3 Quick tricks for free drinks on Southwest Airlines

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Southwest Airlines is famous for cheap flights, two free checked bags per passenger, the best cancelation policy in the business, and no blackout dates when you book flights with points. But you may not know these three Southwest tricks for free drinks!

Along with free drinks, you can earn rewards towards flights with the Southwest credit cards:

• Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card
• Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card
• Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card
• Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card
• Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Premier Business Credit Card

How to get free drink coupons on Southwest Airlines

Trick #1: Take enough paid flights

Southwest will mail you four drink coupons after 10 paid one-way flights (or five round-trip). But…you’ve got to be opted-in. I’ll show you how.

Make sure you’ve opted-in for your drink tickets by first logging into your Southwest account and clicking the “My Preferences” box. Then just scroll down to “Travel.”

From there click the “Extras” box at the top right corner of the page.

Then you’ll have the option to select your free drink preferences.

You can either click “Yes” or “No” to drink vouchers, and save your selection by clicking the “Save” button.

Trick #2: Fly on certain dates

On certain special dates, Southwest treats you to a free beverage. But you may have to know it’s a free drink date and ask. Here are the dates as reported in various forums:

• New Year’s Day
• Valentine’s Day
• St. Patrick’s Day
• Mother’s Day
• Father’s Day
• Southwest’s Birthday – June 18
• U.S. Independence Day
• Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards Credit Card’s Anniversary — August 7
• Halloween
• Thanksgiving

Note: Southwest can discontinue any of these dates.  They might also add dates.

Trick #3:  Hold a Southwest credit card

Southwest credit cardholders have reported getting free drink coupons in the mail on their 2nd card anniversary. On the various forums I’ve read, this one seems to be a bit hit or miss.

Officially, it looks like this doesn’t work any longer based on a tweet from Southwest. But you might get lucky.

Ways to earn Southwest points towards flights

Here are the best Southwest cards:

• Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus Credit Card
• Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card
• Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card
• Southwest Rapid Rewards Performance Business Credit Card
• Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Business Credit Card

And don’t forget, the sign-up bonus points on these credit cards count towards earning the best deal in travel — the Southwest Companion Pass!