Frontier or Southwest?
 

I've never flown Frontier Airlines, but they have a better schedual for an upcoming flight that I need to take, than Southwest does. The fare is just about the same. Anyone have an opinion on which is better?
Thank you.

Depends what you mean by "better schedule." I love Southwest for numerous reasons (for example, no change fees) and they would be my first preference over anyone else. But if Frontier had a much better schedule - say 2 or 3 hours more convenient, or the SW flight would require departing at 6AM - I'd do the Frontier flight in a minute. If it were only 30 minutes different or something I'd probably go with Southwest.

I think I flown Frontier only once, and it was a pleasant trip, with softer seats compare to SW and individual TV screens (yes, domestic).

I would consider schedule first, then price - if not much difference, then everything else.

Frontier is about 10 bucks cheaper and we come home 3 hours earlier, which is a good thing. My only concern is that they fly into Denver, which can sometimes be a difficult airport, weather etc. While Southwest flys through Phoenix going out and Las Vegas coming back.
We're leaving the first weekend in Nov.

We fly on Frontier whenever possible. The crew while friendly, don't try to entertain. You get a seat assignment so none of that silliness trying to get seated. Planes clean and you get live TV (for free) and an added bonus...pictures of cool animals on tail.

Is the TV free? From their website, it seems like it's $5 per flight segment.

RK, it was about 1/2 flight free, then they turned it off :) But the map with the location of the plane was all the way on for free.

I am with Polaris. I think Frontier provides a slightly better level of service and you can reserve you seat in advance and don't have to put up with SW cattle call. Denver should be fine in November.

Thanks, if we leave on a Saturday instead of Friday Frontier is almost $200 less! I'm having a real hard time finding a good fare on SW lately...wonder why.

I wonder why people think Southwest is cheap. My experience is that on most routes, there's at least one other carrier offering the same or even lower prices.

SW has low fares if you can snag one of Internet Only or Promo fares, but more often than not those are gone for the flights I want.

rkkwan: <i>I wonder why people think Southwest is cheap. My experience is that on most routes, there's at least one other carrier offering the same or even lower prices.</i>

Cheap? Hmm. Well, I'm flying PDX-PHL round trip in October on Southwest for about $160 round trip, including tax and fees. Wow, that must involve 2 plane changes and take forever, you say? No, both are almost perfect flights - direct with one stop in Chicago Midway, and neither leaves/arrives too early or too late. No connections to worry about either.

Yes this was a &quot;Ding!&quot; internet special but they had it just yesterday again for that same route, and I changed my flight due to a schedule change. No change fee. And I wonder again why people DON'T like Southwest?

Andrew - Let's try this again.

My point - SW is not always the cheapest.

Your point?

You wondered why people think Southwest is cheap. I tried to clear that up for you. How many other airlines would let you fly from the west coast to the east coast for $160 round trip and change the days for free?

Andrew - Southwest is great. Did I question that? Apparently, their business model works and people love them. Why else are they the largest domestic carrier even though they don't fly to many major airports?

And yes, they often have great fares if you get them early. Also, their change policy is probably the best. They price tickets by each way, so one-way is often much cheaper than other airlines.

But all I am saying is that often they're not the cheapest. Southwest is HUGE. They set industry prices for most routes. Other airlines match or undercut by a few bucks.

That's my point.

As for your PDX-PHL flight, SW only has one &quot;direct&quot; one-stop flight a day each way with no change of plane. The otheres require a switch. And for many days in early October, that one-stop &quot;direct&quot; is sold out.

Anyways, the lowest fare I can find on Southwest PDX-PHL for all of October is $79 &quot;Internet one-way&quot; that comes up to $199.60 all-in.

Checking other search engines, I find some NW flights for $190 and DL for $199 on selective dates. Yes, with connection.

Anyways, I think my point stands. Southwest is often not the cheapest.

Well, you've changed your &quot;point&quot; a few times. First you merely wondered why people think they are the cheapest. I helped explain that to you. I didn't say they are ALWAYS the cheapest - but you didn't say that originally. But, it's easy for people to get great fares like I got (on that great Chicago direct one-stop flight) if you book slightly ahead. I booked one leg of that flight two days ago (for $64 on their &quot;Ding&quot; special) so it's not like I had to book this months ago.

Northwest may have a flight for slightly cheaper than Southwest's price today but it's not a direct flight, and had I changed it I'd be paying a $100+ change fee.

You two are arguing over nothing. Because you're both right. Southwest obviously has an excellent business model, they have great specials, they have a great change policy, and they're sometimes/but not always, cheaper. End of story!

I am still wondering why people think they're the cheapest. You explained a lot why they're great. And I totally agree. But my question wasn't answered. <b>Why do people think they're cheap?</b>

That's not my experience, and I just showed to you an example that if I want to book an October flight PDX-PHL, there can be cheaper alternatives to Southwest.

BTW, you brought up the point about changing flights. I agree, they're great. And I also point out the very nice thing about one-way fare.

Now, since Southwest has such great service (I'm totally serious, it's not a joke or sarcasm), maybe the question should be:

&quot;Why don't people think Southwest should be more expensive&quot;?

I think all your excellent points answer that question better.

Say I need to buy a ticket PDX-PHL today for travel in October, and I have no loyalty to any airline. Here are the choices:

Southwest - one-stop, same aircraft $199
Northwest - one connection $190

Which one will I choose? Well, personally, I'll pay $9 more and fly Southwest.

