--- company: frontier-airlines title: Frontier Airlines — how complaints actually go last_verified: 2026-10-12 --- ## In short Frontier publishes a 24/7 phone number again, next to chat and WhatsApp, and has online forms for refunds and written complaints. After a cancellation or a delay of more than 3 hours (domestic), you can take a refund instead of the rebooking, but only if you did not fly the rebooked flight. Frontier rebooks only on its own flights and its plan does not promise hotels. Report bag problems within 4 hours. Frontier had the fourth-most DOT complaint cases in July 2026 and the lowest satisfaction score of the operating airlines that ACSI measured. ## How complaints actually go - Frontier lists a 24/7 customer service phone number (+1-602-333-5925) and chat on its customer service page. [Frontier: customer service](https://www.flyfrontier.com/customer-service/) - Frontier's Customer Service Plan says it acknowledges written complaints within 30 days and gives "a substantive response within 60 days of receiving the correspondence." [Frontier: Customer Service Plan](https://www.flyfrontier.com/legal/customer-service-plan/) - Frontier's refund page sets the significant-delay threshold at more than 3 hours for domestic flights and more than 6 hours for international flights, and says refunds "apply only if the customer did not take a rebooked flight." Use the refund form if the self-service tool does not finish the request. [Frontier: refund options](https://www.flyfrontier.com/refund-options/) - DOT has penalized Frontier twice. In 2022 it assessed $2.2 million for extreme delays in refunds, after Frontier paid $222 million in required refunds. [DOT press release, 2022](https://www.transportation.gov/briefing-room/more-600-million-refunds-returned-airline-passengers-under-dot-rules-backed-new) In January 2025 it assessed $650,000 for three chronically delayed flights; in April 2026 DOT credited the remaining $162,500 for Frontier's passenger compensation and investments. [DOT Order 2026-4-11](https://www.transportation.gov/sites/dot.gov/files/2026-04/Frontier%20Airlines%20Order%202026-4-11.pdf) ## What tends to work - Frontier's Customer Service Plan says "Refunds will be processed within seven (7) business days" to the original form of payment. If a refund is late, cite this and the refund rule (rule `dot-refunds-rule`). [Frontier: Customer Service Plan](https://www.flyfrontier.com/legal/customer-service-plan/) - Frontier's plan says it "will provide meal vouchers for flight delays of 3 hours or more", including cancellations where the rebooked flight leaves 3 or more hours after the original. Ask at the gate. [Frontier: Customer Service Plan](https://www.flyfrontier.com/legal/customer-service-plan/) - If you decline the alternatives after a cancellation, the Contract of Carriage says Frontier refunds the unused portion, including fees for paid extras not provided. [Frontier Contract of Carriage](https://www.flyfrontier.com/legal/contract-of-carriage/) - If Frontier does not resolve the complaint, DOT directs it to respond to you directly and to send DOT a copy. [DOT: File a consumer complaint](https://www.transportation.gov/airconsumer/file-consumer-complaint) ## Traps and fine print - Contract of Carriage section 17.C says Frontier rebooks only on its own flights and "will have no obligation to provide transportation on another carrier." [Frontier Contract of Carriage](https://www.flyfrontier.com/legal/contract-of-carriage/) - Frontier's Customer Service Plan does not list hotel or ground transportation for disruptions. [Frontier: Customer Service Plan](https://www.flyfrontier.com/legal/customer-service-plan/) - Damage, delay or loss of a bag on a domestic flight must be reported within 4 hours of arrival (pilferage within 24 hours), and supporting documents are due within 30 days of receiving Frontier's claim packet. [Frontier Contract of Carriage](https://www.flyfrontier.com/legal/contract-of-carriage/) - Volunteers who give up their seat are paid in an electronic travel voucher that must be used to book within 365 days on Frontier. [Frontier Contract of Carriage](https://www.flyfrontier.com/legal/contract-of-carriage/) ## By the numbers - July 2026: DOT received 773 complaint cases about Frontier; 195 were about refunds and 184 about flight problems. [DOT Air Travel Consumer Report, September 2026 (July 2026 data)](https://www.transportation.gov/sites/dot.gov/files/2026-09/September%202026%20ATCR%20revised%209-22-2026.pdf) - July 2026: Frontier arrived on time 62.5% of the time (7th of 8), cancelled 3.4% of flights (7th of 8), and mishandled 0.54 bags per 100 enplaned. [DOT Air Travel Consumer Report, September 2026](https://www.transportation.gov/sites/dot.gov/files/2026-09/September%202026%20ATCR%20revised%209-22-2026.pdf) - ACSI 2026: Frontier scored 69 out of 100, up from 65 in 2025; only Spirit scored lower. [ACSI: Airlines](https://theacsi.com/industries/travel/airlines/) ## Scams that target customers - The BBB reports fake airline booking sites and customer service numbers found through online searches; get Frontier's number from flyfrontier.com. [BBB scam alert, June 2024](https://www.bbb.org/article/scams/20149-scam-alert-watch-out-for-airfare-scams-when-booking-your-trip), [Frontier: customer service](https://www.flyfrontier.com/customer-service/) - The FTC warns of fake airline customer service accounts on social media during disruptions; use the airline's official app, website, chat or phone number. [FTC consumer alert, July 25, 2024](https://consumer.ftc.gov/consumer-alerts/2024/07/scammers-impersonate-airline-customer-service-representatives)