Southwest Is Bringing Alcohol Back on Board Later This Month — What to Know

Southwest Airlines will resume selling alcohol later this month after delaying its plans to bring back booze due to a spike in incidents involving unruly passengers.

The airline will once again sell alcoholic beverages on flights starting Feb. 16, offering beer such as Miller Lite for $6 and Blue Moon for $7; sparkling wine, chardonnay, and cabernet sauvignon for $6; and spirits like vodka and Jack Daniels for $7.

Southwest will also resume serving tonic water, apple juice, Coke Zero, Dr. Pepper, hot tea, and hot cocoa on flights of 176 miles or more. This is in addition to the current options it offers, including several sodas, orange juice, cranberry cocktail juice, and coffee.

"Customers have expressed a desire for more beverage options, so we're delighted to restore additional on-board offerings as a part of the Southwest Hospitality that our customers know and love," Tony Roach, the airline's vice president of customer experience and customer relations, said in a statement.

The airline initially paused its onboard beverage program in March 2020. The carrier then planned to bring back alcoholic beverages in June 2021, but put those plans on hold amid an alarming uptick in reports of unruly passengers.

Southwest will allow customers with drink coupons that were set to expire in 2020 or 2021 to redeem them for an alcoholic beverage through Dec. 31.

The airline now joins other major U.S. carriers like Delta Air Lines, JetBlue, and United Airlines, which all offer alcohol as part of their onboard service.

American Airlines has yet to resume serving alcoholic drinks in its main cabin but does offer alcohol in its premium economy, business class, and first-class cabins.

Alison Fox is a contributing writer for Travel + Leisure. When she's not in New York City, she likes to spend her time at the beach or exploring new destinations and hopes to visit every country in the world. Follow her adventures on Instagram.