Once relegated to the distant memory of saying goodbye at the gates and silverware in economy, all-you-can-fly passes are now in the midst of a major comeback. Alaska Airlines (ALK), Frontier Airlines (ULCC) and Sounds Air in New Zealand are some of the air carriers that introduced some version of the flight pass in 2022.
The closest to come to a truly unlimited flight subscription -- more often, an airline will give buyers a set number of flights for a pre-fixed price -- came when Denver-based Frontier first hinted at its GoWild! Pass in October. The promotion allows holders to pay a set price for a year of unlimited flying to Frontier's domestic and international destinations on 300 days of the year. Some of the busiest holiday and travel periods are blocked off so don't expect to use it to get a cheap fare next Thanksgiving.
The pass will not begin until the spring of 2023 but is clearly generating significant interest. As many people signed up, Frontier raised the price from $599 for the earliest committers to $799. After November, the price of the pass will rise to $1,999.
An All-You-Can-Fly Pass for the Family
While the pass was initially envisioned for the fancy-free traveler who can be in Chicago today and Los Angeles tomorrow, customers increasingly started asking Frontier to create a similar option for children. The savings are, after all, not worth much for families who often travel with kids and are left paying regular price for additional tickets.
Frontier responded to the request and launched a discounted flight pass for children. It also currently costs $799 and can be purchased by an adult over 18 for a designated minor. The price is going to climb but will be lower than the full adult pass later this year.
"Since launching the GoWild! Pass earlier this month, we’ve received countless requests to include children in the program," Frontier Vice President of Marketing Tyri Squyres said in a statement. "We've been hard at work building the program infrastructure to make that happen and are now thrilled to expand the program to include children, who can now enjoy the unlimited flight benefits GoWild! offers, along with their parents."
As with all things having to do with minors, the GoWild! Pass for kids comes with a bigger number of conditions. Passes for children under 13 can only be tied to the child's legal parent or guardian. Both the parent and the child also need to be U.S. residents while travelers under 15 cannot travel without an accompanying person older than 15.
Frontier/TS
Is a Flight Subscription Worth it?
Low-budget airlines like Frontier and Spirit (SAVE) have a model in which they offer rock-bottom base fares but charge extra fees for everything from a bottle of water to baggage and seat selection fees.
Someone who needs to hop between cities with a minimum of luggage may be able to fly cross-country for as low as $50 but, for those who need have more requirements, the extra fees start to add up fast and become up to par with full-cost airlines.
The Frontier pass is also not free of additional fees. Most importantly, holders will still need to pay taxes, airport and baggage fees on every flight. Flights within the U.S. can be booked up to a day before travel while going to international locations like Cancun and the Bahamas need to be booked by passholders at least 10 days in advance
