Frontier Airlines Check-In and Boarding Pass Guide

Check-in opens 24 hours before departure for most Frontier flights and closes 60 minutes before departure, whether you're flying domestically within the US or internationally.

Frontier also enforces a gate cutoff: boarding ends 20 minutes before the scheduled departure time. If check-in isn't completed or you're not at the gate in time, the airline treats the ticket as a no-show cancellation, and every following flight on the booking, including the return, is cancelled the same way. On an international flight, plan to arrive noticeably earlier: document checks and security lines at major US airports can push you past the cutoff without you realizing it.

For now, check-in is currently only possible via the Frontier mobile app. The airline has removed check-in from its website: the check-in page on flyfrontier.com redirects to the app for iOS and Android, which is used to manage your booking, check in, and get your mobile boarding pass.

To get through the process, have your six-character confirmation code or Frontier Miles number ready, along with the exact name as it appears on the ticket. Check-in is also when the app offers to add a carry-on bag, checked bag, or seat; applicable rates are listed on the airline's official website.

Some destinations add a formality before the flight. For Colombia, for example, Frontier points to the local Check-Mig requirement, which must be completed separately with the authorities. Check the entry requirements for the country you're visiting, since they don't depend on the airline.

The boarding pass issued through the app is the standard version with Frontier. If you have it on your phone and aren't checking any bags, you can go straight to the security checkpoint and then the gate, without stopping at a counter.

A printed boarding pass remains available at every airport Frontier serves, but it falls under airport agent assistance, charged at US$25. Exceptions to this assistance fee exist and are listed on the airline's official website.

If your flight is changed or cancelled by Frontier and you're rebooked onto another departure, your boarding pass changes too: get the updated version before heading to the gate. If TSA PreCheck is missing from the document, check that your Known Traveler Number is properly saved in the booking, something to fix before you get to the airport.

Checked baggage drop-off closes at the same time as check-in, 60 minutes before departure. This is the tightest constraint for anyone traveling with a suitcase: the cutoff is calculated against the scheduled departure time, not the time you arrive at the terminal.

Frontier charges separately for large carry-on bags and checked bags. Maximum dimensions and weights, along with current rates, are detailed on the airline's official baggage page.

If you have no bag to check and your boarding pass is already on your phone, the counter step disappears and you can head straight to the security checkpoint.

A few situations come up repeatedly:

• Booking not found: a confirmation code from an online travel agency isn't always the same as Frontier's. Look for the six-character code issued by the airline in your confirmation email.
• Wrong name or date of birth: a spelling mistake or incorrect date will block validation. These corrections go through Frontier customer service, and it's best to handle them several days before departure.
• Error message in the app: Frontier directs you to customer service in this case; if nothing works, go to the counter and factor in the airport assistance fee.
• Travel documents: on international flights, your passport and, where applicable, visa or entry authorization are checked before boarding.
• Seats: seat assignment isn't automatic with Frontier, and sitting together usually requires purchasing seats.

If you'd rather not keep an eye on check-in opening yourself, iBoardingPass can complete online check-in on your behalf as soon as it opens with Frontier and send you your boarding pass by email.