Southwest Airlines is planning an airport lounge in Nashville (along with Honolulu, Denver, and almost certainly Austin and Dallas). American Airlines will build a new lounge in Nashville.
There’s a ton of lounge activity in Nashville and there will be a new bank lounge there. We don’t know yet if it’s going to be Chase, American Express or Capital One. And there’s other space opening (like the existing American Airlines Admirals Club) that’s prime for a third party Priority Pass-accessible lounge.
I revealed plans for a North Mezzanine bank lounge last month. Now, the May 13, 2026 airport Finance Committee packet includes minutes from their April 8 meeting with detailed terms for the planned ‘bank lounge’.
President Kreulen introduced Lisa Leyva, VP, Concessions, to brief the Committee on the North Mezzanine 3rd Party Lounge Solicitation. Ms. Leyva stated the proposed space is the North Mezzanine with the use of 20,600 sq./ft. for credit card/common use lounge.
A Request for Proposal will include 15 Year Term, $20.6M minimum capital investment (min. bid of $1,000/sf), Additional $5.15M capital investment at 7 years (min. bid of $250/sf), the Minimum Annual Revenue to Authority of $5.15M/year (min. bid of $250/sf), 3% annual escalation, +18% of all ancillary sales and invest a minimum of $250K/year in-terminal advertising.
Ms. Leyva presented a proposed drawing of the conceptual space layout. Ms. Leyva shared a list of proposed amenities. She stated the schedule includes RFP release date of May 2026, the PreProposal meeting of May 2026, the RFP due date of August 2026, ad the RFP Selection of September 2026.
Chair Byrd asked if various credit card companies have expressed interest in this space. Ms. Leyva replied yes, we have spoken with American Express, Chase, among others that have all expressed interest. Commissioner Granbery asked what is the reserved space? Ms. Levya stated it is for another entity that we are speaking with. Chair Byrd asked if there are other spaces available above Concourse A. President Kreulen replied in Concourse A, in the Center of L shape, American Airlines will move to a bigger space. Delta has a nice lounge, was 3K SF, and now is 15K SF. Chair Byrd stated there is a lot of competition for these lounges.
This space would be the same size as Chase’s Philadelphia lounge. It’s 50% larger than Capital One’s New York JFK lounge, which is their largest to date.
We should find out this year whether Nashville gets a Centurion lounge, Sapphire Lounge, or Capital One lounge.
I find it interesting that Delta’s Sky Club will go from the best lounge in Nashville to probably third – or even fourth (we don’t know what Southwest’s will be like!). But Delta isn’t staying still on the lounge front. We know about several in the pipeline, including Delta One lounges. I haven’t seen anyone pick up on my scoop that Delta will build a new lounge in Honolulu.
The new BNA is hot. With 23K sqft, can they just split it. The more the merrier. AA really needs to update their old AC.
Had a 4 hour lay-over the other day at LaGuardia and wanted to go to the new Capital One Lounge in Terminal B, unfortunately I was flying Delta which only operates out of Terminal C and LGA has no access between terminals, what’s up with THAT LGA?? would have had to go thru TSA two more times to go to the Lounge.
I wonder if a bidder will attempt to split the space in 2? Cap 1 + Plaza Premium seems like the most likely option, but I could also see Amex + Escape (like PHX) or Chase + The Club.
Cap 1 is the most likely to do that IMO simply based on their typical lounge size that you noted, but I could see offering a Priority Pass/ contract lounge option, even if only 30-40% of the space, being a compelling positive to the airport authority given the lack of a contract lounge at the airport, pending what that 3rd space ends up being.
@Doc423 — Rookie. If TSA at B would let you in, you had ample time to lounge hop there.