Personal Finance

Frontier Airlines Introduces “GoWild!” All-You-Can-Fly Annual Pass

Having lost out on the chance to acquire Spirit Airlines, Frontier is making a splash in a different way and offering flyers a unique opportunity. This week, the budget airline announced the launch of its GoWild! pass that essentially entitles passengers to 12 months of unlimited Frontier flights. What’s more, for a limited time, the new pass can be purchased for $599 — which is a fraction of the $1,999 price that GoWild will retail and renew at. Despite the early on-sale, travel with the pass won’t start until May 2nd, 2023.

With the GoWild! pass, travelers will be able to book and confirm flights the day before departure to Frontier destinations in the United States (including Puerto Rico). Passholders will pay $0.01 per segment in airfare on those bookings as well as any applicable taxes, fees, and charges. On that note, add-ons such as baggage or seat selection are not included. Notably, travel booked via GoWild! will not be eligible to earn miles or status but will count as activity that will extend the expiration date of any other miles customers have.

Although this pass is valid for more than 300 days a year, block out dates do apply. These include dates surrounding holidays and other busy travel times. Currently, block out dates through April 2024 have been posted and Frontier states that the calendar for May 2024 and beyond will be released before GoWild! passes reach their renewal dates.

Announcing the new offering, Frontier Airlines president and CEO Barry Biffle stated, “The GoWild! Pass is a terrific opportunity for people with flexible schedules who can hop on a flight on short notice and take advantage of the huge number of airplane seats that go empty each year. We invite our passholders to explore new cities, visit friends and family, and fly from snow to sun and back as often as they like with the freedom and flexibility of the GoWild! All-You-Can-Fly Pass.”

Surprisingly, Frontier isn’t the only carrier that’s experimented with flight subscriptions. Most recently, Alaska Airlines rolled out its Flight Pass, which includes travel between several California destinations as well as Las Vegas and Salt Lake City. That product currently starts at $49 a month for six trips a year, with options to go as high as 24 trips a year.

Overall, at this special (and very limited) $599 price, there may be travelers who find that the new GoWild! pass could be a great deal for them. However, the limitations of the pass — including the block out dates, short booking window, and lack of included amenities — could be dealbreakers. What’s more, the $1,999 retail price and the fact that the pass won’t be usable for nearly six months also complicate matters. Still, those who fly Frontier regularly might want to head to the airline’s site ASAP to see if the GoWild! pass might make sense for them.