Can You Bring Alcohol Into a Hotel?

For a lot of travelers, traveling and drinking alcohol go hand-in-hand. There’s nothing like relaxing on a vacation and having a cold one while escaping reality for a few days.

But is it actually allowed for you to bring alcohol into a hotel or do you have to purchase all of your alcohol at the bar or from the minibar?

In this article, we will take a look and see what type of policies hotels usually have when it comes to alcohol.

Can you bring alcohol into a hotel?

Most hotels will allow you to bring alcohol into the hotel and with you to your hotel room. However, they may place restrictions on where you can consume alcohol. For example, you may not be able to consume your own alcohol in the lobby area or in the bar area.

Let’s take a closer look at how hotels handle guests bringing in alcohol!

Tip: Use the free app WalletFlo to help you travel the world for free by finding the best travel credit cards and promotions!

“Prohibition” hotels

Believe it or not, there are some hotels that do NOT allow guests to bring alcohol into the hotel.

They do this for a few reasons but it’s mostly just to prevent people from getting out of control or causing noise disturbances. It’s essentially a way to try to prevent people from throwing parties in their hotel rooms.

It also could presumably help increase revenue for the hotel since more guests would be inclined to purchase alcohol from the bar or the mini bar in the room.

The obvious issue with this type of policy is the difficulty with enforcing it.

You could imagine a guest walking into a hotel after hitting up the local liquor store and taking several cases of beer to their room. Or better yet, bringing an entire cooler of brewskis with them.

In that situation, the guest could stick out enough so that someone at the front desk could stop them and inform them that alcohol is not allowed in the property.

If they were truly enforcing the policy they would probably just ask you to leave the alcohol at the front desk or perhaps take it back to your vehicle in the parking lot. It’s highly unlikely that a hotel would kick you out on the spot.

However, if anyone was aware of the rule they could easily hide their alcohol in their luggage making it very easy to get around the rule.

The other way this could be enforced is when housekeeping gets into the room and they see evidence that someone has been drinking.

They could see a lot of empty beer bottles lying around the room, for example.

The issue with that scenario is that any “punishment” is going to result in some very unhappy guests, especially because the evidence is still somewhat indirect.

Also, if the guests were not causing any kind of loud commotion, the hotel does not really have a good reason for coming down on them. So I really wouldn’t worry too much about this scenario.

Related: Can You Bring Alcohol & Mini-Liquor Bottles on Planes: A Sobering TSA Guide

Hilton Aspire bonus free night
Hilton Americas-Houston Lobby Bar

Restrictions on pool and gym areas

Hopefully your idea of a workout is hitting the treadmill hard and not shotgunning a beer or guzzling down a bottle of wine.

But, you can probably expect alcohol to not be allowed inside of hotel gyms because it’s a bad idea and it just doesn’t vibe with other people who are in there trying to work on their fitness.

It’s also extremely common for alcohol to not be allowed in pool areas.

Lots of hotel pools do not have lifeguards on duty and so the potential of someone getting drunk, slipping, and then drowning is a real possibility.

There’s also the threat of someone breaking glass bottles somewhere by the pool and creating a hazard for others.

Restaurant and bar areas

Restaurants and bars — whether located inside of a hotel or outside of a hotel — usually have strict policies that do not allow you to bring alcohol in. “No Outside Food Allowed” signs are very common to see.

So it’s no surprise that you’ll find these policies applied to restaurants and bars located in hotels.

Lobby and other common areas

Whether or not you can drink in the lobby area of a hotel (or any other public area) is going to depend on the hotel’s policy and also on the local laws.

It’s not uncommon for there to be rules against drinking and smoking in common areas and the hotel lobby is the quintessential common area of a hotel.

For example, here is what the Hampton Inn Portage states:

Our Hotel does not possess a State Liquor License nor a special event permit. We prohibit the consumption of alcoholic beverages in the common areas to include the lobby, pool, fitness center, and/or hallway corridors. 

The Holiday Inn Express and Suites Collingwood states the following:

Drinking Alcohol is prohibited in all Public Areas including; in the hotel’s Lobby, Hallways, Pool areas, and parking areas

With that said, some hotels will allow you to do it.

