Alaska Airlines has a long-running and very popular Wine Flies Free program that allows members of its mileage plan program to check a case of wine without having to pay an extra baggage fee when flying from 32 West Coast cities in Washington, Oregon, Idaho and California.
As a great and valuable bonus, in Oregon, Washington and Idaho your Alaska Airlines boarding pass gets you free wine tastings at participatng wineries.
Now Avelo Airlines is joining the wine-flies-free bandwagon with its own version of the program.
The airline doesn’t service as many cities as Alaska does, but beginning on National Wine Day (May 25), Avelo customers can begin checking a case of wine for free from the Bay Area’s Charles M. Schulz Sonoma County Airport (STS) in Santa Rosa, CA.
Avelo currently offers nonstop flights from Sonoma to Salem, Oregon (SLE), Bend/Redmond (RDM), Boise (BOI), Glacier Park International Airport (FCA) in Kalispell, MT, Las Vegas (LAS), Hollywood Burbank Airport (BUR) and Palm Springs (PSP).
“We know that visiting the vineyards and sampling Northern California’s world-famous wines is one of the most appealing reasons for visiting the Sonoma County region,” said Avelo Airlines Founder and CEO Andrew Levy, “It is our hope Avelo’s new Wine Travels Free program will make our Customers’ trips to California Wine Country that much more enjoyable and memorable.”
On both Alaska and Avelo, you must be at least 21 years of age to take advantage of this perk. And on both airlines one case of wine is considered to be a single box or case containing up to 12 bottles and weighing 50 lbs or less.
Let’s raise a glass to airlines that let wines fly free.
Don’t throw out – or delete – your airline boarding pass once you tough down.
Here’s a story I recently put together for CNBC about all the hidden perks airline – and railroad – boarding passes can provide.
Bonuses for air travelers include everything from free ski lift tickets, to complimentary wine tastings and discounts on meals, ground transportation and adventures.
Some
of the deals below are offered for limited times or only during certain
seasons. Others can be used multiple times. Read the program details and, of
course, don’t be too quick to delete your boarding pass image from your phone
or crumple up that paper pass after your trip.
Ski free
Skiers can score a free lift ticket and, in some cases, free or discounted gear rental by showing an Alaska Airlines boarding pass at a dozen ski resorts in Alaska, California, Canada, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Oregon and Utah. Most of the deals invite travelers to hit the slopes on the days they arrive or depart and can represent a savings of up to $200.
At
some resorts, such as Squaw
Valley and Alpine Meadows in North Lake Tahoe, California, guests
who show a same-day boarding pass from any commercial airline receive a
complimentary lift ticket for the day they arrive.
Sip and ship wine for free
In
Oregon, Washington, Idaho and parts of California, an Alaska Airlines boarding
pass is a win-win for fans of wine.
Through
the airline’s “Wine
Flies Free” program, members of the airline’s Mileage Plan frequent
flyer plan may check a case (12 bottles) of wine for free when flying
domestically on Alaska Airlines, Horizon Air and SkyWest flights from 29 west
coast cities, including San Francisco, Portland, Seattle and Boise, ID.
In
the wine regions of both Oregon and Washington, hundreds of participating
wineries also offer complimentary tastings to anyone showing an in-bound Alaska
Airlines boarding pass and proof of Mileage Plan membership.
And
as part of Washington’s Taste and Tote
program with Alaska, the drop-off fee will be waived for one-way Hertz rental
cars picked up in Yakima,
Pasco/Tri-Cities or Walla Walla and returned at one of the other two cities in
the program.
Boarding pass deals from
international carriers
Turkish
Airlines passengers with layovers of between six and 24 hours in Istanbul can
show their boarding passes at the Hotel Desk and join a
free highlight tour of the city.
Korean
Air’s Excellent
Boarding Pass program offers a full week of perks in Korea to
passengers who hold onto their international boarding pass from an overseas
region. Passengers traveling from Korea to an international destination can
take advantage of boarding pass offers for a full month.
In
Korea, the perks include discounts on everything from meals, attractions and
cultural performances to cell phone rentals, rail tickets and medical services.
Worldwide, the perks range from discounts at outlet malls in the United States
and 30 percent off single visits to the aquarium, zoo and other attractions in
Sydney, Australia.
Singapore
Airlines’ Boarding Pass Privileges program offers
Singapore Airlines and SilkAir passengers a full month of discounts on hotel
stays, car rentals, meals, purchases and attractions, including the Gardens by
Bay, the Singapore Flyer, and the Singapore Zoo. Deals are updated every six
months and include discounts on shopping, dining and spa services inside Changi
Airport as well.
The
Magic
Boarding Pass program from Asiana Airlines offers passengers
discounts on tours, transportation, hotels, restaurants, shopping, theater and
attractions around the world for up to a month after a flight. In Korea, the
perks include discounts at Seoul’s Lotte World Aquarium and JeJu’s Teddy Bear
Museum. In the U.S., Asiana Airlines passengers get a discount when riding the
Hawaii’s Waikiki Trolley. And in Rome, pass holders gets a free gift with
purchase at the Hard Rock Café.
Train travelers get boarding pass perks
too
The
boarding pass perks aren’t limited to air travelers. Amtrak and Eurostar riders
get bonuses too.
In California, Amtrak has
a discount offer on Disneyland Resort theme park tickets for passengers with
reservations on the Pacific Surfliner. Many
transit providers along the route also provide free
bus or shuttle rides to passengers who show their Pacific Surfliner
ticket. Train passengers may also purchase discounted day passes for the Los
Angeles Metro and San Diego MTS buses and trolleys in the Surfliner’s Café Car.
A “Car Free” promotion in
Santa
Barbara offers discounts on
tours, attractions and meals to Amtrak ticket holders as well.
And Eurostar boarding passes entitle passengers to 2-for-1 tickets on entry and special paid exhibitions at museums in destination cities including London, Brussels, Paris and Lille, France.
Have you found a hidden perk in your boarding pass? Let us know!
Here’s good news for wine lovers: Alaska Airlines has expanded its popular Wine Flies Free program, which allows the carrier’s Mileage Plan members to check a case of wine – 12 bottles – for free.
The program includes domestic flights on Alaska Airlines, Horizon Air and Skywest flights from the cities listed below, but does not include Virgin America flights until May 2018.
In Washington: Bellingham, Pasco, Pullman, Seattle, Spokane, Walla Walla, Wenatchee, and Yakima
In Oregon: Eugene, Medford, Portland, and Redmond
In Idaho: Boise and Lewiston
And in California: Burbank, Fresno, Los Angeles, Monterey, Oakland, Ontario, Orange County, Palm Springs, Sacramento, San Diego, San Francisco, San Jose, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, and Sonoma
In addition to allowing passengers to check a case of wine for free, Alaska’s Wine Flies Free program has another valuable perk: the wine-tasting fee charged by many wineries in Oregon and Washington will be waived for those who show their Alaska Airlines boarding pass.
In Washington wine country, not only do many wineries offer free tastings to Alaska Airlines customers who show their boarding passes, under the Wine Flies Free program Hertz rental car will waive the drop off fee, so travelers can pick up a car in one city, travel through wine country tasting and buying wine, and then drop the car off in another city. Details are here.