If you’ve flown Alaska Airlines lately, you might have seen their “Wine Flies Free” program touted across their website or in the inflight magazine. The idea is to promote Pacific wines — if you’re flying from certain airports, you can check a case of (properly packed) wine to other U.S. and Canada destinations for no charge. Even better, the wine doesn’t count against your typical baggage allowance.

What I didn’t realize until recently, however, was that the wine partnerships go even further. At wineries throughout the Pacific Northwest, your tasting fees are waived when you present your inbound Alaska boarding pass at participating wineries.

If you’re from a region that doesn’t typically charge tasting fees, this won’t impress you. But it’s common to see $15+ fees in the Willamette Valley, so the Alaska partnership can offer a significant savings. […]

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