Full History Of Frontier Airlines In Timeline From 1978

1978: The carrier unveiled a new livery

On September 9, 2014, Frontier introduced an updated livery, as part of a rebranding that saw the spokesanimals' roles increase. The new livery reintroduced a green "FRONTIER" typeface to the fuselage, featuring the stylized "F" designed by Saul Bass for the original Frontier when the carrier unveiled a new livery in 1978. The livery of 2014 also includes the traditional arrow used by the original Frontier prior to 1978.

May 1994: Company went public

In May 1994, Frontier Airlines went public after being incorporated in February.

July 5, 1994: Scheduled flights began

On July 5, 1994, Frontier Airlines commenced scheduled flights using Boeing 737-200 jetliners, operating between Denver and four cities in North Dakota.

1994: Airline's livery consisted of green script "Frontier" titles

From 1994 to 2001, the airline's livery consisted of green script "Frontier" titles on the forward fuselage, a small "Spirit of the West" slogan, and wildlife photography on the tail of each aircraft. Most Boeing 737 aircraft featured different imagery on both sides.

January 1995: Route network expanded

By January 1995, Frontier Airlines had expanded its route network from Denver, serving destinations in New Mexico, Montana, North Dakota, Texas, Nevada, Nebraska, and Arizona.

1997: Aspen Mountain Air operated codeshare service for Frontier

From mid 1997 through mid 1998, Aspen Mountain Air operated codeshare service for Frontier from Denver to Aspen, CO, Bozeman, MT, and Sioux City IA. The carrier flew Dornier 328 prop aircraft.

1997: Maverick Airways operating codeshare service for Frontier

In early 1997, Maverick Airways was operating codeshare service for Frontier with de Havilland Canada DHC-7 Dash 7 STOL capable turboprops between Denver (DEN) and two destinations in Colorado: Grand Junction (GJT) and Steamboat Springs (SBS).

1998: Aspen Mountain Air operated codeshare service for Frontier

From mid 1997 through mid 1998, Aspen Mountain Air operated codeshare service for Frontier from Denver to Aspen, CO, Bozeman, MT, and Sioux City IA. The carrier flew Dornier 328 prop aircraft.

September 1999: Airline Serving Destinations From Coast To Coast

By September 1999, Frontier Airlines had expanded its route network to include destinations from coast to coast in the U.S., including Atlanta (ATL), Baltimore (BWI), Bloomington/Normal, Illinois (BMI), Boston (BOS), Chicago (MDW, Midway Airport), Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW), Phoenix (PHX), Los Angeles (LAX), Minneapolis/St. Paul (MSP), New York City (LGA, LaGuardia Airport), Orlando (MCO), Portland, Oregon (PDX), Salt Lake City (SLC), San Diego (SAN), San Francisco (SFO), and Seattle (SEA), all served from its Denver hub.

2001: New livery introduced on the airline's new Airbus A319s

Beginning in 2001, a new livery was introduced on the airline's new Airbus A319s, with large silver "FRONTIER" titles on the sides of the aircraft, and the airline's "Spirit of the West" slogan, later changed to "A whole different animal." The animal tails were retained, although only one image per aircraft was now used.

2001: Airline's livery consisted of green script "Frontier" titles

From 1994 to 2001, the airline's livery consisted of green script "Frontier" titles on the forward fuselage, a small "Spirit of the West" slogan, and wildlife photography on the tail of each aircraft. Most Boeing 737 aircraft featured different imagery on both sides.

2001: First Airbus aircraft delivery and in-flight television launch

In 2001, Frontier took delivery of its first Airbus A319 aircraft and simultaneously launched DirecTV in-flight television, along with a new company livery.

February 2002: Frontier launched Frontier JetExpress

In February 2002, Frontier Airlines launched its first regional product, Frontier JetExpress, initially operated by Mesa Airlines using CRJ-200 regional jets.

2002: Jeff Potter appointed CEO

In 2002, Jeff Potter was appointed as the CEO of Frontier Airlines.