Contrary to what some believe, most hotel staff members don’t want to interfere with a guest unless they feel like they have to. Even if a hotel does have “no alcohol in the lobby” policy it’s possible that the hotel staff may look the other way if you are drinking but not causing a problem.

However, if you are getting belligerent or running around causing a scene, that could be a different story and they may decide it’s time to enforce their policy.

So don’t expect hotels to allow you to drink your own alcohol in common areas but if you do and are discreet, you may not run into trouble.

What if you get caught with alcohol?

In most cases, unless you are causing some other type of issue, if you get caught drinking alcohol somewhere you are not supposed to you will probably just be asked to leave or discard your alcohol.

If a hotel does not allow you to bring in alcohol, there is also a chance they may have some type of penalty for getting caught. For example, they could slap you with some type of $100 fee.

Any property that develops a reputation for charging this type of fee would probably be quickly ridiculed and suffer in the realm of public opinion so I would not expect this to happen.

There’s always the possibility of a hotel kicking you out for violating its policies but again I would imagine getting kicked out for simply possessing alcohol would be an extremely rare occurrence. The backlash to the hotel would just be too great.

Related: Can You Get Kicked Out of a Hotel?

Final word

Most hotels will allow you to bring alcohol into the hotel and into your room. You probably will not run into any issues consuming alcohol in your room unless you are causing some type of disturbance.

But if you want to consume alcohol in common areas of the hotel, you need to be mindful that this could be against the policy of the hotel or even local laws.

In addition, some areas of the hotel will virtually always be off-limits to alcohol such as the hotel pool.

What Airlines Offer You Free Drinks? (+ Discounts!) [2022]

For some people, getting free drinks during their flight is one of the major perks of traveling. This is especially true when you are crammed into an economy cabin and trying to pass time on a long flight.

But what type of airline tickets will hook you up with a free drink? And are there ways to get discounts on drinks?

In this article, we will break down the different ways passengers can receive free drinks when flying. We will take a look at each airline and break down their policy for both alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages.

Different types of free drinks

Let’s take a quick overview on how to get free alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks.

Getting free non-alcoholic drinks

For those of you who just want to sip on something it’s very common for airlines to offer free non-alcoholic drinks to economy passengers. This typically includes water, juices, tea, coffee, and sometimes soda.

A couple of quick thoughts based on my experience:

  • If they offer water bottles the bottles can be very small, so we usually buy a large bottle at the airport. They can be expensive but it’s worth staying hydrated.
  • We don’t usually order coffee or tea because we don’t necessarily trust the water on planes….

For those reasons, I usually go for sparkling water (club soda) or juice.

Mileage requirements…

The biggest hurdle to getting a free drink in economy is often the minimum mileage requirement.

There simply is not enough time to serve an entire cabin drinks for shorter flights, so some airlines will not serve drinks on very short flights or they will limit their selection to only water.

Other times, when there is a little bit more distance on the route, they will serve drinks but only upon request so you will have to flag down a flight attendant.

Look for minimum mileage cut-offs to be around 175 to 350 miles.

Note: In First Class the mileage requirement for drink service may be lower.

Related: Can You Bring Alcohol (Mini-Liquor Bottles) on Planes & Through Airports?

Tip: Use the free app WalletFlo to help you travel the world for free by finding the best travel credit cards and promotions!

Club soda can delta first class
Staying hydrated with club soda can Delta first class.

Getting free alcoholic drinks

Business/first

Whenever you fly business or first class on a US airline, you can expect to receive free beer, wine, and liquor during your flight.

You’ll also get the added benefit of getting served up drinks even on very short flights.

For example, on a recent flight from Honolulu to Kauai, we were served drinks in first class and the route was only about 100 miles!

On short flights, you might want to order two drinks at once because that might be the only opportunity you get to order drinks. But be aware that some airlines do limit the number of alcoholic drinks you can order at once on flights.

Premium Economy

Premium economy cabins are usually only on long-haul flights and in these cabins you’ll find seats with extra width, legroom, and even foot rests.

When you book a ticket in this cabin you can usually choose your seat for free and you may also get served free alcoholic drinks.

Main cabin extra

If you pay to upgrade to something like main cabin extra which consist of economy seats with extra legroom, sometimes the airline will provide you with additional perks.

These perks can include things like priority boarding but they also can get you free alcoholic drinks. Just be sure you are aware of the mileage requirements to ensure that you can take advantage of a free drink.

