No-frills carrier Frontier Airlines has come up with a novel way to fill unsold seats. Frontier sells a so-called "All-You-Can-Fly" pass that, in exchange for a membership fee, permits customers to confirm flights the day before departure and pay only the taxes and fees, which vary by airport. Customers report that using the pass often allows them to fly for $30–$45 per flight.
Here's how the GoWild! pass is supposed to work: Once you have subscribed to the service, some flights on Frontier's booking engine will show availability for GoWild! pass users for a base fare of 1 penny. When slots for pass holders are available, flights can be booked and confirmed the day before departure for domestic U.S. travel (which accounts for most of Frontier's service) or 10 days before departure for international flights at FlyFrontier.com.
GoWild! subscribers can still book slots before that 1-day advance window, but if they do, they'll also have to pay an early booking fee, which is generally $10–$70. (Sometimes, reviews warn, the same flights could have been purchased for less money using one of the airline's other discount methods, such as Frontier's Discount Den fares, which also require a membership fee.)
Technically, the pass can be used an unlimited number of times, but in actuality, reviews say, flights don't always have availability.
GoWild! subscribers also always have to pay for seat assignments and any bags beyond a small carry-on.
Annual GoWild! passes cost $599, but there are times when lower-priced versions are sold, such as a pass that covers only September through February ($399). There are occasional, temporary sales, such as a $299 offer for the annual pass, which was sold briefly in December 2024. But if you buy during those sales, Frontier may hold your money for months before the start of your pass kicks in.
Once you're a member, the GoWild! pass will auto-renew on your credit card unless you cancel ahead of time. And when the annual pass renews, an additional $100 is tacked on for a new price of $699 a year.
While some GoWild! reviews praise the service's value, particularly if you can fly without bags and with the understanding that your schedule won't be fixed until the last minute, other reviews have useful warnings about the system's limitations.
Here are some key things to know about rules and limitations relating to Frontier's GoWild! pass, according to customer reviews posted online in places such as Facebook's GoWild! Pass Holders group and Reddit's GoWildFrontier advice threads.
The blackout periods are substantial.
For 2025, the blackout dates on which GoWild! tickets are not offered are: January 1, 4–5, 16–17, 20; February 13–14, 17; March 14–16, 21–23, 28–30; April 4–6, 11–13, 18–21; May 22–23, 26; June 22, 26–29; July 3–7; August 28–29; September 1; October 9–10, 12–13; November 25–26, 29–30; December 1, 20–23, 26–31.
The dates shift every year, but they tend to cluster around national holidays and weekends.
Round-trip tickets are not available.
Subscribers may book a GoWild! domestic flight without added booking fees on the day before its departure. To fly home, passengers have to go through the same procedure. Therefore, there's always a risk of finding yourself unable to book a GoWild! slot on the return flight you have in mind—especially if the return flight date falls during a blackout period.
"It’s fine to say if you live near the airport and there is an open seat you can fly for free. But who goes on such a trip when you don’t allow the return trip to also be booked? Yeah I’ll just be stranded or have to pay the much larger fare that exists on same day travel." — Bret Shuckford on X
Reviews say GoWild! cannot provide scheduling certainty.
"You need to be cool with not always taking the most direct route and not always knowing what exact day you are going to fly back. You need to be able to roll with the punches. You also have to realize that it's a budget airline and basically unless you can follow the rules then you're going to get upcharged. So if you are a seasoned traveler and/or have a chill personality that this is a good pass for you. If you are uptight or a novice traveler who flips out over flight delays/cancellations, wants to schedule trips in advance or wants customer service (rather than just using the online tools) then this isn't the pass for you. —mrin707 on Reddit
The booking situation frustrates some GoWild! members so much that a paid membership group, The 1491 Flight Club ($13.95/month) has sprouted to help customers navigate the airline's booking system and availability calendar.
Mastering the confusing booking process is key if you want your pass to pay for itself.
"You have to fly often to recoup the initial sign-up fee," The 1491 Flight Club warns.