Well, like anything else, people think they're cheap because people have been &quot;marketed to&quot; -- don't they now (or maybe no more, but in the past didn't they) market themselves as a &quot;low-cost airlines&quot;)?

&quot;Which one will I choose? Well, personally, I'll pay $9 more and fly Southwest.&quot; - maybe.

I would also check if the schedule is convenient, one may land at 3 pm, another at 6 pm, sometimes it makes a difference. And where is the stopover, how's the weather there this time of the year.

And which aiports are involved. Flying out of SFO vs OAK using a shuttle is $20 difference for me.

Next vacation, flying Alaska to St Louis out of SFO non-stop, coming back Southwest through LAX, who cares if a delay, going home.

rkkwan: <i>I am still wondering why people think they're the cheapest. You explained a lot why they're great. And I totally agree. But my question wasn't answered. Why do people think they're cheap?</i>

I'm not aware of Northwest having the kind of fare sales Southwest has with Ding. My October flight <i>is</i> cheaper than I could ever get it for on Northwest or any other airline, to my knowledge. They actually had a Ding sale on Labor Day for $44 each way PDX-PHL through October. I priced it out: I would have paid like $120 round-trip with tax. When people get fares like that they <i>do</i> think Southwest is cheaper, even if in some cases they aren't.

The &quot;no change fee&quot; thing also means &quot;cheaper&quot; because I would have had to pay $100+ more to change it had I booked that Northwest ticket instead of a Southwest ticket.

Southwest certainly isn't always better. If I were flying Portland to San Diego I'd try to fly Alaska because they have non-stop flights, and Alaska is a decent airline. Southwest has some one-stop direct flights that wouldn't be horrible but of course it's easier and quicker to avoid another take-off and landing. Then again, if I got some killer fare from Southwest Ding to San Diego I'd probably fly them if I saved enough.

Southwest is my first preference, though. I've had enough of the &quot;major&quot; airlines. Bad experiences with AA over Christmas (not the first bad experience with AA) made me hope to avoid them in the future. I have an AA voucher to use up so I'm flying them to Europe next month but I hope that's the LAST time!

I will always fly Southwest when possible after an experience I had last year.

I had booked tickets several months in advance for a trip to Denver on Frontier for a few dollars less than Southwest. Shortly before departure my husband had an emergency hospitilization.

My cheaper tickets ended up costing me another $200 to change. It doesn't matter the circumstance.

Southwest is cheap when booked ahead. Also, they're the only airline that offers you credit for full amount if you cancel the flight. So you can use it to reschedule your trip or for a completely different trip. You never lose money as you do with every other airline if you change your mind or your circumstances change.

In this case, I would go with Frontier if you're 100% sure you won't need to change the flight.

Thanks for all the input. Yes SW re-booking policy is a big plus. Their fares can be really good, it just depends on the route and when you book. Out of the the 3 Bay Area airports it can be hard to snag a good fare with them.
Virgin America is giving them a run for their money out of SFO. SW has had to drop some fares to LA and Las Vegas to compete.
I think we'll go with Frontier, I like their schedule better and the Direct TV sounds nice.

I think that fares and schedule aside, it depends on your travel style. My husband hates the line waiting and jostling for position on SW so much that it was worth it to me to pay more and risk change fees to get him an assigned seat that he didn't have to moo for.

We have now relocated to an area where SW doesn't service. I think their presence keeps flights more competitive.

I fly SW and Frontier--other airlines too. Depends on where I am flying. Frontier has beautiful planes with large seats in coach and we love their non stop to Denver.

I like to fly SW just to keep them in business and encourage them to stay in Cleveland. The other airlines would not be lowering their fares if SW hadn't offered their lower fares. You only appreciate this if you are trying to fly somewhere where SW does not fly---you can never get cheap airfare there.

I also never line up. I have always had an A or B boarding and have always gotten an aisle seat, my preferred seat. I just get up when the line starts boarding. I never quite get the need to be in line--perhaps if I had small children, but most of the people in line don't seem to have children.

Yesterday, my husband's schedule changed and I needed to change his flight. It cost me $20--no change penalty--but the cheaper rate was sold out. Now that we can make the change online, why can't all the airlines allow that?

You can also afford a one way ticket or last minute ticket on SW. They are doing some things right.

We also love our little Akron Canton airport here--(wish SW flew out of there) and all the wonderful AirTran flights. Many of our friends and family take their quick little hop to NYC. AirTran also offers lots of non stops in the winter to Florida, where everyone from Akron heads once the winters set in here.

I think we should try to support the airlines that have the most customer friendly policies--although I am swayed with any non stop flight. I will pay more for a non stop flight.

I'd pick Frontier over Southwest any day of the week.....

Assigned seats
TV

What choice is there (assuming price is comparable)?

I decided to fly both! We're flying Frontier out and SW home. I'd of prefered to fly Frontier the whole trip but coming home on SW gets us home by 8pm instead of 11pm. Plus it was the cheapest option. Flying SW r/t was the most expensive option.

Not everyone loves assigned seats. I like the fact that on SW I can pick where to sit once I get on the plane and even move if I wish (e.g. family with baby sits next to me).

In addition to what Andrew said, if you make your reservation &quot;late&quot; on an assigned-seat airline, you're stuck with the leftovers - middle seats on a full flight, or for me, window seats (I hate being on the &quot;inside&quot;). At least on SWA, even if I reserve my flight late, I can still get an &quot;early&quot; boarding number.