Long-haul flights

Even if you are flying in economy, some airlines will provide you with free drinks on long-haul routes.

For example, if you were flying from the US to Europe or to Asia there’s a good chance that the airline you’re flying on may provide you with free beer and wine, and possibly even spirits.

This can make flying in economy a lot more tolerable for some people.

Discounts on drinks

If you have a co-branded airline credit card for the airline you’re flying on, you can often get about 20% to 25% off of your in-flight drink purchases. Some credit cards may even up that discount to 50%!

Just make sure that you use the airline’s credit card when you make the purchase so that you can trigger the statement credit as that is how it usually works.

Related: How Much It Costs to Choose Your Seats on Each Airline

Mai Tai on Hawaiian Airlines
Mai Tai on Hawaiian Airlines

Each airline’s policy

Below, I will highlight some of the details for each major airline.

I break each airline down by non-alcoholic and alcoholic beverages where appropriate so you can easily view the difference in policies. I’ll also note the airlines that do NOT provide any free drinks to passengers.

Alaska Airlines

Non-alcoholic drinks

On Alaska Airlines, economy passengers and above can get free non-alcoholic beverages including: Boxed Water, Seltzer, Coke products, juices, and tonic water. Coffee and tea will also be available.

If you’re flying to or from Hawaii, you have the added privilege of ordering Passion Orange Guava Juice.

Alcoholic drinks

Alaska Airlines will offer free alcoholic drinks to:

  • First Class
  • Premium Class

Premium class is a basically economy plus for Alaska Airlines. When you book economy tickets with them, you can often upgrade to Premium Class by selecting those seats.

If you are in Main Cabin you can still purchase alcoholic drinks. Beer will cost $8 and wine and spirits will cost $9.

If your trip is under 350 miles, they may not be serving drinks.

With an Alaska Airlines credit card you can get 20% back on in-flight purchases such as drinks.

Find more details on Alaska’s website

Premium class drinks

American Airlines

Non-alcoholic drinks

Main Cabin economy passengers can get free non-alcoholic drinks upon request on flights of 250 miles or less. On flights over 250 miles, drinks will be served by flight attendants including: coffee, tea, juice, water and soft drinks.

Alcoholic drinks

American Airlines will offer free beer, wine, and spirits to:

Long-haul economy includes flights for Asia, Australia, Europe, New Zealand, the Middle East and certain South America cities.

AAdvantage Executive Platinum and ConciergeKey members also get a complimentary alcoholic drink and food menu item during their flight.

You’ll also get complimentary beverages, including beer, wine and spirits if you’re traveling to/from Hawaii on flights between:

  • Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW)
  • Chicago (ORD)
  • Charlotte (CLT)

Use your Citi® / AAdvantage® card or AAdvantage® Aviator® Mastercard® and get 25% savings on food and beverage purchases inflight.

Find more details on American’s website

drinks in American Airlines first class.
Free drinks in American Airlines first class.

Delta Airlines

Non-alcoholic drinks

For flights over 250 miles, all passengers can receive free coffee, tea, and 8oz bottled water. Soft drinks will be available on flights of 500 miles or more.

Alcoholic drinks

On Flights of 251-499 miles, Delta Airlines will offer complimentary beer and wine to:

  • First Class
  • Delta Comfort+

Other beverages, including Coca-Cola mini cans, juices, and mixers will be available for First Class customers. 

On Flights of 500+ miles, American Airlines will offer complimentary beer and wine to:

  • First Class
  • Delta Comfort+

Customers in Main Cabin on these 500+ mile routes may purchase alcohol by using tap-to-pay. 

On long-haul international flights a full selection of beverage offerings, including beer, spirits, and a limited selection of wine will be available for economy passengers for free.

You can receive 20% off in the form of a statement credit after you use a qualifying Delta card on in-flight purchases of food, beverages, and audio headsets.

Find more details on Delta’s website

water bottles on Delta
Free water bottles on Delta First.

Frontier

Since Frontier is an ultra low-cost carrier, it does NOT offer free drinks to passengers.

Here is what Frontier states:

We do offer food and beverages in-flight for purchase. These are not complimentary, as we would rather pass the cost-savings on to our customers by offering the lowest fares possible!

