In an era of high airfare prices and surging travel demand, the idea of flying an unlimited number of times for one upfront price is an intriguing concept.
So, when Frontier Airlines launched its first all-you-can-fly GoWild! Pass last fall, I jumped at the opportunity ... despite my lack of experience flying with Frontier.
Why? The carrier's promotion seemed too good to pass up: Buy the 12-month pass for $599, and book unlimited flights for fares of just 1 cent plus taxes and fees. (There's an even cheaper option for $499 now available, too, though it's only valid for summer travel.)
With a fairly flexible schedule, curiosity regarding the airline and a desire to take some trips I otherwise wouldn't have this summer, the pass seemed like the right fit for me.
Now that I've gotten a chance to start using the pass, was it worth the cost — and would I buy it again? Here are my thoughts on whether Frontier's all-you-can-fly concept is heaven on Earth or a dream that isn't quite grounded in reality.
Related: TPG's guide to getting starts with points, miles and credit cards
My 1st attempt using the all-you-can-fly pass
As soon as the booking window for the GoWild! Pass I purchased in November 2022 opened up on May 2, I reserved a string of one-way flights.
Though Frontier's pass verbiage stated that flights could only be booked and confirmed one day before domestic travel (or no more than 10 days before international trips), I was eager to lock in a few trips before Memorial Day and the start of the busy summer travel season, so I attempted — and occasionally succeeded — to book trips further out.
I booked my first GoWild! Pass flight — a May 10 journey from Charlotte to Orlando — on May 8 for $68.41. That price included the $13 ticket fee, plus a $55 charge for my carry-on bag.
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While the total wasn't exactly free, I knew the rules, so I'd prepared for some additional costs. However, things took an interesting turn when I went to book my next two flights to Chicago and back to Charlotte.
When I attempted to book the next two flights, I couldn't find any GoWild! Pass tickets. I checked flights daily ahead of my desired departure dates but could only see "Standard" and "Discount Den" fares available. The "GoWild! Pass" column consistently showed no availability.
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Puzzled by this, I reached out to customer service. After a 10-minute mobile chat with an agent, I was reminded that the tickets could only be booked within 24 hours of travel. (That said, the system had let me book my first flight beyond that 24-hour window.)
Even within the official booking window, I didn't see any flight pass availability for travel between Orlando and Chicago and later Chicago and Charlotte on my travel dates. So, I booked my last two flights as standard tickets, resulting in higher-than-expected costs.
In total, I paid $112.98 ($48.98 for the base fare, plus $64 for a carry-on) for my flight from Orlando to Chicago and $148.58 ($84.58 for the base fare, plus $64 for a carry-on) for my flight from Chicago to Charlotte. All in, I spent about $100 more than I would've if I'd been able to use my pass.
How much using the pass really cost
Ignoring, for now, the monetary challenges associated with booking last-minute hotels, car rentals and other travel details, the mechanics of just using the all-you-can-fly pass itself can really add up. That's because it usually costs $13 to $15 per domestic nonstop flight to use the pass, with connecting itineraries costing upwards of $30.
International flights often require spending even more. Our round-trip test from Houston to Cancun, Mexico, came in around $150. While that total is cheaper than what you'd spend if you bought your tickets without the pass, it's still a pretty high number that's far from free.
Additionally, like all Frontier tickets, GoWild! Pass flights are bare-bones. Unless you have elite status with Frontier, you'll pay extra for everything beyond your personal item, including seat selection.
Here's a breakdown of what you can expect:
- Checked bag: Typically costs $30 to $50.
- Carry-on bag: Tends to cost at least $60 each way, even when purchased in advance.
- Seat selection: Prices start at $11 per passenger (and can exceed $30).
I originally planned to attempt travel with just a backpack as my personal item. I'm a strategic packer by nature and typically fit everything into a carry-on regardless of the length of my trip.
However, I doubted my ability to pack five days' worth of items (and my laptop) in my backpack. After reading Frontier's definition of personal items, which includes "purses, totes, computer bags, briefcases, diaper bags and kids backpacks," I didn't want to risk missing the mark — especially now that Frontier is cracking down on personal item sizing — and find myself needing to pay more at the airport. So, I purchased the add-on for a carry-on bag.
With this extra expense for every flight of my multistop itinerary factored in, my total cost quickly added up. I spent $329.97 for all three flights.
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Even if I wasn't stuck paying a higher price for the latter two flights due to a lack of available all-you-can-fly pass rates, I still would've spent roughly $200 out of pocket (assuming similar pricing for the Orlando to Chicago and Chicago to Charlotte legs of my journey) as a result of the taxes, fees and carry-on bag charges.
The pass still has potential
Despite the unexpectedly high fees and limited availability, there are still cases when it may make sense to buy the pass.
If you're searching for flights to and from destinations the airline services multiple times daily, you may have better luck finding GoWild! Pass rates — even when searching beyond the 24-hour window.
For example, during a test I conducted on May 16, I was able to book two flights from Houston to Las Vegas and back for May 18 and May 21, dates that were well beyond the stated 24-hour window.
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However, available routes may not always be the most direct, as was the case for my sample itinerary's return flight from Las Vegas to Houston. The all-you-can-fly rate was for a more than 15-hour journey that included a layover in Denver lasting 10-plus hours.
Still, there were cases when nonstop flights were available several days out for reasonable out-of-pocket expenses, making it easier to use the pass.
For instance, I saw I could book round-trip flights between Charlotte and Orlando a few days in advance for only $28.32 with the pass. Of course, that price excluded optional add-ons like bags and seat fees.
This all-you-can-fly pass may not truly offer unlimited free travel after you buy the pass, but with the right search criteria, it's entirely feasible to score a solid deal on flights with the pass, especially if Frontier continues to offer some flexibility with the booking window.
Only time (and more experience using it) will tell if the pass ends up being worth the investment for me — or if the restrictive, tedious and confusing process of using it outweighs any potential savings that may come from having the pass.
Related: How to use Google Flights to maximize your next travel booking
Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.
