Is A Budget Airline All-You-Can-Fly Travel Pass Really Worth Buying?

If you're looking for ways to stretch your travel budget so that you can take as many trips as possible, you're probably searching for ways to score cheap flights. Plenty of airlines offer great sales and special loyalty programs that can help you save money on tickets, but a few budget airlines have gone a step further with the introduction of unlimited flight passes.

Imagine being able to fly as often as you want for one flat rate. It's like an all-access pass to some of the world's coolest destinations. Frontier Airlines, a budget carrier based out of Denver, Colorado, has been offering their GoWild! All-You-Can-Fly pass since 2022. Frontier Airline is one of the most eco-friendly airlines in the United States, as well as one of the most affordable. They mostly fly domestically with a few international flights to destinations in the Caribbean and Central America. Wizz Air, a European budget airline headquartered in Budapest, Hungary, also offers an unlimited yearly pass. The airline flies all over Europe, and to destinations in Africa, the Middle East, and Asia. In total, there are 780 routes in 53 countries.

For budget-travelers, these options may seem like all-you-can-fly passes may be a dream come true for budget travelers, but many question whether or not they're actually a scam. When things sound too good to be true, they usually are right? The answer is yes, and no. These budget-friendly flight passes are great for some travelers, but it's important to read the fine print, and to ensure you'll be able to get your money's worth.

Frontier offers several GoWild! All-You-Can-Fly pass options. You can choose to purchase a monthly pass, a spring and summer pass, a fall and winter pass, or an annual pass. The annual pass is definitely where you'll see the most bang for your buck, especially if you purchase early. The pass usually costs $699 per person, but if you're able to score an early bird special, you can get it for as little as $299. You can use the pass on as many flights as you want and it's valid for domestic and international destinations. So what's the catch?

To fly domestically, you can only book your flight a day ahead of time, so if the flight sells out you'll be out of luck. International flights can be booked 10 days in advance, which gives you a bit more time to plan. If you need to book further in advance, select flights are discounted for pass holders. There are blackout dates throughout the year when your GoWild! pass won't work, so don't expect to fly during peak holiday travel – those flights will likely be full anyway. Select flights allow for early booking with your GoWild! All-You-Can-Fly pass, but you may have to pay additional fees. With the pass, you will pay $0.01 in airfare, but you'll still have to pay the taxes and fees. Things like luggage and seat selection cost extra.

Frontier's unlimited flight pass can be a great deal for flexible travelers, light packers, and people who frequently fly on Frontier's popular routes. For travelers who need to solidify their plans well in advance, or for those who travel with a lot of baggage, it may not pay off in the long run.

The European budget airline Wizz Air began service in 2004, and quickly grew. In 2024, over 50 million people flew on the airline. Wizz Air claims to be Europe's greenest airline, and has been named the most sustainable low-cost airline four years in a row, from 2021 to 2024, by the World Finance Sustainability Awards.

Wizz Air announced a new All-You-Can-Fly subscription pass which is valid for all of their flights, except domestic flights within Italy. The airline launched the program with 10,000 passes up for sale and those who purchased were able to start using them in September of 2024. With the pass, you can book one-way flights beginning three days before departure, and up until three hours before departure. The pass costs around $657 per year. Once you pay the yearly fee, you'll be charged a small flat rate for each flight. The fee is around $10 per booking, and it does not include extras like luggage.

If you're considering purchasing the pass, it's important that you understand the fine print. According to Wizz Air's website, there are some restrictions on which flights you can book with your pass, and they may be difficult to determine ahead of time. Some include the number of pass holders already booked on the flight, the time that you book, and total available seats. It's also important to note that if you miss two flights booked with your pass, Wizz Air can cancel it, which can be tricky if you're booking with multiple connections. While some passholders are happy with their purchase, many believe it was a waste of their money. One unhappy Reddit user even called the program, "a borderline scam." Like the Frontier pass, it's definitely best suited to travelers with lots of flexibility.