Southwest, the airline that built its brand without a first-class cabin, is officially building its first lounges, and Nashville International Airport is getting one of the first four. Southwest has released the first rendering of the space, expected to open in late 2027.
Southwest says the Icon Lounges "will combine premium amenities, thoughtful and local design, and the warmth of Southwest's culture," built for customers who want to relax, get work done, or simply settle in before a flight. Tony Roach, the airline's chief customer and brand officer, said certain staples will repeat from lounge to lounge, with the goal then to "localize it with local flair." The Icon name is a nod to the airline's 55-year legacy.
Nashville is one of four first-wave lounges, alongside Austin, Baltimore/Washington, and Honolulu. Construction has started at all four, and all four are expected to open in late 2027. Southwest Icon Lounges is being built in partnership with Chase, and the plan runs to at least 11 lounges, with at least seven more coming over the next several years in cities the airline has not yet named.
Access will run through a new premium Southwest Rapid Rewards credit card issued by Chase, launching in 2027. Southwest has not yet named the card or set its annual fee or other access rules. The lounge announcement arrived alongside an overhaul of the Rapid Rewards program, and Roach framed the lounges as a strategic investment in that program and a deepening of a 30-year partnership with Chase.
Southwest has put $539 million into renovations at its BNA hub in Concourse D over the past decade, and the airport around it is in the middle of its own 18-month overhaul of the central terminal core, built for a 40-million-passenger future.