Lifestyle Travel Frontier Airlines Announces That Its Customers Can Now Pay to Have the Seat Next to Them Empty UpFront Plus upgrades will be available for only $9 for a limited time By Charlotte Phillipp Charlotte Phillipp Charlotte Phillipp is a Weekend Writer-Reporter at PEOPLE. She has been working at PEOPLE since 2024, and was previously an entertainment reporter at The Messenger. People Editorial Guidelines Published on March 14, 2024 04:35PM EDT Close Frontier Airlines' UpFront Plus guarantees an empty middle seat. Photo: Getty Frontier Airlines has a new kind of seating option that’s perfect for fliers who like an empty middle seat. On Tuesday, the airline announced that it would be putting a new ticket tier up for sale — called UpFront Plus, the ticket type allows Frontier passengers to pay extra to have a window or aisle seat in the first two rows of the plane with a guaranteed empty middle seat next to it, plus some extra legroom. “Many consumers are willing to pay a little extra to get added space and comfort when flying. Our new UpFront Plus option is similar to the approach some European carriers take of blocking the middle seat to create a new seating category that provides more space to stretch out,” a spokesperson for Frontier told PEOPLE in a statement. All-Women Crew Pilots United Flight to Inspire 'Girls and the Future Generation' “We believe our UpFront Plus seating option will appeal to travelers seeking extra space and comfort while still getting the value of an ultra-low cost carrier,” they added. “Frontier is all about choice and giving consumers the flexibility to customize their travel to suit their individual needs and preferences,” Frontier Airlines CEO Barry Biffle said in a press release. “UpFront Plus is a great option for those who want expanded personal space and extra comfort.” According to the low-cost airline, Frontier customers can upgrade their seats to the UpFront Plus tier beginning Thursday for flights departing on or after April 10. As part of a promotion, the upgrade will be available starting at $49 per passenger for flights between April 10 and April 30 that are purchased by March 20, per the press release. Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. “With the recent introduction of our new Biz Travel For Less program, UpFront Plus seating will also provide an affordable upgrade option for those traveling on business seeking additional space,” Biffle added. A Frontier Airlines plane at Orlando International Airport. Getty Frontier Airlines Is Offering Unlimited Flights with $599 Annual Pass In addition to the extra leg and elbow room, UpFront Plus guarantees that passengers sitting in these upgraded seats will be the first to get in-flight service. This new ticket tier comes amid changes at Frontier — just last month, the airline announced it would be adding more than a dozen new routes in the U.S. and Caribbean, including non-stop flights out of Atlanta, Nashville, Denver, Houston and more cities. In 2022, it also created another new ticket tier — the annual GoWild! Pass allows customers to book flights for one cent in addition to taxes, fees and charges. The annual pass costs $1,999 per year and only allows customers to book domestic flights one day before departure.