Frontier Leaves Dozens Behind in Miami After Delay Outlasts Security Checkpoint

October 25, 2026 — A late-night Frontier flight from Miami left without dozens of passengers. Their flight was delayed past midnight, and the security checkpoint for their gate closed before they could get through.

What happened

Frontier’s Miami (MIA)–Atlanta (ATL) flight was scheduled to leave at 10:55 p.m. on October 23. It was delayed to 2:50 a.m., left at about 2:41 a.m. on October 24, and landed in Atlanta at 4:09 a.m. One passenger estimated about 60 people missed the flight. He said there may have been more than 100.

The flight left from gate F9. Checkpoint 6, which serves the F gates, closes at 10:45 p.m. Checkpoint 9 is open 24 hours but serves the H and J gates, and passengers cannot walk from there to the F gates. Passengers say they checked ahead and were told security would be open for their flight. They were later told they should have arrived by 7 p.m. Frontier and the airport told them nothing could be done.

Under federal rules, passengers on significantly delayed domestic flights can get a refund if they choose not to travel. View from the Wing notes that the refund has to be claimed before the flight departs.

What it means for travelers

Get through security early on late-night departures. At airports where checkpoints close overnight, a delayed flight can depart after the only checkpoint for its gate has closed. If you clear security before it closes, you can still make your flight however late it leaves.
Know which checkpoint serves your gate. At MIA, the 24-hour checkpoint does not connect to the F gates airside.
Late-night seats can open up. When passengers cannot reach the gate, seats on red-eye and very late flights can go empty. That only helps if you are already airside.