To accommodate a rapidly growing population and record passenger levels, the Metropolitan Nashville Airport Authority has announced a major redevelopment plan for Nashville International Airport. The initiative aims to expand parking, add new concourses, lobbies and gates, build an international arrivals facility, increase security lanes and include an on-site hotel. The overall program is estimated to cost about $1 billion and span the next seven years.
This year the airport handled more than 12.2 million passengers, a 10 percent increase compared with the previous year. June set a new single-month record, with roughly 1.1 million travelers passing through the terminal. These rising numbers reflect both regional population growth and increasing demand for air travel.
“By 2035, the population of the Greater Nashville area is expected to exceed 2.5 million, and Nashville International Airport’s passenger traffic is projected to grow from about 12 million today to more than 20 million,” said Rob Wigington, president and CEO of the Metropolitan Nashville Airport Authority. “We are seeing this rapid growth firsthand as we set new passenger records regularly. The projects included in our BNA Vision are intended to address that growth—improving international travel facilities, shortening security wait times, adding gates and parking, and enhancing access—while keeping passenger safety and convenience front and center. We’re pleased to share this vision and offer a preview of how BNA will evolve over the coming years.”
The initial phases of the program call for a six-story parking garage with room for approximately 2,000 vehicles, expected to be completed in the latter half of 2018. The new international arrivals building is also scheduled to open that year. These early improvements are designed to relieve immediate capacity constraints and improve the passenger experience for international travelers.
Currently, Nashville International Airport provides roughly 440 daily flights operated by 12 airlines, with nonstop service to more than 50 destinations. The planned upgrades seek to support continued route growth and improved operational efficiency as passenger levels rise.