“Divorce Your Old Airline” Free Bags Deal Aimed at Angry Southwest Airlines Fans.
It’s open season on Southwest Airlines, as competitors and other companies have thrown shade at SWA for throwing out its unique and fan-friendly decades-old playbook to adopt new policies just like every other airline. One week later, it’s gone beyond barbs on social media, as one rival airline is courting spurned Southwest fans.
In case you missed it, Southwest announced last week that it would end its long-standing “bags fly free” policy for most passengers. The move is one of several controversial changes at the airline, that also includes the addition of premium seating, end of open seating, devalued points, end of “wanna get away” fares without change fees, introduction of basic economy, and more. All of this has prompted pushback (to put it mildly) from some loyal Southwest flyers.
For our part, we wrote Is Bob Chapek Running (and Ruining) Southwest Airlines?! Obviously, he is not, but the most apt way to describe the SWA changes is “Chapekian.” The Walt Disney World fan-favorite airline is changing everything that made Southwest, Southwest. It’s voluntarily giving up its distinct brand advantage and squandering decades of goodwill in the span of days in order to be just like every other airline and chase a nonexistent class of consumer.
Unsurprisingly, one competing airline has stepped up to fill the gap. Frontier Airlines took a swipe at the strategic shift by Southwest Airlines to start charging for seat assignments and checked luggage by doing the opposite. Here’s the full announcement:
Some airlines have changed. They’ve raised fees, taken away perks, and made travel feel like a one-sided relationship. If your airline is treating you like an afterthought, maybe it’s time to file for divorce. Frontier is here for the rebound – offering a fresh start with an unbeatable deal.
For all bookings for nonstop travel starting today through August 18, 2025, customers can receive the Economy Bundle for FREE, with perks travelers love, including a free carry-on bag, free seat selection, and free flight changes. Plus, Frontier is throwing in a free checked bag for flights departing May 28 through August 18, 2025 with promo code FREEBAG! Fares start as low as $39 each way. To take advantage of this offer, bookings must be made by March 24, 2025.
“We’ve always had heart,” said Barry Biffle, CEO, Frontier Airlines. “Some airlines are walking away from what travelers love, but we’re running towards it. Think of this as the ultimate ‘divorce your old airline’ deal. If travelers show us the love, we’ll make these perks permanent.”
Love This Frontier Deal? Make It Last!
Help Frontier write the next chapter of a traveler-airline love story. If travelers show that they love this deal, Frontier might just make it permanent. The more people who jump on board, the better the chances of making this the new normal with Frontier, according to the airline.
“At the end of the day, travelers just want to be valued,” said Biffle. “We’re bringing back the things people love about flying – free bags, free seat selection, and flexibility – without the extra fees. No games, just great value.”
Frontier Airlines has introduced sweeping changes to its product and customer service offerings, ushering in ‘The New Frontier.’ Among the enhancements is UpFront Plus seating, an upgraded seating option with extra leg and elbow room in the first two rows of the aircraft. Customers in UpFront Plus enjoy a window or aisle seat with extra legroom and a guaranteed empty middle seat.
In the coming months, Frontier Airlines will introduce free, unlimited companion travel for its most loyal customers. Debuting in late 2025, Frontier will also begin offering First Class seating on every flight, combining unmatched comfort and space at Frontier’s trademark affordable prices.
Frontier continues to innovate with its industry-leading frequent flyer program, FRONTIER Miles, which allows customers to ‘Get It All For Less.’ Members earn miles quickly and get rewarded for each dollar spent on Frontier products. Miles accrue based on dollars spent with a standard 10X multiplier: $1 = 10 miles, with multipliers increasing at every elite level up to 20X.
Elite status is attainable at only 10,000 miles and offers perks such as priority boarding, seat selection and free bag(s) depending on status level. Like the airline, FRONTIER Miles is also family friendly, offering easy family pooling of miles making it simple for families to enjoy rewards together. Joining is free.
Our Commentary
I’ve been thinking a lot about Southwest Airlines’ bombshell announcement and paradigm-shifting news over the course of the last week. Sometimes there’s a tendency to overreact to changes, especially those made by beloved brands with loyal fan followings and lots of nostalgia. There’s comfort in the familiar, and discomfort in the unknown.
When it comes to Walt Disney World, I try to be cognizant of this, also considering the counterfactuals or how casual consumers differ from fans. It’s easy to be part of an echo chamber, especially as a fan writing a website for fellow fans. Good examples of this occurred with the moves away from FastPass+ or virtual queues, both of which rewarded higher-knowledge guests at the expense of first-timers. Was I falling into this same trap with the Southwest changes?
