If you think Alaska Airlines’ airport lounges are good now, just wait. I was in Seattle yesterday for Alaska Air Group’s Investor & Media Day, where executives announced a long list of investments in both Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines.
There were new lie-flat suites, a new premium economy cabin, major Atmos Rewards changes and ambitious international expansion plans. But some of the biggest news, quite literally, involves the lounges.
Alaska Air Group is investing in major new airport lounges in Seattle, Honolulu and San Diego, including a nearly 41,000-square-foot complex at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA).
Alaska says the Seattle space will become the largest airport lounge at SEA and one of the largest in the country.
A nearly 41,000-square-foot lounge in Seattle
Seattle is Alaska Airlines’ hometown hub and increasingly its gateway to the world, so it makes sense that the biggest lounge investment is happening there. The new lounge complex will be located in SEA’s newly expanded C Concourse and is scheduled to open in late 2027. It’s actually going to consist of two connected spaces on separate levels.
The main Alaska Lounge will seat approximately 500 passengers and will be available to travelers who qualify under Alaska’s existing lounge access policies.
Then there’s the new Aurora Lounge, which will seat another 200 guests and is being designed specifically for Aurora Suites passengers traveling on intercontinental flights. Combined, you’re looking at seating for approximately 700 people.
An outdoor patio with a fireplace
One feature immediately caught my attention: an outdoor patio. The new Seattle lounge will have an outdoor patio complete with a fireplace. That’s not something you find in many U.S. airport lounges and it sounds like it could be a great place to spend time between flights, assuming Seattle’s famous weather cooperates. The lounge will also include private work pods for travelers who need some peace and quiet.
Pizza, coffee and three bars
Food and drinks are also getting a serious upgrade. Alaska says the new lounge complex will feature locally sourced food and beverages with rotating seasonal menus. There will be a pizza oven, a coffee lab and fresh pastries.
The space will also have three premium bar areas spread across two floors with craft cocktails, curated wines and beers from select local breweries. The goal is to make the lounge feel connected to the Pacific Northwest rather than creating another generic airport lounge that could be anywhere in the world.
Aurora Lounge takes things up another level
The Aurora Lounge will be the more exclusive of the two spaces. It’s part of Alaska Airlines’ new Aurora premium experience, which will include lie-flat suites on its Boeing 787s and select Boeing 737-10 MAX aircraft. Aurora Lounge passengers will have access to private shower suites and wellness spaces, which will be particularly welcome for travelers connecting to or from long international flights.
The food experience will be different too. Alaska says the Aurora Lounge will offer chef-prepared, made-to-order food, à la carte dining and tableside service. That’s a significant step up from the typical airport lounge buffet.
Dedicated premium check-in in Seattle
Alaska is also trying to make the premium experience begin before travelers ever reach the lounge. Aurora Suites passengers will have access to dedicated check-in and concierge service at Alaska’s Seattle global gateway. It’s all part of what Alaska executives described at Media Day as creating a premium experience from “curb to cabin.” That’s increasingly what the world’s best airlines do well.
A great business class experience isn’t just about a comfortable seat. It’s also about making check-in, security, lounge access, boarding and the flight itself feel seamless.
Hawaiian Airlines is getting a new Honolulu lounge
Hawaiian Airlines isn’t being left out of the lounge expansion. The airline plans to open a nearly 13,000-square-foot Hawaiian Airlines Lounge at the entrance to the Mauka Concourse in Terminal 1 at Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (HNL). It’s expected to open in early 2028 and seat approximately 200 guests.
Access will be similar to Hawaiian’s existing Plumeria Lounge and will include passengers traveling in the airline’s new Leihōkū Suites.
Hawaiian flavor instead of a generic lounge
I’m glad to see Alaska Air Group isn’t simply planning to copy and paste an Alaska Lounge into Honolulu. The new Hawaiian lounge is being designed around Hawaiian’s own identity. It will feature locally inspired food and beverages, a signature local coffee experience and a full-service bar with specially created cocktails.
There will also be private workspaces and artwork and installations from local artists. One of Hawaiian Airlines’ biggest strengths has always been that you feel like your trip to Hawaiʻi begins the moment you step onboard. The new lounge should extend that experience to the ground.
Hawaiian is also getting dedicated premium check-in
Passengers traveling in Hawaiian’s new Leihōkū Suites will eventually get dedicated check-in and concierge service in Honolulu and Seattle. Those suites will be installed on Hawaiian’s Airbus A330 fleet beginning in 2028 and will feature lie-flat seats, privacy doors and direct aisle access.
So, just like Alaska’s Aurora product in Seattle, Hawaiian is trying to create a more complete premium journey rather than simply installing an expensive seat on the airplane.
San Diego is getting a new Alaska Lounge too
The third lounge announcement involves San Diego International Airport (SAN). Alaska plans to open a new 14,000-square-foot Alaska Lounge in San Diego in 2028. Alaska didn’t reveal nearly as many details about the San Diego space as it did for Seattle and Honolulu, so there’s more to come. But the investment makes sense given Alaska’s large presence on the West Coast.
Why Alaska is spending so much on lounges
Airport lounges have become a major battleground for U.S. airlines and credit card companies. They’re also becoming more important to Alaska because the airline itself is changing. Alaska Air Group says Alaska currently serves seven intercontinental destinations and expects to grow that number to at least 15 by 2030.
As Alaska attracts more international business and premium leisure travelers, its ground experience needs to compete with what those passengers can get from other global carriers. A 41,000-square-foot flagship lounge complex with showers, restaurant-style dining and dedicated international premium space is a clear sign of where Alaska sees itself going.
Bottom line
I’ve been in a lot of airport lounges around the world and the best ones do more than provide a free drink and a place to sit. They make you want to get to the airport early. Judging from what Alaska unveiled in Seattle, that’s exactly what it’s trying to create.
The nearly 41,000-square-foot Seattle complex is obviously the showstopper, especially with its separate Aurora Lounge, outdoor patio, fireplace, showers, wellness areas and à la carte dining. But I’m equally interested to see what Hawaiian does in Honolulu because the airline has an opportunity to create something that feels distinctly Hawaiian from the moment passengers walk through the door.
We’ll have to wait until late 2027 for Seattle and early 2028 for Honolulu, with San Diego following in 2028.
But for Alaska and Hawaiian frequent fliers, there are some impressive lounge upgrades on the horizon.
