Frontier Сredit Сard (by Barclays) Full Review

The Frontier Airlines World Mastercard, issued by Barclays, is a co-branded airline credit card designed for budget-conscious travelers and frequent Frontier Airlines customers. It offers generous Frontier Miles (the currency for Frontier frequent flyers) such as a generous welcome bonus, free baggage, an annual flight voucher, and much more. Let’s take a closer look at the Barclays Frontier credit card to learn about its benefits, costs, and who it’s best for.

Key Features Frontier Сredit Сard

Earning Frontier Miles with the Card

Frontier Mastercard Rewards

The Frontier Airlines World Mastercard card allows you to earn miles at a great rate, especially on Frontier purchases. You’ll earn:

• 5 Frontier miles for every dollar spent directly on Frontier (airfare, baggage, seat selection, etc.),
• 3 miles for every dollar spent at restaurants,
• 1 mile for all other purchases.

These miles are credited to your Frontier Miles loyalty account and add up quickly if you fly Frontier frequently or dine at restaurants often. 

For example, purchasing a $200 Frontier ticket will earn you 1,000 miles on your card alone.

Frontier Miles Program

The Frontier loyalty program gives 10 miles per dollar spent on Frontier flights to general members (and even more to elite members).

Miles earned with your credit card are added to the miles earned from flights, so using your card to pay for Frontier travel doubles your rewards. 

You earn 1 elite qualifying point for every dollar spent with your card, meaning that $20,000 in card spending per year can earn you Frontier Silver status (20,000 points), and $50,000 can earn you the highest Platinum status, all without flying.

Welcome Bonus Value

The card sign-up bonus is particularly generous. New cardholders receive up to 60,000 Frontier bonus miles (40,000 Travel Miles after spending $500 within the first 90 days + 20,000 Travel Miles after spending $2,000 on purchases within the first 180 days) this is a current offer, regular offer – 50,000 Travel Miles after spending $500 within the first 90 days.

This welcome bonus is enough for approximately 5 one-way domestic flights, as Frontier’s award chart starts at 10,000 miles for a one-way ticket at the lowest “Value” level. For many, this welcome bonus can more than offset the annual fee in the first year.

Frontier Credit Card Benefits and Perks

Frontier Airlines World Mastercard stands out for the travel benefits it offers. These benefits can save you money and make your Frontier flights more enjoyable, which essentially helps offset the annual fee if you take advantage of them:

Two (2) Free Checked Bags

This is a very important benefit – the primary cardholder gets 2 free checked bags on Frontier flights. This is very important for a budget airline, where checked bags are usually charged (ranging from $30 to $60 each). To take advantage of this benefit, you must book your ticket directly with Frontier using your Frontier Mastercard and include your Frontier Miles number in your reservation. This benefit can easily save a family over $100 in baggage fees round-trip, and it applies to all flights you take as a cardholder.

Note: The free baggage benefit is only available to the cardholder; companions must have their own card or status to receive free baggage.

Annual $100 Flight Voucher

Each cardholder is eligible to receive a $100 voucher for a discount on Frontier flights each year. To receive it, you must spend $2,500 or more with your card within one year of account opening. On your account anniversary date, Frontier will issue you a $100 voucher code that can be used toward future Frontier travel. This is essentially a discount on the annual fee — if you were going to spend $2,500 with the card anyway, you’ll get $100 off a flight, which offsets the $99 fee.

Family Pooling of Miles

The Frontier Mastercard unlocks family pooling, allowing you to combine miles with others. Cardholders can create a “mile pool” and invite up to 8 friends or family members to contribute and use miles collectively.

This makes it much easier to accumulate miles for a reward flight — for example, a family of four can combine miles earned from flights and credit card purchases into one account to redeem them faster for a reward ticket. Frontier typically reserves mileage pooling for Elite members, but having a credit card gives you this option even if you don’t have status. This is a valuable feature for families or groups who travel on Frontier from time to time and want to avoid spreading their miles across different accounts.

