Revolut is set to establish its own airport lounges, with the first one located in Copenhagen in 2027.

      Revolut, the fintech that has thrived on the promise of eliminating the necessity of visiting banks, is now poised to begin constructing physical locations. The company announced today its plan to launch premium airport lounges across Europe, with the first set to open in 2027 at Copenhagen Airport. This move marks one of its most intentional advancements from the digital realm into the tangible world.

      These lounges will be managed in collaboration with Plaza Premium Group, which oversees the largest network of airport lounges globally, allowing Revolut to leverage existing expertise instead of starting from scratch in the hospitality industry. Access to these lounges will be linked to its subscription plans, turning them into an additional benefit for those on the higher paid tiers, rather than a service accessible to all app users.

      Hadi Nasrallah, who leads Revolut’s aptly named New Bets division, referred to the Danish location as “the perfect fit” for what he views as a significant growth market. The company plans to extend this lounge model to other key European markets, indicating that this is intended to be a replicable format rather than a one-time venture.

      Revolut recently opened its first physical store in Barcelona, designed to be an immersive experience rather than a conventional branch. The company has expanded its offerings beyond merely transferring money, incorporating travel bookings, mobile phone plans, a partnership with WeWork for co-working spaces, and even a bundled ChatGPT subscription.

      The lounges represent the next logical progression in this ever-expanding portfolio. Behind this ambition lies a strong financial foundation. Last year, Revolut reported £4.2 billion in revenue, an increase of 46%, while its subscriptions segment—targeted by the lounges—grew by 67% to £708 million. In a recent secondary share sale, the company was valued at approximately $115 billion, up from $75 billion just last November, making an airport property initiative appear rather modest.

      The underlying rationale is brand loyalty. Lounges are highly sought-after rewards in consumer finance, which explains why travelers tolerate the fees associated with premium credit cards. By owning these spaces rather than leasing them, Revolut can reinforce its brand during moments when customers are most relaxed and financially capable.

      This strategy aligns with its ambitions in private banking and efforts to attract higher-spending clientele as it prepares for a possible public offering. The timing is also strategic. Over the past year, Revolut has been focused on integrating various services into a single app, covering trading, cryptocurrency, messaging, mobile plans, and AI, in pursuit of the much-coveted “super-app” status that many Western fintechs aspire to but rarely achieve.

      Establishing lounges serves as a tangible manifestation of this ambition, reminding its millions of users that the brand can accompany them from their smartphones to the airport terminal, ensuring that its wealthiest customers remain loyal and do not turn to competing cards.

      However, lounges can be costly to set up and challenging to operate, which likely explains why Plaza Premium is handling the heavy lifting. Furthermore, the lounge access market is already competitive, populated by services like Priority Pass, LoungeKey, and various airline lounges. Revolut also recently experienced a tumultuous change in lounge access providers that irritated some travelers, highlighting that perks can sometimes disappear due to contract changes.

      Regardless, this move is rich in symbolism. A company that has spent the last decade asserting that banking should be entirely mobile is now betting that fostering customer loyalty can be achieved by providing them with a comfortable place to unwind. As Revolut pursues licenses and expansion across Europe, it increasingly aims to transform from merely an app to an entire ecosystem in which users reside, starting, appropriately, in airport departures.