Southwest Icon Lounges: 11 Airports to Get Premium Spaces in Chase Partnership
Southwest Airlines has unveiled its Icon Lounge network, with four locations set to open in late 2027 in partnership with Chase.
By The Aviation Hub
5 min read
Southwest Airlines has confirmed plans for its Southwest Icon Lounges network, spanning 11 airports and built in partnership with Chase, with the first four locations expected to open in late 2027.
The announcement forms part of a broader Rapid Rewards overhaul and marks a significant shift for a carrier that has traditionally avoided many of the premium features common at rival airlines. According to One Mile at a Time, construction has already started on the first four sites.
What the Southwest Icon Lounges Will Look Like
View from the Wing reports that Southwest held a Media Day in Dallas at which it displayed lounge furniture, materials, sketches and renderings. The entrance design features a large Southwest heart behind the reception desk, framed by a broad arch with rounded corners, rendered in a warm gold tone.
The bar will be a centrepiece of each lounge. The Nashville rendering shows a large wraparound counter with a slatted canopy that curves up and spreads across the ceiling, accompanied by upholstered bar stools, dining tables and armchairs near the windows.
Each lounge will carry a degree of local flavour. View from the Wing notes that Baltimore's design takes inspiration from a local greenhouse and includes a small raven as a nod to the city, while Nashville's display features a record player inside a wood liquor cabinet, a cowhide-style rug, amber glass lighting and cards reading "Music City".
Furniture on display pairs deep blue chairs with rust-coloured carpet, warm metal lamps and small tables, alongside curved cream sofas, textured fabrics, plants and low lighting.
The First Four Locations
The four airports where construction has already begun are Austin-Bergstrom International (AUS), Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall (BWI), Daniel K. Inouye Honolulu International (HNL), and Nashville International (BNA), according to One Mile at a Time.
Southwest has said at least seven further lounges will follow over the next several years, targeting high-demand business and leisure markets. View from the Wing reports it has identified eight airports in the pipeline beyond the initial four.
One Mile at a Time notes there is reason to believe work is underway for additional lounge locations in Dallas (DAL), Denver (DEN), Orlando (MCO) and Washington (DCA), though those sites have not been officially announced.
Family Facilities and Food and Beverage
Nashville's plans go beyond the standard lounge offering. View from the Wing reports the Nashville lounge will include a mother's room and a children's area with a treehouse, climbing wall and interactive floor piano.
Southwest has not yet released food and beverage details, explaining that with lounges still roughly a year away, it intends to release information gradually. The airline has promised locally inspired dining at each location, with full menus to follow closer to opening.
The Name and Its Meaning
The lounge network will be known as the Southwest Icon Lounges. One Mile at a Time reports the name is intended to "celebrate Southwest's 55-year legacy, from Herb Kelleher's people-first philosophy to the Customers and Employees who continue to shape its story."
Tony Roach, Southwest's Chief Customer and Brand Officer, said: "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. The introduction of a lounge network represents a strategic investment in Rapid Rewards and deepens our 30-year partnership with Chase."
Who Gets Access
Access to the Southwest Icon Lounges will be tied to a new premium Southwest Rapid Rewards credit card, set to launch in 2027, according to One Mile at a Time. Southwest has not yet confirmed whether Priority Pass members will have access.
View from the Wing notes that the card image displayed at Media Day shows a large heart picked out in diagonal lines, with a Chase logo at the upper left and Southwest at the upper right. The annual fee and guest policy have not yet been announced.
Southwest describes the lounges as being developed in conjunction with Chase, though the precise nature of that collaboration beyond the premium card and Chase's experience with the Sapphire lounge network has not been fully explained. Whether Chase Sapphire Reserve cardholders will have any access path remains an open question, as View from the Wing points out.
Context: Southwest's Broader Transformation
The lounge network is one of several major changes Southwest has made in recent years. The carrier has introduced checked bag fees, assigned seating and extra legroom seating, all representing a departure from its traditional low-cost, no-frills model. You can explore the full Southwest Airlines profile on our Airline Search tool.
The Icon Lounge announcement sits within a larger Rapid Rewards programme overhaul that also includes a new Platinum elite tier and changes to earning status and the Companion Pass.
The Bottom Line
Southwest is moving deliberately into premium territory, and the Icon Lounge network is the clearest signal yet of how far that shift is going. Four locations are under construction, with at least seven more planned, and a new Chase credit card will be the key to the door.
The food, beverage and access details still outstanding are significant ones, particularly the guest policy, which View from the Wing flags as especially consequential at leisure-heavy airports such as Honolulu and Orlando. Late 2027 is the target for the first guests to walk through the door.
Continue to follow The Aviation Hub for more analysis and insight.
Advertise with us Your brand, in front of an aviation audience Home page and in-article placements, sold directly, one advertiser per slot. From £250 a year. See the rates