2003: Launch customer for Airbus A318

In 2003, Frontier Airlines was the launch customer of the Airbus A318.

2003: Delivery of Airbus A318

In 2003, Frontier was the launch customer of the Airbus A318 and began taking delivery of eleven of the type.

2003: EarlyReturns program

The EarlyReturns program operated from 2003 to 2018.

January 2004: Frontier JetExpress partnership with Mesa ended

The initial JetExpress partnership with Mesa Airlines ended in January 2004, and Horizon Air was selected to operate the routes.

April 2005: Became an all-Airbus fleet

In mid April 2005, Frontier officially transitioned to an all-Airbus fleet, retiring its last Boeing 737.

2005: Boeing 737s remained in the fleet

Beginning in 2001, a new livery was introduced on the airline's new Airbus A319s, with large silver "FRONTIER" titles on the sides of the aircraft, and the airline's "Spirit of the West" slogan, later changed to "A whole different animal." The animal tails were retained, although only one image per aircraft was now used. Though the airline's Boeing 737s remained in the fleet until 2005, none were repainted into this livery.

April 3, 2006: Frontier Airlines Holdings Created

On April 3, 2006, Frontier created Frontier Airlines Holdings (FRNT), a holding company incorporated in Delaware to take advantage of favorable tax laws in that state.

August 2006: Frontier and Horizon planned to end their partnership

In August 2006, Frontier and Horizon Air planned to end their partnership.

September 6, 2006: Frontier created Lynx Aviation

On September 6, 2006, Frontier created a new division of the holding company, known as Lynx Aviation, to operate Bombardier Q400 aircraft.

January 11, 2007: Service agreement signed with Republic Airways

On January 11, 2007, Frontier Airlines signed an 11-year service agreement with Republic Airways, where Republic would operate 17 76-seat Embraer 170 aircraft for Frontier JetExpress operations.

January 24, 2007: Designated as a major carrier

On January 24, 2007, Frontier Airlines was designated as a major carrier by the United States Department of Transportation.

April 1, 2007: Service to Louisville began

On April 1, 2007, the first market created specifically for the Embraer 170 was Louisville, Kentucky.

May 2007: Lynx Aviation to operate Bombardier Q400 aircraft

On September 6, 2006, Frontier created a new division of the holding company, known as Lynx Aviation, to operate Bombardier Q400 aircraft beginning in May 2007.

November 2007: ExpressJet operated some Frontier flights

As the service by Horizon Air was winding down in November 2007, Frontier had some flights operated by ExpressJet using Embraer 145 regional jets.

November 30, 2007: Last CRJ-700s were returned to Horizon Air fleet

The last of the CRJ-700s was returned to the Horizon Air fleet on November 30, 2007.

December 5, 2007: Lynx Aviation received its operating certificate from the FAA

On December 5, 2007, Lynx Aviation received its operating certificate from the FAA.

December 6, 2007: Lynx began passenger operations

On December 6, 2007, Lynx Aviation began passenger operations.

December 2007: Cessation of Horizon's services for Frontier

Subsequent to the cessation of Horizon's services for Frontier in December 2007, all flights operated by Republic were sold and marketed as "Frontier Airlines, operated by Republic Airways."

2007: Delivery of Airbus A318

Between 2003 and 2007, Frontier Airlines took delivery of eleven Airbus A318 aircraft.

2007: Subsidiary established and CEO replaced

In 2007, Frontier established a commuter airline subsidiary, Lynx Aviation, Inc., chaired by Dr. Paul Stephen Dempsey. Also in 2007, Jeff Potter left the company and was replaced by Sean Menke as CEO.

2007: Republic Airways operated Embraer 170 regional jets on behalf of Frontier

Republic Airways operated Embraer 170 regional jets on behalf of Frontier in 2007 through mid 2008.

April 10, 2008: Filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy

On April 10, 2008, Frontier filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy due to First Data's intent to withhold significant proceeds from ticket sales.

