Advertiser Disclosure

Many of the credit card offers that appear on this site are from credit card companies from which we receive financial compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site (including, for example, the order in which they appear). However, the credit card information that we publish has been written and evaluated by experts who know these products inside out. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse. This site does not include all credit card companies or all available credit card offers that are on the market. See our advertising policy here where we list advertisers that we work with, and how we make money. You can also review our credit card rating methodology.

How To Get Frontier Airlines Elite Status (Is It Worth It?)

Katie Seemann's image
Katie Seemann
Katie Seemann's image

Katie Seemann

Senior Content Contributor and News Editor

394 Published Articles 62 Edited Articles

Countries Visited: 29U.S. States Visited: 29

Katie has been in the points and miles game since 2015 and started her own blog in 2016. She’s been freelance writing since then and her work has been featured in publications like Travel + Leisure, F...
Edited by: Michael Y. Park
Michael Y. Park's image

Michael Y. Park

Senior Editor & Content Contributor

28 Published Articles 510 Edited Articles

Countries Visited: 60+U.S. States Visited: 50

Michael Y. Park is a journalist living in New York City. He’s traveled through Afghanistan disguised as a Hazara Shi’ite, slept with polar bears on the Canadian tundra, picnicked with the king and que...
& Keri Stooksbury
Keri Stooksbury's image

Keri Stooksbury

Editor-in-Chief

52 Published Articles 3473 Edited Articles

Countries Visited: 50U.S. States Visited: 28

With years of experience in corporate marketing and as the executive director of the American Chamber of Commerce in Qatar, Keri is now editor-in-chief at UP, overseeing daily content operations and r...
Jump to Section

We may be compensated when you click on product links, such as credit cards, from one or more of our advertising partners. Terms apply to the offers below. See our Advertising Policy for more about our partners, how we make money, and our rating methodology. Opinions and recommendations are ours alone.

Frontier Airlines is an ultra-low-cost carrier that operates routes to more than 100 destinations in the U.S., Caribbean, Mexico, and Central America. When you fly on Frontier, you pay a discounted fare for your ticket, but anything above and beyond 1 personal item costs extra. However, having Frontier Airlines elite status is a great way to alleviate some of those extra costs.

The Frontier Miles loyalty program was recently updated to be more in line with other major carriers. Passengers now earn elite status based on how much they spend with the airline and its co-branded credit card instead of how much they fly. This simplified program even offers a way to earn elite status without taking a single flight.

While it probably doesn’t make sense to spend your way to elite status if you never fly, it’s an excellent way to boost your status if you do fly Frontier a few times a year.

Let’s dive into the details to look at how to earn Frontier Airlines elite status and whether or not it’s even worth it.

How To Earn Frontier Airlines Elite Status

Frontier Airlines revamped its loyalty program in 2024, moving toward a spend-based program that’s similar to other airlines’ programs. This simplified program makes it possible to earn Frontier elite status without stepping foot on an airplane.

There are 2 types of miles and points that can be earned within the Frontier Miles loyalty program.

Travel Miles are redeemable miles earned by purchasing Frontier flights, spending on the Frontier Airlines World Mastercard®, or making purchases with Frontier travel partners. These can be used to purchase flights and do not determine elite status.

Elite Status Points are earned by spending on Frontier flights and extras, as well as spending with the Frontier Airlines World card. Elite Status Points can’t be redeemed for flights. They are only used to determine elite status.

Members earn Elite Status Points every calendar year to determine status. Once elite status is earned, it is valid for the remaining calendar year and the entire following calendar year. For example, if you earned Frontier Airlines elite status in October 2024, it would be valid through the end of 2025.

Frontier status can be earned starting at just 10,000 Elite Status Points:

  • Elite Silver: 10,000 points
  • Elite Gold (Formerly Elite 20K): 20,000 points
  • Elite Platinum (Formerly Elite 50K): 50,000 points
  • Elite Diamond (Formerly Elite 100K): 100,000 points

How To Earn Frontier Elite Status Points

You earn Frontier Elite Status Points in 2 ways: Frontier Airlines purchases and Frontier Airlines credit card purchases.

Frontier Airlines Interior
You earn Elite Status Points by spending on things like seat selection and baggage in addition to tickets. Image Credit: Frontier Airlines

Qualifying purchases on FlyFrontier.com include flights, baggage, seat assignments, Discount Den, priority boarding, GoWild! passes, and more.

