Southwest Airlines is undergoing a major transformation at the moment. Initially this includes charging for checked bags, introducing assigned and extra legroom seating, etc. However, in recent months, the company’s management has made it clear that things like first class, long haul flying, and lounges, are also under consideration. Well, at least one of those…
Continue reading: Official: Southwest Airlines Opening Lounges… Including In Honolulu?!
Share your questions, experiences, and thoughts below.
Interestingly, I didn’t see Nashville mentioned as a potential location for a first round lounge and the airport has two open lounge spaces that have been sitting empty for almost 2 years…
Will be interesting to see the rules for use and access evolve. Personally, I think a WN / Chase collaboration will water down the Chase brand, especially with regard to its evolving lounge network.
I expected United and Chase to get to a similar tie up with reciprocal lounge access (such as amex plat / delta reserve) before southwest. Interesting choice on Chase's part, but perhaps the low quality of united clubs is partly the reason
Hope no “Roaches” show up!
SWA is horrible. Most delays and horrible customer service. Not expecting much different from their lounges either. Sometimes I miss Spirit lol
I think a lot of people on here have suspected that United didn't want to offer CSR-holders club access in part to avoid the crowding issues that some Delta lounges have, and also because United wanted more people to directly engage with them through the co-branded cards (just like you have to book economy flights with their cards to get checked bags included).
LAS and PHX would be hosed if cross-access is given, they’re already at capacity, and both have a large WN presence. My guess is CSR gets WN lounge access if flying WN, à la Amex Plat/ DL lounges.
Southwest lounges closely related to Chase Sapphire lounges... which are run by The Club. Wondering if they're just going to look like The Club but with Southwest colors
Surprised MDW wasn’t one of the first four? Maybe no current space?
From the reaction, it's clear that no one under the age of 55 has ever heard of the phrase "swing a dead cat". Look it up, then delete your Yowzers!.
Other than charging folks more for things they used to not have to pay for... I remain skeptical that Southwest will actually pull-off any major changes, like these lounges, or actual recliners (2-2, domestic first, what I prefer to call 'premium economy'). Time will tell.
Clearly, these days, the 'name of the game' is the co-branded credit card revenue, so if Chase is backing this, like Amex does for Delta (and their SkyClubs), then perhaps, this all can and will indeed happen. Otherwise, lotta hype.
Like, if it's for real, I wonder if CSR $75K spend benefits, like the $500 travel credit for WN purchases via Chase Travel, will include lounge passes, etc., if this does ever happen.
At this rate. I see them joining an alliance. Lol.
Which alliance would even be available to Southwest? All three are already well represented in the U.S. by major competitors.
Bad timing for folks in San Antonio. Southwest and the Airport spent who knows how much in attorney fees fighting in court over access to the new terminal C, which will feature clubs from the big three in 2028. Southwest was kept out, with one of the factors being ... not having lounges.
Post settlement, Southwest now gets gates across the three terminals, but I have to wonder if a larger Terminal C or a faster rebuild for Terminal B, including a Southwest lounge is in the works. We will see.
Elbee, the sleuth. Nice. Tbf Southwest doesn’t need to have a lounge in San Antonio to . It would be behoove them to spend that new lounge money in Houston and Dallas (ASAP!!) and other locations (New Mexico, AZ, Cali, Denver come to mind).
Besides. AA will probably need to give up their lounge space not too far out. lol AA is cooked.
Maybe I am jumping the gun, but when SW sued the city of San Antonio, the city was essentially offering them all of Terminal A, and they said no. Partially because it is cramped concourse wise, but I think also because it has no lounge space available. I think in an ideal world, they would want a lounge in all 4 of the big Texas cities as they are deeply tied to all four historically.
Southwest also announced codesharing with LOT Polish Airlines yesterday (on select routes). Looks like part of a wider strategy. Btw I was surprised LO no longer codeshares with UA (?)
I'm surprised that Southwest got a deal with Chase rather than United. If United is trying to be like Delta seems to me like they would want the same relationship AMEX and Delta have with CSR having access to United Clubs (maybe limited visits when flying United) and top United cardholders having access to Chase lounges
I don’t think United wants to bring even more people into their already overcrowded lounge network… ie every sapphire reserve card holder…
When the new concourse at STL gets built, I wouldn't be surprised if WN opens a lounge there as well. One of the +'s.
No mention of whether lounge access will be provided with certain tickets (I assume mostly domestic flights from those mentioned airports) or will it just be via credit card and lounge membership?
Chase and Southwest have already had a partnership--if you spend at least $75k annually on the CSR, you get Southwest A-list status and a $500 Southwest credit. Utterly useless to me as I don't fly Southwest. My ideal scenario would be that CSR members in that spend category get access to these Chase/WN lounges (even if not flying Southwest).
I wonder if AUS was one of the first cities in the rollout to help ensure DL remains a distant number two, or if it’s just a matter of where the space is.
Think it's a bit of both. I find it odd that SW is opening a lounge near security in Austin vs. near the gates themselves, the new concourse has a walk to the new concourse/Southwest gates from security according to the plans.
Based on that, I think they realized it was a bird in the hand scenario - take the available space in the airport bursting at the seams now vs. continuing to not have space through 2030.
The ideal scenario would be unlimited access for holders of Chase's new Southwest premium card along with access for Chase's Sapphire Reserve cardholders when flying Southwest (essentially the Delta/AMEX model). I don't know how realistic this is though since both Chase and Southwest will want to push the new card, so we may end up with access only with the co-branded card. Possibly a third scenario with limited access with the CSR after spend thresholds (something added to the current perk of A-list plus a $500 credit, even if it's just 2 passes per quarter).
I worry this will become a sad day for the future of Chase Sapphire Lounges.
Everyone raves about how nice they are… but I can’t see that continuing on once Southwest and everyone that comes with it gets involved.
My exact thought! I do hope they keep Sapphire untouchable from the SWA club brand. Please, Chase, do NOT do any shared spaces if these two exist in the same terminal.
Now with Southwest joining JetBlue in the lounge game on top of the big 3 expanding their lounges and the countless credit card lounge offerings popping up, one has to wonder - where on earth are all these lounges going to go? Airports have limited footprints and at some point they’ll be maxed out of space. No?