April 2008: Contract with Republic Airways canceled

In April 2008, Frontier Airlines' contract with Republic Airways was canceled. At the time, Republic Airways operated 11 Embraer 170 aircraft for Frontier Airlines, with the remaining six aircraft expected to join the fleet by December 2008.

August 2008: Louisville service suspended

In August 2008, service to Louisville, Kentucky, was suspended.

November 2008: First profit during bankruptcy

After months of losses, Frontier Airlines reported their first profit during the month of November 2008, with US$2.9 million in net income.

December 2008: Remaining Republic Airways aircraft expected to join fleet

By December 2008, the remaining six Republic Airways aircraft were expected to join the Frontier Airlines fleet, after Frontier Airlines signed an 11-year service agreement with Republic Airways on January 11, 2007.

2008: Republic Airways operated Embraer 170 regional jets on behalf of Frontier

Republic Airways operated Embraer 170 regional jets on behalf of Frontier in 2007 through mid 2008.

June 22, 2009: Republic Airways to acquire Frontier

On June 22, 2009, Frontier Airlines announced that Republic Airways Holdings would acquire all assets of Frontier for $108 million, pending bankruptcy court approval.

August 13, 2009: Republic Airways Holdings Acquired Frontier Airlines

During a bankruptcy auction on August 13, 2009, Republic Airways Holdings acquired Frontier Airlines and its regional airline, Lynx Aviation, as wholly owned subsidiaries.

2009: Republic resumed service for Frontier with Embraer 170s and introduced Embraer 190 jets

As Frontier and Midwest began merging in 2009, retaining the Frontier brand, Republic resumed service for Frontier with the Embraer 170s and also introduced larger Embraer 190 jets.

2009: Republic Airways bid to acquire Frontier

In 2009, as Republic Airways Holdings was in the process of bidding to acquire Frontier, it was also acquiring Midwest Airlines.

2009: Republic began consolidating administrative positions

In late 2009, Republic began to consolidate administrative positions and moved 140 jobs from the Frontier Airlines Denver headquarters to Indianapolis.

January 2010: Republic Airways to move executives to Indianapolis

In January 2010, Republic Airways announced that it would move all of its executives to Indianapolis from the Frontier Airlines Denver headquarters.

April 2010: Service to Louisville restarted

In April 2010, Frontier Airlines restarted service to Louisville, Kentucky, which had been suspended in August 2008.

October 2010: Chautauqua Airlines began service for Frontier

Chautauqua Airlines had been operating feeder flights on behalf of Midwest Airlines and began service for Frontier with the merger of Frontier and Midwest in October 2010.

October 2010: Full Merger of Frontier and Midwest Airlines

Upon the full merger and integration of Frontier and Midwest Airlines in October 2010, Frontier and its regional partners operated over 100 daily flights from the Milwaukee hub.

2010: Retirement of Airbus A318

In 2010, Frontier began the retirement of its Airbus A318 aircraft.

2010: CEO Participated in TV Show

In 2010, Frontier's then-CEO Bryan Bedford took part in the reality TV show Undercover Boss.

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2010: Merger of Frontier and Midwest Airlines brands

In the spring of 2010, Frontier and Midwest Airlines announced that their brands would merge, with Frontier being the surviving brand. This was a merger of brands only.

April 13, 2011: Frontier Express formed

On April 13, 2011, Frontier formed a new subsidiary, Frontier Express, planned to operate smaller aircraft with different services than those available on full-size aircraft.

September 9, 2011: Reduction of flights and layoffs from MKE

On September 9, 2011, Frontier notified the public of a 40% reduction of arriving and departing flights from Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport (MKE). 140 employees laid off.

2011: Frontier began branding flights as Frontier Express

Chautauqua Airlines began service for Frontier with the merger of Frontier and Midwest in October 2010 and Frontier began branding these flights as Frontier Express in the spring of 2011.

