Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI) is ready and willing if Southwest Airlines finalizes its much-hinted-at plan for airport lounges.
That was the message from Maryland Aviation Administration Executive Director Shannetta Griffin as she stood in the light-filled central atrium of BWI’s new connector, which adds a new — and more spacious — link between concourses A and B.
If Southwest does decide to add a network lounge, as the carrier has hinted at, BWI has the space for it.
“We’re certainly hoping for [a Southwest lounge], and if you could talk to Mr. Jordan, I’d appreciate it,” she said, referring to Southwest CEO Bob Jordan.
Jordan has hinted repeatedly over the past year that the airline could add lounges, a first-class product or even long-haul international flying. On lounges, he told CNBC earlier in December that Southwest was “actively pursuing” the idea.
BWI is Southwest’s third-largest base by both seats and departures, and its largest in the eastern U.S., schedule data from aviation analytics firm Cirium shows. And, while the airline is in the midst of the most dramatic changes in its history, the airport remains a critical dot on its route map and one that could become even more important if it decides to launch transatlantic flights in the future.
As for that $500 million A-B Connector, which BWI claims is its largest project ever, it will improve the experience for Southwest flyers.
It adds 142,000 square feet inside security, reclaiming space from five gates to open up a direct route on a single level between concourses A and B. Previously, passengers had to walk back to the main terminal area and then climb up to and traverse the food court when connecting between the concourses. It was all “airside” — or past security — but was a bit of a circuitous journey for passengers.
Put another way, travelers connecting between concourses A and B followed something of a “U” shaped path. The new connector links the two ends of the U.
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The five gates that the new space replaced were pushed out to the west and rebuilt in line with both concourses A and B, a single facility BWI opened for Southwest in 2005 for $264 million, or $440 million in today’s dollars.
BWI opened a $48 million five-gate extension of Concourse A for Southwest in 2021.
“Southwest appreciates the leadership from the Maryland Aviation Administration and the State of Maryland to bring the airport’s largest capital project to date to fruition,” a Southwest spokesperson said. “The A/B Connector project will improve the passenger experience and allow us to serve even more customers with our unmatched hospitality and reliability.”
The spokesperson declined to comment on whether Southwest was considering BWI for a lounge.
“We have gotten a commitment from Southwest that we will continue to be their largest East Coast — and they don’t necessarily use the word ‘hub,'” said Griffin, searching for the right word for the airline’s large base at BWI. “But their East Coast provider.”
Southwest carried 71% of the 26.1 million travelers who passed through BWI during the year ending in September, the airport’s latest traffic data shows.
The highlight of the new connector is the central atrium, where a glass ceiling covers an open space out to the gate areas. While not entirely column-free, it is an expansive vista that is rare at BWI, an airport better known for its low costs and functionality than stunning architecture. The space will feature outlets of local concessions by next summer, airport officials said.
“When people come into the airport, this is the first place they come and the last place they see when they come back from their travels,” said Griffin. “Making sure our passengers are safe, they’re comfortable [and] then they have this open space now that is very different from anything else they’ll see in the airport.”
And, just to make sure travelers know they are in Maryland, three ducts spanning the entirety of the new glass atrium are wrapped in the state’s flag.
There is much to like about the new connector: Floor-to-ceiling windows give travelers an expansive view of the runways beyond. The restrooms are in keeping with BWI’s award-winning standard. And the jet bridges are partially glass, a rarity at U.S. airports.
Underneath the new connector is a new baggage processing system that can handle up to 3,200 bags an hour for Southwest, said the airport’s project manager, Robert Kleinman. The current system can only process 2,100 bags an hour.
