I flew on Frontier's new A321neo across the US and its revamped cabin didn't make it any more comfortable but I'd still fly on the jet again
Taylor Rains
- Frontier Airlines welcomed the Airbus A321neo last year, which can carry 240 people in an all-economy cabin.
- The plane comes with "revamped" seats designed for comfort and efficiency.
Frontier Airlines received its first Airbus A321neo in October 2022, touting it as the most fuel-efficient commercial airliner in the US.
The dense plane can carry up to 240 people in an all-economy cabin and sports the airline's latest seat design, which was introduced in 2021 and is supposed to offer enhanced comfort and efficiency.
I recently flew on Frontier's A321neo to see how the product faired.
While I think the "revamped" seats aren't much more comfortable than previous versions, Frontier's low prices sometimes make the hard, cramped cabin worth it.
Here's what my four-hour journey from Las Vegas to Orlando was like.
I boarded my Frontier A321neo in Las Vegas at around 5:30 a.m. for a 6:15 a.m. departure.
Considering the early hour on a Tuesday morning, I was surprised to see so many people lined up for security.
Luckily, I was through TSA PreCheck in about 15 minutes and to my gate about 10 minutes later after taking the train over to the D gates.
For this trip, I was traveling via Frontier's all-you-can-fly pass and didn't add on any extras, so I got a randomly assigned seat and a personal item.
Frontier's all-you-can-fly pass is called GoWild! and costs $299 for the winter season. Travelers pay a $0.01 fare plus taxes and fees for domestic flights, so my flight from Vegas to Orlando was just $15.
This is my first time trying the pass, and so far so good. Though, you definitely need flexibility to make it worthwhile.
My personal item is a backpack that measures 11.8 inches long, 7.5 inches wide, and 15.7 high.
The backpack, which I can fit about four days' worth of outfits into, is within Frontier's 14×18×8 personal item dimensions.
I boarded in Zone 3 and got to seat 40F — a window seat in the plane's last row.
Be warned: an agent looked at every passenger's personal item and measured each one she thought looked oversized. Fortunately, she was gracious in letting people rearrange items to make the bag fit.
Still, it's good to triple-check that your personal item fits in the size checker before boarding, or you may be forced to pay a hefty carry-on fee.
I boarded in Zone 3 and made my way to seat 40F — a window seat in the last row of the plane.
Technically, row 40 was the last row on the right column of rows. The left side had a pair of seats in row 41.
In an attempt to improve its product, Frontier has adopted a new cabin seat for a chunk of its Airbus planes.
Frontier's extra legroom seats are the most expensive to reserve.
Shortly after takeoff, I ordered breakfast from Frontier's pricey onboard cafe.
I ordered a $9 cheese box that came with cheese, crackers, and raisins. It was good, but you could probably get more food for the same price at the airport.
Passengers could also buy drinks or snacks or get free ice water.
I snacked for a bit and then did my best to get comfortable enough to sleep — but it wasn't easy.
After takeoff, the captain gave his announcements and told us to try to get some rest during the morning trek — I thought to myself: "The key word being 'try.'"
Being a regular low-cost flyer, I'm no stranger to Frontier's less-than-stellar onboard product.
Frontier is notorious for its no-frills aircraft cabins, which have mostly cramped seats with no recline, no inflight entertainment, no power or WiFi, and no complimentary snacks or drinks.
But, I rarely shy away from flying on the carrier, especially when it's significantly cheaper than competitors.
Frontier has pretty ultra-low fares even without the unlimited flight pass. And I typically don't need anything more than a personal item.
The low fares have a tradeoff though — painfully uncomfortable seats.
The worst part is the lack of padding and recline.
I found the new seat isn't much better than the old seat.
Created by manufacturer Recaro, the economy class seat was introduced on Frontier in March 2021 and is being fit onto the 156 A320neo and A321neo planes being delivered through 2027.
According to Recaro, the "ergonomic seat design" has revamped tray tables and armrests.
The product offers an "adaptable backrest concept" to "provide passengers of all sizes with a comfortable flight experience."
I had higher expectations for Frontier's new Recaro seat.
But the lightweight design designed for operational efficiency falls short in comfort despite a few saving graces.
The 28 inches of pitch and narrow frame made the seat feel very cramped, even being only 5'3" tall and on the smaller side.
The pitch and width are the same as before, and I didn't notice the backrest begin particularly comfy.
Not only was the seat not comfortable but my 40F seat was stuck in the back corner of the jet. I don't mind the coziness, but those with claustrophobia may not.
Plus, my personal item took up most of my foot space.
The full flight meant there was no extra overhead bin space to store my backpack, so I had to twist my feet around it to stretch out.
To avoid the headache and cramps, I suggest taller passengers upgrade to an extra legroom row.
There was also a particular problem with row 40 — there's no window.
I was surprised to get to my seat and find there was no window. I'm not a nervous flyer, so it didn't bother me.
But I can imagine some flyers may be upset to be assigned a windowless seat. Reserved seats on my flight cost anywhere from $15 to $33 during check-in.
I did find a few upsides, though. The seatback pocket was big, and the corner nook offered seemingly extra privacy.
The dense cattle busses that Frontier flies could see up to 240 people crammed onto one plane.
However, sitting in the back corner made me feel somewhat hidden away.
Moreover, the tray table was larger than the teeny ones in Frontier's old cabin — meaning I could actually use it to sleep.
The small metal tray tables installed on Frontier's old cabin aren't even the size of my hand, meaning I can't comfortably lay my head on it.
The ones on the A321neo, however, are big enough. I used my sweater as a pillow and slept on and off for about two hours.
The small space was still pretty miserable overall, especially on the long transcontinental journey.
The flight from Las Vegas to Orlando was about four hours and 15 minutes.
While I did nap, it wasn't great sleep, and my body was stiff by the end of the flight. I probably would've been more comfortable if I could store my backpack, though.
But, considering I plan to continue using the GoWild! pass this winter, I will likely pay to reserve an aisle seat on flights over two hours.
I know what to expect when flying Frontier, and the seats are what you pay for — but I personally don't mind putting up with it for the cheap fares.
However, having an aisle seat with a little more breathing space will make the flights more bearable going forward.
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