Elite Status Fast Track

The Frontier card has a built-in fast track to elite status. New cardholders can initially enjoy Frontier Elite Gold status for 90 days simply by making a purchase with the card.

During this 90-day trial period, you can enjoy Gold benefits such as free carry-on baggage, free seat selection at booking (including premium seats), priority boarding (Zone 1), and priority customer service.

If you spend $3,000 with your card during the first 90 days, you will retain your Elite Gold status for a full year from the date your account is opened.

Normally, you need to earn 20,000 status points per year (approximately $2,000 spent on Frontier flights) to achieve Frontier Gold status. This card allows you to bypass that restriction with your credit card spending. The card then earns 1 elite status point for every dollar spent on all purchases. This means that any ongoing spending on the card helps you confirm your status. If you are aiming to achieve status (Silver for 10,000, Gold for 20,000, Platinum for 50,000 points), using the card for large purchases can significantly speed up your progress. 

Priority Boarding (Zone 2)

All Frontier cardholders can board earlier thanks to priority boarding in Zone 2. The boarding process for Frontier flights typically involves Zone 1 for elite members and anyone who has paid for carry-on baggage, Zone 2 for cardholders, and then general boarding in Zone 3. Boarding in zone 2 means you’ll have earlier access to the overhead bins and can avoid the rush during boarding, which is a nice perk, especially on crowded flights.

Award Fee Waiver

Having a Frontier Mastercard card waives the award mileage redemption fee when booking flights with miles. 

Frontier typically charges a fee (approximately $15 per passenger) for award ticket reservations, especially if the flight is within 21 days. Cardholders are exempt from these fees, encouraging you to use your miles for spontaneous trips without additional costs. 

No Foreign Transaction Fees

Frontier Mastercard does not charge fees for foreign transactions. Although Frontier is a domestic/US airline, you can use your card for purchases abroad (hotels, restaurants, tours) and not pay the typical 3% surcharge that many cards charge. 

Keep Miles from Expiring

Frontier Miles have a very short expiration period — they expire after 6 months of inactivity. However, membership in the program effectively solves this problem. Every time you make a purchase with your card, you generate mileage activity and reset the expiration counter.

Other Card Benefits

As a World Mastercard (World Elite Mastercard), the card includes standard benefits such as $0 fraud liability, purchase protection, and access to a free FICO credit score through the Barclays online portal. There is also an introductory period with 0% APR on balance transfers (15 months if the transfer is initiated within the first 45 days).Although balance transfers are not a strategy that most people use with a travel card, the option is still there. Overall, these additional benefits complement the card, but the real value undoubtedly lies in the Frontier-specific benefits discussed above.

Fees and Costs

Before getting this card, you should be aware of the costs involved and how to offset them:

• Annual Fee: $99 annual fee
• Foreign Transaction Fees: None.
• APR: The current annual interest rate for card purchases is variable (around 20%, depending on your credit rating). An introductory 0% annual interest rate on balance transfers is available for 15 months if made within 45 days, but please note that a balance transfer fee (5%) applies.
• Other Fees: Late payment fee up to $40, cash advance fee 5% (with a high annual interest rate), balance transfer fee 5%. The Frontier Mastercard is designed for earning rewards on spending, not for cash advances or large balance transfers, so ideally you won’t encounter these fees.

In summary, we can say that the cost of the card is fairly typical for an airline card of this class. The annual fee of $99 is in line with the cost of many mid-range airline cards.

Who Should Get the Frontier Mastercard?