Expect to pay around $3 for a basic soft drinks. However, you also have additional menu options for alcoholic beverages including:

  • Redwood Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon, Stone Cellars Chardonnay
  • Bacardi Rum, Buffalo Trace Bourbon, Fireball Whiskey, Tangueray Gin, Jack Daniels Whiskey, Tito’s Vodka
  • Buzzballz Mixed Drinks (Hazelnut Latte, Lotta Colada, Tequila Rita)

Hawaiian Airlines

Non-alcoholic drinks

Economy passengers can enjoy complimentary drinks such as juices, sodas, tea, and coffee.

Alcoholic drinks

Hawaiian Airlines will offer free alcoholic drinks to:

  • First Class
  • Select international economy routes

When flying economy you can get free alcoholic beverages on international routes except for Tahiti and America Samoa. If you are flying domestically in economy, you can ask about getting a free Mai Tai.

Pualani Platinum & Gold members with the Hawaiian Airlines® Bank of Hawaii World Elite Mastercard® are eligible to receive an in-flight purchase credit of $10 per day, up to $100 each account year.

Free drink in Hawaiian Airlines First Class.
Free drink in Hawaiian Airlines First Class.

JetBlue

Non-alcoholic drinks

For JetBlue, all passengers in economy and above can receive free coffee, tea, water, and soft drinks (Pepsi products).

Alcoholic drinks

JetBlue will offer free alcohol to:

  • Mint passengers
  • Economy passengers to Europe

JetBlue will offer free beer, wine, and liquor for economy passengers on flights between the U.S. and London. You can also get your first free alcoholic drink free if you book with JetBlue Vacations.

If you don’t receive any free alcoholic beverages you can purchase them at prices like $10 for wine, $8-$9 for beer, and $9-$10 for spirits.

Flights under 175 miles may not be serving beverages.

With a JetBlue credit card you can get a 50% in-flight savings on cocktails and food purchases. That’s one of the best in-flight discounts you can find with the credit card.

Find more details on JetBlue’s website

Southwest Airlines

Non-alcoholic drinks

Southwest offers free non-alcoholic drinks drinks for all passengers on flights traveling 176 miles or more. Flights traveling 175 miles or less only serve water.

Alcoholic drinks

Southwest does not offer unlimited free alcoholic drinks to any passengers.

If you are a Business Select customer you will be issued a free drink coupon at check-in which you can use on alcoholic beverages.

Sometimes you may be randomly issued free drink coupons through promotional materials, especially if you are an A-List member.

Related: 7 Tips for Getting Southwest Airlines Drink Coupons

With a Southwest credit card you can get 25% back on inflight purchases like drinks and WiFi.

Find more details on Southwest’s website

Spirit Airlines

Spirit states:

There is no complimentary beverage or snack service on Spirit flights. Doing this helps us to keep prices low for all of our passengers.

Expect to pay about $3 for soft drinks and other basic non-alcoholic beverages. Alcoholic drinks such as beer, wine, and liquor will run you about $7.

Get a 25% rebate on in-flight food and beverage purchases when you pay with your Free Spirit® Travel More World Elite Mastercard®.

United Airlines

Non-alcoholic drinks

On flights within North America, the Caribbean and most of Latin America, customers traveling in United Economy can enjoy complimentary soft drinks (Coke products), juices, tea and freshly brewed illy coffee.

Alcoholic drinks

United Airlines will offer free alcoholic drinks to:

  • First Class
  • United Premium Plus
  • Select long-haul international economy flights

Wine and beer are complimentary in United Economy on long-haul international flights, and liquor/spirits is available for purchase.

Specifically, these long-haul international long-haul international fights include Trans-Atlantic flights, flights between the U.S. and Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru, and Trans-Pacific flights between the U.S. and Australia, China, Japan, Korea, New Zealand, Singapore, Tahiti and Taiwan.

For economy passengers, alcoholic beverages are available for purchase on all flights traveling to or from the domestic U.S., Latin America and Canada.

Alcoholic beverages may not be served on flights under 300 miles.

With the right United Airlines credit card such as the Explorer card, you can get 25% back, in the form of a credit card account statement credit, on purchases of food, beverages and Wi-Fi.

Find more details on United’s website

United First Class meal.
United First Class meal.

