3
Want some free Southwest drink coupons to enjoy a glass of wine, cocktail or beer on your next flight?
Unfortunately, drinks are not free on Southwest Airlines (alcohol costs $6-$7 per drink), but there ARE ways you can score a freebie, and it doesn’t require you to have earned any rewards.
My family saves more than $8,000 every year flying free and I can show your family how to do it, too! Join my Families Fly Free program to learn my simple process so you can start making more priceless travel memories before your kids leave home. Learn more below…
5 Ways to Get Southwest Drink Coupons
1. Join Southwest Rapid Rewards
If you are not yet a member (and you should be if you want to learn how to fly free on Southwest!), join the Southwest frequent flyer program, which is called Rapid Rewards.
Sign up at Southwest.com.
Southwest sometimes sends Rapid Rewards members free coupons in the mail after they have flown a set number of flights (the rumor is 10 one-ways in a calendar year).
2. Apply for a Southwest Chase Rapid Rewards Credit Card
This is also key if you want to fly free on Southwest!
To earn the coveted Southwest Companion Pass, which lets one person fly free with you up to two years, you’ll need at least two of Southwest’s credit cards.
To review or apply for any of the cards in this post, please use the links within this post or the CREDIT CARDS links in the main menu above (shown in the image below). This allows us to earn a commission—at no cost to you—to support our small business. Thanks so much for taking that step!
Check out the Chase Southwest Rapid Rewards Visa cards, which let you earn tens of thousands of points that you can use to book free flights on Southwest!
These include:
- Chase Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus Visa card (Personal: Earn 40,000 points after $1,000 minimum spend in 3 months + 3 points per $1 on dining for the first year)
- Chase Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Visa card (Personal: Earn 40,000 points after $1,000 minimum spend in 3 months + 3 points per $1 on dining for the first year)
- Chase Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Visa card (Personal: Earn 40,000 points after $1,000 minimum spend in 3 months + 3 points per $1 on dining for the first year)
- Chase Southwest Performance Business Visa card (Small business: 80,000 points after a $5,000 minimum spend in 3 months; $199 annual fee)
- Chase Southwest Premier Business Visa card (Small business: 60,000 points after a $3,000 minimum spend in 3 months; $99 annual fee)
These points also qualify for the 125,000 points you need to earn the Southwest Companion Pass, so one person can fly free with you for up to two years.
Credit card holders ALSO often get free drink tickets as thanks for being a card holder!
On my second, third and fourth anniversaries of holding the Southwest Business Premier card, Southwest sent me four free drink coupons in the mail shown below.
Hooray!
3. Ensure You Are Opted in to Receive Free Southwest Drink Coupons
To get any free Southwest drink coupons, you’ll need to be opted in. Here’s how you do it:
1. Log in to your Rapid Rewards account at Southwest.com.
2. Click on My Account (top right).
3. Then click on Profile/Travel and make sure you’re opted into receiving drink coupons on the lower left.
4. Sign up for all Southwest Airlines Communications
By ensuring you are receiving all Southwest email communications, you’ll increase your chances of getting these coupons.
Sometimes they’ll offer a freebie in one of their emails, plus you’ll also find out about their sales.
On some special occasions, like Mother’s Day, St. Patrick’s Day and Halloween, they give away free drinks … if you know to ask for them!
Ensure you are signed up for Southwest emails by logging into your Rapid Rewards Account at Southwest.com, clicking My Account, then Profile/Communication.
Ensure all boxes are checked.
5. Purchase a Southwest Business Select Fare
Southwest Business Select tickets cost more, but they do throw in a free drink each direction.
When you buy a Business Select fare, you earn 12 Southwest points per dollar versus 6 points per dollar with Southwest Airlines Wanna Get Away Fares (the cheapest Southwest fares).
You will get your printable drink coupon when you check in at the airport.
It will be on the end of your Business Class boarding pass, so don’t lose it!
Here is a good forum post from the Southwest Airlines Community site that discusses free drink coupons.
Alcoholic Drink Options
What options do you have for alcoholic drinks on Southwest?
