What Frontier's Discount Den Membership Covers

Frontier Airlines' Discount Den is a paid membership program that gives you discounted fares on Frontier flights for a year. You pay an upfront annual fee — currently $99.95 for a standard membership or $199.95 for a higher tier — and in return you get access to lower base fares on most Frontier routes. The discount applies to your ticket price before taxes and fees are added.

The membership does not include free checked bags, priority boarding, or seat selection. Those remain paid add-ons. What you get is a reduction on the fare itself, which Frontier calculates as a percentage off their standard pricing. The exact savings vary by route and travel date, but Frontier publishes sample savings on their membership page so you can see whether the annual fee makes sense for your travel patterns.

Discount Den is separate from Frontier's frequent flyer program, FRONTIER Miles. You can hold both at the same time. The membership does not earn you miles, and miles do not give you membership discounts — they are two different loyalty tracks.

Key Takeaways

  • Discount Den costs $99.95 or $199.95 per year and reduces your base fare on most Frontier flights, but does not include bags, seat selection, or priority boarding.
  • The membership pays for itself only if you fly Frontier enough times per year that the cumulative savings exceed the annual fee.
  • You must purchase the membership before booking a flight to use the discount on that booking.
  • Frontier publishes sample savings by route on their membership page so you can estimate whether the fee is worth it for your travel.
  • Discount Den stacks with FRONTIER Miles, but the two programs are separate and do not earn or discount each other.

When the Annual Fee Pays for Itself

The membership only makes financial sense if you book enough Frontier flights in a year that your total savings exceed the $99.95 or $199.95 you paid upfront. A single round-trip flight with a $20 discount does not cover a $99.95 membership. But if you fly Frontier four or five times a year, or live in a city where Frontier is your primary carrier, the math can work.

Frontier publishes typical savings on their website — for example, they might show that a Denver-to-Las Vegas round trip saves $30 with membership. If you take that route twice a year, you save $60, which does not cover the fee. But if you take it four times, you save $120, which does. The key is to look at the routes you actually fly and count how many times per year you book them.

The higher tier ($199.95) is worth considering only if you fly Frontier very frequently — roughly eight or more round trips per year — or if the sample savings on your regular routes are particularly high. Most occasional Frontier flyers break even or come out slightly ahead with the standard tier, not the premium one.

How to Buy and Use Discount Den

You purchase Discount Den directly from Frontier's website under their membership section. You create or log into your Frontier account, select the membership tier, and pay the annual fee. Your membership becomes active when ready and lasts for 12 months from the purchase date.

To use the discount on a flight, you must be logged into your Frontier account when you search for and book the flight. The discounted fares appear automatically in your search results if you are a current member. You do not enter a code or coupon — the system recognizes your membership and shows you the member price.

If you book without being logged in, you will see the standard fares and will not receive the discount. You cannot retroactively explore a membership discount to a flight you already booked at the standard price. This is why it matters to purchase the membership before you start booking, not after.

Comparing Discount Den to Other Frontier Loyalty Options

Frontier offers two main ways to save: Discount Den membership and FRONTIER Miles frequent flyer points. They work differently and suit different travel patterns.

FRONTIER Miles is free to join. You earn one mile per dollar spent on any Frontier flight, and you can redeem miles for free or discounted flights. If you fly Frontier regularly, miles accumulate and can eventually cover a full ticket. The downside is that miles take time to build up, and you need a significant balance to redeem a valuable flight.

Discount Den gives you an when ready percentage off every Frontier fare, starting with your first flight. You do not have to wait for points to accumulate. The trade-off is the upfront annual fee. If you fly infrequently or unpredictably, miles might be better because you pay nothing upfront. If you fly Frontier regularly on predictable routes, Discount Den can deliver faster savings.

Some travelers use both: they buy Discount Den for the when ready fare discount and also earn miles on those discounted flights, which they can redeem later for additional trips.

What Discount Den Does Not Include

Discount Den is a fare discount only. It does not bundle other benefits that some airline memberships offer. You still pay separately for checked bags (the first checked bag costs money on Frontier unless you have a co-branded credit card or elite frequent flyer status). You still pay for seat selection, carry-on bag fees if applicable, and any other add-ons.

The membership does not give you priority boarding, lounge access, or any status with Frontier. It does not waive change or cancellation fees. It does not earn you elite may have access to miles or points toward elite status. If those benefits matter to you, a Frontier co-branded credit card might be a better fit, because those cards often include a free checked bag and other perks alongside earning miles.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use Discount Den on flights booked through a travel website or airline ticket agent?

No. The discount only applies when you book directly on Frontier's website while logged into your membership account. If you book through a third-party site like Expedia or Kayak, or through a travel agent, you will not receive the member discount even if you are a current member.

What happens to my membership if I do not fly for a year?

Your membership expires 12 months after you purchase it, regardless of whether you use it. If you want to keep the discount, you must renew before the expiration date. Frontier sends renewal reminders to your email, but it is your responsibility to renew if you want to continue.

Can I buy Discount Den as a gift for someone else?

Frontier does not currently offer gift memberships. You can only purchase a membership for an account you own and control. If you want to give someone a Frontier discount, a gift card is an option, though it does not include the membership discount unless they purchase their own membership separately.

Does the discount explore to basic economy fares or only standard fares?

Frontier's fare structure and which fares may have access to for Discount Den discounts can change. Check Frontier's membership page or contact their customer service to confirm which fare types include the member discount on routes you plan to fly.