NASHVILLE, Tenn. ā Nashville International Airport is now on the verge of becoming Dolly Parton International Airport, with the airport authority board expected to vote Friday, September 11, on a resolution supporting the historic name change. The familiar BNA airport code, however, is expected to remain unchanged.
Nashville International Airport to change its name to Dolly Parton International Airport. ā NC5
ā NewsWire (@NewsWire_US) September 11, 2026
The latest development moves the proposal significantly closer to reality. A Nashville International Airport board member told NewsChannel 5 that all seven board members are expected to support the measure, potentially making the vote unanimous.
However, the airport should not yet be treated as formally renamed until the board completes its action and the required administrative process moves forward. Travelers should continue using Nashville International Airport and the BNA code for current bookings.
Dolly Parton airport vote moves rename closer
The push accelerated after Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee and Nashville International Airport announced on August 28 that they intended to pursue naming the airport for Parton, three days after the Tennessee music icon died on August 25, 2026, at age 80.
The Tennessee governorās official announcement said Lee had spoken with Partonās team, which expressed appreciation for the tribute and said it was open to continuing discussions.
Metropolitan Nashville Airport Authority President and CEO Doug Kreulen also backed the proposal, describing BNA as the āfront door to Music City.ā
Nashvilleās Metro Council added its support on September 1, adopting a resolution requesting that the airport authority make an exception to its existing naming policy and rename the airport Dolly Parton International Airport.
All seven airport board members are expected to support it
The strongest indication yet that the change is likely to happen came ahead of Fridayās vote. NewsChannel 5 reported that an airport board member expects all seven members to vote in favor of the Dolly Parton resolution.
If that support holds, the board action would clear a major local hurdle. The airport would then begin working through the administrative process associated with formally implementing the new name.
The proposal has backing from Gov. Lee, airport leadership, Nashville officials and Partonās representatives, giving the campaign considerably more momentum than it had when it began as a public petition.
BNA code is expected to stay after the name change
Travelers should not expect the three-letter BNA airport code to disappear. It is expected to remain on flight searches, tickets, boarding passes, baggage tags and aviation systems even if the public name becomes Dolly Parton International Airport.
BNA traces its history to Berry Field, named for Col. Harry S. Berry, who was instrumental in the development of the Nashville airport. Keeping BNA preserves that aviation history while allowing the airportās public-facing name to honor Parton.
Retaining an established airport identifier also minimizes disruption across airline reservation and baggage systems. Reliable airport information becomes especially important during major aviation disruptions, such as the recent Heathrow and Gatwick air traffic control problems.
Two-year naming rule remains a key procedural issue
The airport authorityās naming policy currently says an individual generally must have been dead for at least two years before airport property can be named in that personās honor.
That requirement would normally prevent an immediate Dolly Parton rename because she died on August 25.
Metro Council specifically asked the airport authority to waive that waiting period. The policy itself allows the MNAA board to amend its rules, meaning commissioners have a path to remove or create an exception to the restriction.
Local reporting indicates the airport authority is preparing to address the rule as part of the effort to move the Parton naming forward.
The campaign started before Dolly Partonās death
The idea was not created after Parton died. A fan-led petition seeking the airport rename began in January 2025 and gained major momentum following her death.
Support climbed above 150,000 signatures, turning what began as a public campaign into a proposal backed by some of Tennesseeās most influential political and aviation officials.
Parton herself discussed the campaign during a 2025 CBS interview. She said she had initially thought the idea was a joke but described the proposal as flattering and said she appreciated the compliment.
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Rename could cost $8 million to $10 million
The full transition is expected to cost approximately $8 million to $10 million, according to local reporting.
The work could include terminal signs, roadway signs, wayfinding systems, websites, digital displays, administrative records and other airport branding.
Funding is expected to involve a combination of Metro Nashville, Tennessee state and airport resources, although a final detailed funding breakdown has not yet been publicly completed.
Full transition could take six months to a year
Even after board approval, travelers should not expect every airport sign to change immediately. Officials involved in the process estimate that completing the administrative work and physical rebranding could take roughly six months to one year.
The airport will also have to work through applicable federal aviation administrative requirements before the new name is fully reflected throughout the aviation system.
That means Nashville International Airport branding could remain visible for months while Dolly Parton International Airport signage and records are introduced in stages.
Partonās Tennessee legacy drives historic airport tribute
Born in Sevier County, Parton built a globally recognized career rooted in Tennessee and Nashville. Her influence stretched from country music and entertainment into tourism, business and philanthropy.
Her Imagination Library, launched through the Dollywood Foundation in 1995, developed from a Tennessee literacy initiative into an international program that has distributed hundreds of millions of books to children.
If the rename is completed, Parton would also become a rare female namesake among Americaās largest commercial airports.
BNA itself is one of Tennesseeās major economic gateways, handling millions of passengers and connecting Nashville with destinations across the United States and overseas.
Existing BNA flights and bookings remain unchanged
Passengers do not need to change, cancel or rebook existing reservations because of the proposed rename.
Travelers should continue searching for BNA when booking flights to Nashville. The same three-letter identifier is expected to remain in use after the public airport name changes.
The rename is an administrative and branding transition rather than an interruption to airport operations. It is separate from aviation safety incidents such as the recent Miami cargo plane crash investigation.
For now, the key milestone is Fridayās airport authority vote. With all seven board members reportedly expected to support the proposal, Dolly Parton International Airport is closer than ever to becoming Nashvilleās new airport name ā while BNA is expected to remain the three letters travelers continue to use.
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