Frontier Airlines: An Honest Review
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For years, I have avoided flying Frontier. Their reputation is far from sterling, and their no-frills, that’ll-cost-extra approach to flying isn’t particularly appealing. Last month, however, I set aside my reservations and flew from Boston to San Juan on Frontier, and this is how it went.
Cost
Before I delve into my experience, though, I want to first go over pricing. Below is the breakdown of my ticket price and associated fees for my nonstop flight from Boston to San Juan on Wednesday, January 29, 2025.
Base fare: $31.68
Economy bundle*: $49.00
*Allowed me to bring a carry-on bag and select my own seat
Seat*: $19.00
*I opted for a seat in the premium section to get early boarding and additional legroom.
Taxes and carrier-imposed fees: $55.30
Total: $154.98
As you can see, I had to pay extra for the ability to bring a carry-on bag and select my own seat, two things which are generally included in your ticket when you fly on a non-budget airline.
Flight Experience
Boarding
The flight boarded on time, and as I had paid extra to sit near the front, I was in the first boarding group and consequently had no difficulty finding room for my luggage. Within half an hour, the plane was fully boarded and pulling away from the gate.
Seats
I had paid extra to sit in the premium section, which on my flight was the third row. My “premium” seat came with extra legroom, but beyond that, there was nothing premium about it. It was thin and scantily padded; my derrière was rather sore by the end of the flight (even with the occasional walk to the bathroom). Moreover, there was no TV on the back of the seat in front of me, and the tray table was laughably small.
The petite tray table
In-Flight Service
There was one food and drink service on the flight, and everything – even the water – cost money. Thankfully, I’d had the foresight to buy some water and snacks in the airport before boarding the plane, and while I still overpaid (everything at an airport is overpriced), I saved money by not purchasing my food on board.
Helpful tidbit — When traveling, pack an empty water bottle. Many airports now contain free water bottle refill stations, so you can potentially avoid having to pay for water at all. My go-to water bottle for trips is this one from Nalgene. It is incredibly durable (I’ve dropped it countless times while hiking), and if I want to go hands-free, I can hook it onto my purse via the cap strap.
Overall
Despite its shortcomings, Frontier Airlines can still be a worthwhile choice. For many flight routes, it is the cheapest option, and if you are willing to sacrifice some degree of comfort, you can get a great deal. The key to flying Frontier is to keep your expectations in check: as long as you go into the flight knowing that the on-board experience will be mediocre at best, you shouldn’t be disappointed.
That said, I can’t say that I would choose Frontier for a long-distance flight. As much as I enjoy saving money, I have my limits.
-Julia
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