It looks like Nashville International Airport (BNA) will indeed be renamed in some way to honor the late country music icon Dolly Parton.
And, if it is, you may indeed be able to tell people, “I’m departin’ from Parton” or”Pick me up at Parton.”
Following Parton’s death on August 25, 2026 and in response to renewed support for a Change.org petition started more than year ago, officials in Nashville and at BNA began exploring the name change in earnest.
Both Tennessee Governor Bill Lee and Nashville International Airport announced their intent to name BNA in honor of Dolly Parton.
And the airport authority’s Naming Policy and Gov. Lee’s proposal were set to be to addressed at a meeting of the Metropolitan Nashville Airport Authority (the BNA operator) on Thursday, September 17.
But things seem to be moving a bit faster.
On Friday, September 11, the Metropolitan Nashville Airport Authority, went ahead and voted unanimously, 6-0, to begin the process of modifying the airport’s name in honor of Dolly Parton.
In a statement released Friday, the airport authority said that “while a final name has not yet been determined, we are working closely with the appropriate parties to thoughtfully determine how Dolly Parton’s name and legacy will be incorporated.”
“This vote represents the first step in a multifaceted process. In the coming months, we anticipate having more definitive plans to share regarding the next steps and implementation.”
So it may take a bit, but it looks like it will happen.
