Limited-time promo: Why now may be the time to join this money-saving airline club
Frontier Airlines is a Denver-based, low-cost carrier that flies to over 100 destinations. In addition to offering low fares that go as low as about $19 per flight, Frontier offers more ways to save on travel through its Discount Den Fare Club. At $59.99 per year, members have exclusive access to exclusive deals, Frontier's lowest fares and more.
But — that price to join is going up in October. If you join by Sept. 16, you can beat the coming price increase and even get 10,000 bonus Frontier miles and a $50 voucher to travel on Frontier.
Throughout the rest of the month of September, Frontier is offering other incentives to apply before the price increase. But the current promotion of 10,000 bonus miles and a $50 Frontier voucher is the best deal out of the bunch.
In this guide, we'll go through the benefits of Discount Den Flying Club and assess whether it's not worth joining — especially with these limited-time promotions.
Is Discount Den worth the money?
The answer, of course, is it depends.
The savings for having a Discount Den membership can be great for families who fly Frontier. So long as the member is on the reservation, any discounted fare can apply to up to six travelers on your reservation. Additionally, Frontier's "Kids Fly Free" program is only available to Discount Den members. On select Frontier flights, a child age 14 or younger can fly free with the purchase of an adult Discount Den fare.
Frontier claims that members save an average of $114 per year, which is almost double the cost of a Discount Den membership, not including all the other current perks of joining. The premise is that members will enjoy savings on flights that outweigh the cost of the annual fee.
While Frontier won't provide the most glamorous flying experience you'll ever have, it's arguably one of the most economical ways to travel. If you're simply interested in getting from Point A to B, flying Frontier can be cheaper than a tank of gas. You'll have extra change to spend while you're at the actual destination.
Related: Two tickets for $26: The math behind a $60 Kids Fly Free Frontier membership
How to sign up for Frontier Airlines Discount Den
First, you must sign up to be a member of Frontier's frequent flyer program, Frontier Miles. Once you log into your MyFrontier account, you can then enroll in Discount Den. If you don't have an account, you can set one up during the purchase process.
Keep in mind that you must be at least 18 years old to join Discount Den. You'll also pay the $59.99 fee upfront, giving you access for an entire year. Although the membership will renew automatically for the following year, you can cancel any time. Keep in mind that the membership fee is not refundable.
Again, while the Discount Den membership is not transferable, other members can still take advantage of the low fares when traveling on the same reservation. So, only one person in your party needs membership for everyone to reap the benefits.
Related: The best airline credit cards of 2021
How to book Discount Den fares
As a Discount Den member, you can take advantage of as many Discount Den fares as you want – the more you fly, the greater the savings.
To see how a normal Frontier fare stacks up against a Discount Den fare, simply conduct a route search on flyfrontier.com. Discount Den fares are typically $10-30 cheaper each way than Frontier's standard price, so it can quickly pay for itself, especially if you fly often or if you tend to travel with multiple people.
Related: The best credit cards to use on low-cost carriers
Kids Fly Free
The "Kids Fly Free" program is a family-friendly feature of the Discount Den Flying Club. While only valid on select flights, the benefits of this program can be quite advantageous. By booking an adult Discount Den fare, you can also book one child under 15 completely for free on the same reservation. The following restrictions apply:
- Only round-trip, nonstop domestic flights are eligible for this offer.
- You must purchase tickets 14 days in advance.
- Travel is valid Tuesdays and Wednesdays, except on blackout dates
Blackout dates include:
- Oct. 7 - 11, 2021
- Nov. 19 - 29, 2021
- Dec. 16, 2021 - Jan. 4, 2022
- Jan. 14 - 17, 2022
- Feb. 18 - 21, 2022
- March 4 - 6, 11-13, 18-20, 25-27, 2022
- April 1 - 3, 8-18, 2022
- May 26 - 31, 2022
- June 24, 2022 – Jul. 11, 2022
- Sept. 1 - 7, 2022
- Oct. 6 - 12, 2022.
There are also route-based restrictions on Kids Fly Free fares that you can view here.
Keep in mind that you can't retroactively apply this offer, as the free child's ticket must be booked on the same reservation as the adult.
To search, plug in your round-trip with the correct number of adults and children on the intended reservation. As seen in the screenshot below, it's made obvious when the Kids Fly Free offer applies to your trip.
Related: Comparing Frontier Discount Den and Spirit Saver$ Club
Who should get a Discount Den membership?
I wouldn't typically recommend purchasing a Discount Den membership until you're ready to book a Frontier flight. Then, compare your savings from the standard fare to the Discount Den fare. If your round-trip results in savings of $60 or more, then you might as well take advantage of the year-long membership. Just don't forget that the membership automatically renews every year.
Additionally, if you travel often with family or with the same group of people, then it might be worth signing up. Only one member really needs the Discount Den membership to take advantage of the rates.
However, with the current bonus miles and travel voucher, the scales could tip to buying it without an immediate use, depending on how you value the miles and the voucher. But even in that case, we'd only recommend it if you are pretty certain you will have a Frontier booking coming up pin the near future.
Bottom line
For approximately the cost of one round-trip, Discount Den can be quite lucrative if you're a semi-frequent Frontier flyer. Again, only certain travelers will benefit from this membership, so assess your own needs accordingly.
While the Discount Den Flying Club gets you access to exclusive discounts and low fares, keep in mind that you'll still have to pay for extra charges such as bag fees and seat assignments. If you're bringing on a carry-on or a checked bag, the fees can add up quickly on low-cost carriers like Frontier (unless you have elite status in its program).
Additional reporting by Summer Hull.
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