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Jack comes to Simple Flying with a lifelong interest in all things aviation. He holds a degree in Aerospace Engineering from Georgia Tech, and is a certified private and remote pilot. Beyond these experiences, Jack previously worked for a corporate flight department where he gained first-hand experience in the world of business aviation. Currently, Jack works in the professional services industry and continues to build his flight hours outside of work.
Southwest Airlines is planning for a lounge at 
Orlando International Airport (MCO) that would add another major airport to the airline’s emerging premium offering, although the project has not yet been formally announced by the carrier. Airport planning documents identify dedicated airline club space in the expansion of Airside 2, where Southwest operates its main Orlando gate complex. The reported plan comes as the airline develops a lounge network with Chase, targeting at least 11 locations over the next several years.
The proposed Orlando facility would be part of a wider effort to attract travelers seeking more airport amenities and strengthen Southwest’s loyalty business. The airline has confirmed four initial lounge locations, with openings expected to begin in late 2027. Orlando would extend the network into one of Southwest’s largest markets, but its size, opening date, access rules, and final design have not been disclosed.
Airport Documents Reveal Dedicated Lounge Space
The clearest evidence of the proposed facility comes from Orlando International Airport’s planning process. An April presentation to contractors listed “airline club space” on Level 3 of the Airside 2 expansion. A June design and engineering solicitation went further, specifying an airline club or lounge facility with vertical circulation, support spaces, and an optional terrace. The documents do not identify Southwest by name, but an airline source cited by View From The Wing confirmed the carrier’s plans. The outlet also reported that the lounge’s eventual size remains unknown.
The proposed location aligns with Southwest’s existing footprint. Airside 2 serves gates 100 through 129 on Concourse 2, where the airline operates its main Orlando gate complex. Building a lounge into an expansion can give Southwest access to purpose-designed space rather than requiring it to retrofit an already crowded terminal. Airport capital planning documents also proposed increasing the expansion budget from $374 million to $681.9 million, covering a new wing, aircraft parking positions, and a premium lounge. The broader investment does not establish how much would be spent on Southwest’s facility specifically.
Orlando Would Join A Growing Lounge Network
Southwest formally announced its first four lounge locations on September 2: Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS), Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI), Daniel K. Inouye International Airport in Honolulu (HNL), and Nashville International Airport (BNA). Construction has begun at those sites, and the first guests are expected in late 2027. The airline says at least seven additional lounges are planned across high-demand business and leisure markets.
Orlando would become the fifth identifiable location in the network, joining three other sites beyond the initial four where public plans or executive comments point to possible facilities: Denver (DEN), Dallas Love Field (DAL), and Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA). Those locations are not all at the same stage of confirmation, and Southwest has not published a complete list of its planned lounges. Orlando’s reported inclusion therefore adds evidence of expansion without establishing a finalized rollout schedule.
Southwest has not announced an Orlando opening date or released a floor plan. The optional terrace mentioned in the airport’s design solicitation is a potential feature of the project scope, not confirmation that the finished lounge will include outdoor seating. Simple Flying reached out to the airline for comment and was told there is no further information at the moment.
Chase Partnership Links Lounges To Loyalty Strategy
The lounge program is being developed with Chase, Southwest’s long-standing credit card partner. The airline says a new premium Rapid Rewards credit card issued by Chase is expected to launch in 2027 and provide access to the lounge network. Southwest has described the facilities as a combination of its hospitality approach with sophisticated design, locally inspired dining, and amenities associated with the Chase Sapphire Reserve Lounge Network.
For Orlando, the strategy could be particularly relevant to leisure travelers visiting Central Florida’s theme parks and resorts. A lounge can give an airline another way to differentiate its offering before boarding, while a card-linked access model can encourage customers to keep spending and earning rewards within the same travel ecosystem. However, Southwest has not disclosed whether the Orlando lounge will impose guest limits, require a particular fare or status, or offer paid entry. Those details will shape its usefulness for families and other groups traveling through the airport.
The broader expansion also coincides with Southwest’s effort to broaden its appeal beyond its traditional low-cost positioning. Its lounge investment introduces a new premium element to the airport experience, while the Chase partnership helps connect that amenity to the airline’s loyalty program. Orlando’s proposed facility would extend that approach into a market where Southwest already has a substantial operating presence, but its ultimate scale and timing remain unconfirmed.