The Frontier Airlines World Mastercard is a niche but valuable product. It will appeal most to a specific audience:

• Frequent Frontier flyers: if you fly Frontier Airlines regularly (for business or leisure).
• Loyal Frontier customers and those seeking to achieve Frontier elite status. The card provides initial access to Gold status and the ability to earn status points with spending.
• Budget travelers and bargain hunters: Frontier is known for its extremely low fares and basic service model. This card is suitable for budget travelers who primarily want to get from point A to point B cheaply but don’t mind additional perks for comfort. The welcome bonus alone can cover several trips for a budget traveler who is flexible with Frontier’s routes.
• Families or groups traveling on Frontier: The family account consolidation feature and free baggage allowance make this card very attractive for families. If you travel with children or a group, combining miles means that everyone’s spending (on flights or cards) contributes to faster rewards that the whole family can enjoy. Plus, the primary adult cardholder gets two free bags, which covers a family’s luggage needs when traveling and saves money.
• If you live near a Frontier hub (such as Denver, Orlando, etc.) and can use the Frontier network regularly.

Who is Not Eligible for a Frontier Mastercard

• You rarely or never fly Frontier. The miles you earn can only be used for Frontier flights, and the perks (baggage, boarding, voucher) are only valid on Frontier Airlines flights. If you don’t fly with them at least a few times a year, a general travel rewards card or a card from an airline you use would be a better choice.
• You want to get perks for luxury travel, such as lounge access, free upgrades on traditional airlines, or flexible point transfers. Frontier Mastercard does not offer airport lounge access, travel credits, or other premium benefits. It is designed for value travel on Frontier, not luxury travel. Travelers who prefer a broader rewards program or more prestigious benefits may be better suited to a general travel card that allows you to earn transferable points (such as Chase Sapphire or Amex cards).
• You cannot or will not use the main benefits. If you do not use the checked baggage benefit (e.g., you always travel with carry-on luggage only) or do not plan to spend $2,500 per year on this card (to get the voucher), then most of the card’s value is lost. In this case, the $99 fee may not be worth it based on the miles you earn, unless you get it as a one-time bonus. In short, the Frontier Airlines credit card is best suited for frequent Frontier customers, budget travelers who frequently use Frontier routes, and families or individuals who can take advantage of the card’s benefits to save money. If this fits your travel style, this card can provide you with exceptional value. If not, you may want to consider other options.

How to Apply for the Frontier Airlines World Mastercard: Rules, Eligibility & Application Process

If you have decided that this card is right for you, you need to familiarize yourself with the eligibility requirements, application steps, and ways to improve your chances of approval.

Frontier Mastercard Eligibility Criteria

To get a Frontier Airlines credit card, applicants usually need to meet these requirements:

• Recommended credit score: good to excellent (680+ on the FICO scale).
• A stable credit history with on-time payments, low credit utilization, and a mix of credit types will improve your application.
• The Barclays Frontier Mastercard is available to US citizens and permanent residents with a valid Social Security Number (SSN). Residents of other countries or individuals without an SSN are not eligible for the card.
• Applicants must have a valid US address (PO boxes may not be accepted for card delivery).
• Sometimes a one-card rule applies. Barclays sometimes limits the number of open credit cards you can have in their system. If you already have several Barclays cards (such as JetBlue or Hawaiian Airlines cards), your chances may be reduced if you cannot prove your ability to manage a larger credit.
• Barclays has not published a 5/24 rule like Chase, but applying for too many cards in a short period of time may result in denial. As a general rule, avoid getting more than 2 new credit cards in the last 6 months before applying.
• Barclays considers your stated income and debt-to-income ratio when reviewing applications. The minimum income is not published, but a higher income may improve your chances of approval, especially for higher credit limits.

To apply for a Frontier Airlines World Mastercard, visit the official website.

If denied, you can call the Barclays reconsideration line: (866) 408-4064 Be polite and explain why you want the card (e.g., loyal Frontier flyer, want to maximize the card’s benefits, plan to use it responsibly).

Our conclusion

The value of the Barclays Frontier Airlines World Mastercard is mainly in flights with Frontier Airlines. If you are not a frequent Frontier flyer or prefer a card with broader airline coverage or flexible points, you may find this card’s rewards and miles less useful.

The card does not offer the extensive travel protection or luxury perks found on some general travel cards. Therefore, you will get the most benefit from this card if you like Frontier’s style of service and plan to fly with the airline often enough to take advantage of the benefits.