For months, Southwest Airways has been teasing the opportunity of true premium seats, long-haul routes and airport lounges.
Now, it seems not less than a kind of issues could also be coming true.
In response to Hawaii state information, the airline this month gained approval (PDF hyperlink) to lease area to construct a lounge at Honolulu’s Daniel Okay. Inouye Worldwide Airport (HNL).
The information was first reported by trade blogger Enilria.
In response to paperwork (PDF hyperlink) reviewed by TPG, the area would doubtless span two flooring and measure an expansive 12,000 sq. ft inside Terminal 2, the place Southwest operates its HNL flights.
This may be the primary airport lounge for the Dallas-based service, and by far its deepest foray into the premium area.
It is also one thing that the airline’s CEO, Bob Jordan, has been hinting at for months — together with simply final week on the corporate’s earnings name.
“We’re actively taking a look at continued adjustments to widen our product providing for our clients,” Jordan informed analysts Oct. 23.
“Together with issues,” Jordan added, “like premium seating, airport lounges and long-haul worldwide locations.”
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Southwest has thus far not publicly confirmed it is including airport lounges.
Due to that, it stays unclear how the airline would possibly decide entry for any future golf equipment. Nonetheless, it appears a possible wager the service might use lounges as a technique to sweeten the deal for its top-tier bank card lineup — which simply obtained a refresh this summer season.
Southwest is within the midst of a serious transformation. After including checked bag charges earlier this 12 months, the service is now lower than three months away from ditching its long-standing open-seating coverage in favor of assigned seats — together with its new extra-legroom product now accessible on roughly half of its planes.
2025 has additionally seen the service strike up new worldwide airline partnerships with Icelandair, China Airways and EVA Air, and it expects to debut Speedy Rewards associate redemptions on a few of these carriers subsequent 12 months.
Southwest launched Hawaii service in 2019, and, as of this month, flies nonstop from HNL to eight U.S. mainland airports. It additionally operates a number of interisland routes.
If the airline certainly strikes ahead with a Honolulu membership, it will be part of a aggressive lounge panorama on the state’s greatest airport. American Airways, Delta Air Traces and United Airways all have golf equipment at HNL, as do worldwide carriers All Nippon Airways, Japan Airways and Qatar Airways. Alaska Airways and Hawaiian Airways are plotting a brand new premium membership on the airport following their 2024 merger.
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