The more I thought about it, the less I thought it was an overreaction. Honestly, I’m not sure that it’s possible to overreact to the Southwest changes. Well, I mean, something like a hunger strike or switching to Spirit might qualify. But when it comes to words on the internet, I think most reactions are probably within the realm of reasonable.
Southwest was previously a textbook example of carving out a niche in a competitive industry, creating consumer goodwill and fostering a fandom. Quite literally a textbook example–I remember reading about the airline’s distinct ethos and its charismatic founder, Herb, in business courses. Now, it seems like the ‘under new management’ airline is dead-set on being a case study in future business textbooks…for the exact opposite reason.
Frankly, I keep expecting a “we’re listening and learning” email from Southwest Airlines any day now, walking back some of the changes. I doubt they’ll undo all of the damage, since the activist investors calling the shots are interested in short-term gain, even if it causes the company long-term pain.
Nevertheless, we’d caution you against making a knee-jerk reaction to switch from Southwest. To continue the (admittedly funny) “divorce” metaphor used by Frontier’s CEO, relationship decisions–even those with airlines–shouldn’t be taken lightly. Don’t ditch an airline that works well for you just because you want to “stick it to Southwest” for making a business decision with which you disagree. That would be like the equivalent of being (rightfully) upset about Walt Disney World ending free FastPass, and going to Six Flags instead.
I know this seemingly runs counter to our previous advice of not being a creature of habit, continuing to fly Southwest even if there’s no compelling reason for you to remain loyal. But the advice is consistent–it’s that you should react rationally and objectively, as opposed to emotionally. Comparison shop and find the airline ‘partnership’ that is the most ‘compatible’ for your circumstances. For many of you, especially those flying out of airports dominated by Southwest that offer non-stop flights to Walt Disney World, that will still be Southwest. For others, it won’t!
It’s no surprise another airline would dip its toes in the old school Southwest Airlines business model, and even less surprising that airline would be Frontier. But I’ll be honest: I’m no fan of Frontier. Previously, I’ve written that Frontier’s attitude seems to be “the customer is a burden who should be thankful to arrive within 6-8 weeks of intended departure.”
I’ve also written that my issues with Frontier partially stem from the company nickel and diming passengers, with a goal of extracting as much money as possible from consumers with policies that aren’t always transparent and sometimes feel hostile towards flyers. I make the mistake of flying Frontier about every other year, enticed by a low fare once my previous negative experience is sufficiently out of mind. Hence the line above.
What I’ve also noticed about Frontier is that the airline has personality and charm. From the cute critters gracing the planes to the clever campaigns, Frontier has always been an airline that I’ve wanted to like. The “only” stumbling block to that has been…the entirety of their service and flyer experience. Just a minor detail.
Obviously, that’s actually a lot to change. But it sounds like that’s what could happen with this announcement–eliminating the nickel & diming practices that typified Frontier, even if temporarily. It would make complete sense for a competitor to fill the gap vacated by Southwest and capture its clientele. If Frontier Airlines’ corporate culture already matches its adorable animals and acerbic emails, perhaps it’s possible.
Maybe gaining some of SWA’s loyal fans will create a positive feedback loop that lifts up Frontier. It would be quite the plot twist if Frontier has such an overwhelmingly positive response to this promo that they do as teased, and make these changes permanent and become the new old school SWA. But as you’ve probably learned from real relationships, some people are capable of change and growth, whereas others are not.
If there’s anything Southwest Airlines has taught us, it’s that brands can do complete 180s overnight. I’m not about to rush out and book a flight on Frontier (I haven’t forgotten my last bad flight with them…yet), as I’m not convinced they’re a company capable of (positive) change. However, I’ll certainly be watching, and wouldn’t rule it out. At the very least, competition is good for consumers–just as is the case between Universal Orlando and Walt Disney World! You just may not want to divorce Southwest just yet–especially not for Frontier.
Planning a Walt Disney World trip? Learn about hotels on our Walt Disney World Hotels Reviews page. For where to eat, read our Walt Disney World Restaurant Reviews. To save money on tickets or determine which type to buy, read our Tips for Saving Money on Walt Disney World Tickets post. Our What to Pack for Disney Trips post takes a unique look at clever items to take. For what to do and when to do it, our Walt Disney World Ride Guides will help. For comprehensive advice, the best place to start is our Walt Disney World Trip Planning Guide for everything you need to know!