  • Members earn 10 redeemable miles and 10 Elite Status Points per dollar spent
  • Elite Silver members earn 12 redeemable miles and 12 Elite Status Points per dollar spent
  • Elite Gold members earn 14 redeemable miles and 14 Elite Status Points per dollar spent
  • Elite Platinum members earn 16 redeemable miles and 16 Elite Status Points per dollar spent
  • Elite Diamond members earn 20 redeemable miles and 20 Elite Status Points per dollar spent

There are a couple of exceptions. Elite Status Points and redeemable miles earned from GoWild! passes and Discount Den purchases aren’t based on the actual amount spent.

SCROLL FOR MORE

Elite Status Points and Redeemable Miles Earned From GoWild! and Discount Den Purchases

Product

Member

Elite Silver

Elite Gold

Elite Platinum

Elite Diamond

GoWild! Annual Pass

6,000

7,200

8,400

9,600

12,000

GoWild! Summer Pass

5,000

6,000

7,000

8,000

10,000

GoWild! Winter Pass

4,000

4,800

5,600

6,400

8,000

GoWild! Monthly Pass Initial

1,000

1,200

1,400

1,600

2,000

GoWild! Monthly Pass Renewal

1,500

1,800

2,100

2,400

3,000

Discount Den Initial

1,000

1,200

1,400

800

0

Discount Den Renewal

600

720

840

480

0

As you can see from the above chart, an Elite Gold member who purchased a GoWild! summer pass would earn 7,000 redeemable miles plus 7,000 Elite Status Points.

How To Earn Frontier Elite Status With Credit Cards

Purchases on the Frontier Airlines World card earn 1 Elite Status Point per dollar spent, regardless of how many redeemable miles a purchase earns. That means you could earn base-level Elite Silver status by spending $10,000 in a calendar year on the Frontier Airlines World card.

Hot Tip:

For a limited time, you can fast-track to Frontier Elite Gold status. From October 24, 2023, through June 30, 2024, spend $3,000 on the Frontier Airlines World card to earn Elite Gold status through December 31, 2024.

In addition to being a great way to earn Frontier elite status, the Frontier Airlines World card comes with benefits that should appeal to Frontier Airlines flyers:

  • 5x miles on Frontier Airlines purchases
  • 3x miles at restaurants
  • 1x miles on all other purchases
  • Family pooling
  • $100 flight voucher every account anniversary after spending $2,500 during your card membership year
  • Award redemption fee waiver (when you use your Frontier Airlines World card to pay the taxes and fees)
  • Complimentary access to FICO credit score
  • No foreign transaction fees
  • Zone 2 priority boarding

Frontier Airlines Elite Status Match

The Frontier Airlines status match is currently unavailable, but you can sign up to join the waitlist to be notified when it’s available again.

Frontier Elite Status Benefits

Let’s take a closer look at the benefits offered at each level of elite status with Frontier Airlines.

Elite Silver — 10,000 Points

You get Frontier Airlines Elite Silver status after earning 10,000 Elite Status Points in a calendar year. This status comes with the following benefits:

  • No change or cancellation fees 7 or more days from departure (for everyone on the same reservation)
  • Standard seat assignment at booking
  • Zone 2 priority boarding (for everyone on the same reservation)
  • Priority customer care
  • Family points pooling
  • Earn 12 Elite Status Points and 12 redeemable miles per dollar spent on Frontier flights and extras

Elite Gold — 20,000 Points

You get Frontier Airlines Elite Gold status after earning 20,000 Elite Status Points in a calendar year. It comes with all of the benefits of Elite Silver plus the following:

  • Free carry-on bag
  • Premium seat assignment at check-in
  • Zone 1 priority boarding
  • 14 Elite Status Points and 14 redeemable miles per dollar spent on Frontier flights and extras
Hot Tip:

Getting a free carry-on bag can be a valuable perk of Frontier’s Elite Gold status. Bag fees vary by route but are usually between $54 to $99 each way.

