Frontier Self-Tagging Kiosk
ROle
Lead UX/UI Designer,
Blndspt Consulting
Objective
Design and launch Frontier’s first-ever automated bag-tagging experience, enabling travelers to check bags with minimal staff support. The goals included reducing check-in wait times, improving the airport experience for travelers, and modernizing Frontier’s check-in infrastructure while maintaining brand clarity and accessibility.
Team
Steven Tate | CEO
Carlos Martin | Chief Software Architect
Insights
→ Designed high-contrast, intuitive screens that guided users quickly through a stressful airport environment—reducing check-in time significantly.
→ Collaborated across airport and corporate teams to align digital UI with real-world hardware constraints.
→ Built a reusable visual design system with accessible, branded patterns to support future kiosk deployments.
Pioneering a First-of-Its-Kind Self-Service Experience
As Frontier Airlines sought to modernize its check-in process, the goal was bold: design and launch the airline’s first-ever self-service bag drop kiosk—an innovation only Delta had achieved at the time. Blndspt was brought on to make this a reality, not just by designing the interface, but by partnering across corporate, airport, and vendor teams to deliver an entirely new product experience from the ground up.
The Challenge
Frontier had never implemented self-service bag tagging, and there was no internal precedent for integrating a digital kiosk into their existing airport operations. We had to solve for a zero-to-one experience: building a new flow, defining requirements across departments, and designing for speed, clarity, and accessibility in an environment filled with stressed travelers and limited attention spans.
I led the design effort, working alongside cross-functional partners in airport ops, engineering, branding, and IT to create an interface that was not only functional, but approachable for a wide spectrum of users—many of whom were unfamiliar with kiosk tech.
Kiosk Row in Denver Airport
Following the beta launch, our team spent extensive time onsite at Denver International Airport to observe real passenger behavior, conduct interviews, troubleshoot software issues, and collaborate directly with airline staff. This hands-on research was key to refining the user experience and ensuring operational success.
Confirmation Number Screen
Designed a touchscreen-optimized input experience featuring a high-contrast, full-width keyboard and clear visual hierarchy. This screen was tested for speed and accessibility, helping travelers quickly retrieve their reservation with minimal friction—even in high-stress airport environments.
Kiosk Row—Multi Screens
A snapshot of the kiosk interface in action—from welcome screen to destination confirmation and bag tag instructions. Each step was designed with minimal user input required. Visual cues, large touch targets, and accessible language ensured travelers could complete the process confidently, even without staff assistance
Reference Photo for scan interaction
Captured real-world reference imagery to inform accurate interface illustrations. These hands-on photos helped define hardware interaction zones, clarify UI placements, and ensure our visuals aligned with actual user behavior at the kiosk.
Custom Vector Illustration for Product UI
Created detailed vector artwork of the kiosk hardware and software interface for use across product documentation, marketing, and internal dashboards. These illustrations ensured consistency across touchpoints and visually communicated the new tech system to non-design stakeholders.
Web Style Guide & Component Library
A simple system created for the new kiosk software, I worked closely with the Frontier Airlines creative team to gather colors, types, and new iconography. Custom illustrations are my own.
Why It Mattered
This project marked a major milestone for Frontier Airlines: it was the airline’s first step toward digital transformation in the airport space. Our work empowered the brand to compete with major players like Delta, while giving customers a faster, less stressful check-in option. For airport staff, the solution reduced queue management burdens and supported a more efficient passenger flow. By blending UX innovation with deep operational collaboration, we helped Frontier take a bold leap into the future of travel.