Alaska Airlines Expands Its Wine Flies Free Program

In case you weren't aware, wine flies for free on Alaska Airlines. That means that you can check a case of wine (up to 12 bottles) at no cost when you fly from any of 29 West Coast cities, provided you're an Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan member. The airline has recently added a number of hubs near wineries throughout the state of California.

Mileage Plan members hitting up the Golden State's productive viticultural regions can count on their wine-related baggage fees being free if they are traveling from Burbank, Fresno, Los Angeles, Monterey, Oakland, Ontario, Orange County, Palm Springs, Sacramento, San Diego, San Francisco, San Jose, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, or Sonoma.

Of course, the same privilege applies to passengers out of Boise and Lewiston, Idaho; Eugene, Medford, Portland, and Redmond, Oregon; as well as Bellingham, Pasco, Pullman, Seattle, Spokane, Walla Walla, Wenatchee, and Yakima, Washington.

According to the Alaska Air website, in order to apply, passengers must ensure that their mileage Plan number is on their flight reservation, pack their wine correctly in either a foam-lined box, molded cardboard tray, or other protective packaging marked with a "fragile" sticker, and leave their box unsealed for inspection, then show an Alaska customer service agent (who will seal the case up for you) that they are checking a case of wine. Airline personnel will handle it from there, and passengers can pick up their wine upon landing at their destination.

Looking for an excellent wine to bring home from your trip to the West Coast? Check out the 25 best wineries in California.