Nashville’s Airport Board Votes 6-0 to Put Dolly Parton’s Name on BNA

Travelers landing in Nashville will eventually see Dolly Parton’s name before they see the baggage claim. The Metropolitan Nashville Airport Authority board voted unanimously, 6-0, on Friday (Sept. 11) to begin the process of renaming Nashville International Airport in honor of the country icon, who died on Aug. 25 at 80 after a brief battle with cancer.

The board said a final name hasn’t been chosen. “We are working closely with the appropriate parties to thoughtfully determine how Dolly Parton’s name and legacy will be incorporated,” the airport authority said in a statement reported by News 9. It called the vote “the first step in a multifaceted process,” with more definitive plans expected in the coming months, per NewsChannel 9. The airport will work with the Dollywood Foundation on the name.

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The idea started with fans. A Change.org petition collected more than 175,000 signatures, and Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee announced his support on Friday, Aug. 28, three days after Parton’s death. He said it would be fitting for the airport to “bear the name of our state’s favorite daughter and greet travelers with the enduring legacy of Dolly’s music, generosity, faith and kindness,” per News 9. Parton’s team was “touched by the idea and open to continuing the conversation,” he added, NME reported.

It will also need federal sign-off: News 9 reports that the name change must be approved by the Federal Aviation Administration. The airport’s code, BNA, stands for Berry Field Nashville, named for Col. Harry S. Berry.

The petition predates her death by more than a year. When Gayle King asked Parton about it on CBS Mornings in January 2025, she called the idea “just a joke.” “I’m very flattered,” Parton said. “But it’s a nice compliment, and I appreciate it. I’ve been blessed.”

Now it’s our turn to share a love letter to Dolly — by renaming Nashville International Airport to Dolly Parton International Airport in Nashville.

Freddie O’Connell, Nashville mayor, NME

Mayor Freddie O’Connell, in an Instagram statement, tied the move to a project Parton was still building. “Dolly was in the process of working with us on a remarkable hotel and museum — SongTeller — that she called her love letter to Nashville,” he wrote. Her family has said she “worked up until the day she died” on projects including an avatar show, a Broadway musical and several in Tennessee, NME reported.

Tributes have kept coming. Taylor Swift, Paul McCartney, Eminem and Elton John shared messages after her death, and Kacey Musgraves, Jack White and Orville Peck have covered her songs on stage. Tennessee state Sen. Jessie Seal has also introduced legislation to make Sept. 25 “9 to 5” Day, a nod to Parton’s best-known workplace anthem.

A renamed BNA would join a short list of U.S. airports named for performers, including Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport and John Wayne Airport in Orange County, California. The next move is the FAA’s, and then a name: the board has promised details in the months ahead.

Added to the High Grailed archive on October 12, 2026.