Frontier to Add First-Class Seats and Starlink Wi-Fi in 2027 as Costs Squeeze Budget Model
Updated
Updated · CNBC · Sep 20
Frontier to Add First-Class Seats and Starlink Wi-Fi in 2027 as Costs Squeeze Budget Model
3 articles · Updated · CNBC · Sep 20
Summary
Frontier plans to install first-class seats across its Airbus fleet next year and add SpaceX’s Starlink Wi-Fi, marking a clear shift from its long-running ultra-low-cost formula.
Higher pilot pay, maintenance and fuel costs — plus stronger demand for premium travel — have pressured discounters, and Frontier has been profitable only once since 2019.
Bill Franke, 89, said the airline is not chasing luxury but giving travelers more options as larger rivals such as United and Delta push both bare-bones fares and premium upsells.
The strategy follows broader industry moves: Allegiant recently unveiled first-class plans, JetBlue is adding domestic first class, and August U.S. airfares rose more than 23% from a year earlier.
Frontier is making the pivot as the biggest remaining U.S. discounter after Spirit collapsed in May, underscoring how hard the budget-airline model has become to sustain domestically.