Frontier adds seven boarding groups to speed up boarding

Published on Oct 3, 2025, 10:55 am CDT

5 min read

Frontier Airlines is overhauling its boarding process, expanding from four to seven boarding groups that prioritize Frontier Miles elites and customers who purchase bundles or add-ons. The airline says the change is designed to streamline gate operations, reduce congestion, and reward loyalty members. Pre-boarding remains in place for travelers who need extra time. The new structure is effective immediately and comes alongside a broader refresh of Frontier's customer experience, including unlimited companion travel for top elites and first class seats planned for late 2025.

Key points

Why it matters: Faster, clearer boarding can cut gate delays and improve on-time departures.
Travel impact: Frontier Miles elites and bundle buyers board much earlier than basic fare passengers.
What's next: First class seating is slated to roll out by late 2025, with more elite upgrades.
Silver nuance: Elite Silver can board earlier if they bought certain add-ons.
Basic fares split: Rear-cabin basics board before front-cabin basics.

Snapshot

Here is Frontier's new boarding order. Pre-boarding covers travelers with disabilities, active-duty military, families with children under 2, and Frontier Miles Elite Diamond. Group 1 includes Elite Platinum and Gold, plus customers with Business or Premium Bundles or Board First. Group 2 covers Elite Silver and Frontier Miles members who purchased a carry-on bag or an Economy Bundle. Group 3 is for all other customers who purchased a carry-on or Economy Bundle. Group 4 includes Frontier Airlines World Mastercard cardmembers, Elite Silver not already eligible for earlier groups, customers with Priority Boarding, and those seated in Premium or Exit Row. Group 5 is for all other Frontier Miles members. Groups 6 and 7 board basic-fare passengers seated in the rear half, then the front half, of the cabin.

Background

Airlines periodically tweak boarding to balance overhead-bin pressure, elite recognition, and gate efficiency. Frontier's change follows a year of product updates under "The New Frontier," including UpFront Plus seating and expanded loyalty benefits. Elite perks continue to grow, with unlimited companion travel available to Platinum and Diamond, and complimentary seat upgrades for higher tiers. Frontier also previewed first class seats arriving late 2025, signaling a push to add premium options while keeping base fares low. For travelers, the practical takeaway is simple: enrolling in Frontier Miles and buying the right bundle meaningfully improves boarding position. Relatedly, carriers are modernizing the airport flow overall, from bag rules to digital processes like mobile passes, which affect how quickly gates turn flights.

See our explainer on the digital shift in boarding passes for context: Airlines ending paper boarding passes: The digital shift.

Latest developments

How Frontier's seven boarding groups work

Frontier's pre-boarding remains available for travelers with disabilities, active-duty military, families traveling with children under 2 (or with a car seat or stroller), and Elite Diamond. Group 1 caters to higher-tier elites and premium purchasers: Elite Platinum and Gold, Business or Premium Bundles, and Board First. Group 2 is where nuance appears: Elite Silver and Frontier Miles members who purchased an Economy Bundle or a carry-on bag board here. Group 3 follows with all other customers who bought an Economy Bundle or carry-on. Group 4 captures customers who qualify via other levers-Frontier Airlines World Mastercard cardmembers, Priority Boarding purchasers, Premium or Exit Row seat holders-and Elite Silver not pulled forward by Group 2 criteria. Group 5 is all other Frontier Miles members. Groups 6 and 7 finish with basic fares, rear half, then front half, to distribute overhead-bin loading and aisle flow.

Analysis

For a gate area, minutes matter. Splitting Frontier's basic fares into rear-then-front sequencing should ease aisle blockages, while pulling bundle buyers forward encourages pre-paid carry-on and seat selection that reduce last-minute transactions. The biggest winners are Frontier Miles elites and customers who buy Business, Premium, or Economy Bundles. Elite Silver's conditional placement is notable: if they buy a carry-on or Economy Bundle, they jump to Group 2; otherwise, they fall to Group 4 alongside cardholders and Priority Boarding buyers. That gives Silver members a clear incentive to purchase add-ons, aligning revenue goals with a smoother gate flow. Operationally, the hierarchy mirrors broader industry moves to monetize earlier boarding while defending elite recognition. With first class seats planned for late 2025 and ongoing elite upgrade enhancements, Frontier is building a more tiered cabin experience without abandoning its low-fare positioning. Travelers who care about boarding position should join Frontier Miles, consider an eligible bundle, and watch how route-level loads and aircraft turns affect real-world boarding times.

Final thoughts

Frontier's seven-group system formalizes how loyalty and paid options translate into earlier boarding, creating a predictable path for travelers to secure overhead space and settle in faster. The conditional bump for Elite Silver, the carve-outs for cardholders and Priority Boarding, and the rear-first basic flow all point to an efficiency-first design that also supports ancillary revenue. As first class arrives and elite upgrades expand, expect further fine-tuning. For now, understanding where you fall in the queue is the key to navigating the new Frontier Airlines boarding groups.