Southwest Airlines, long the no-frills carrier of open seating and free checked bags, is building airport lounges. They now have a name — Southwest Icon Lounge — and a first rendering of the planned Nashville location shows something few passengers would ever associate with this airline: a sweeping bar, warm wood panelling and upholstered seating that looks closer to an upscale hotel or a Chase Sapphire Lounge than anything from Southwest's past.

The lounge programme was first announced in September, but this week's reveal adds the branding and a concrete sense of the design. Southwest is partnering with Chase, which brings real lounge experience to the table through its Sapphire network. According to the airline, the spaces will serve locally inspired food and drink, plus areas to work and relax before boarding.

Four airports make up the first wave, with openings expected to begin in late 2027: Austin (AUS), Baltimore (BWI), Honolulu (HNL) and Nashville (BNA). At least seven more locations are planned over the following years, taking the intended network to eleven or more, though those airports haven't been named yet.

Access is the big open question. Entry will come through a new premium Southwest credit card issued by Chase, expected in 2027, but the annual fee, guest policy and access rules are all still unknown. Travellers shouldn't assume that an existing Southwest card, a Chase Sapphire Reserve or a Priority Pass membership will work, and elite status alone probably won't open the door either — though a new top-tier status tier with lounge perks hasn't been ruled out.

Is this the end of Southwest as we knew it? In a sense, yes — elegant lounges sit oddly alongside the airline's historic identity of keeping flying simple and cheap. But there's a fair argument on Southwest's side here: rather than stripping an existing benefit and charging to give it back, the airline is adding something it never offered. For frequent flyers out of Austin, Baltimore, Honolulu or Nashville, a quiet spot for coffee and a proper meal before departure could genuinely shift loyalty, especially in Honolulu, where a lounge would be welcome before the long haul back to the mainland given Southwest's limited onboard catering.

Practical caution is still warranted. A rendering says nothing about food quality or — crucially — whether there will be a free seat, and the Nashville lounge's position right by the security entrance suggests it could fill fast. Four airports also leave most Southwest travellers without a lounge at their home base, so the case for signing up for an expensive credit card on the strength of one pretty picture is thin. The real test will be the fee, the access rules and how crowded the spaces get once the novelty wears off.

Still, for holidaymakers who already fly Southwest when the fare and schedule suit, this is a reason to pay attention: the airline is finally competing on experience, not just price.