Elite Platinum — 50,000 Points

You get Frontier Airlines Elite Platinum status after earning 50,000 Elite Status Points in a calendar year. It comes with all of the benefits of Elite Silver and Gold plus the following:

  • Benefits, including baggage, premium seating at check-in, and zone 1 boarding, extended to everyone on the same reservation
  • Free checked bag, including a ski or golf bag
  • Pet-in-cabin fee waiver
  • 50% off Discount Den membership
  • Ability to gift 1 Elite Silver membership
  • 16 Elite Status Points and 16 redeemable miles per dollar spent on Frontier flights and extras

Elite Diamond — 100,000 Points

You get Frontier Airlines Elite Diamond status after earning 100,000 Elite Status Points in a calendar year. It comes with all of the benefits of Elite Silver, Gold, and Platinum, plus the following:

  • Full refundability
  • Priority boarding (first to board the plane)
  • Free second checked bag
  • Ability to gift 1 Elite Gold membership
  • 20 Elite Status Points and 20 redeemable miles per dollar spent on Frontier flights and extras
Hot Tip:

We value Frontier Airlines miles at 1.1 cents each, so earning 20 miles per dollar at the Elite Diamond level is like getting a 22% return on your spending.

Advertisement

Is Frontier Airlines Elite Status Worth It?

Whether or not earning Frontier Airlines elite status is worth it is subjective. However, we can look at some numbers to get an idea of the value you could expect to receive from having elite status:

  • Carry-On Bag: Around $54 to $99
  • First Checked Bag: Around $54 to $99
  • Seat Choice: Starts at $11 per person, per direction
  • Priority Boarding: $6 to $12 per person, per direction
  • Flight Changes (7 to 59 Days Before Departure): $49 per person, per direction
  • Cancellation Fee: $99 per person, per direction
  • Pet Fee: $99 per pet, per direction

An Elite Silver member could save about $20 each way on just a seat assignment and priority boarding. Add to that a $49 savings per direction if you need to make a change at least 7 days before departure, and you could quickly get to almost $150 in savings for just 1 round-trip flight. For someone who flies Frontier a few times a year, that’s real savings.

It takes just $1,000 in spending on Frontier flights and extras (members earn 10 points per dollar spent) to earn Elite Silver status, which makes this level of status achievable for even casual travelers.

Things get very interesting once you hit Elite Platinum status. At this level, benefits like a free carry-on bag, free checked bag, seat assignments, priority boarding, and even pet fee waivers are extended to everyone on the same reservation. That means a family of 4 could easily save $500 each way if everyone traveled with a checked bag and a carry-on bag.

If you travel with your pet often, this level of status could be especially interesting, since you could save $99 each way on pet fees on every flight you take.

Final Thoughts

Frontier Airlines is an ultra-low-cost carrier that charges hefty fees for anything from seat assignments to carry-on bags. An excellent way to get around many of these fees is by having Frontier Airlines elite status. Status can be earned through Frontier purchases and by using the Frontier Airlines World card. This simplified program is based on how much you spend, not how much you fly, which means you could earn Frontier status without stepping foot on an airplane.

The information regarding the Frontier Airlines World Mastercard® was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you become an elite Frontier member?

Becoming an elite Frontier member requires earning at least 10,000 Elite Status Points in a calendar year. You earn 10 points per dollar spent on Frontier flights and extras (like baggage and seat assignments) and 1 point per dollar spent on the Frontier Airlines World card.

How long does Frontier elite status last?

Frontier elite status lasts for the rest of the calendar year in which you earn it and the entire following calendar year. For example, if you earned elite status in June 2024, it would be valid through the end of 2025.

How do I maintain Frontier elite status?

To maintain Frontier elite status, you need to earn at least 10,000 Elite Status Points every calendar year.

Can I do a Frontier Airlines status match?

Occasionally, Frontier will offer a status match opportunity. It’s currently unavailable, but you can join the waitlist to be notified of the next status match.

What are the Frontier status levels?

Frontier Airlines offers 4 levels of elite status: Elite Silver, Elite Gold (formerly Elite 20K), Elite Platinum (formerly Elite 50K), and Elite Diamond (formerly Elite 100K).

Katie Seemann's image

About Katie Seemann

Katie has been in the points and miles game since 2015 and started her own blog in 2016. She’s been freelance writing since then and her work has been featured in publications like Travel + Leisure, Forbes Advisor, and Fortune Recommends.

INSIDERS ONLY: UP PULSE

Deluxe Travel Provided by UP Pulse

Get the latest travel tips, crucial news, flight & hotel deal alerts...

Plus — expert strategies to maximize your points & miles by joining our (free) newsletter.

We respect your privacy. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA. Google's privacy policy  and terms of service  apply.

Deluxe Travel Provided by UP Pulse
DMCA.com Protection Status