According to a flight attendant, you should sit here on Southwest flights for the fastest drink service

Thirsty? This way you can be the first to take a sip.

While Southwest just announced changes to its seating program (the days of competing for seats are over), one thing hasn't changed: the beverage program. The jostling at the cart, the “what do you want?” and the “ice or no ice?” But while you wait for your drink, you might be interested to know that service begins in certain rows, and those rows are well known before a flight. So yes, you can get your drink first.

As a Southwest flight attendant shared on Reddit, on certain planes (most of which make up the Southwest fleet), there are certain seats that are served first for drinks. “It depends on the seating order. We all have our areas that we take care of. A little secret: On the Boeing 737-700, if you're sitting in row 1, 9, or 17, you get your drink first. If you're flying on a Boeing 737-800 and you're sitting in row 1, 9, 16, or 23, you get your drink first.”

Of course, we had to check whether this was true or not – and it turns out that it is indeed true.

“These are the defined service areas in our flight attendant manual for our various aircraft types, as our -700s have three flight attendants and our -800s and -8s have four flight attendants,” a Southwest spokesperson told Travel+Leisure via email. He notes that some things could happen during the flight that could change the order, but that the likelihood of that happening is slim. So while it's very likely that this is the order, it's not guaranteed. “On a given flight, there may be overlaps or changes depending on demand – and I wouldn't call it a guarantee that the customer will get their drink first.”

As for your drink order, that's your call, although many flight attendants say to avoid certain drinks onboard — including Bloody Marys and tap water (aka coffee or tea). And while Southwest doesn't offer free alcoholic drinks (you have to buy them or fly Business Select, which includes a drink coupon), there are certain days when a free drink is pretty much guaranteed: Valentine's Day, St. Patrick's Day, Southwest's birthday (June 18), and Halloween.

“Southwest offers free beverage days on every major holiday that represents something special and unique to the culture and history of the Southwest. It is our way of showing our hospitality and appreciation to our customers,” a Southwest representative previously said Travel + Leisure by email.

Valentine's Day commemorates their logo (a heart) and their home airport, Dallas Love Field. St. Patrick's Day is a nod to the founder's legacy, Southwest's birthday is self-explanatory, and the airline has a long history with Halloween — both crew and corporate employees have been dressing up for the holiday since the 1970s.

No matter how you get your drink (free or purchased), you now know which row to choose to get it first. A win, in our opinion.

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Read the original article on Travel & Leisure.