Frontier's limited schedule may force you to endure long layovers.
"Before purchasing this pass, I recommend doing some research on the airline and its routes. While it might be great for spontaneous travelers who fly often, it's certainly not for everyone," said customer Joshua Holi, quoted by Business Insider. "Before purchasing my pass, I wish I would have paid attention to the layovers. After doing some research I noticed most flights with Frontier have very long layovers. I've seen some stops that are over 20 hours long. For example, I wanted to book a flight from Philadelphia to San Diego, but the shortest layover was 12 hours, which might not be a possibility for those who need to make a quick trip and back."
"Frontier doesn’t service every route and every airport every day. Some smaller airports only see flights three days a week," warns The 1491 Flight Club. "Be prepared to extend your trip with little notice."
The layover dilemma also adds expenses. "Adding a stop increases the cost due to landing fees. Long layover results in double security fee, too." —Jacob Brown on Facebook
Reviews warn that tickets for GoWild! users are frequently unavailable.
"This sure feels like a scam. My wife [and I] have been unsuccessful in flying on the [pass]. We live in Colorado. We’ve tried many different US cities. Nothing available. Here’s the kicker. I looked into flying Denver to Vegas (where there are a ton of flight[s]). NOTHING AVAILABLE. This program appears to be complete BS. Just another revenue stream for Frontier, but not having any intention of making available those GONE WILD SEATS. These flights are not sold out either. There are plenty of seats on the plane." —Medill93 on Reddit
Reviews warn GoWild! works best if you're flying from certain cities.
The airline's flight schedules mean some airports are better-served than others, reviews say.
"If you live near DEN, MCO, PHL, LAS, DFW, TPA. ATL, or Cleveland," it's worth it, writes AnnoyingVoid on Reddit.
"If you don't fly out of any of those cities above — it isn't worth it." —mrin707, in response
Frontier's GoWild! pass can only be used on Frontier flights.
If your home airport isn't included in Frontier's network, the pass won't be of use to you unless you can travel to an airport the airline serves. The pass won't get you on any plane that isn't Frontier's.
Click here to see the full list of city pairs covered by Frontier flights.
(Credit: Frontier Airlines)
GoWild! pass holders must still pay for seat assignments and bag fees.
All Frontier passengers are restricted to a single free carry-on measuring, at most, 14 inches by 18 inches by 8 inches including handles, wheels, and straps. That's not much space.
Beyond that, prebooked carry-ons are charged by amounts that vary by flight but are usually $30–$55 ($60 if paid at the gate). The first checked bag (max. 50 pounds) costs $30–$50.
In addition, Frontier seat assignments start at $15 per flight, depending on the route.
Even GoWild! members are not exempt from those charges (or from most of the other add-ons) if they opt for those services. That's why many reviewers of the GoWild! passes swap tips about how to maximize what little free packing space Frontier passengers are given.
"Frontier does not endorse me, though they really should, because my life is essentially brought to you by the GoWild pass," writes Laura Jedeed on Bluesky. "I am the master of packing 7 days' worth of clothes into a personal item."
According to reviews, early booking availability is unpredictable.
"Early booking is only available for select dates, on select routes. [Frontier doesn't] tell us which routes." —TimeTraveler3024 on Reddit
Reviews warn that booking seats for travel companions is difficult and incurs fees.
"Classic scam! Here's another thing Frontier does. They won't confirm your second seat even if you make advance reservations...unless you pay a fee ($33 each way). So you don't get to sit next to your partner unless you pay more." —RockinRockyRidge on Reddit
Customer service is difficult to obtain.
As Frommer's reported in 2022, Frontier has disconnected its customer service help line. Some reviews decry the difficulty of communicating with the airline.
"It's a huge scam. No availability EVER and no customer service to complain about it. They should [have] a class action suit and federal fines for this scam." —tumacana007 on X
Do you have your own experiences with Frontier Airlines' GoWild! pass that contradicts these reviews? Leave your comments on the Frommer's Facebook page so other travelers can benefit from your experience.