Final word

As long as you’re not on a very short flight, chances are you can get a free non-alcoholic beverage on your flight even when flying economy.

The main exception to that is when flying on ultra low-cost carriers.

If it is free alcoholic beverages you are after then flying first class, or some type of premium economy or upgraded economy, will often land you with free beverages.

Also, if you are flying on an international long-haul flight, there’s a good chance that you’ll have some type of free alcoholic beverage offered to you.

FAA proposing huge fines for acting out on planes

The FAA is proposing big fines for three passengers who allegedly disrupted flights recently.

Earlier this year, (the week after the Capitol riot) the Federal Aviation Administration adopted a stricter unruly flyer policy.

They tweeted back in January:

“FAA Administrator Steve Dickson signed an order directing the agency to take strong action against any passenger who disrupts or threatens the safety of a flight, with penalties ranging from fines to jail time. No warnings!”

They reportedly decided to go with stricter penalties after a “disturbing” increase in incidents where passengers have disrupted flights with threats or violent behavior.

“These incidents have stemmed both from passengers’ refusals to wear masks and from recent violence at the U.S. Capitol,” the FAA said.

And now they are proposing some big fines.

On January 4, on a JetBlue flight from Haiti to Boston a man got drunk and began yelling and grabbing flight attendants. The crew moved nearby passengers and arranged for the man to be arrested when the plane landed. The FAA proposed a $31,750 fine against the man.

The FAA is also seeking a $16,750 penalty against another passenger on the same flight. This man was allegedly also drunk and began shouting obscenities and making threatening gestures to a flight attendant.

And there is a third man who was on a flight from Yuma, Arizona to Dallas Fort Worth.

This guy drank multiple mini bottles of his own alcohol and was bothering passengers and at one point made his way toward the front of the plane until two off-duty law enforcement officers wrestled him back into his seat.

I would imagine that some of these outbursts are in part coming from general frustrations regarding the pandemic and also the frustrations related to covid restrictions such as being forced to wear a mask.

People are still just generally more on edge than they were before the pandemic.

These fines are being proposed but passengers have 30 days to respond to the FAA enforcement letters.

I’m not clear on what the process entails but one thing is pretty clear right now: this is not the time to act like a jack ass on a plane.

Also, if you were planning on bringing alcohol on a plane make sure you know the rules and regulations surrounding that.

H/T

7 Tips for Getting Southwest Airlines Drink Coupons [2021]

Let’s be real, Southwest Airlines is not known for being the most luxurious airline out there. Their planes are basically one large economy cabin and the experience is not always so glamorous (although I am still a fan).

However, one way to make your flight a little bit more relaxing is to take advantage of free drink coupons. But how exactly can you get your hands on these coupons?

In this article, I will tell you everything you need to know about how to get Southwest free drink coupons. I will also answer some questions about things like transferability, printing them out, etc. 

How to get Southwest free drink coupons (7 tips)

There are several ways that you can get Southwest free drink coupons. Some of them are easier than others and some of them pretty much just depend on luck. Below, I will break down all of the different ways that you can expect to receive Southwest free drink coupons.

Tip: Use the free app WalletFlo to help you travel the world for free by finding the best travel credit cards and promotions!

Get drink discounts

With the new Southwest Priority Credit Card you can get a 20% discount on in-flight purchases, including drinks.  Here is everything else at this card comes with:

  • Bonus spending:
    • 2X Rapid Rewards on Southwest purchases
    • 2X Rapid Rewards on hotel and car rental partner purchases.
    • 1X Rapid Rewards on all other purchases
  • $75 Southwest annual travel credit
  • 7,500 anniversary points each year
  • Four Upgraded Boardings per year when available.
  • 20% back on in-flight drinks, WiFi, messaging, and movies
  • No foreign transaction fees
  • Earn tier qualifying points towards A-list Status
  • $149 annual fee applied to your first billing statement

1. Fly Southwest Business Select

When you purchase a Southwest Business Select ticket you will be issued a free drink coupon upon check-in. This coupon may be attached to the back of your boarding pass so don’t overlook it. The very first time I ever flew Business Select I had no idea it was even there and trashed it so don’t be like me!

On that same note you could do a bit of an airport “dumpster dive” and search around check-in kiosks for discarded free drink coupons, although that does seem a tad bit desperate for free booze. 

