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Frontier Airlines has just launched a new status offer, allowing Frontier Miles members with a U.S. travel rewards credit card to purchase or enroll in an Elite 20K offer.

Unlike most previous offers, this doesn’t require existing status with another loyalty program. Instead, all you need is an eligible travel credit card.

Here’s what you need to know about this Frontier Airlines status offer.

Check your credit card eligibility

As mentioned, this status offer is only eligible for U.S. travel rewards credit cardholders. To check your eligibility, visit this webpage.

You’ll need to enter your Frontier Miles number and the first six digits of your travel rewards credit card. While Frontier hasn’t provided a list of the travel rewards credit cards that are eligible for this offer, according to our tests, you can use any of these cards:

• American Express® Gold Card.
• Barclays AAdvantage Aviator Business Mastercard.
• Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card.
• Chase Sapphire Reserve®.
• Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card.
• The Platinum Card® from American Express.
• United Quest℠ Card.

The information for the AAdvantage Aviator Business Mastercard and Hilton Aspire card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

Some cards we tested that were not eligible for the offer included the United℠ Explorer Card, Citi® Double Cash Card (see rates and fees) and the Discover it® Miles credit card.

The information for the Discover it Miles has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

Related: I bought an all-you-can-fly pass — here’s what it was like to use it

Elite 20K status offer

There are two options as part of this new offer. You can either purchase status outright or enroll in a status challenge.

If you want to purchase Elite 20K status through Dec. 31, it will cost you $499. To extend your Elite 20K status for another year, you’ll need to earn 20,000 qualifying miles or 25 flight segments — the standard qualification threshold for the program.

If you want to participate in the challenge, you can pay $199 (though the first 2,000 applicants pay a reduced rate of $80) and enjoy instant Elite 20k status, valid through Sept. 30.

You can extend your status through Dec. 31 by flying 5,000 miles, spending $5,000 on the Frontier Airlines World Mastercard® or any combination of flying and spending.

You can apply for both status offers on Frontier’s website.

Related: What are hotel and airline status matches, and how do you get one?

The information for the Frontier World Mastercard has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

Frontier Elite 20K benefits

Frontier Elite 20K includes several benefits to save you money and make your travels more enjoyable. Here’s an overview of the perks that come with this elite tier:

• One complimentary carry-on bag.
• Complimentary standard seat assignment.
• Family pooling of Frontier Miles.
• Priority boarding.
• Waived redemption fees.
• Last seat availability.
• Stretch seating at check in.

Is this Frontier status offer worth it?

This depends entirely on your upcoming plans to fly Frontier. The above perks can save you significant money, as Frontier status can (in many ways) turn a low-priced, no-frills Frontier ticket into a full-service one. When you travel on Frontier without status, virtually everything costs money, including carry-on bags and seat assignments.

Crunch the numbers to ensure the money you’ll save is worth the $499 you’d pay for seven months of status (or the $80 or $199 you’d pay for the status challenge).

Related: What is Frontier elite status worth in 2023?

Bottom line

Frontier’s new elite status offer allows its travelers to receive elite status even if they don’t hold status with another airline. You’ll need a travel rewards credit card to qualify for the offer, but our tests indicate that the majority of top travel cards should qualify.

Elite 20K status can save you money when you fly Frontier. For instance, an overhead carry-on bag (a complimentary benefit of Elite 20K status) generally costs between $30 and $55. Consider how much you might fly Frontier before the end of the year, and if it seems like a cost-effective option, be sure to enroll.