Southwest Airlines joins Alaska Airlines to let wine fly free

On Southwest Airlines, now it costs (even) more to check a suitcase unless you qualify for a fee waiver, credit card or airline status.

However, starting April 24, any Southwest Airlines passenger flying between select cities on the U.S. West Coast will be able to check up to one case of wine for free.

The airline has not yet shared which cities will be included in its new Sip and Ship program. But because the announcement was accompanied by a launch celebrating Southwest’s new service from Santa Rosa, California, to San Diego, Las Vegas and Burbank, California, it’s a good bet that Charles M. Schulz Sonoma County Airport (STS), near Santa Rosa, will be on the list.

Southwest serves many of the cities in the West Coast wine country, which stretches from California to Oregon, Washington, and even Idaho. So the Sip and Ship program will likely prove to be a welcome amenity for Southwest Airlines travelers looking to take home a bottle or case of wine as a souvenir.

“By adding service to Sonoma County Airport and launching Sip and Ship, we are offering our customers even more convenience and the opportunity to continue drinking and savoring their time in wine country,” Andrew Watterson, chief operating officer of Southwest Airlines, said in a statement.

While we wait for eligible cities to be announced, here are some of the airline’s rules for shipping wine:

• Only passengers over 21 years of age will be able to check in free wine.
• Wine must be securely packaged in a leak-proof bag or box with appropriate and professional packaging, and must be checked in at the customer service counter.
• Southwest defines a “case” as a single specialized wine box or suitcase that holds up to twelve bottles and weighs no more than 50 pounds.
• “The top of the main shipping container must not be sealed prior to inspection by the customer service agent at the airport,” according to the carrier. Therefore, you can’t fill a wine box with your dirty laundry in a sneaky attempt to evade checked baggage fees.

Alaska Airlines Wine Flies Free Program

Southwest isn’t the first airline to send wine to passengers for free.

In 2007, Alaska Airlines debuted its Wine Flies Free program and coincidentally also used STS Airport as a departure point.

There are now 32 West Coast cities included in their program, which is available to any member of the Atmos Reward miles program.

You must be 21 years or older to take advantage of the program; You must also depart and arrive at one of the 32 airports in Washington, Idaho or California served by the airline.

Here is the list:

• Washington: Bellingham International Airport (BLI), Paine Field (PAE), Tri-Cities Airport (PSC), Pullman-Moscow Regional Airport (PUW), Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA), Spokane International Airport (GEG), Walla Walla Regional Airport (ALW), Pangborn Memorial Airport (EAT), and McAllister Field (YKM)
• Oregon: Eugene Airport (EUG), Rogue Valley Medford International Airport (MFR), Portland International Airport (PDX), and Redmond Municipal Airport (RDM)
• California: Hollywood Burbank Airport (BUR), Fresno Yosemite International Airport (FAT), Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), Monterey Regional Airport (MRY), Oakland San Francisco Bay Airport (OAK), Ontario International Airport (ONT), John Wayne Airport (SNA), Palm Springs International Airport (PSP), Redding Regional Airport (RDD), Sacramento International Airport (SMF), San Diego International Airport (SAN), San Francisco International Airport (SFO), San Jose Mineta International Airport (SJC), SLO County Airport (SBP), Santa Barbara Airport (SBA), and STS
• Idaho: Boise Airport (BOI), Idaho Falls Regional Airport (IDA), and Friedman Memorial Airport (SUN)

The Wine Flies Free program requires that wine be checked in at the counter, properly labeled, and packaged in a box or box with enough packaging material (styrofoam, cardboard, bubble wrap, etc.) to keep the bottle or bottles protected. (Alaska even has some co-branded approved wine shippers on their site.)

Additional Benefit of the Wine Flies Free Program

Alaska’s Wine Flies Free program has a hidden benefit that can be just as valuable, if not more, than the baggage fee waiver.

Wineries and tasting rooms in Oregon, Washington, and Idaho typically charge a tasting fee, which can range from $15 to $40 per person. However, some select wineries may waive fees if you show your inbound boarding pass and Atmos Rewards membership. (Many wineries also waive tasting fees if you purchase a bottle.)

Rules and regulations may vary by state and winery. Be sure to check the winery’s website and download applications for each state’s program. (Follow the links on the Wine Flies Free page.)

If you are planning a day of wine tasting based on the fee waiver, be sure to call ahead to confirm. Many wineries will not waive the fee on weekends, holidays, or during special events. And, in Idaho, participating wineries can request proof that you have flown into an Idaho airport.