Why now is the perfect time to get the Frontier Airlines World Mastercard

Last year, I applied (and was approved) for the Frontier Airlines World Mastercard® hoping to take advantage of the airline’s many affordable flights from airports near my home on Florida’s east coast. At the time, it seemed like a smart move — but in hindsight, it turned out to be downright genius.

Since adding the card to my wallet, Frontier Airlines has continuously leveled up the perks for cardmembers — and it feels like the airline is just getting started.

Here’s why now is the perfect time to apply for the Frontier Airlines World Mastercard and elevate your travel game.

Complimentary upgrades

When you’re approved for the Frontier Airlines World Mastercard, you can unlock instant Elite Gold status for 90 days after making your first purchase in the first 90 days. Even better? You can extend it for a full year by spending $3,000 in the first 90 days, which (naturally) I made sure to do.

Elite Gold status comes with plenty of perks, but the newest one is complimentary upgrades to the carrier’s UpFront Plus seats. And here’s the kicker: These seats will soon be replaced with first-class seats (in late 2025).

Read more: Frontier Miles elite status: What it is and how to earn it

On a recent flight from Orlando International Airport (MCO) to Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport (MSY), I got to see this perk in action. As an Elite Gold member, my upgrade window opened four hours before departure.

As my wife drove us to the airport, I pulled up the Frontier app, and right on the main dashboard was an option to upgrade my seat. I had already selected a complimentary seat for myself (and paid for seats for my wife and daughter), but when I pulled up the seat map, there were four UpFront Plus seats still available.

I’m a big fan of the window seat, so I snagged 2F — and after tapping “Continue,” my new seat was confirmed.

Upon boarding with Zone 1 (another perk of Elite Gold status), I stepped onto the Airbus A321neo — with a curassow (a type of bird) on the tail — and noted the blocked middle seat.

But even more importantly, I was thrilled with the legroom I found.

It gave me plenty of room to stretch out and catch up on some Netflix downloads that had piled up on my Kindle.

And when the new first-class seats roll out, you can bet I’ll be first in line to upgrade.

Companion travel

Plenty of airlines offer companion perks for frequent flyers or credit card members, but Frontier’s new companion benefit stands above the rest.

As of May 7, Elite Platinum and Elite Diamond travelers can bring a companion with them on every flight they take. And the best part? You’re not limited to a single companion — you can swap them out with each booking.

I know what you’re thinking. Surely, there are some onerous requirements to use this perk. But surprisingly, the requirements are minimal:

• Your companion needs to be a Frontier Miles member.
• You must add them at the time of booking.
• You must pay applicable taxes and fees (starting at $5.60 each way) for their ticket.

That’s it. No sneaky fine print or blackout dates — just unlimited companion travel as long as you maintain Elite Platinum or Elite Diamond status.

And the Frontier World Mastercard makes it even easier to reach those elite status tiers.

For starters, you earn 1 Elite Status Point for every dollar spent on the card. Spend $50,000 in a calendar year, and you’ll hit Elite Platinum status outright — no flights required.

Or, you can mix card spending with Frontier purchases. As an Elite Gold member, you’ll earn at a rate of 14 Elite Status Points per dollar spent.

New (and better) redemption options

Frontier has long allowed its members to use miles for flights, with redemptions starting at 10,000 miles. However, the carrier recently lowered that to just 5,000 miles, allowing you to stretch your rewards twice as far.

I recently took advantage of this when I booked a flight for a friend to visit her family in the Washington, D.C., area using my miles. As a Frontier cardmember, I also enjoyed a waived redemption fee on the booking. In total, it required just 5,000 miles plus $5.60 out of pocket for a nonstop flight at a perfect departure time for her schedule.

But you’ll soon have even more flexibility for your miles.

By summer, Frontier will allow you to redeem miles for bag and seat bundles, giving you even more flexibility to save on your flights. As a cardmember, your miles never expire, so you can hold onto them until you’re ready to put them to use.

Other money-saving benefits

The Frontier Airlines World Mastercard isn’t just about flights. It also allows you to save more money with these valuable perks:

• Free checked bags: Cardmembers can receive two free checked bags (up to 40 pounds each) on every Frontier flight they take, a perk that was just added in 2024. On my recent trip to New Orleans, that perk alone saved me $76 per checked bag, more than covering the card’s $99 annual fee (see rates and fees).
• Complimentary carry-on: With your instant Elite Gold status, you’ll also enjoy a complimentary carry-on bag, yet another huge way for travelers to save money.
• Annual flight voucher: Spend at least $2,500 during your card membership year, and you’ll receive a $100 Frontier flight voucher on your account anniversary.
• Welcome bonus of 50,000 miles: New cardmembers earn 50,000 bonus miles after spending $1,000 on purchases and paying the annual fee in full, both within the first 90 days of account opening. That’s enough for up to 12 one-way domestic award flights, which is perfect for planning your next round of getaways.

Terms and conditions apply.

All of this adds up to some serious value — both in the first year and beyond.

Bottom line

Frontier Airlines has been making big moves, and 2025 is shaping up to be its most exciting year yet. With first-class seats, companion travel and enhanced redemption options, Frontier is putting a luxury (and rewarding) spin on budget-friendly travel.

If you want to be among the first to experience these exciting launches — and unlock a ton of benefits in the process — consider applying for the Frontier Airlines World Mastercard.