So is Frontier really that bad?

I have heard so many complaints about budget airlines like Frontier and Spirit. Delays. Fees. No free snacks. Crappy uncomfortable seats. Because of what I have heard, I have always been hesitant to book a Frontier flight despite being a pretty avid budget traveler. But for my recent trip to San Antonio, Texas, I couldn’t pass up the cost and timing of the Frontier flights I found. Even with paying extra to check a bag each way, my cost was still way less than I would have paid with any other airline, and the flight times worked better with my ideal itinerary. It was a no-brainer. But I was still nervous about what I had gotten myself into. So here’s my take after my first time flying with Frontier Airlines:

Ticketing and Customer Service: The crew were extremely friendly at all touch points. I had no issues getting my boarding pass on my phone and using it – the first time I have ever gone completely paperless for a trip!

Baggage: As mentioned, I did pay to check a bag. Normally when I travel, I only take a carry-on, but Frontier does charge per carry-on as well. The only bag you get for free is your personal item. So if I was going to pay for baggage, I figured I would just check it and not have to worry about whether or not my carry-on would fit in the overhead bins (but for the record it looked like Frontier’s overheads are pretty standard). I checked my bag and it was there when I arrived at my destination, no issues.

Seats: With Frontier you pay extra to select your seat. I saved the few dollars and left it up to fate, lucking out with an aisle seat on my first flight but getting a middle on the way home which left me a bit claustrophobic. The seats themselves, as people say, are nothing special. They’re no luxury, but they’re also not the worst place I have ever sat my derrière – I survived the four hours and was comfortable enough to take a snooze. Note: Frontier is not for the freakishly tall. Leg room is tight compared to other airlines.

Snacks: It’s true that you don’t get free snacks and beverages. My simple solution was to bring my own. A baggie of trail mix I had brought from home and a coffee from the airport did the trick. But I did also overhear the prices they were charging on the flight and they actually seemed reasonable, even for the alcohol. I almost caved and bought a beer on my flight home.

Delays: Flying Philly to San Antonio I had no timing issues at all. Going back to Philly my flight was delayed. It started at half hour late, which grew into 45 minutes and eventually nearly an hour. Here we go, I thought to myself, thinking I was about to see why everyone’s always told me not to fly Frontier. But no, once we had taken off, the flight made up almost all the time and we arrived in Philly only five minutes past our originally scheduled arrival!

Overall Frontier was not an awful experience in the least bit. Sure, that’s my conclusion after only one round trip with them, and I’m sure as with any airline they have their share of bad flights. For me, it’s not enough to deter me from booking with them in the future. The prices are too good to pass up. You get what you pay for, and you just have to ask yourself if you can survive for a few hours with a less-than-comfy seat.