Your Thoughts
Thoughts about Frontier aiming to attract alienated Southwest fans? Would you switch from SWA to Frontier Airlines if they made these policies permanent? Willing to roll the dice on Frontier during the promotional period? Do you have a favorite airline? Any specific airline you dislike? Thoughts on the different airfare search engines or booking sites? What about sites (like Airfarewatchdog) to follow for hot deals on flights? Any questions about what we covered? Hearing from you is half the fun, so please share in the comments below!
I have never flown Frontier so I cannot comment on their service. BUT, I use to fly Southwest and stopped years ago. I very much disliked their open seating. Even buying the early boarding, you could never get a great seat because of all those boarding in front of you saving seats, which even was asked the attendant would never do anything about. I also disagree with the family boarding going in front of the B group. I could never understand this concept and I have both children and grandchildren that I fly with. As far as luggage goes, it’s much easier to bring a carry-on bag, so that is what we do.
I will book a flight other than Southwest such as frontier spirit, and also book a flight on Southwest an hour or so later in the day. If the other airline cancels, I still have this reservation and with their short cancellation policy, it’s no problem to cancel it if I don’t need it. I am booking points so don’t lose anything if I cancel.
Frontier was an option for us when my daughter was younger and we could get by with our 2 personal items for a short (1-2 day) trip. with a discount den membership we were able to take advantage of their kids fly free program to fly to MCO for as little as $25 round trip, total. we never had a bad flight experience on frontier. but, more often than not, it was impossible to get the lowest advertised fare on a workable schedule thru frontier even with some flexibility on our originating airport.
even though i now work for an airline and fly for free, i still always consider paying to fly on one of the discount carriers (frontier, breeze) that fly nonstop from our home airport to MCO.
I look forward to trying Frontier first chance I get…but first I need to know if they have a reasonably staffed customer service dept…with a phone #!!! Having an issue while you’re on the road and being forced to text your way through it is the reason I never fly Breeze.
Frontier was great until around 2015 when they followed the other discount airlines and started nickel-and-diming everything. We switched over to flying Southwest and Alaska after that, but I’d be happy to go back to Frontier if they become more like Old Southwest
I realize I will be stuck with Southwest still because they offer a lot of direct flights from my airport–but now, I don’t want to. I was looking at a possible trip and found myself actually considering “well, a layover wouldn’t be that bad” on a different airline just because I don’t want to fly Southwest anymore. Again, I recognize I will but only when I can’t find other options.
I’ve never flown Frontier but will consider it now. The only time I flew Sprint was when Southwest cancelled our flight out of Orlando and then put us on a different flight the afternoon of the next day–and even that required us to change planes in Ohio. Luckily Sprint had a direct flight we were able to jump on same day as our original flight.
“I was looking at a possible trip and found myself actually considering ‘well, a layover wouldn’t be that bad’ on a different airline…”
As someone who often has to deal with this layover dilemma almost every time I fly, I can assure you with complete confidence that a layover IS that bad.
If SWA were giving me nonstop flights and the other airlines weren’t, I’d absolutely be sticking with Southwest.
I hear you, and I doubt I’ll end up opting for a flight option with a layover–but seriously, I found myself trying to justify it just because I’m that annoyed! I used to not bother shopping around since the $$ came out to be the same and I liked the simplicity of booking on Southwest and the comfort of knowing if my plans changed, I could change them easily without losing $$. Now I will definitely shop around.
For us it comes down to logistics as much as price. Flying from Baltimore, I’m not looking to turn a 2.5 hour flight into 6+ hours stopping in Atlanta. For us, nonstop flights mean Southwest, Spirit, or Frontier. On any given day, Spirit and Frontier have 1-3 flights each way, where Southwest has 10+. More time options helps us plan our whole day better, and I know if something goes wrong there’s a strong chance I can still get a flight the same day. A friend was just flying back from Orlando on Spirit and their flight was cancelled, it was going to be 2 days before they could be put on a new one. Now I will start pricing out flights from Dulles, but it would have to be very significant saving since that’s a 90+ min drive vs our less than 15 min to BWI.
I’d absolutely fly SWA in that scenario, finding a way to work around the latest changes.
One of the ways I’ve been burned by Frontier is due to a lack of alternatives when a flight is cancelled. It’s this same reason why I still haven’t flown Breeze.
Also Baltimore. I did the research – Southwest holds over 71% of the market share at BWI. The next highest is Spirit (ugh) at 8%. The numbers don’t look good.
