With TSA liquid limitations, no airline will let you bring a bottle of wine onboard. So you generally have two options: Downing it right there in spite of the TSA agent and stumbling your way to the gate, or checking that wine.
Checking it is generally the better option, and now Southwest Airlines is introducing a feature that encourages it with no added cost. From certain locations, at least.
To mark the airline’s recent expansion into Sonoma wine country, they’re introducing the already trademarked Sip and Ship™ program, which will allow customers to check at least one case of wine at no cost from select West Coast locations.
“We’re excited to open the door to more of California’s incredible destinations, especially the stunning wine region of Sonoma County, as we add our 14th airport to our already best-in-industry intra-California service,” CEO Andrew Watterson said.
It’s all part of Southwest’s recently added service from Santa Rosa’s airport, Charles M. Schulz Sonoma County Airport. The program will begin on April 24 and involves trips to and from Santa Rosa, San Diego, Las Vegas, Denver, and Burbank, California, though additional locations may be added. That one free checked case can include up to 12 bottles, assuming, of course, you’re at least 21 years old.
Those who picked up a case of bottles in the Fredericksburg wine area in Texas must be wondering why they’re being left out of the new promotion. But perhaps it will be added in time. A Texas Hill Country winery did recently beat out California for 2025’s best cabernet sauvignon from the San Francisco Chronicle competition.
Feel free to bring that up with the check-in agent next time they’re charging you for a case of that Texas wine.