Business Select drink coupons are only good for your flight so you cannot use them at a later date. Business Select tickets are the most expensive type of airline ticket Southwest offers. However, they do come with benefits beyond free drinks which include:

  • Guaranteed A1-A15 boarding
  • Fly By lane access
  • 12 Rapid Rewards per dollar spent
  • Fully refundable fare
  • Standby

Getting the guaranteed A1 to A15 boarding positions is great because Southwest has an open seat policy where seats are not reserved. With a higher boarding position, you can choose a more desirable seat. So you can get a free drink AND a little bit of extra legroom. 

Business Select is also a good idea for those who need a fully refundable fare and want to maximize their Rapid Rewards earnings. 

You should know that if you upgrade to Business Select you will not receive the free drink coupons usually. I believe there was one occasion where they issued us free drink coupons but there were extenuating circumstances and I do not believe that this is the norm. 

2. 10 one way flights

If you fly 10 one way flights on Southwest you should be issued drink coupons, likely in a group of four. Important: these flights need to be paid flights and not flights booked with Rapid Rewards. 

There is some debate about whether or not at least 10 flights need to take place within one calendar year or just over time. The consensus seems to be that you do not have to make these 10 flights within one calendar year.

Thus, if you do not receive your drink coupons after flying 10 segments I would contact customer service. But before you call you should make sure that you are opted in for free drink coupons based on your preferences. Here is how you can do that:

  1. Log in to your Rapid Rewards account at southwest.com (if you don’t have a Rapid Rewards account then you need to create one)
  2. Select “My Account”
  3. Select “Travel” under “My Preferences”
  4. Select the “Extras” icon (with a picture of a drink)
  5. Under “Rapid Rewards drink coupons,” click Edit and select Yes to confirm you are over 21 years old.

Hat tip

3. Holidays

Southwest is known for offering free drinks on special holidays. For example, if you’re flying on St. Patrick’s Day, Southwest’s Birthday (June 18), New Year’s Day, Independence Day, Halloween, Thanksgiving, and a few others you might be able to get a free drink. Be sure to check out their menu to see which holidays might be offering free drinks.

Also, if you are flying on your birthday and you mention that to a flight attendant there’s a good chance you can get a free drink as well. 

Update: Southwest Airlines may no longer be giving away free drinks on special holidays.

4. Southwest credit card

Some say that if you hold a Southwest credit card you might be sent drink coupons every now and again. I have been a Southwest credit card holder for sometime now and have yet to receive any free drink coupons in the mail yet so I would not count on this. (It seems that this may have stopped in 2016.)

Sometimes if you flash your Southwest credit card to a flight attendant when ordering on a flight they may see that and allow you to take advantage of a free drink. Obviously the strategy will be hit or miss, though. (You could always ask if your Southwest credit card can get you a free drink coupon.) 

5. Southwest newsletter

If you sign up for the Southwest newsletter, there is a chance that you could be issued free drink coupons. And even if you don’t get a free drink coupon, you still will be up-to-date on the special deals and contests. 

6. Being nice to flight attendants

Sometimes if you chat up with a flight attendant and are very personable with them there is a chance that they will give you a free drink coupon. And other times they may just randomly give you a free drink. But either way you should be nice to the flight attendants.

7. When something goes awry

If something goes wrong, you might be able to request for free drink coupons as a form of compensation. For example, if you had a really tough time checking in or if your flight was delayed there may be a chance for you to get those.

Tip: Use WalletFlo for all your credit card needs. It’s free and will help you optimize your rewards and savings!

Southwest drink menu 2020

Below is an example of what you can expect with the Southwest drink menu. (I don’t think the 2021 Southwest drink menu has been updated due to coronavirus.)

Drink menu 2020

Note that these options are subject to change each season and that this should only provide you with some guidance of what you might find on the menu. 