It’s tough. I’ve had my share of bad experience with Southwest, but for the most part they offer direct flights at a decent price that are usually on time. My wife and I are considering cashing out our points and getting a loyalty card with a different airline. Just stinks to have to drive to DC (or Philly) to travel.
I’ve had surprisingly good service with Frontier. The only significant delay I’ve had with them was due to the previous flight making an emergency landing to get medical care for a passenger.
They sometimes have us measure our bags, but they always fit and there is no further fuss. They do not complain if we have neck pillows or seat cushions in addition to our bags. They generally don’t bat an eye at my husband’s CPAP (an extra bag).
And the credit card / frequent flyer perks have been pretty awesome.
Meanwhile, I’ve flown Delra a couple of times in between…
– Flight 1 – Gave us a hard time about our free carryon bags (as Delta Gold members).
– Flight 2 – delayed from a ~5 PM landing to 2 AM for unspecified reasons. After an hour of waiting for our bags, learned that they were still in Florida. Forced us to wait in an incredibly long line and fill out paperwork one-by-one with an agent. If we wanted any sort of compensation, that was another set of paperwork (and all we got was a refund of checked bag fees)
– Flight 3 – Flight cancelled via email. Had to call to get a new flight. Then it was changed again (via email) to a flight that would’ve gotten me home about a day late. Had to call again. On the new flight (which required us to wake up at 3 AM), they refused to sit me next to my 9-year-old disabled child, who was visibly panicking.
I live near BWI, the major east coast hub for Southwest. We fly to MCO a lot for obvious reasons (also a major Southwest hub) and we fly to Las Vegas a lot because my wife’s parents live there (also a major Southwest hub). Whether I like it or not, I will be flying a lot of Southwest for the foreseeable future.
I was enticed even before this announcement when I saw that Frontier had a flight to LAX from SMF for as cheap as Southwest ever gets. However, there was only one flight a day. Which means if anything goes wrong, there isn’t a flight to be bumped to later. Plus the stress of getting from LAX to Anaheim. I can get by with a carry on, which is still free on Southwest. (For now) They fly to Long Beach and when they run their cheaper fairs they are comparable to Frontier.
The problem is those deals seem fewer and further between based off my recent emails. It’s why we ended up turning to the train for our trip last summer, in spite of the time commitment. The ease of getting to the main area around Disneyland from the ARTIC compared to any airport cannot be understated. 15 mins on a free OCTA bus. I hated the OCTA as a kid, but both trips were smooth and safe. An Uber from there instead of the bus would probably be under $20 to anywhere in the DLR area, but is harder to do with kids.
Just flying into LGB over LAX would be the deciding factor for me. One of the least stressful airports in the world vs. one of the most.
Also, I think SWA will need to be more competitive on fares going forward. That would happen regardless with the current travel slowdown, but it should be a longer-term silver lining to come out of this.
Thanks for making this point, Tom. Southwest hasn’t been the best-priced airline for us for a long time. We switched to United post-Covid. More flight availability, better prices, and great customer service. We also prefer O’Hare over Midway.
I think it should also be mentioned that SW’s boarding is very stressful for families with kids who are above the family boarding cutoff.
Fingers crossed those deals materialize. Flying is absolutely the easiest way to get down to So-Cal from here. Until then, my family are shockingly happy taking the train. (Except me, the jerking track made my motion sickness terrible)
As for a dream trip to Orlando, Alaska just added the lone non-stop flight between here and there. At a price point very competitive with SWA and other legacy carriers. Alaska is my father’s airline of choice in recent years and I wonder how, if at all, they will respond to these movements in the industry.
I have been on over 30 frontier flights. only one out of Anaheim was delayed to the next day. it had more to do with SNA always closing so early than it did with fronteir having big problems. there need to be airlines that offer alacart. when I used to fly for weekend trips I only needed a personal item and didn’t care too much where I sat so my flights were only 80 bucks round trip to Anaheim. any other airline that didn’t “nickel and dime” would have charged alot more because baggage would and other stuff would have been rolled into the ticket.. I also didn’t mind parking fees at wdw. now everyone has to pay a higher room rate even if you don’t have a car. more bad analysis.
I almost booked Frontier for our return flight next month from MCO because even with the highest level of add-ons it was still cheaper than other options without being a completely unreasonable time. Then I read a bunch about their baggage check-in process, and that dissuaded me from making that “mistake.” However, this will actually make me look again.
This is an interesting and I’ll be watching.
