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Southwest Airlines has announced the locations of its first four airport lounges and said it has plans for at least another seven facilities in the pipeline. The carrier plans to open its first-ever lounges next year, marking a watershed moment in Southwest’s continuing transformation.
While lounge layouts have not been publicly shared, Southwest says travelers can expect a balance of the carrier’s signature hospitality and sophisticated design. The network is being designed to pull inspiration from the successful Chase Sapphire Reserve Lounge Network.
Southwest Unveils Locations Of First 4 Airport Lounges
The changes at Southwest have been controversial, with loyal customers decrying the demise of the affordable airline’s identity with a run-of-the-mill mainline carrier rising to take its place. Southwest defended the end of its unique policies like free checked bags and open seating by saying it was responding to evolving customer preferences. The lounges are an extension of that ‘premiumization’ campaign, which includes paid seating tiers and one-third of aircraft seats being dedicated to premium airfare.
It has announced that its first lounges will open in Austin, Baltimore, Honolulu and Nashville. The first is expected to open its doors in the second half of 2027 as the initial phase of what Southwest describes as “a broader footprint across the Southwest system, with at least seven more lounges planned to open over the next several years.” The list of next year’s debuts is as follows:
The airline’s current strategy lays out plans for a network of at least 11 lounges. Tony Roach, Executive Vice President, Chief Customer and Brand Officer at Southwest, gave these remarks in the company press release:
“Southwest Airlines has built one of the most trusted brands in travel by delivering authentic hospitality that customers value… The introduction of a lounge network represents a strategic investment in Rapid Rewards and deepens our 30-year partnership with Chase.”
The New Southwest Airlines, For Better Or Worse
The new lounge network is the direct product of the intense pressure applied by activist investor Elliott Investment Management. The group pushed Southwest to abandon its decades-old ‘no-frills’ identity in pursuit of higher-margin, premium revenue. Meanwhile, after forcing a board shake-up that pushed out longtime Executive Chairman Gary Kelly, Elliott has since begun aggressively cashing out, as Reuters reported.
In the past, Southwest had not pursued a business model that included premium airfare or any of the vestiges of business class travel, which are hallmarks of the ‘Big Three’ legacy carrier models. CEO Bob Jordan has explicitly stated that the new strategy is to eliminate those gaps.
The lounge network is just one part of the controversial overhauls initiated under Elliott’s oversight, such as: mass layoff corporate downsizing, monetizing checked baggage, standard assigned seating, extra-legroom premium sections and potentially a first class cabin.
While Elliott has been actively selling off its stake, the transformation they set in motion has altered Southwest’s business model permanently. This has brought on widespread criticism that the carrier has traded customer interests for shareholder value.
The Not-So-Optional Southwest Chase Credit Card
Another major area that has been changed is what many flyers now describe as the mandatory function of loyalty rewards membership and the Chase Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards card. The introduction of Starlink Wi-Fi on aircraft was not made free to the public, or rather required a loyalty account to access. Southwest’s announcement states that the new premium Chase card “will provide access” to its new lounges, but it isn’t clear whether the card is mandatory.
The new premium card allows cardholders to pick preferred seats and upgrade to the new extra legroom sections up to 48 hours before the flight. The premium Chase card also explicitly waives the new bag fees, offering a free checked bag for the primary cardholder and up to eight passengers on the same reservation.
By stripping away the foundational free perks that once made Southwest unique, the airline has created a two-tiered system. Southwest has not announced any automatic access for elite A-List or A-List Preferred frequent flyers. If you want to use the lounge, you must carry the card.