Also, here are links to past menus (links may expire): 

Complimentary drinks

Southwest is great about offering you free drinks whenever you fly with them. You can get the following drinks for free:

  • Coca-Cola
  • Diet Coke
  • Dr. Pepper
  • Diet Dr Pepper
  • Minute Maid drinks
  • Canada Dry® Lemon Lime Sparkling Water
  • Seagram’s® Ginger Ale
  • Seagram’s® Tonic Water
  • Seagram’s® Seltzer Water
  • Mr & Mrs T® Margarita Mix
  • Mr & Mrs T® Bloody Mary Mix
  • Hot Chocolate
  • Motts® Tomato Juice
  • Community® Tea
  • Community® Coffee
  • Community® Decaf Instant Coffee

If you would like an entire can for yourself you can usually request them to just leave you with a full can instead of simply pouring you a smaller glass. 

Cocktails (~$7)

On Southwest you can enjoy an array of different cocktails which could include the following:

  • Grapefruit Vodka and Cran Apple
  • Bourbon and Ginger
  • Margarita
  • Rum-rita
  • Bloody Mary
  • Tequila and OJ
  • Vodka and Cran Apple
  • Mimosa
  • Jack and Coke®
  • Gin and Tonic
  • Bourbon and 7UP®
  • Cruset and Cran Apple

Beer

You can find some standard beers on Southwest but they also offer some seasonal options as well. 

  • Miller Lite $6
  • Dos Equis Special Lager $6
  • Blue Moon® $7
  • Leinenkugel’s Summer Shandy® $7
  • Lagunitas 12th of Never Ale $7

Wine ($6)

  • Carmenet® Cabernet Sauvignon
  • Mossel Bay Chenin Blanc Chardonnay
  • Cruset Brut Sparkling Wine

Spirits ($7)

  • Dewar’s® Scotch
  • Jack Daniel’s®
  • Wild Turkey®
  • Tanqueray® Gin
  • Bacardi® Rum
  • Baileys® Irish Cream
  • Sauza® Gold Tequila
  • Deep Eddy® Ruby Red Grapefruit Vodka
  • Deep Eddy® Vodka

Bringing your own alcohol

If you are not able to find any free drink coupons you might be wondering about drinking your own alcohol on board. Contrary to what many people believe, it is not illegal to bring your own alcohol on board.

However, their are some pretty strict regulations when it comes to bringing liquids onboard which include alcohol. You’ll need to abide by the TSA 3-1-1 liquids rule and also to to make sure to not avoid any FAA regulations.

For example, it is okay to bring your own mini liquor bottles on board but you need to be careful about what type of alcoholic you pour into your own bottles if you go that route. You also can’t serve yourself your own alcohol when flying (though you can get a flight attendant to serve you your drink). 

Southwest Airlines Drink Coupons FAQ

Do the Southwest drink coupons expire?

Yes, your Southwest drink coupons will expire and the expiration date should be listed on the coupon.

Are the Southwest drink coupons transferable?

Yes, you can give your free drink coupons to other people and they can use them on their flights. The terms state the following: 

“This coupon has no cash value. Drink coupon is void if altered, sold, purchased, brokered, or bartered. Non-exchangeable for other goods or services. Southwest Airlines reserves the right to discontinue its drink coupon program at anytime. Coupon is invalid after expiration date and cannot be updated or replaced. Must be 21 to consume alcoholic beverages.” 

So the terms do exclude you from being able to sell your coupons but some people do still sell them for around $15 for four of them on Ebay, etc. The drink coupons should have a name on the front of them though so if a flight attendant ever suspected anything it’s possible that they could bring up the terms (but that is probably very unlikely).

Can you get Southwest drink coupons on the app?

I don’t believe that Southwest issues free drink coupons via their app or electronically. If you have purchased a Business Select fare and are using a mobile boarding pass your drink coupon may show up there however.

How can I get free Southwest drink coupons?

1. Fly Southwest Business Select
2. Take 10 one way flights
3. Fly on a holiday
4. Get a Southwest credit card
5. Sign up for the Southwest newsletter
6. Be nice to flight attendants
7. Request one when something goes awry

Can I get a discount on Southwest drinks?

With the new Southwest Priority Credit Card you can get a 20% discount on in-flight purchases, including drinks.

How much does a drink cost on Southwest Airlines?

An alcoholic beverage will cost $6 to $7.

Final word

Getting your hands on Southwest free drink coupons is not that difficult if you consistently fly on Southwest or if you fly Business Select. However, for the rest of us, a lot of times we just have to rely on luck or special occasions. If all else fails you can always bring up your own alcohol but just be sure to abide by the FAA regulations.