Nashville Intl Airport (BNA) Flights & Information

As Tennessee’s busiest airport and the gateway for Music City, Nashville International Airport offers flights to cities across the United States as well as a few international destinations. Recent expansion and upgrades — as well as a new onsite hotel — have made the airport even more user-friendly, and it offers an above-average range of features. Expect crowds during peak travel times.

Arriving at Nashville International Airport

The airport has four concourses of varying sizes, as well as a satellite terminal connected to the main terminal by shuttle bus, so depending on where you land, you may have to walk a bit to get to the arrivals area.

Baggage claim is on Level 2, one floor below the gates, and rental car counters are on Level 1, below baggage claim. I’ve had to wait in long lines to rent a car, so if you can rent from a company that allows you to skip the counter, that’s a good way to avoid wasting time in line.

Finding the ground transportation pickup area

You can access the pickup areas from the Level 1 exit, and it’s about a seven-minute walk after leaving the baggage claim. Exit through the doors near the rental car counters and cross the access road and follow the signs to the right. Pickups take place in a covered section of the garage, and zones are marked for each type of transportation.

Taking a taxi

Taxis charge a flat rate from the airport to downtown Nashville and the Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center; for all other destinations, you pay based on the meter.

Taking a bus

Public transportation is the cheapest way to get to Nashville; WeGo Public Transit’s Route 18 service runs approximately every 45 minutes from early morning until almost midnight. The stop is at lane four, past all the other pickup areas. You can pay in advance using WeGo’s QuickTicket app, or when you board the bus.

Departing from Nashville

If you’re arriving at the airport with your own vehicle, the most convenient — albeit most expensive – parking option is the valet service, which charges a flat daily rate and is located on the ground floor of Terminal Garage 1.

For self-parking, Terminal Garage 1 and 2 are the closest to the terminal and also charge a flat daily rate. For cheaper parking, Terminal Lot A and Economy Lots B and C all charge the same rate, but A is the best deal since it’s within walking distance of the terminal (you’d need to take a shuttle from lots B and C). The Nashville airport website shows how full each lot is.

Navigating the airport

There is one main entrance to the terminal; it’s set in a grand-scale atrium with skylights and a gigantic, gently undulating roof. There isn’t much seating or food and beverage options on the departure level before security.

I’ve found the free WiFi to be quite reliable throughout the airport, but there are faster paid options if you need more speed.

The airport has five concourses: A, B, C, D and the new Satellite Concourse. Concourse A, which is the smallest in terms of physical space, doesn’t have as many food and drink outlets as other parts of the airport, so unless you like what’s offered there, it’s best to buy food and drinks elsewhere if you’re departing from Concourse A. Offerings in Concourse A will surely improve following a major upgrade that’s scheduled to wrap up in 2028.

Concourse B and C are more spacious and have more food, beverage and shopping options; Concourse C is the airport’s longest concourse, so it takes longer to walk to the far end.

One potentially confusing aspect about gate numbers: If your flight is departing from a C gate, pay close attention to the number. Gates C4 to C11 are not in Concourse C — they’re located in the new Satellite Concourse, which opened in 2023. I’m not sure why they place the C designation on gates that aren’t physically attached to Concourse C, but it’s likely because the departure area for the shuttle bus is at gate C13. The buses are modern and comfortable (although with very little seating on board), departures are frequent and the ride takes about seven minutes.

The new Satellite Concourse is spacious and mildly industrial in style, with a high, unfinished ceiling painted black. The facility is used by discount and smaller airlines including Allegiant Air, Avelo Airlines, Contour Airlines, Spirit Airlines and Sun Country Airlines.

I find Concourse D, which opened in 2020, to be the most attractive of the concourses. It’s graced with a high, semi-barrel vault ceiling and multiple sit-down dining venues. An extension of the concourse is under construction and will be complete in July 2025.

The BNA PASSport

In July 2024, Nashville International Airport debuted a clever new program called the BNA PASSport, which allows a limited number of non-traveling people to obtain a guest pass that allows them to visit the airport’s secure departure and arrival areas. The idea is to allow non-travelers to meet and accompany family, friends and colleagues — or simply to shop, dine and watch the planes. You must register via the Nashville airport website in advance to be approved.

Food and drink

I find the range of culinary offerings at Nashville International Airport to be more interesting than most mid-sized airports — largely because many restaurants here offer authentic southern specialties; these local dishes keep the offerings from falling into the typical, “could-be-anywhere” airport fare.

Nashville hot chicken, one of the city’s most iconic meals, is available in multiple venues at the airport — and in several formats. My favorites include the traditional sandwich, upgraded with bacon-infused pimento cheese, at Hattie B’s (near gate C1), and the massive hot chicken omelet at Party Fowl (near gate D2). You can also sample hot chicken pizza at Slim and Husky’s (near gate C1) and hot chicken bites at Acme Feed and Seed (near the T gates).

Nashville International Airport also stands out because of the presence of live music in multiple venues in the airport — including Acme Seed and Feed, Tootsie’s Orchid Lounge (near gate C1) and Ole Red (near gate C18).

Shopping

You can satisfy your music-themed shopping needs at the Musician’s Hall of Fame and Museum (near gate B3) and the Country Music Hall of Fame (in the Central Marketplace between Concourse B and C), both of which — despite their names — are simply stores that sell clothing, décor and souvenirs.

Airline lounges

Nashville International Airport has lots of admirable features, but unfortunately the facility lacks a full-service lounge that travelers can easily access (regardless of the airline they’re flying.

If you’re flying Delta, of course you can visit the Delta Sky Club (near gate B3) if you’re a member, are traveling in an appropriate premium cabin class, have a higher-level elite status with SkyMiles or hold a credit card that offers access. Day passes are not available.

The American Airlines Admirals Club (near gate C10) does sell day passes (if you’re flying American), and you can enter for free if you’re a member, are flying in some first and business-class categories or have an upper-level elite status with American’s AAdvantage program.

Other places to relax

Minute Suites is the best option if you’re looking for a completely private, enclosed space to work or nap; the facility charges a hefty hourly fee that includes free WiFi and Apple TV, but unlike some Minute Suites, this one doesn’t have showers.

If you’re a smoker, you may want to consider a visit to the Travelers Post Smoking Lounge near gate B10. If you spend a certain amount on cigars or cigarettes at the shop, you get free access to a lounge with a paid bar, where you can smoke what you’ve bought (they charge a small fee for lounge access if you spend less on purchases).

I’ve found a few public areas in the airport that can be pleasant for quiet relaxation and/or work. The T gates, for example, are often not in use and feature tall worktables and lots of outlets. The United Airlines gates at the far end of Concourse A can also be a good place to relax and work when they’re not in use — although there aren’t as many outlets as in other parts of the airport.

I also like two places that are outdoors, just across the access road from the terminal entrance. The open-air pedestrian plaza across the street from the top-level terminal entrance (on the P5 garage level) has manicured greenery, ample seating, a small children’s play area with mosaic tile airplanes and a pet relief area. It’s a nice place to relax and get fresh air, if you have time.

Right next to the pedestrian plaza is another of my favorite pre-security haunts: the Sky Pavilion at the Hilton Nashville Airport. This 10th-floor restaurant, bar and lounge offers indoor and outdoor seating and spectacular airport views. The hotel, by the way, is the most convenient accommodation option, since it’s a short walk from the terminal.