2011: Airbus A320neo and A319neo Order

During the 2011 Paris Air Show, Republic Airways Holdings ordered 60 Airbus A320neo aircraft and 20 Airbus A319neo aircraft for Frontier.

January 2012: Dave Siegel took the chief executive officer role

Dave Siegel took the chief executive officer role in January 2012.

January 2012: Intention to sell or spin off Frontier

In January 2012, Republic Airways Holdings announced its intention to sell or spin off Frontier in an effort to focus on regional contract flights for major carriers.

January 26, 2012: David Siegel Appointed CEO

On January 26, 2012, Republic Airways Holdings appointed David Siegel as president and CEO of Frontier Airlines.

February 2012: Further Service Reduction in Milwaukee

In February 2012, Frontier Airlines further reduced service to Milwaukee by cutting five more nonstop routes, reducing departing flights by 56%.

November 2012: Low-frequency service started between Orlando and Trenton

In November 2012, Frontier started low-frequency service between Orlando International Airport and Trenton–Mercer Airport (TTN), which at that time, had no commercial service.

2012: Frontier began a pull-down of the Milwaukee hub

Frontier began a pull-down of the Milwaukee hub and by the end of 2012, the only route that continued to operate with a Frontier Express ERJ-145 jet was Milwaukee to Rhinelander.

2012: New animal audition

In 2012, Polly the Parrot won the new animal audition for Frontier Airlines' marketing campaign.

2012: Lynx Aviation operation was folded into Republic Airways Holdings

In 2012, the Lynx Aviation operation was folded into Republic Airways Holdings' subsidiary, Republic Airways. The remaining Q400 aircraft were withdrawn from Frontier service and placed in service for United Airlines, flying as United Express.

January 3, 2013: Service to Rhinelander ended

Service to Rhinelander ended on January 3, 2013, and Chautauqua transferred the remaining aircraft to other partners.

April 2013: Frontier introduced a modified version of the livery

In April 2013, Frontier introduced a modified version of the livery, keeping the iconic animals on aircraft tails, but dropping its former slogan and replacing "FRONTIER" with "FLYFRONTIER.COM", the company's website, in support of new marketing that focused heavily on the airline's web presence.

July 2013: Started service from Wilmington-New Castle Airport

In July 2013, Frontier started service from Wilmington-New Castle Airport (ILG) near Wilmington, Delaware, to five destinations, which Frontier markets as Wilmington/Philadelphia.

October 2013: Republic Airways Holdings agrees to sell Frontier Airlines

In October 2013, Republic Airways Holdings entered into an agreement with Indigo Partners to sell Frontier Airlines for approximately $145 million.

December 2013: Purchase of Frontier Airlines completed

In December 2013, Indigo Partners LLC completed the purchase of Frontier Airlines from Republic Airways Holdings. The airline's headquarters remained in Denver.

2013: Completion of Airbus A318 Retirement

By Autumn 2013, Frontier had completed the retirement of all of its Airbus A318 aircraft, which were then parted out for scrap.

January 1, 2014: Republic Airlines ceased operation of Embraer 190 aircraft

On January 1, 2014, Republic Airways Holdings subsidiary Republic Airlines ceased its operation of Embraer 190 aircraft on behalf of Frontier.

April 2014: Barry L. Biffle was appointed as the company's president

In April 2014, Barry L. Biffle was appointed as the company's president, reporting to Siegel; after Siegel's departure, Biffle was charged with managing the company's day-to-day operations.

June 2014: Crew Base opened at Trenton–Mercer Airport

In June 2014, Frontier Airlines opened a crew base for flight attendants at Trenton–Mercer Airport.

September 9, 2014: Frontier introduced an updated livery

On September 9, 2014, Frontier introduced an updated livery, as part of a rebranding that saw the spokesanimals' roles increase. The new livery reintroduced a green "FRONTIER" typeface to the fuselage, featuring the stylized "F" designed by Saul Bass for the original Frontier when the carrier unveiled a new livery in 1978. The livery of 2014 also includes the traditional arrow used by the original Frontier prior to 1978. Each aircraft features the name of the animal featured on its tail near the nose of the aircraft for easier identification.

