Your Texas wine can now fly free. As of November 2, Southwest Airlines has expanded its Sip and Ship program to four Texas airports, including Dallas Love Field. Passengers can now check one case of wine at no extra charge on flights leaving from Love Field, Austin-Bergstrom, Houston Hobby and San Antonio International.
The program launched in April on the West Coast, timed to Southwest’s new service into Sonoma County wine country. It started with airports in California, Oregon, Washington and Idaho. Texas is the first expansion beyond that region, and Southwest says it came after a big response from Texas wine lovers and growers. It’s fitting for an airline that has called Love Field home since it started flying in 1971.
The rules are simple enough. You have to be 21 or older, and you get one case per passenger. A case means a single box or wine suitcase holding up to 12 bottles, weighing 50 pounds or less, and within Southwest’s standard checked bag size of 62 inches, length plus width plus height. The bottles need to be unopened, with the winery’s label, and packed in a proper wine shipping box or wine suitcase made to keep them from breaking…