Nashville Airport to Be Renamed for Dolly Parton Following Unanimous Vote

Nashville airport to be renamed for Dolly Parton after unanimous vote. Fans and officials celebrate the tribute to the late country legend.

Editorial Desk

September 11, 2026 One Min Read

POLICY WIRE — Nashville, Tennessee — The Nashville International Airport will be renamed in honor of the late Dolly Parton following a unanimous decision by the Metro Nashville Airport Authority board.

The board voted 6-0 on Friday to initiate the name change process, though a final name has not yet been selected. The move comes just weeks after Parton passed away at age 80 after a private battle with cancer.

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Tennessee Governor Bill Lee supported the proposal, stating it would be appropriate for the airport to carry the name of our state’s favorite daughter. An online petition calling for the name change, which had gathered over 175,000 signatures by the time of the vote, was launched more than a year before Parton’s death. Despite her initial dismissal of the idea as a joke, she expressed gratitude for the gesture during an appearance on CBS Mornings in 2025.

The current airport code, BNA, stands for Berry Field Nashville, named after Col. Harry S. Berry. The name change must still be approved by the Federal Aviation Administration. The airport’s board praised the widespread support from the community and Parton’s global fanbase. Other U.S. airports have been named after notable figures, including the Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport and the Muhammad Ali Louisville International Airport.

Reporting by Policy-Wire (PW)

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