Here’s a list…
- Beer (Miller Lite, Dos Equis Special Lager, Leinenkugel’s Summer Shandy (seasonal), Fat Tire, Lagunitas 12th of Never Ale)
- Wine or sparkling wine (Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Sparkling Wine)
- Spirits, including:
- Dewar’s Scotch
- Jack Daniel’s
- Wild Turkey
- Bacardi Rum
- Baileys Irish Cream
- Sauza Gold Tequila
- Deep Eddy Vodka
- Deep Eddy Ruby Red Grapefruit Vodka
- Tanqueray Gin
- These fun cocktails:
- Vodka and Cran Apple
- Rum and Coke
- Gin and Tonic
- Bloody Mary
- Tequila and OJ
- Vodka and OJ
- Jack and Coke
- St. Roc sparkling wine and Cran Apple – I recently tried this one and it’s super yummy!!
Here is the full Southwest inflight menu, including Southwest Airlines beverages.
On Southwest Hawaii flights, you get an extra special option!
What’s your favorite drink while flying?
What If I Have Expired Southwest Drink Coupons That I Haven’t Been Able to Use?
If you have Southwest drink coupons that you were not able to use in 2020, Southwest has extended their expiration until December 31, 2021.
But alcoholic drinks have not yet returned to flights!
Currently, as of April 2021, you can order Coke, Diet Coke, 7-Up or water.
So hold on to those drink coupons, as you should be able to use them in the future.
In Summary
There are a variety of ways you can score free Southwest drink coupons, so you can toast your travels without spending a dime!
They include signing up for Rapid Rewards, holding a Southwest Rapid Rewards credit card, purchasing a Southwest Business Select fare and signing up for Southwest email communications.
Have you found other ways to get free drink coupons?
Good luck!
My Favorite Travel Credit Card: Chase Sapphire Preferred
- Flexible points transfer to Southwest instantly
- 3X points on dining
- 2x points on travel
- 60,000 points after meeting a $4,000 minimum spend in 3 months
- Only a $95 annual fee!
Please note, this card’s points DO NOT qualify for the Southwest Companion Pass but CAN be used to book FREE flights on Southwest.
[Read my full review of this card]
Read More:
- Southwest Early Bird Check In FAQs
- Southwest Check In Simplified: Everything You Need to Know
- 9 Tips for Traveling on Southwest Airlines
- Do Southwest Points Expire?
- Save on Southwest Group Travel When Flying With 10 or More!
Authors
3
Leah - The Frugal South says
I’ve received a similar set of coupons for the past two years, so I’m looking for them in the mail now, thanks! I guess they are for being a card holder?
Lyn Mettler says
Ah, maybe that’s it! Hope you get them too!
Sue says
I havnt received any for years on my anniversary date and I
Have had a card for a long time ! Used to get them once a year well not sure whats happened but its been long time
Since i saw a free coupons!!!
Lyn Mettler says
That stinks! I think I’d reach out to Southwest and ask :).
Nancy McLaughlin says
I’ve never received SW drink coupons. Although I hold 2 SW CC and fly them (for free) 6 – 8 time a year. And have the companion pass. I guess they feel like they are giving me enough for free. I’m not complaining.
Vicki Michalek says
I fly southwest a lot with my husband I also have your credit card but have only got drink tickets once and I have had your card for years We are flying to Phoenix on Jan 5 so would appreciate a few coupons
Thank you
Vicki Michalek
Lyn Mettler says
Thanks for your comment Vicki. I’d suggest checking in with Southwest directly about the drink coupons. Here’s how to contact Southwest: https://www.gototravelgal.com/southwest-airlines-contact/
Tsue says
We used to always get free drink coupons but I couldnt tell
you the last time that we got any coupons ! Its ashame
you dont get them when you purchase a plane ticket !
My year was up recently and still never got any!!
This is really aggravating!!
Tsue says
Yes I step up last year to the next step and still didnt get no coupons !!! Then my huaband received a companion pass this past year and he never got any!! I just dont understand we do everything on here the only one thing we dont do is the business flights! We been rapid reward members for a long long time ! He and I both have a card Nd now last year we go the business card for our business and still have never saw any coupons at all! Just really upsets me ! Thats one thing we look forward to whe we go and enjoy our ride !!!
Lyn Mettler says
Hi Tsue, I’d try giving Southwest a call and asking about this. I bet they will send you some :).