Southwest Airlines will open its first lounges at four airports in late 2027, continuing its transformation from a quirky carrier known for free bags and open seating to one that is fighting competitors for bigger spenders.
Airline executives have dangled plans for lounges in recent months but made the news official Wednesday. Southwest said it is partnering with Chase, which has its own network of lounges.
Construction is underway at airports in Austin, Baltimore, Honolulu and Nashville, with at least seven more planned in the coming years “across high-demand business and leisure markets,” according to a news release. The announcement said the lounges would offer “sophisticated design, locally-inspired dining, high-quality amenities, and valuable travel benefits.”
Southwest said travelers will be able to get into the new lounge network with a premium Southwest-branded credit card that will be issued in 2027. It’s not clear yet what the fee for that card will be; the airline’s most expensive personal credit card currently carries an annual fee of $229. Southwest has not said how frequent fliers without the credit card would be able to access the amenity and said it would release more details in the future.
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