Southwest will open 11 airport lounges starting in 2027: Here's what we know

Southwest Airlines' new airport lounges will open late next year.

Yes, that still sounds a little surreal to say, especially for longtime Southwest loyalists. But by late 2027, the carrier expects to start welcoming flyers to the first of its clubs at several major U.S. airports.

Over the next few years, Southwest plans to open nearly a dozen outposts across its network.

Once operating, these lounges will be among the most visible signs of the airline's rapid transformation — one that has already led to the end of free checked bags, open seating and the famous "Wanna Get Away" tagline.

So what exactly will a Southwest Airlines lounge look like? How can you get in? And where will these clubs be?

Here's what we know.

What is Southwest calling its airport lounges?

Let's start with the name.

These new lounges will be called "Southwest Icon Lounges."

According to the airline, the name is a nod to "icons" of the company's history, most notably co-founder and longtime executive Herb Kelleher.

Delta Air Lines has its Sky Clubs. American Airlines has its Admirals Clubs. Come 2027, Southwest will have its Icon Lounges.

Which airports are getting Southwest lounges?

So far, Southwest has confirmed Icon Lounge locations will open at four of its biggest bases:

• Austin Bergstrom International Airport (AUS)
• Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI)
• Nashville International Airport (BNA)
• Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (HNL) in Honolulu

Those airports aren't surprising locations.

Each of those cities are places where Southwest has focused many of its recent route announcements and growth.

The initial Icon Lounges are set to begin opening in late 2027.

7 more on the horizon

Beyond Austin, Honolulu, Nashville and Baltimore, the carrier has also committed to seven additional lounges over the next several years.

Southwest has not confirmed which additional cities could get outposts.

How to access Southwest's lounges

Access to Southwest's lounges will primarily come via a new premium credit card that the airline plans to launch next year in partnership with Chase.

Details of that card (including its annual fee) are expected to be released in 2027.

For now, all we know is what it will physically look like. During an event showcasing its new lounge portfolio last week in Dallas, the airline showed off an image of the new cobranded card.

Where will the annual fee land?

Today, Southwest's highest-tier consumer credit card comes with a $229 annual fee.

Obviously, travelers can expect this new card's annual fee to come in well above that mark.

But how pricey will it be?

JetBlue and Alaska Airlines were the two most recent U.S. carriers to launch new premium credit cards with lounge access perks. Annual fees on those cards ranged from $395 to $499 — though the actual lounge benefits will almost certainly look different than what Southwest's new card will include.

Stay tuned in 2027.

What about access beyond the credit card?

So far, Southwest has not revealed any potential lounge access options beyond this future premium credit card.

For instance, some carriers offer lounge access to high-level elite status members or passengers flying long-haul in premium seats.

Of course, Southwest doesn't have long-haul flights or true premium seats — at least for now. And for the time being, executives say its Companion Pass will likely remain the central perk of its new "Platinum" elite tier.

Will there eventually be another way — beyond the card — to unlock Southwest Icon Lounge access? That's another thing worth watching in the next year or two.

What to expect inside Southwest's lounges

Southwest offered a sneak peek — a "vibe check," if you will — of its new Icon Lounges.

Most notably, the carrier showed a rendering of the main bar at its Nashville location, which will be one of the first to debut.

That outpost, by the way, will be on the mezzanine level of the main atrium at the airport.

The airline said it'll have a "golden hour" aesthetic in its clubs, along with local design touches — which it displayed at a media event this month.

For instance, the BWI facility will have an arboretum-inspired corner. And in Nashville, there's a setup clearly influenced by its Music City location.

"They are going to be very aspirational," Nandika Suri, vice president of Rapid Rewards, told TPG. "They will have a premium feel, but they will have that warm Southwest hospitality as well."

Southwest also teased locally-inspired food and drink touches at its facilities, and a variety of sitting, working and relaxing zones.

Bottom line

Southwest has transformed many longtime aspects of its customer experience. It switched to assigned seats, launched an extra legroom section and just announced a shake-up to its loyalty program that will take effect in 2027.

In the coming months, Southwest flyers will have the option to upgrade their credit card to gain access to its new airport lounges, which will easily be the carrier's most premium offering yet.

We'll update this story as we learn more about opening dates, access details and potential future Southwest Icon Lounge locations.

Related reading:

• Your complete guide to maximizing Southwest Rapid Rewards
• The best Southwest Airlines credit cards
• How to quickly earn the Southwest Companion Pass
• Southwest's new seating and boarding policies: What to know
• The best credit cards to reach elite status
• Southwest overhauls Rapid Rewards elite tiers, changes credit card and Companion Pass earnings