat) four hours prior to departure
Earn 14 miles and 14 elite status points per dollar spent with Frontier

Elite Platinum

Elite Platinum comes with an even more impressive suite of benefits. Adding onto the features of both Elite Silver and Elite Gold, you’ll receive:

Bring a companion with you whenever you fly Frontier, subject to taxes and fees (beginning mid-2025)
Priority boarding (Zone 1) for you and everyone on your reservation
Free carry-on bag for you and everyone on your reservation
Standard or preferred seat selection at booking for everyone on your reservation
Premium seat selection at booking for you — and at check-in for everyone on your reservation (when available)
UpFront Plus seat upgrade 12 hours prior to departure (when available)
Free first checked bag (including a ski or golf bag) for you and everyone on your reservation
Pet-in-cabin fee waiver (when available)
50% off a Discount Den membership
Gift Elite Silver status to one member
Earn 16 miles and 16 elite status points per dollar spent with Frontier

Elite Diamond

Elite Diamond is Frontier’s highest-level status — and it provides many valuable perks for those who manage to achieve it. In addition to the benefits from all other status tiers, you’ll get:

Premium seat selection at booking (when available) for you and everyone on your reservation
UpFront Plus seat upgrade 24 hours before departure
Free Discount Den membership
Gift Elite Gold status to one member
You and everyone on your reservation boards first
Refundability (more than one day before departure) for you and everyone on your reservation
Two free checked bags for you and everyone on your reservation
Earn 20 miles and 20 elite status points per dollar spent with Frontier

Can a credit card help earn Frontier elite status?

Frontier Airlines plane at the gate in RDU airport — AL DRAGO/BLOOMBERG/GETTY IMAGES

You can earn Frontier elite status — even its highest-tier Elite Diamond status — simply by making purchases on the $99-annual-fee Frontier Airlines World Mastercard.

That’s because you’ll earn 1 elite status point per dollar spent on the card, with no limits to your earning potential in a year. That means you can unlock perks before you ever step foot on a Frontier plane — though the most valuable benefits require a lot of spending. For example, you’d have to spend $100,000 on the card in a calendar year to achieve top-tier Elite Diamond status.

As you can see, this is likely not the quickest way to climb the ladder; in fact, you probably shouldn’t even try to pursue Frontier status from spending alone, as it likely indicates that you’re not a frequent Frontier flyer, so you may not make good use of the benefits it provides.

Many other airline credit cards would reward you far more handsomely for the same (or considerably less) spending. Still, it’s neat that Frontier's credit card gives you this option.

Additionally, Frontier is currently running a promotion that offers new cardmembers instant Elite Gold status when you’re approved for the card and make a purchase within the first 90 days of account opening. Then, if you spend $3,000 in purchases on the card within the first 90 days of account opening, your status will be valid for 12 months from the date you opened the account.

Note that cardholders also receive two free checked bags (up to 40 pounds each) on every Frontier flight.

Is Frontier elite status worth it?

Whether Frontier elite status is worthwhile depends entirely on your travel habits. If you fly Frontier regularly, earning at least Elite Gold status removes many of the fees that would otherwise be imposed. That means you can book affordable fares without the nickel-and-diming.

Still, you should ask yourself the following overarching questions before you commit to Frontier elite status:

Will you use these benefits? These elite status perks only have value if you use them. For example, a free checked bag doesn’t matter if you routinely travel with only a backpack.
Does Frontier serve the locations you travel to? Frontier doesn't offer the ubiquity of other carriers like United or Delta. Frontier doesn't fly to places like Europe, Asia and Africa, and it doesn't partner with any other airlines. If Frontier gets you to where you want to go, elite status could be worth achieving.
How sensitive are you to price and convenience? Would you book a one-stop Frontier flight even if Southwest Airlines or Spirit Airlines had a more convenient nonstop option? If the answer is no, it may not be worth going out of your way to earn Frontier status — or any elite status, for that matter.

Given that it's fairly easy to earn Elite Silver status, if you are flying Frontier regularly, it would be worth earning this status to start enjoying the benefits. However, Frontier's top-tier status requires serious flying and/or spending.

If you plan to do this anyway, it would be worth aiming for — but there are top-tier perks in other programs, like upgrades and lounge access, that may provide more value than Frontier's will.

Another worthwhile question is whether the benefits you’ll receive from the Frontier Airlines World Mastercard alone are enough to avoid straining toward Frontier status. You’ll get perks awarded with various status levels just for holding the card. For example, you’ll get priority boarding (Zone 2), family pooling and waived redemption fees on award tickets.

Bottom line

If you live in a city such as Atlanta, Denver, Las Vegas, Orlando or Philadelphia, you may have access to many nonstop destinations with Frontier Airlines. If you find yourself flying the airline regularly, you may be able to earn elite status in the Frontier Miles program without much effort. This can allow you to save time and money when traveling, which is always a valuable perk.

If so, Frontier Miles elite status can save frequent customers an absolute bundle in waived fees. With the very accessible Elite Silver status tier, you could enjoy benefits after spending just $1,000 with Frontier in a year.

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American Express® Gold Card

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Pros + cons

Pros

Valuable dining and food-related credits
Flexible rewards with airline and hotel transfer partners
Multiple travel and purchase protections
No foreign transaction fees
Access to Amex Offers for additional savings (enrollment required)

Cons

Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits

More details

You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App™.
Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App™, or purchased directly from airlines.
Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App™ and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com.
Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
Pay It® lets you tap in the American Express® App to quickly pay for small purchase amounts throughout the month and still earn rewards the way you usually do. Plan It® gives you the option to split up big purchases into equal monthly payments with a fixed fee. You’ll know upfront exactly how much you’ll pay.
$120 Dining Credit: Earn up to a total of $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the Gold Card at Grubhub (including Seamless), Buffalo Wild Wings, Five Guys, The Cheesecake Factory, and Wonder. This can be an annual savings of up to $120. Enrollment required.
$100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year at over 10,000 qualifying U.S. Resy restaurants after you pay for eligible purchases with the American Express® Gold Card. That’s up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
$84 Dunkin' Credit: Earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin’ locations. Enrollment required.
$120 Uber Cash on Gold: Enjoy up to $120 in Uber Cash annually with your Gold Card. Just add your Card to your Uber account and you'll get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an Amex Card for your transaction.
Enjoy complimentary Hertz Five Star® Status benefits like skipping the counter at select locations, adding an additional driver at no additional cost*, and vehicle upgrades**. Benefit enrollment and Hertz Gold+ registration are required. *Additional drivers must meet standard rental qualifications and must be a spouse or domestic partner to qualify as complimentary. Other additional drivers subject to fees. **Benefits are subject to availability and vary by location. Additional Hertz program Terms and Conditions including age restrictions apply.
Book two nights or more with The Hotel Collection through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App™ and receive a $100* credit towards eligible charges at over 1,400 upscale hotels worldwide. *Eligible charges vary by property.
Book your travel through the Amex Travel App™ with added peace of mind – backed by American Express® service and support. Only for American Express® Card Members.
Whenever you need us, we're here. Our Member Services team will ensure you are taken care of. From lost Card replacement to statement questions, we are available to help 24/7.
No Foreign Transaction Fees.
Annual Fee is $325.
Terms Apply.