NASHVILLE, Tenn (WTVF) — As the unofficial start of summer approaches, Nashville International Airport (BNA) is gearing up for a busy Memorial Day weekend.
With the travel industry showing signs of recovery after a challenging year, hundreds of people are expected to board planes at BNA to celebrate the holiday.
According to AAA, nearly 3.4 million travelers are projected to fly to their destinations this Memorial Day, marking an 11% increase compared to last year. The surge in air travel over the holiday weekend is even expected to surpass pre-pandemic levels, with approximately 170,000 more passengers than in 2019.
Despite initial concerns about potential crowds, some early travelers were pleasantly surprised to find the airport relatively empty.
"I left for the airport very early, thinking that it was going to be crowded, so I'm really surprised that it looks pretty empty today," Timmeca Jones said.
Jones is heading to Chicago to meet her daughter, who was flying in from Los Angeles.
Similarly, a group of friends from Charlotte had planned their trip to Nashville months ago. "We all were able to manage getting babysitters for our kiddos, and we made the trip so yeah," Bray Barbee shared.
While the airport does not expect Taylor Swift concert-sized crowds, officials anticipate a significant increase in passenger traffic this weekend. To ensure a smooth travel experience, BNA recommends that passengers arrive at least two hours early to navigate the airport comfortably.
Upon landing at BNA, the estimated wait times for exiting the airport are approximately 15 minutes for passengers without checked bags and 30 minutes for those with checked bags or international flights.
Lance and Bray Barbee, who caught their flight to Music City on time, reflected on past close calls. "Oh yeah, many times, many times," said Lance Barbee. However, this time, they managed to avoid any delays. "I’m always the one that oversleeps and makes us late, but today I didn’t do that," Bray Barbee added.
BNA has two exits to get to the BNA terminal --If 216A is busy, head on over to exit 216B.
To help alleviate traffic congestion around the airport, BNA has introduced a new Cell Lot located at 1415 Murfreesboro Pike, Nashville, TN 37217.
Travelers arriving early to pick up passengers are encouraged to utilize this lot, which provides ample space and addresses the growing demands of passengers.
