Kids fly for free on Frontier Airlines, but there's plenty of fine print
Planning your spring break or summer vacation? Frontier Airlines announced Monday that kids ages 14 and under can now fly for free with an adult through the budget airline's existing Discount Den travel club.
But, as you might guess, there is a catch. To join the Discount Den and take advantage of the kids fly free deal, you'll need to pay a $59.99 per year fee, which will be renewed for additional one-year terms unless you cancel the membership by a certain date. Still, if you fly regularly to visit grandma or a parent who lives out of town, the offer may be a great deal.
Kids Fly Free on Frontier
Now, with the offer, Discount Den members will get a free ticket for kids 14 and under for every adult Discount Den fare purchased on valid Kids Fly Free flights, along with access to the lowest fares for up to six people on a single reservation and other notifications.
So, according to a quick search on Frontier's website, if a family of four with two kids ages 14 and under is planning a spring break trip to Orlando in April, the standard fare would be $80 round trip (plus taxes and fees) per person. As a member of the Discount Den, those tickets would be $70 a piece and the kids would fly for free. That brings your total bill down from about $320 (plus taxes and fees) to $140 (plus taxes and fees).
Meanwhile, that same family would pay $176 for plane tickets for a flight up to Boston in mid-July. Without membership in the Discount Den, the total would be $540. That's a savings of $364.
Frontier's Kids Fly Free fine print
Of course, this deal isn't without fine print and other costs. Here's the deal on this particular offer:
The offer is only for Discount Den members who have paid the annual $59.99 fee.
The offer does not include bags, seats, and other travel fees. Here are other potential fees when flying Frontier:
- It costs $60 to check a bag at the gate, though travelers can take advantage of discounts when checking the bag online.
- Frontier's fares do not include a seat assignment, but travelers can purchase one for between $6 and $25. To ensure you can sit next to your kids during the flight, it's best to purchase pre-assigned seats.
- You'll also pay for any drinks or snacks that you don't bring on board the flight yourself.
Kids must be 14 years or younger on the first day of travel to qualify for a free fare. Only one kid can fly for free for every ticket purchase for one adult (ages 15 and up).
Lap children do qualify, but should be booked at the time of the initial booking as a child instead of a lap child.
It's only available during initial booking on flyfrontier.com.
Any customer change in the flight after the initial booking will result in the loss of Kids Fly Free promotion
Kids Fly Free is available for select domestic flights and cannot be combined with other offers or promo codes. International flights are not included. The offer is not valid on overnight connections.
The offer is valid for the dates below, but they are subject to change. Frontier recommends booking early.
- February - 12, 13, 19, 20, 26, 27
- March - 5, 6, 12, 13, 19, 20, 26, 27
- April - 2, 3, 9, 10, 16, 17, 23, 24, 30
- May - 1, 4, 7, 8, 11, 14, 15, 18, 21, 22, 29
- June - 1, 4, 5, 8, 11, 12, 18, 19, 25, 26
- July - 9, 15, 16, 22, 23, 29, 30
- August - 5, 6
More information about the offer is on Frontier's website. The deal could spell big savings for frequent flyers, especially those who pack light, have older kids who don't need to sit next to their parents and bring their snacks with them. You'll want to do the math if you don't plan on flying more than once or twice this year as a family.
