Southwest Express Lanes: Which Airports Offer This Service?

Southwest Airlines offers express lanes at various airports, including Baltimore/Washington International Airport/Thurgood Marshall, Harry Reid International Airport, and Miami International Airport. These express lanes provide expedited services for travellers, including priority lanes, self-tagging options, charging stations, and airport WiFi. It is recommended that passengers arrive at the airport well in advance of their departure to ensure a smooth travel experience, especially given potential delays at TSA checkpoints and construction-related delays.

Baltimore/Washington International Airport

Southwest Airlines has a strong presence at BWI Airport, with sole occupancy of Concourses A and B, which have a total of 30 gates. These concourses are interconnected, and flights from both are solely operated by Southwest Airlines. Additionally, Southwest Airlines shares Concourse C with American Airlines and Contour Airlines. This concourse has 14 gates, and it can be accessed through its own designated area.

The main security checkpoint is located in the Main Terminal, near the Southwest Airlines ticket counter. There are also security checkpoints in each of the concourses, including Concourse A, B, C, D, and E. Passengers are advised to arrive at the airport at least two hours before their scheduled departure time to allow for security processing. BWI Airport offers expedited screening programs such as TSA PreCheck and CLEAR lanes to speed up security checks for eligible passengers.

BWI Airport provides clear and frequent signage to guide passengers to their desired concourse and gate efficiently. For quick transfers between concourses, especially from A/B to C or D, walking is feasible. The airport also promotes its cardio walking trails, which include two 1-kilometer routes, one starting from either end of the main terminal and the other running the full length of Concourse A to Concourse B.

The hourly parking garage offers convenient parking near the main terminal, with climate-controlled bridges connecting to the terminal. Parking rates are $4 per hour or $22 per day. Shuttles also operate between the parking garage and the airport every 8 to 10 minutes.

Harry Reid International Airport

Southwest Airlines operates primarily from Terminal 1 at Harry Reid International Airport, utilising both Concourse B and Concourse C for its operations. The B gate departure area has 17 gates, numbered B1, B2, B6, B9 to B12, B14, B15, B17, and B19 to B25. Allegiant, Avelo, Southwest, and Spirit Airlines all operate from the B gates.

To reach the B gates from Terminal 1, passengers should pass through the A/B security checkpoint and turn left down the long corridor. To connect to the A gates from the B gates, take the walkway back toward the A/B checkpoint and turn left. The C gates can be reached by taking the walkway to the right of Starbucks, walking past the pharmacy and pet relief area. For the D and E gates, take the corridor as if walking to the C gates and turn left to the airport tram station, where passengers can ride the blue line to the D gates with onward services to the E gates.

Miami International Airport

The MIA Mover provides transport between the Dolphin and Flamingo parking garages and the Rental Car Center and Central Station. The Metrorail departs from Central Station every 30 minutes on weekdays and every 15 minutes on weekends, with connections to the green line at Earlington Heights. The Tri-Rail provides service from MIA (Central Station) to Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach, and Mangonia Park. The Brightline offers connections to Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach, and Orlando.

The Metrobus serves Miami International Airport with several routes, including the 150 Miami Beach Express. The bus stops at the MIA Metrorail station are located on the ground level, with drop-off and pickup locations on the east and west sides, respectively.

When driving to Miami International Airport, travellers can take I-25 North and exit onto FL-836 West/I-395 toward Airport/U M/Jackson/VA Hospitals. They can then follow signs to NW 14th Street and Airport North before merging onto NW 25th Street for access to the airport.

Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport

The Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP), also known as Wold–Chamberlain Field, is a joint civil-military public international airport. It serves Minnesota's twin cities of Minneapolis and Saint Paul and is located within 10 miles of both downtown areas. It is the seventeenth busiest airport in the United States, with 25.2 million passengers served in 2021 and 34 million passengers annually. It is also the country's 12th busiest airport for aircraft operations.

The airport has two terminals: Terminal 1 Lindbergh and Terminal 2 Humphrey, named after aviator Charles Lindbergh and former US Vice President Hubert Humphrey, respectively. Terminal 1 is the larger of the two, housing most flight operations and airport services, and some ground transportation services operate exclusively from there. The terminals are approximately 3 miles apart by vehicle and are not connected by walkways. To travel between them, passengers must take the METRO Blue Line light rail transit service, which is free for travel between the terminals.

The airport offers valet parking, hourly and daily parking at both terminals, and there are also several off-site parking lots nearby. For ground transportation, taxi stands can be found at Terminal 2 and level T of Terminal 1. Rideshare services like Uber and Lyft are permitted to operate from the airport, using the usual car drop-off and pick-up areas.

The recent arrival of Southwest Airlines at MSP has brought greater affordability, and the airport's central location offers a quick trip to the city (15-30 minutes). The airport has received various awards in categories such as safety, fiscal management, labour relations, and airport design and development, among others.

TSA PreCheck®

Southwest Airlines offers a range of amenities at select airports, including charging stations, airport WiFi, priority lanes, and express lanes for a seamless travel experience. One notable feature is the TSA PreCheck® program, which allows eligible passengers to expedite their security screening process. Here's what you need to know about TSA PreCheck®:

Miami International Airport, a busy hub for Southwest Airlines, offers two TSA checkpoints in Terminal 2. One of these checkpoints is designated specifically for passengers enrolled in the TSA PreCheck® program. By using Checkpoint 2, located across from the Purple Parking Ramp, TSA PreCheck® members can enjoy a faster and more efficient security screening process. This dedicated lane is exclusive to trusted travellers who have undergone pre-approval, ensuring a smoother journey through airport security.

Benefits of TSA PreCheck®

Eligibility and Enrollment

Participating Airports

Frequently asked questions