Frontier Airlines reported a sharp increase in ticket prices for July to September. Average base fares, which exclude additional services, rose about 71% compared with a year earlier. Total revenue—the money the airline brought in—reached almost $1.4 billion, an increase of more than 50%.
The airline carried nearly 1.5 million more passengers, but it still recorded a net loss of $104 million as expensive jet fuel increased its costs. Despite higher fares, its aircraft were only slightly less full than a year earlier.
Spirit, Frontier’s main low-cost rival, stopped flying in May, reducing competition. Chief executive James Dempsey estimated that Spirit’s closure, higher fuel costs and improved methods for setting prices each explained roughly a third of Frontier’s revenue growth. Frontier has also added routes previously served by Spirit.
The airline expects to begin installing reclining first-class seats very soon. Tickets will probably become available for flights departing by early spring. In a separate service upgrade, Frontier plans to start installing Starlink internet in early 2027. It currently offers no internet on board and has not announced whether the service will be free.