2014: Airbus A321neo Order

In 2014, Frontier Airlines ordered 19 Airbus A321neo aircraft.

2014: Transition to ULCC announced

In 2014, Frontier announced it would be transitioning into an ultra low-cost carrier (ULCC).

January 2015: Frontier Airlines cut flights from Wilmington and Trenton, and resumed service to Philadelphia

In January 2015, Frontier Airlines reduced the number of flights from Wilmington and Trenton. However, Frontier also resumed service to Philadelphia during January 2015, which created uncertainty about the airline's established operational bases.

January 16, 2015: Frontier to close call centers

On January 16, 2015, Frontier announced that it would close both its Denver and Milwaukee call centers, laying off 1,300 employees and outsourcing the jobs to Sitel in Las Cruces, New Mexico.

February 2015: Frontier Airlines announced service to several destinations from Atlanta

In February 2015, Frontier Airlines announced that it would begin service to several destinations from Atlanta, effectively designating the airport as a focus city.

May 2015: Dave Siegel left Frontier

Dave Siegel's tenure ran through May 2015, when he left for personal reasons and was succeeded by the company's chairman, Bill Franke, who would manage strategy and finances.

May 2015: David Siegel departs as CEO of Frontier

In May 2015, Indigo and Frontier announced that David Siegel would be stepping down as CEO. Barry Biffle, formerly of Spirit Airlines, had already taken over the role of president. Siegel's responsibilities were divided between Biffle and Indigo chairman Bill Franke. Biffle attributed operational issues to Siegel's departure in May 2015.

June 2015: Frontier eradicates toll-free number

In June 2015, Frontier Airlines joined Spirit and Allegiant by eradicating its toll-free telephone number for customer service.

June 2015: Frontier Airlines ceased service in Wilmington

In late June 2015, Frontier Airlines announced that it was discontinuing its service in Wilmington, citing a lack of profitability.

2015: Frontier ranked among worst airlines in quality rating report

In 2015, Frontier was ranked among the five worst airlines in the United States in an airline quality rating report by Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and Wichita State University. Frontier received this ranking due to its rate of customer complaints and bumped passengers. The airline also had relatively poor on-time performance, and the waiting time for phone support was reported to have risen to two hours or more in 2015.

June 2016: Frontier re-established service to John Glenn Columbus International Airport

In June 2016, Frontier re-established service to John Glenn Columbus International Airport.

October 2016: First Airbus A320neo Delivery

In October 2016, Frontier Airlines took delivery of its first Airbus A320neo aircraft, becoming the second US operator of the type after Spirit Airlines.

December 2016: Winter weather disrupted Frontier Airlines' fleet operations

In December 2016, a winter weather event significantly disrupted Frontier's fleet operations, causing up to 70% of their flights to be delayed or canceled. The storm caused major delays at Frontier's Denver hub. These disruptions affected flights across the country, and the company's handling of the situation was criticized.

May 2017: Frontier Airlines to open a new crew base in Las Vegas

In May 2017, Frontier Airlines announced it would open a new crew base in Las Vegas in fall 2017, with the intention of improving operational reliability and potentially creating new job opportunities in Las Vegas.

November 15, 2017: Order for Additional A320neo Aircraft

On November 15, 2017, Frontier Airlines announced a $15 billion order for 134 additional A320neo family aircraft, including 100 A320neos and 34 A321neos.

December 2017: Frontier began service to Buffalo, New York

In December 2017, Frontier began offering service to Buffalo, New York, with flights to Denver, Colorado, and various destinations in Florida, including Miami, Fort Myers, Orlando, and Tampa.

2018: Great Lakes Airlines shut down

Great Lakes Airlines also operated a codeshare service with Frontier from the early 2000s, until the airline shut down in 2018. Great Lakes provided connecting service to many smaller cities from the Denver hub as well as several other focus cities, using Beechcraft 1900D and Embraer EMB 120 Brasilia aircraft.

