After years of preparation work and open acknowledgements from some executives, Southwest on Wednesday made it official – branded airport lounges are on the way.
The carrier announced it will open lounges in Austin, Texas; Baltimore; Honolulu; and Nashville, Tennessee, by late 2027. Another seven are planned, the airline added, and will come online over the next several years. It did not say where those lounges will be located.
Southwest will work with longtime partner Chase to set up its new lounge network. Chase is the exclusive issuer of Southwest’s Rapid Rewards credit cards, which will provide access to the lounges.
“Southwest Airlines has built one of the most trusted brands in travel by delivering authentic hospitality that customers value,” Tony Roach, Southwest’s executive vice president and chief customer and brand officer, said in a news release. “Our lounges will be a natural extension of that experience, offering customers a place to relax and experience the Southwest brand in a new way.”
The airline’s embrace of airport lounges was arguably the industry’s worst-kept secret.
CEO Bob Jordan has openly discussed the idea of adding lounges for months, including during earnings calls and in interviews. In July, he said lounges are a logical next step for the carrier as it looks to expand co-brand opportunities and improve the customer experience. He also suggested that Chase would be involved.
Southwest won approval last year to develop and open a lounge at Daniel K. Inouye International Airport in Honolulu. Company officials did not announce or confirm the project at the time; the plans only came to public attention through the minutes of a Hawaii Department of Transportation land matters meeting.
Separately, the Nashville Business Journal reported last month that the carrier recently received building permits for a lounge at Nashville International.
Southwest does not currently operate lounges like its major U.S. competitors, reflecting its longstanding low-cost model. Since 2024, however, the airline has moved away from that strategy in an effort to open up new revenue streams and capture a larger share of premium travelers, who are increasingly driving growth for carriers around the world.
