Skip to Main Content

Southwest Airlines Announces First-Ever Airport Lounges (opening in 2027)

Written by Matthew Justice on Sep 3, 2026
view of Southwest planes on the ramp in Nashville.

Key Takeaways

  • Southwest will open its first four lounges in Austin, Baltimore, Honolulu and Nashville, with the first openings expected in late 2027.
  • The airline is partnering with Chase on the lounge network and plans to introduce a new premium Southwest Rapid Rewards credit card in 2027 with lounge access.

Southwest has officially announced some exciting news that has been floating around for a while but has now been confirmed — Southwest is going to be opening lounges. The actual dates for opening have not been released, but the Southwest mentions late 2027 to start welcoming guests.

Southwest is partnering with Chase in bringing a premium experience to travelers. Chase already runs a handful of successful Chase Sapphire Lounges and also manages the Southwest-branded credit cards, so the partnership makes good sense. Chase already operates the Chase Sapphire Lounge network, including its co-branded Chase Sapphire Lounge by The Club with Etihad Airways at New York (JFK) and the Etihad Lounge at Washington Dulles (IAD).

The announcement mentions four airports where lounges will be located:

Southwest also mentions that at least seven more lounges are planned to open over the next several years across high-demand business and leisure markets, bringing the total to at least eleven lounges.

Southwest Airlines has built one of the most trusted brands in travel by delivering authentic Hospitality that Customers value. 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, said Tony Roach, Executive Vice President, Chief Customer & Brand Officer at Southwest Airlines. The introduction of a lounge network represents a strategic investment in Rapid Rewards and deepens our 30-year partnership with Chase.

When I look at departure data from the June 2026, the Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS), I see the busiest airports (in order of departures) for Southwest are Denver (DEN), Las Vegas (LAS), Chicago (MDW), Baltimore (BWI), Dallas (DAL), Nashville (BNA), Phoenix (PHX), Orlando (MCO), Houston (HOU), San Diego (SAN), and St. Louis (STL). In my opinion any of those airports would be a great location for additional openings.

Access

Chase will be launching a new premium Southwest Rapid Rewards credit card which is expected to launch in 2027 and will provide access to the Southwest lounge network. Southwest has not yet announced the card's annual fee or access rules.

Closing Thoughts

I am very excited to see Southwest lounges in Austin, Baltimore, Honolulu, and Nashville. I do wonder what they will call the lounges. Will they be called the Chase Sapphire Lounge with Southwest (which is a bit long), the LUVLounge, the Heart Lounge, or something else? As we get closer to 2027, more news will come out, and I will keep everyone updated.