Frontier Airlines announced it will eliminate fees for changing flights, following the lead of larger competitors amid the Biden administration’s push for stricter regulations against so-called “junk fees.”
This change is part of a comprehensive overhaul of the budget airline’s longstanding pricing strategy, which traditionally attracts customers with low base fares but charges for additional services like advanced seat assignments and cabin baggage.
Starting Friday, Frontier will introduce packages that bundle these add-ons, including early boarding. While some fares will still offer travelers the option to add services a la carte, Frontier CEO Barry Biffle told, “we expect that option to be a minority of customers.”
In April, the U.S. Department of Transportation issued a final rule requiring airlines to disclose fees for checked and carry-on baggage upfront, a regulation the DOT claims will save travelers over half a billion dollars annually.
Currently, Frontier charges up to $99 for flight changes made within a week of the trip, according to its website.
During the Covid-19 pandemic, larger rivals Delta, American, and United eliminated change fees for travelers booked in standard economy class and above. Southwest Airlines does not charge customers to change their tickets.
“The truth is the big four all have no change fees on the majority of their products, so we were not as desirable,” Biffle said. He added that change fees were a “top complaint” from travelers.
