[April Fools’ Day] Frontier Airlines Introduces ‘Vertical Class’ — The First-Ever Standing Room Fares

Updated: April 3, 2025, 2:36am CDT

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Table of Contents

Vertical Class
Safety and Regulations
Final Thoughts

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Hot Tip:

You’ll have to wait a little longer to book Frontier’s Vertical Class, as this idea was just an April Fools’ Day joke!

In a bold attempt to help reduce air travel costs, low-cost airline Frontier has introduced the industry’s first-ever standing room fare — Vertical Class.

Passengers looking to save as much as possible and who don’t mind being on their feet for the entire flight can soon fly for as little as $9 each way to any of the airline’s 120+ destinations.

This revolutionary new product is still pending FAA approval, but let’s take a look at the details.

Vertical Class

Frontier Airlines is already known for its low fares, but the airline wants to go even lower.

To achieve that goal, the Denver-based airline has announced that passengers will soon be able to book Vertical Class, a standing-room-only fare.

“We believe in making travel accessible to almost everyone, and that means rethinking traditional seating. By allowing passengers to stand and using the same overhead straps buses and subway have used for decades, we can accommodate up to 40% more travelers on each flight. More people equals move savings!”
Somebody at Frontier, probably

With fares starting at just $9, passengers should not expect much. Vertical Class fares include:

Personal standing space with ergonomic back support
Secure hand straps
Complimentary knee rests (on select Airbus A320 aircraft only)

Passengers who want to splurge a bit can upgrade to Lean Premium for $15, which includes a padded wall to rest against during portions of the flight.

Vertical Class fares don’t come with any carry-on bag allowance. Passengers must hold all personal items throughout the flight.

Hot Tip:

For $49, Vertical Class passengers can upgrade to UpFront Lean Plus, which gets access to a dedicated standing area near the cockpit with a retractable footrest and priority disembarkation.

Safety and Regulations

As excited as Frontier is about this new fare, it still needs to meet all FAA safety standards, which are pending approval.

To help with this process, each passenger will be secured with a revolutionary new harness called a “lap shoulder belt.” Frontier says these new restraining devices were inspired by traveler’s favorite theme park roller coasters.

We tested the new lap shoulder belts on our interns, and they only complained a little.
Somebody at Frontier, probably

To incentivize passengers to try Frontier’s new product, the airline is offering 10 bonus Frontier Miles per flight taken in Vertical Class for a limited time.

Final Thoughts

Fortunately, today is April Fools’ Day, so this is not actually happening.

As excited as some may be about flying for cheap, we recommend using points and miles to save money and not forcing yourself to stand on a flight. That sounds sketchy. And wouldn’t you be in the way when other passengers are trying to go to the bathroom?