If you fly Southwest Airlines with any frequency, you would associate this quirky airline with a long list of free benefits. Those benefits include two free checked bags, free choice of seats, and refundable fares, among many others. But did you know you should add Southwest free drinks to the list?
Here are two great tips for scoring those drinks on Southwest Airlines.
Southwest Free Drinks On Holidays
Take a seat and get a free drink on these holidays. Image by Southwest Airlines.
On certain select special days of the year, there are free drinks on Southwest Airlines. You’ll need to know these days and then ask for your free drinks. Here are the current dates that drinks on Southwest Airlines are free:
- New Year’s Day
- Valentine’s Day
- St. Patrick’s Day
- Mother’s Day
- Memorial Day
- Father’s Day
- Southwest’s Birthday – June 18
- US Independence Day
- Labor Day
- Thanksgiving
- Christmas
Southwest Airlines can of course change any of these free drink dates. Maybe they’ll add my birthday to the list!
Southwest Free Drinks Using Coupons
If you’re a frequent Southwest Airlines flier, earning coupons is easy. After 5 round-trip flights or 10 paid one-way flights, you earn 4 Southwest drink coupons. There is one caveat, though. Southwest mails them to you only if you’ve opted in to receive them. Here’s how to opt-in:
- Log into your Southwest account.
- Under “My Preferences” just scroll down to “Travel”
- Next click “Extras”
- Enjoy your free drinks!
Getting free drink coupons is easy when you know how!
Earning Free Flights on Southwest Airlines
Along with free drinks, you can earn free flights by earning up to 60,000 bonus Rapid Rewards points with each of these Southwest credit cards. Also, fast track yourself to earning one of the best perks in all of travel: the Southwest Companion Pass.
- Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Business Credit Card
- Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card
- Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card
- Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card
The Upshot
All this talk of free drinks is making me thirsty. This is just one more example of why Southwest Airlines has such loyal, devoted fliers who enjoy the broad array of perks.
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- Why use just any credit card when you can use one that earns miles and points? Don’t MISS OUT on the BEST current travel credit card offers!
- Southwest Wanna Get Away Fare
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14 comments
Awesome. Had no idea you could opt-in to receive these as you earn them flying. Thanks!
Good to know, I agree. Always something new to learn each and every day. Thanks for reading, Ian, and enjoy those free drinks. Maybe if your birthday falls on the same day as SWA you’ll get two free drinks 🙂
Try again, flying SWA today on Thanksgiving and they stated no, the holiday this year was Halloween and also not doing Christmas!
Same. Bummer
Barry, What a disappointment. I’ll look into this tomorrow and see if I can find out what’s going on. To choose only one holiday makes no sense. Thanks for the update and Happy Thanksgiving.
I flew on Southwest DAL to MCO on Thanksgiving and I got my free cocktail!
Thanks so much for adding your data point, Samantha. Good for you!!
Please update article to remove those unqualified days, I so was looking forward to the complementary drink today and was such a disappointment to find out at the airplane that this wasn’t true :/
Hi Eduardo, Did you find out when SWA changed their policy and what the new policy is? Thanks for letting us know.
July 4th and just stepped off SWA. Free drink is only offered on Valentine’s day and Halloween.
Thanks for the update, Mike. Glad they have a heart on Valentine’s Day, but why not on July 4th, right?
[…] for his take on Southwest’s move. He told us that, historically, the airline has had a very pro-alcohol stance – including free drinks. He believes the airline is bringing alcohol back purely for customer service […]
As of 12/25/2022, Southwest does not provide free drinks on Christmas Day.
Thanks for taking the time to update, us, Kate. Appreciate it.