Southwest Says a New Chase Premium Card Will Unlock Its First Lounges
Southwest officially plans its first lounge network for late 2027, with access tied to a new premium Southwest Rapid Rewards card from Chase.
TL;DR
Southwest says its first airport lounges are under construction and expected to welcome guests in late 2027.
- Southwest says its first airport lounges are under construction and expected to welcome guests in late 2027.
- Access will come through a new premium Southwest Rapid Rewards Credit Card issued by Chase, also launching in 2027.
- The annual fee, guest policy, existing-card access, and any Chase Sapphire crossover rules are not published yet.
What changed
Southwest Airlines officially announced plans for its first airport lounge network on September 2, 2026. Construction has begun on the first four lounges: Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport, Daniel K. Inouye International Airport in Honolulu, and Nashville International Airport.
The first guests are expected in late 2027. Southwest also says at least seven more lounges are planned over the next several years. The card-benefit angle is the access path: Southwest says a new premium Southwest Rapid Rewards Credit Card issued by Chase will launch in 2027 and provide access to the new lounge network.
That is a confirmed future product signal, not a current benefit update for existing Southwest cards. Current public Southwest and Chase pages for the Plus, Premier, and Priority consumer cards show travel benefits such as first checked bag free, seat selection rules, boarding benefits, TQP earn, anniversary points, and partner credits, but they do not publish Southwest lounge access for today's cards.
Key details to check
| Category | Confirmed now | Still unknown |
|---|---|---|
| Announcement date | September 2, 2026 | Whether more card terms will arrive before applications open |
| First lounge airports | Austin, Baltimore/Washington, Honolulu, and Nashville | The order of openings and exact terminal locations |
| Timing | First guests expected in late 2027 | Exact opening dates and construction risk |
| Network size | At least seven more lounges planned after the first four | Full airport list, capacity, and operating partner details |
| Card access | A new premium Southwest Rapid Rewards Credit Card issued by Chase will provide access | Annual fee, guest policy, authorized-user rules, A-List/status access, and any Sapphire access |
| Current Southwest cards | Plus, Premier, and Priority card pages do not list this lounge access today | Whether existing cardholders will get an upgrade path or product-change option |
Who should care
This mainly matters for frequent Southwest flyers who were already watching the airline's shift toward assigned seating, premium seats, checked-bag fees, and richer co-brand benefits. A Southwest lounge card could become a keep-or-cancel decision for travelers based at Austin, Baltimore, Honolulu, Nashville, or another future lounge airport.
It also matters to Chase users because the announcement explicitly connects Southwest's lounge plan with Chase's lounge experience. Do not assume a Sapphire Reserve, Priority Pass, A-List, or current Southwest Priority card will get access unless Southwest or Chase publishes that rule.
What to do next
- Add a 2027 watch item for the new premium Southwest Rapid Rewards card rather than a current benefit row.
- If you hold an existing Southwest card, keep valuing it from published benefits such as bags, seats, anniversary points, and partner credits.
- Watch for the card's annual fee, guest rules, authorized-user access, and product-change options when applications open.
- If you are based at AUS, BWI, HNL, or BNA, wait for terminal and opening-date details before assigning real value.
- Track this separately from generic Priority Pass or Chase Sapphire Lounge access.
Sources
Official sources: Southwest's September 2, 2026 lounge announcement, the current Southwest consumer credit-card page, and Chase's current Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card page.
Credible coverage and heat signals: Doctor of Credit, The Wall Street Journal, and Thrifty Traveler. Related Perkmon reading: credit card lounge access tracker, how to track credit card benefits, premium travel card annual-fee review, and Perkmon News.
Keep exploring
Frequently asked questions
Can current Southwest credit-card holders access the new lounges?
Not based on the public terms available now. Southwest says access will come through a new premium Southwest Rapid Rewards Credit Card issued by Chase in 2027, but it has not published existing-card, status, guest, or product-change rules.
Which airports are confirmed for the first Southwest lounges?
Southwest names Austin-Bergstrom, Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall, Daniel K. Inouye International Airport in Honolulu, and Nashville International Airport as the first four lounge locations.
Should this change the value of a current Southwest card?
Not yet. Treat it as a future watch item until Chase and Southwest publish the new card's annual fee, access rules, and launch terms.
Before you act
- Issuer, airline, airport lounge, guest, access, and construction timelines can change.
- Verify current Southwest and Chase terms before applying for or valuing a card benefit.
- This article is for informational purposes only and is not financial advice.
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