Taking off

Southwest Airlines launches airport lounges, but skips Dallas Love Field

Southwest Airlines is introducing lounges to several airports, but not Dallas Love Field.

Photo courtesy of Southwest

Dallas-based Southwest Airlines is introducing its first-ever lounges in airports across the country, but the carrier flew past Dallas Love Field for the rollout of its first four.

In a release, Southwest says it expects to open the lounges late next year at these four airports:

Austin-Bergstrom International Airport
Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport
Daniel K. Inouye International Airport in Honolulu
Nashville International Airport (set to be renamed in honor of the late Dolly Parton)

Construction of the four lounges is already underway.

Southwest plans to open at least seven more lounges over the next several years, but it didn’t identify the locations. In other words, Southwest travelers shouldn’t lose hope of Love Field — the airline’s hometown hub — landing a lounge.

Holders of a Chase-issued Southwest Rapid Reward credit card being launched in 2027 will gain access to the airline’s lounges.

The airline said in the release that its lounges will “combine the warmth and friendliness” of Southwest with “sophisticated design, locally inspired dining, high-quality amenities, and valuable travel benefits” available through the Chase Sapphire Reserve network of lounges.

“The introduction of a lounge network represents a strategic investment in Rapid Rewards and deepens our 30-year partnership with Chase,” said Tony Roarch, Southwest’s executive vice president, chief customer officer, and chief brand officer, in a statement.

Love Field lacks DFW’s wealth of lounges
Love Field has no lounges affiliated with airlines or credit card issuers. However, Patrick Carreno, Dallas’ aviation director, said last year that the planned $2.5 billion overhaul of Love Field’s terminal would make room for passenger lounges.

The region’s other major airport, Dallas Fort Worth International Airport, boasts 22 lounges and other “premium spaces.”

Fort Worth-based American Airlines operates five Admirals Club lounges and one Flagship Lounge at DFW, the airline’s busiest hub. American plans to open a new Admirals Club in the redesigned Terminal C and a Provisions by Admirals Club lounge at the under-construction $4 billion Terminal F.

Resonating with travelers
Airlines and credit card issuers realize the value of airport lounges, which are geared toward top-tier flyers.

A 2025 study by market research company JD Power found 47 percent of lounge customers plan their routes based on lounge access, and 82 percent pick an airline based on lounge access.

“Airport lounges have become so popular that many airports are now starting to mimic their designs and layouts in their public terminal areas,” Michael Taylor, managing director of travel, hospitality and retail at JD Power, said in a release.

“Lounges are clearly resonating with travelers, as expanded access through credit card perks and other non-status-related offers has fueled demand, bringing with it the unfortunate side effect of increased crowding,” Taylor added. This is driving the demand for additional lounge space within airport terminals.”

airport airports lounges love field southwest airlines

NET GAINS

Horseshoe Bay Resort courts padel craze with $10M addition in Hill Country

Renderings courtesy of Horseshoe Bay Resort

The clubhouse will give players a place to gather and watch matches between rounds of tennis, pickleball, or padel.

Horseshoe Bay Resort, a sprawling lakeside destination in the Texas Hill Country about 215 miles south of Dallas, is going all in on the padel craze. The resort has broken ground on a $10 million racquet sports expansion that will include four dedicated padel courts and a new clubhouse by summer 2027.

According to a release, the expansion will include a 6,690-square-foot Racquet Sports Clubhouse with indoor and covered outdoor gathering areas. It will join the resort’s existing 12 tennis courts — six hard courts and six red clay courts — and 14 dedicated pickleball courts.

Padel combines elements of tennis and racquetball, using a net and tennis-style scoring on a smaller, enclosed court where the glass walls remain in play.

“Padel is experiencing explosive growth, and we’re excited our resort owners are going all-in on the specialized, enclosed glass-and-mesh courts required for dedicated padel play,” says Israel Castillo, the resort’s director of racquet sports, in the release.

The clubhouse will include a central lounge overlooking the courts, along with reception, retail, and additional gathering spaces. Planned furnishings include soft seating, high-top tables, televisions, and a counter running along a wall of windows facing the courts.

A 2,632-square-foot covered outdoor lounge will give spectators another place to watch matches. The clubhouse will also sell athletic clothing, footwear, equipment, and accessories, plus chef-prepared grab-and-go food, sports drinks, and ready-to-drink cocktails.

The new facilities will complement the resort’s Mouratoglou Tennis Center, an instructional program affiliated with Patrick Mouratoglou, the longtime former coach of Serena Williams. The Horseshoe Bay center offers private and group lessons, clinics, and camps led by coaches trained in Mouratoglou’s teaching method.

A rendering shows the exterior patio planned for Horseshoe Bay Resort’s new racquet clubhouse.Renderings courtesy of Horseshoe Bay Resort

Horseshoe Bay dates to the early 1970s, when developers began transforming ranchland along Lake LBJ into a resort community. Its original Slick Rock golf course opened in 1972 and later helped revive the Texas State Open. More recently, the resort served as the setting for the return of Golf Channel’s golf competition series “Big Break.”

The resort’s annual events include Balloons Over Horseshoe Bay Resort in April, Beer by the Bay in August, and the Wine, Dine & Jazz Festival in November. It occupies more than 7,000 acres along Lake LBJ and also offers golf courses, a marina, a spa, hotel rooms, villas, and lakeside condos.

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