2018: Fleet Age

In 2018, Frontier Airlines had an average fleet age of five years.

2018: EarlyReturns program replaced

In 2018, the EarlyReturns program was replaced by Frontier Miles.

2020: Lease Extension on Building

According to the Denver Business Journal, Frontier Airlines will still maintain a local headquarters in Denver to house Training, Marketing, Customer Reservations, and Scheduling & Planning teams after extending its lease on the building through 2020.

2020: Class-action lawsuits filed against Frontier for refusing to refund airfare

In 2020, class-action lawsuits were filed against Frontier after the company refused to refund airfare for customers who could not travel during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, in 2020, the company accepted part of the $25 billion in U.S. government funds to offset financial damage to the airline industry during the outbreak.

April 1, 2021: Frontier went public with an initial public offering on the Nasdaq exchange

On April 1, 2021, Frontier went public with an initial public offering on the Nasdaq exchange. The company adopted the ticker symbol ULCC, a nod to the company's ultra low-cost carrier business model.

July 27, 2022: Spirit shareholders rejected Frontier's offer

On July 27, 2022, Spirit Airlines announced that its shareholders had rejected Frontier's offer to acquire the company.

November 2022: Frontier to establish a crew operating base at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport

In November 2022, Frontier announced that it would establish a crew operating base at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) in early 2023, and would add a gate in DFW Terminal E for flights to additional destinations starting in April of that year.

2022: Frontier no longer serves ILG

As of 2022, Frontier does not serve Wilmington-New Castle Airport (ILG).

2022: Only Carrier at Trenton

Frontier was the only carrier at ILG until it left in 2022.

January 2023: Service expansion from Trenton

As of January 2023 Frontier services 9 destinations from Trenton.

2023: Fur & Feathers calendar

In 2023, Frontier introduced a new calendar titled "Fur & Feathers" featuring their animal mascots in promiscuous roles.

2023: Class-action lawsuits filed against Frontier over baggage fees

In 2023, a series of class-action lawsuits were filed against Frontier in multiple states, alleging that passengers with bags meeting the airline's advertised personal item size were systematically forced to check their bags at the gate, incurring a $100 fee. This followed criticism on TikTok regarding Frontier's baggage policy.

February 2024: Video about Frontier's baggage policy went viral on TikTok

In February 2024, a video about Frontier's baggage policy went viral on TikTok. In the short video, a frustrated passenger alleges that Frontier covertly makes their baggage sizers smaller than the advertised dimensions in order to up-charge customers for baggage.

May 2024: Introduction of "BizFare"

In May 2024, Frontier introduced a low-cost bundled fare option called "BizFare," which includes seat selection, a carry-on bag, and flexibility to change flights without penalty.

December 4, 2024: Frontier testifies before the Senate on predatory "junk" fees

On December 4, 2024, Robert Schroeter, the Senior Vice-President and Chief Commercial Officer of Frontier, testified before the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations at a hearing on predatory "junk" fees charged by airlines for baggage. Senators criticized Frontier's incentives program for its gate agents, pointing out that it had resulted in upwards of $26 million being paid out in baggage fee commissions by 2023.

2024: Transition to revenue-based program

In 2024, Frontier Miles transitioned to a revenue-based accrual program.

2024: Revamp of frequent flyer program

In 2024, the frequent flyer program was revamped, before this date it had three tiers consisting of Elite 20k, 50k, and 100k.

September 2025: All-Airbus A320 family fleet

As of September 2025, Frontier Airlines operates an all-Airbus A320 family fleet.

2025: Frontier ranked fifth in Skytrax's "Best Low-Cost Airlines in North America"

In 2025, Frontier, known for having the lowest cost per mile in North America at $0.0985, ranked fifth in the 2025 edition of Skytrax's annual "Best Low-Cost Airlines in North America" ranking.