Frontier Airlines now offering free bags for cardholders
There's a pretty cool new perk for holders of the Frontier Airlines World Mastercard®: free checked bags.
The card has a $99 annual fee ($0 introductory annual fee for the first year), but the new free-checked-bag perk makes it even more interesting.
Starting Thursday, you now get two free checked bags on all Frontier Airlines-operated flights when you pay with your Frontier Airlines World Mastercard. (Note: This benefit will apply to future bookings with the card but not to previously booked travel.)
New cardholders also get instant Frontier Elite Gold status for 90 days after their first purchase with the card. This status can be extended to 12 months by spending $3,000 within the first 90 days of membership.
Perks include:
- No change/cancel fees (more than seven days from departure)
- Standard seat assignment at booking
- Priority customer care
- Priority boarding: Zone 2
- Free carry-on bags
- Premium seating at check-in
The card also has other perks, including the ability to pool Frontier miles with other family members, receive priority boarding and earn credit toward elite status.

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.
Related: Budget airline survival guide
You also get a waiver for award flight fees paid with the card and no foreign transaction fees.
"This new benefit, combined with existing perks like Instant Elite Gold Status and miles that never expire, makes our card a must-have for any traveler looking to maximize value and convenience on every flight," Bobby Schroeter, chief commercial officer at Frontier Airlines, said in a statement.
Related: Frontier Airlines World Mastercard vs. Free Spirit Travel More World Elite Mastercard
Do note that you'll have to buy your flight using the card (like with United Airlines' free-checked-bag policy). It appears that World Mastercards like this one don't have travel protection, so that's an important thing to consider.
Other things to flag:
- Tickets must be purchased from flyfrontier.com or the Frontier Airlines mobile app.
- There is no limit to how many times you can use this benefit.
- Free-checked-bag benefit includes golf and ski equipment.
"The addition of free checked bags reflects Barclays' and Frontier's shared commitment to provide valuable rewards and benefits to cardmembers that help enhance their travel experiences with the airline," Doug Villone, head of cards and partnerships at Barclays US Consumer Bank, said. "We're proud to support Frontier and their mission of providing affordable travel across America and beyond."
Bottom line
The Frontier World Mastercard suddenly makes more sense for regular Frontier flyers. Free checked bags and temporary Gold status — on top of previous perks like family miles pooling, award booking fee waivers and elite qualifying miles — make this card worth far more than the annual fee.
To learn more about the card, read our full review of the Frontier Mastercard.
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| 3X | Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Miles on all other eligible purchases. |
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- Ability to earn MQDs through spending
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Cons
- Steep annual fee of $650
- Other Delta cobranded cards offer superior earning categories
- Earn 100,000 Bonus Miles after you spend $6,000 or more in purchases with your new Card within the first 6 months of Card Membership and an additional 25,000 bonus miles after you make an additional $3,000 in purchases on the Card within your first 6 months, starting from the date that your account is opened. Offer Ends 04/01/2026.
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