I signed up for an account to show I have some interest, but I don’t think I’m quite ready to book a flight.
I wouldn’t have considered Frontier before, I will now.
We have already canceled both of our Southwest credit cards. I kept our business card just in case they walk these changes back.
I’ve been fairly “loyal” to Southwest for the last decade or so–the credit card was key when I lived far from family and could earn points to fly home. Then, when we started having kids, the family boarding was key. The open seating policy made it easier for us to travel as a family, because we didn’t have to pay extra to sit together (I still get angry every time I have to pay a higher fare class for my two under 10 year olds to sit next to me on an airplane. My husband and I would make do, but it’s unreasonable to expect young kids to feel comfortable flying 30000 feet in the air next to complete strangers). I was flying Southwest this weekend and this was a common conversation amongst folks on the plane. Most everyone said they flew Southwest because of things like the free checked bags, open seating, flexibility, friendly crew etc. They also said they were likely going to stop flying Southwest and look more broadly for travel deals, not because of the crew, but because the flexibility and features of Southwest were disappearing making it just like every other airline. I realize that this is hearsay on a few flights the week of the announcement, but it struck me as significant that the opinions were so widely shared, and that folks felt somewhat sad about it (so far as one might feel sad about an airline).
We flew Southwest regularly, to the extent that that was the first airline we checked for tickets and usually, if we weren’t going internationally, we didn’t search much beyond Southwest, other than to confirm that the prices weren’t more expensive. We knew what we were getting, and that was understood and it was fine. Like, yes, I realize I could have gotten a meal and not had to watch tv on my phone screen for the long flights to and from Hawai’i this week on Delta, but the tickets were so much cheaper that it was worth the savings.
We don’t fly as much now, but when we do, we will likely not be looking at Southwest first (if at all). We will shop more broadly, since apparently they’re just Any Other Airline now.
I’ve already basically given up on Southwest. It used to be my go-to because of a direct flight to MCO but I’ll just pay for Delta at this point and take the superior flying experience for slightly more money.
Southwest has always been my favorite airline. I’ve read (but not confirmed) that Rapid Rewards CC holders will get 1 free (credited to cc) checked bag for themselves and each of the travelers on the same itinerary (up to a certain limit). If this is true, then it’s similar to AAdvantage CC (American Airlines). So these two will still be my go-to. BUT….. I agree with all Tom writes about it’s a poor business decision. I believe it will bite them in the end and eventually may lead to the demise of the company. If I don’t get the free bag for each member of my traveling party then SW will be be “just another airline” and American will be the one I’m loyal to! Flew Frontier once. Uncomfortable seats. The whole “a la carte” booking process was a pain. They keep trying to get you to upgrade, each step of the way! Other than that I personally had not issues on that one flight but I have heard stories from friends of delays, cancellations and horrible customer service. One friend stated: “They’re great IF everything goes as planned.”
“Chapekian.”…. loved that!!!! So true!
The bags were never “free” with southwest because their fares were always higher to compensate. Say what you will about Spirit Airlines, but even with checked bag fees, we’ve never really had any real issues with domestic flights. We also preferred having assigned seats for various reasons. Southwest has the better employees and slightly more comfortable planes, but they aren’t worth the extra money if there are cheaper alternatives like Spirit or Frontier.
This sounds like you’re making the case for staying off-premise for WDW trips. If you don’t value the “better employees” [highly-trained cast members with storied histories of safety and guest experience], then it sounds like you didn’t “get” Southwest [nor WDW]; to begin with.
I get it. I get why flying first class or private is great too. I’m just commenting on the economics.
I concur with everything you said about your track record with Frontier.
After back-to-back horrible experiences with Frontier last year (let’s just say I can now check “sleep in an airport” off my travel bucket list) I won’t be flying them again. Few flights to/from my market, and if anything goes wrong they have very few options for recovery, including not paying for a hotel if it’s their fault you aren’t flying. Their gate agents (I’ve heard they are contractors?) are clueless about policies and also actively try to extract payment for “oversize” bags. They will offer to cancel your flight and refund your cheap “fare” but most of it is actually nonrefundable taxes and fees.
I don’t fly Southwest much because their prices are the same as my preferred airline in my market for a lesser experience. The announced Southwest changes will only continue to devalue it in my calculations.
Well they pulled out of our airport months after I booked my flight and just 2 months before my trip to Disney . I have no love for them.
Frontier is the absolute worst airline in the world. Fly at your own risk. Customer service terrible. Cuts corners on everything. I wouldn’t fly them if it was free. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.