Southwest Airlines is rolling out its first airport lounges

For the first time in Southwest Airlines’ history, the air carrier will have its own lounges for passengers. Expected to open in late 2027, the first four new lounges will be located in Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport, Daniel K. Inouye (Honolulu) International Airport and Nashville International Airport, Southwest Airlines said in a release on Wednesday. The airline will partner with the banking brand Chase to “create a premium and welcoming airport experience.” “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, in the release. At least seven more lounges are planned to open in the next several years, the airline said. Travelers can gain access to the lounges by obtaining a new, premium Southwest Rapid Rewards Credit Card issued by Chase, launching next year. Passengers can expect the sort of design, dining, travel benefits and amenities that are currently offered in the Chase Sapphire Reserve Lounge Network, the airline said. The announcement comes as Southwest Airlines has had a tumultuous few years of change following an activist investor campaign to create profitability. Recent changes have included ending both open-seat boarding and the airline’s “bags fly free” policy, practices that distinguished Southwest from other airlines.