The Frontier card rewards you for flying Frontier Airlines and everyday purchases, but the real value depends on how often you fly
Frontier Airlines issues a co-branded credit card through Synchrony Bank. The card earns Frontier Miles on purchases — the airline's loyalty currency — and offers perks like free checked bags and priority boarding. Unlike some airline cards that justify themselves through annual fees and premium travel benefits, the Frontier card is built for frequent Frontier flyers on a budget, not for people chasing luxury lounge access or elite status.
The card comes in two versions: a no-annual-fee version and a premium version with an annual fee. Which one makes sense for you depends on whether you fly Frontier enough to recoup the fee through the benefits it includes.
Key Takeaways
- The no-annual-fee Frontier card earns miles on all purchases and includes a free checked bag benefit, making it useful only if you fly Frontier at least once or twice a year.
- The premium Frontier card charges an annual fee but adds benefits like a free companion ticket after you spend a certain amount, which can offset the cost if you take multiple Frontier trips annually.
- Both versions earn the same miles rate on Frontier purchases and everyday spending, so the choice comes down to whether the premium card's extra benefits are worth the annual cost to you.
- Miles earned on the card never expire as long as your account remains open and active, but closing the card forfeits any miles you have not yet redeemed.
How miles and earning rates work on the Frontier card
The Frontier card earns 3 miles per dollar spent on Frontier Airlines purchases and 1 mile per dollar on all other purchases. This is a straightforward structure — no bonus categories for groceries or gas, no rotating categories to track. Every dollar you spend outside of Frontier goes into the same pool.
Miles accumulate in your Frontier account and can be redeemed for flights on Frontier or its partner airlines. The redemption value varies depending on the route and how far in advance you book, but Frontier publishes award charts showing the mile cost for different destinations. You can also use miles to cover taxes and fees on award bookings, though you will pay more miles for this than for the base fare alone.
One practical note: if you close the card or let the account go inactive, Frontier may close your miles account as well, and you lose the miles. As long as you keep the account open — even if you do not use it — your miles stay in your account indefinitely.
Free checked bag and other cardholder benefits
Both the no-annual-fee and premium versions include a free first checked bag on Frontier flights when you use the card to purchase your ticket. This benefit alone can save you $35 to $40 per round trip, which adds up quickly if you fly Frontier regularly. The benefit applies to you and up to four companions on the same reservation, so a family of five gets five free checked bags on each flight.
The premium card adds a free companion ticket after you spend a set amount in a calendar year — typically $10,000, though this varies and you should confirm the current terms with Synchrony. The companion ticket is good for a one-way flight on Frontier to any destination Frontier serves, and it covers the base fare only (you pay taxes and fees separately). If you take two or three Frontier trips a year with a travel companion, this benefit can easily cover the annual fee.
Both cards also include priority boarding, which lets you board before general boarding and choose seats in the front of the cabin. On Frontier, where seat selection and boarding order are tied to revenue, this is a meaningful perk if you value aisle seats or overhead bin access.
When the annual fee makes financial sense
The premium Frontier card charges an annual fee that varies but typically falls between $75 and $95. To justify paying this fee, you need to get at least that much value from the card's benefits in a year.
The free checked bag benefit is worth roughly $35 to $40 per round trip. If you take two round trips on Frontier in a year, that is $70 to $80 in value — close to the annual fee. The companion ticket, if you use it, is worth the base fare of a Frontier flight, which can range from $50 to $150 depending on the route. If you take at least one trip with a companion and use the companion ticket, you are likely ahead.
The no-annual-fee card gives you the free checked bag benefit without paying anything, so it makes sense if you fly Frontier occasionally but not regularly enough to justify the premium card's fee. The trade-off is that you do not get the companion ticket or any other premium perks.
How the card compares to other airline cards
Most airline cards charge an annual fee and target frequent flyers who want premium benefits like lounge access, priority customer service lines, or elite status boosts. The Frontier card is different — the no-annual-fee version is genuinely free, and the premium version is modest in cost and benefits.
If you fly multiple airlines or do not have a clear preference, a general travel rewards card might earn you more flexibility. A card that earns cash back or points redeemable on any airline gives you more options than a card locked into Frontier miles. But if you consistently fly Frontier because of price, route availability, or loyalty to the airline, the Frontier card's miles earn rate and checked bag benefit make it worth considering.
The card does not offer the premium perks of high-end airline cards — no lounge access, no seat upgrades, no travel insurance beyond what Synchrony includes by default. It is built for budget-conscious travelers, not for people chasing status or luxury amenities.
Understanding Frontier Miles and redemption
Frontier Miles are the airline's proprietary loyalty currency. You earn them through the credit card, by flying Frontier, or by transferring points from partner programs. Unlike some airline miles that are worth roughly 1 cent per mile, Frontier Miles value varies widely depending on the route and how you redeem them.
You can redeem miles for one-way or round-trip flights, seat upgrades, baggage fees, or even gift cards. Frontier publishes an award chart showing the mile cost for different destinations, but the cost is not fixed — it changes based on demand and availability. A flight that costs 5,000 miles one day might cost 7,500 miles the next day if demand increases.
This dynamic pricing means you should book award flights as soon as you know your travel dates, rather than waiting for a better rate. It also means that the value of the miles you earn depends on when and where you redeem them, not on a fixed cents-per-mile calculation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I earn miles on the annual fee itself?
No. The annual fee is a charge from Synchrony, not a purchase, so it does not earn miles. You earn miles only on actual purchases you make with the card.
What happens to my miles if I close the card?
Your miles stay in your Frontier account as long as you have an active Frontier account. However, if your Frontier account becomes inactive (usually after 12 months with no activity), Frontier may close it and you lose the miles. Keeping the card open helps keep your account active, even if you do not use it regularly.
Can I use the free checked bag benefit on flights I book with miles?
Yes. The free checked bag benefit applies when you use the card to purchase your ticket, whether you pay with cash or miles. You still get the free bag on award bookings.
How do I know how many miles a flight costs?
Frontier publishes an award chart on its website showing mile costs by destination. You can also log into your Frontier account and search for award availability, which shows the exact mile cost for the specific flight you want to book.
Is there a sign-up bonus for the Frontier card?
Frontier occasionally offers sign-up bonuses for new cardholders — typically a one-time miles bonus after you spend a certain amount in the first few months. The offer changes, so check Frontier's website or Synchrony's site to see what is currently available.