Southwest To Move Forward With Plans For Its 1st Ever Airport Lounges

Published Jul 27, 2026, 7:13 PM EDT Journalist - Aaron joins the Simple Flying team with 14 years of experience in the travel & tourism industry. He has a background in airports and travel consulting for global companies in New Zealand, Europe, and North America. An Avid traveler, Aaron has visited 52+ countries across five continents. Based in Canterbury, New Zealand The world's largest low-cost carrier, Southwest Airlines, will continue in its planning of a network of airline lounges that will herald a new era of travel perks for those who travel the bright blue, yellow, and red planes. The airline's Chief Executive Officer, Bob Jordan, spoke to the airline's lounge plans on a recent earnings call. At this stage, Southwest is planning the network of lounges that will potentially be co-branded with its credit card partner Chase. The airline is reiterating that as the airline continues to evolve, airline lounges are the 'next logical step'. This comes as the airline confirms that its existing leisure and business products grow, and more of its travelers acquire Rapid Rewards cards. Southwest Airline Lounges: A New Co-Branded Offering Credit: Shutterstock In a report by Airlinegeeks, Jordan confirmed that the airline plans to expand its co-branded opportunities, and that lounges are the latest tease and something that is already underway. While there is little detail on the lounge characteristics themselves, it cements the broader Southwest and Chase partnership. Jordan shied away from any formal announcement of a national lounge network; however, the purpose is to expand its co-brand opportunities and provide customers something that is highly desirable when it comes to air travel. Currently, Southwest has no lounges in its network; however, as per The Men's Journal, the carrier has secured space at Austin Bergstrom International Airport (AUS), Dallas Love Field (DAL), Nashville International Airport (BNA), Denver International Airport (DEN), and Honolulu International Airport (HNL). Jordan's message as per the earnings call below: “We fully intend to continue to expand the co-brand offering and opportunities for our customers. I know I’ve teased the lounges. That’s something, obviously, that there’s work underway. “We’re not ready to formally announce that yet. The whole purpose, again, is to expand co-brand opportunities, expand the card set, and provide to our customers something that they really, really want.” A New Business Direction For Southwest Airlines Credit: Shutterstock, Simple Flying For Southwest, its step into the world of airline co-branded lounges is centered on the airline looking to lure in premium-type options for higher-spending passengers. This is a bid to maximize profits, as the airline steps away from discounting, including checked bags, a steer received from its activist investor Elliot Management. With the airline already gaining approval to develop its first lounge in Honolulu, the details of this space still remain top secret, with no official media release with details, capacity, and/or an opening date for the project. It also remains unclear which passengers will be eligible for airport lounge access once it is open. Legacy carriers and other lounge operators usually use airline lounges to reward their most loyal travelers. The offering is for those who especially fly with them often, have gained elite status, and spend thousands of dollars on co-branded credit cards. A Co-Branded Credit Card With Plenty Of Perks For Travelers Credit: Southwest Airlines The Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Card is a co-branded credit card between Southwest and Chase, and for an annual fee of $229, for the airline's top-tier Rapid Rewards members unlocks several benefits that include a free checked baggage, complimentary seat assignment, priority boarding, and eligible seat upgrades. It would be expected that Southwest could be looking to earn more through its Chase partnership, which would come in the form of premium airport lounges and an increase to the annual card fee. For Chase, it already operates eight lounges across the country at major airports, so a deeper partnership with Southwest is only the next step. Southwest is the world's largest low-cost carrier and largest operator of the Boeing 737 aircraft. It is based out of Dallas, Texas, and exclusively flies the 737 family to reduce maintenance and training costs. It carries more domestic passengers in the US than any other carrier, and is known for value pricing and bundled fare options.