08/24/2026
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40 Years Ago Today, Frontier Airlines Shut Down. The Frontier You Know Today Is a Different Airline.
On August 24, 1986, the original Frontier Airlines flew for the last time, ending 36 years of service across the United States.
This Frontier was a major name in the American West. Based in Denver, it grew from DC-3s and Convairs to Boeing 727s, 737-200s and MD-80s — and at one point served more than 100 airports.
But deregulation brought fierce competition, while rising costs, labor disputes and financial losses piled up. After losing nearly $60 million in its final six months, Frontier ceased operations.
And despite the familiar name, today's Frontier Airlines isn't the same company. The current airline was founded in 1994, eight years after the original disappeared.
For many travelers in the West, though, the old Frontier is still remembered for connecting communities that larger airlines often overlooked.
Did you ever fly the original Frontier?