Fifty-four years of no lounges, no premium tiers, no fancy airport perks, and Southwest Airlines just threw all of that out the window. The airline confirmed plans to open 11 Southwest Icon Lounges across its network, partnering with Chase Bank, first four locations opening late 2027.
First Four Southwest Icon Lounge Locations
Southwest has confirmed the first wave of Icon Lounges at these airports, all opening late 2027:
- AUS — Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, Texas
- BWI — Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport, Maryland
- HNL — Daniel K. Inouye International Airport, Honolulu, Hawaii
- BNA — Nashville International Airport, Tennessee
Austin and Nashville keep climbing the charts as two of the hottest travel markets in the U.S. Baltimore is a Southwest stronghold through and through. And Honolulu locks in the leisure crowd.
Where Are the Other Seven Lounges?
Southwest hasn’t confirmed the remaining seven locations yet. The airline’s website just says they’ll “open over the next several years.”
Speculation is already heating up though. Phoenix Sky Harbor is a prime candidate, given that roughly 17.2 million passengers flew through that airport on Southwest in 2025 alone, making the carrier the second-largest airline at Sky Harbor behind American. Dallas Love Field, Denver, Las Vegas, Chicago Midway, and Atlanta are all strong bets too, each one a major Southwest hub with heavy traffic volume.
Nothing’s official until the airline says so.
What to Expect Inside the Lounges
Full details haven’t dropped yet, but Southwest has confirmed the basics:
- Dedicated spaces for working and relaxing
- Food and beverages inspired by each city’s local scene
- Locally-curated dining menus
- High-quality amenities matching the Chase Sapphire Reserve Lounge standard
The Phoenix Chase Sapphire Lounge has an Airstream trailer sitting inside the space that functions as a finishing kitchen, and that’s just one location in a nine-lounge network already operating across the U.S.
Every Chase Sapphire lounge comes loaded with made-to-order dining, full bar programs, wellness areas, family rooms, high-speed Wi-Fi, and tarmac views as standard amenities. The Icon Lounges are being built to match that same level, and based on what’s already out there, Southwest passengers can expect a genuinely premium airport experience.
The New Southwest Premium Credit Card
Southwest and Chase are launching a brand-new premium credit card in 2027, and that card is the primary gateway to Icon Lounge access.
The new premium card is not a revamp, not a rebrand, and not a tier bump on an existing product. It’s a completely separate card from the Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority, Plus, and Premier cards that already got overhauled by Chase in 2026 with perks like first checked bag free, pre-flight seat selection, Extra Legroom seat upgrades, and earlier boarding.
The new card sits above that entire lineup, likely carrying a higher annual fee with Southwest Icon Lounge access as the one perk that none of the existing cards can match.
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