Southwest Airlines is reportedly gearing up to open airport lounges, a move that has been hinted at by CEO Bob Jordan for over a year.
During a recent earnings call, Jordan offered perhaps his strongest signal yet about the airline's plans, stating that "obviously, there's work underway" on the lounges. Although he didn't make any formal announcement, it now seems like a safe bet that frequent Southwest flyers could soon find themselves relaxing in an airport lounge.
The airline's plans for lounges appear to be driven by its efforts to expand its cobranded credit card opportunities and provide customers with perks they want. Across the industry, carriers have been racing to open clubs to sweeten the appeal of upper-echelon cards with higher annual fees.
One potential location for a Southwest lounge has been revealed in filings uncovered in Hawaii, which revealed planning for a Southwest outpost in Honolulu. Other airports where Southwest has focused significant growth, such as Austin, Las Vegas, and Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport, could also be potential locations.
The airline's push to open lounges is part of a larger transformation, which has seen it evolve rapidly over the past two years. Southwest has introduced checked bag fees, ended its longtime "bags fly free" tagline, and implemented assigned seating, among other changes.
As the airline continues to pursue its customers, it's clear that lounges will play a key role in its plans. While it's still too early to say for sure where they might be located, one thing is certain: Southwest is committed to providing its customers with the amenities they want.
