Frontier has recently introduced a three-tiered price structure for their plane tickets. I found this out yesterday when shopping for a flight for the convention. I'm still not real close to being able to afford the trip, but I am closer than I was a month ago.

At their Economy rate, my desired flights would cost about $189 R/T. I always check one bag, so add $30 ($15 each way) to the ticket. I always buy DTV on Frontier, so add $7.98 ($3.99 each way) to the ticket. Can't fly to Vegas without an adult beverage on board, so add $6 outbound to the ticket. That's $232.98, and you don't get to choose your seats.

Buy the same flights at their Classic rate, and you get seat selection, free DTV and free checked luggage (not just the first piece, but the second too) for $238.92 and get 125% on flyer miles as well as significantly reduced charges for changes and/or confirmed alternate (same day) reservations. That's about 25% more than the base price of the Economy ticket, and you won't get a middle seat in the back of the plane and need to use an entire overhead baggage bin to house your "carry-on" luggage.

Buy the same flights at their Classic Plus rate, and you get what is basically a first class ticket with all of the first class perks except a fat seat for about 60% above the cost of the base price of the Economy ticket. Fully refundable, no change fees, no cost snacks and liquor, DTV, premium seat selection and priority boarding to boot! That ticket would cost $308.90. That's $75.90 more than the Economy rate with the added charges for services I'd usually need/use. If I needed a second checked bag both ways, the difference in actual cost is reduced to $25.90, and the Economy ticket is non-refundable. Also, you get 150% flyer miles credit. That is huge with Frontier, as they only require 20k miles (was 15k until last year) for a free R/T ticket.

My work-related travel schedule started early last month, and the season starts slowly so I've only had 3 assignments. One of those assignments was in the Greensboro, NC area the week before the start of March Madness. The event got postponed and rescheduled to the next weekend due to winter weather the day before I was supposed to fly. Jumping through every travel hoop I know, changing the flights, rental car and hotel reservations to a week later ONLY cost me about $500 extra. That gobbled a significant part of my salary for that event. Had I wanted to fly the exact same flights a week later, the difference would have cost $830 just for the airfare changes!

Below is what you get at the three price tiers from Frontier. I can only hope every airline follows their lead. Given the diversity of areas I need to plant myself for long weekends, I must use just about every airline that flies within North America. If they all offered such a pricing structure, at the very least I'd buy the Classic ticket for all of my 25 R/T flights.

Economy

Seat assignment at check in
First checked bag: $15 fee applies
Second checked bag: $25 fee applies
DIRECTV: Available for purchase on most flights (price varies - $3.99 - $5.99)
In-flight snacks: Available for purchase on most flights
Premium beverages: Available for purchase on most flights
Confirmed alternate flight (same day): $150 fee applies
Change fee: $150 + applicable fare difference
100% EarlyReturns mileage

Classic

Advance seat assignment
First checked bag: INCLUDED
Second checked bag: INCLUDED
DIRECTV: INCLUDED
In-flight snacks: Available for purchase on most flights
Premium beverages: Available for purchase on most flights
Confirmed alternate flight (same day): $75 fee applies
Change fee: $50 + applicable fare difference
125% EarlyReturns mileage

Classic Plus

Fully-Refundable Ticket
Advanced Premium Seat Assignment
Priority Boarding
First Checked Bag: INCLUDED
Second Checked Bag: INCLUDED
DIRECTV: INCLUDED
In-Flight Snack: INCLUDED
Premium Beverage: INCLUDED (Free beer!)
Confirmed Alternate Flight (Same Day): $0
Change Fee: $0 + applicable fare difference