Is Southwest (LUV) Using Wine-Country Perks to Quietly Redefine Its Leisure-Focused Network Strategy?

Southwest Airlines recently began service at Santa Rosa’s Charles M. Schulz Sonoma County Airport, linking the wine country region with nonstop flights to San Diego, Las Vegas, Denver, and Burbank, and launched its Sip and Ship program letting customers check one case of wine at no extra cost from select West Coast airports. This expansion into a wine tourism hub, paired with a unique baggage perk tailored to leisure travelers, highlights how Southwest is experimenting with differentiated...