This website uses cookies

Read our Privacy policy and Terms of use for more information.

The next stage in the transformation of Southwest Airlines could mean airport lounges and long-haul international flights. The airline’s executives are talking up this roadmap.

CEO Bob Jordan highlighted the possibility of opening airport lounges as a way to boost the attractiveness of the airline’s co-branded credit cards. With the introduction of bag fees and other changes from the old days, lots of new stuff, including the lounges and long-haul international flights, could be in the planning stages.

CLARITYPAY + SKIFT

Flexible payments can help travel brands increase sales, protect customer relationships, and create value beyond the initial booking.

EDITOR’S PICKS

China’s $770 Million Crackdown on Trip.com Is Really About Platform Power

July 27, 2026

China's latest antitrust ruling puts new scrutiny on how online travel platforms use exclusivity, pricing, and traffic allocation to maintain their edge.

Lounges Could Be Next in Southwest’s Overhaul: ‘There’s Work Underway’

July 24, 2026

With the possibility of lounges, Southwest is betting that it can capture more premium customers and boost engagement with its loyalty program.

IATA Makes Surprise Pick for New Leader, Skips Airline Veterans

July 23, 2026

IATA has picked its first leader from outside the airline industry in four decades. The gamble is whether member carriers will take their cues from an economist who has never run an airline.

Emirates Rebuilds to 92% Capacity, Even as the Iran War Grinds On

July 22, 2026

Emirates has rebuilt faster than initially forecast, and faster than the war itself has resolved. Sir Tim Clark's well-worn crisis-management playbook is being tested in real time — and it's holding so far.

UAE Travel Agencies Report Delays in Payments From Saudi Clients

July 22, 2026

The Saudi-UAE rift is reaching travel through the banking rails first. The thing to watch is whether it reaches demand next.

Riyadh Air Waited Years for New Planes. Now Six Have Arrived in 30 Days

July 20, 2026

For a startup with no legacy fleet to fall back on, delivery delays were painful. But taking such a large number of aircraft in just a month brings its own headaches.

Reach corporate travel decision-makers and position your brand at the center of the business travel conversation by sponsoring Skift’s new report, The New Corporate Travel Landscape. Learn more today.

SKIFT PODCAST NETWORK

Gordon Smith, Editor at Airline Weekly, runs through three reasons to read this week's issue:

It has been a blockbuster week for airline earnings, with some of global aviation's biggest names revealing the true impact of the fuel price shock. We have the essential insight and analysis.

Blockbuster was not quite the word for the firm order numbers at the Farnborough International Airshow, but there were still plenty of notable developments. The Airline Weekly team was on the ground and delivers its debrief.

And this week's feature turns to American Airlines, where we look at what is going right and what is going wrong. The carrier remains stubbornly stuck in third place among the U.S. majors, and we find out what and where it needs to improve.

Read the full edition — subscribe to Airline Weekly at airlineweekly.skift.com

Connect with Airline Weekly
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/airline-weekly/
X: https://x.com/Airline_Weekly/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/airlineweekly/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/skiftnews/
WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaAL375LikgIXmNPYQ0L/
Subscribe to @SkiftNews (https://www.youtube.com/@SkiftNews) and never miss an update from the airline and travel industries.


SKIFT TRAVEL 200

How are public travel companies performing around the world? The Skift Travel 200 pulls the data you need to know to understand the market. Paid subscribers get full access here.