Last year, I applied (and was approved) for Frontier Airlines WorldMastercard® application, hoping to take advantage of the many affordable flights from the airlines near the airport near my home on the East Coast of Florida. At the time, it seemed like a wise move – but in hindsight it turned out to be a complete genius.
Frontier Airlines has been continuously increasing card membership allowances since adding the card to my wallet – it feels like the airline has just started.
That’s why now is the best time to apply for Frontier Airlines World Mastercard and improve your travel game.
Free upgrade
When you get approval from Frontier Airlines World Mastercard, you can make 90 days instant elite gold status after your first purchase for the first 90 days. better? You can extend it for a year by spending $3,000 in the first 90 days, which (naturally) I make sure to do it.
The Elite Gold identity comes with many privileges, but the latest gold medal is a free upgrade to the carrier’s pre-seat seats. Here is the kicker: these seats will soon be replaced by first-class seats (end 2025).
Read more: Frontier Mileage Elite Status: What It Is And How to Make Money
I saw this kind of cheering on my recent flight from Orlando International Airport (MCO) to Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport (MSY). As an Elite Gold Member, my upgrade window opens four hours before departure.
As my wife drove to the airport, I pulled up the Frontier app and on the main dashboard, there was the option to upgrade my seat. I’ve chosen a free seat for myself (and paid for my wife and daughter), but when I pulled up the seat map, there were four up front plus seats.
I’m a big fan of window seats, so I grabbed the 2F and hit “Continue” and my new seat was confirmed.
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After getting onto Zone 1 (another elite golden identity), I stepped onto the Airbus A321Neo with a Curassow (a bird) on the tail – and noticed the covered middle seat.
But more importantly, I was excited about the legroom I found.
It gives me enough room to stretch and catch up with some Netflix downloads that have piled up on my Kindle.
And, when new first class seats are launched, you can bet I will line up to upgrade first.
Companion travel
A large number of airlines offer companion allowances for frequent flyer or credit card members, but Frontier’s new companion benefits outweigh the rest.
As of May 7, Elite Platinum and Elite Diamond Travelers can bring companions on every flight. The best part? You are not limited to one companion – you can exchange it on every reservation.
I know what you are thinking. Of course, there are some heavy requirements to use this kind of welfare. But surprisingly, there are few requirements:
- Your companion must be a border mileage member.
- You have to add them when you book.
- You must pay applicable taxes and fees (starting at $5.60 per method).
That’s it. No sneaky and beautiful prints or power outage dates – as long as you stay in elite platinum or elite diamonds, only unlimited companion travel.
The Border World Mastercard makes it easier to reach those elite levels.
For beginners, you spend every $1 spent on your card. Spend $50,000 in a calendar year and you’ll get straight to Elite Platinum – no flights are required.
Alternatively, you can mix card spending with border purchases. As an Elite Gold Member, you will earn 14 Elite Status per dollar.
New (and better) redemption options
Frontier has long allowed its members to use miles for flights, with redemption starting at 10,000 miles. However, the operator recently lowered it to just 5,000 miles, allowing you to double the reward.
I took advantage of this recently when I booked a plane for a friend to visit her family in Washington, D.C. As a border card, I also enjoyed the redemption fee for my reservation. It only takes 5,000 miles in total plus $5.60 for $5.60 to fly uninterruptedly within the perfect departure time of her schedule.
But you will soon have greater flexibility.
By summer, Frontier will allow you to redeem bags and seat bundles, giving you more flexibility to save flights. As a card guy, your mileage will never expire, so you can grab them until you are ready to use them.
Other benefits of saving money
Border Aviation World Mastercard is more than just flights. It also allows you to save more money through these valuable privileges:
- Free check bag: Cardmembers can receive two free check bags (up to 40 pounds per flight) on each border flight they ride, a cheer up just added in 2024. On my recent trip to New Orleans, the individual cheering alone saved me $76 per check bag, which is far more than the $99 annual fee for the card (see Price and Fees and Fees and Fees).
- Free to carry around: With your instant elite golden identity, you can also enjoy a free carry-on bag, another huge way for travelers to save money.
- Annual flight ticket: Spend at least $2,500 in your card membership year and you will receive a $100 border flight credential on your account anniversary.
- Welcome bonus 50,000 miles: New card members earned 50,000 miles of bonus miles after spending $1,000 in purchases and paying full annual fee, all within the first 90 days of account opening. This is enough to accommodate 12 one-way domestic reward flights and is perfect for planning your next show.
The terms and conditions apply.
All of this brings some serious value in the first year and beyond.
Bottom line
Frontier Airlines has been making big moves, and 2025 is shaping the most exciting year yet. Frontier boasts first-class seating, companion travel and enhanced redemption options for luxury (and meaningful) spins on budget-friendly trips.
If you want to be one of the first to experience these exciting launches and unlock a lot of benefits along the way, consider applying for Frontier Airlines World MasterCard.
