Dolly Parton International: Nashville’s Airport May Get A New Name, And I’m All For It

Country superstar Dolly Parton tragically passed away on August 25, 2026, at the age of 80. She’s an absolute legend who was widely loved, and she had a huge impact on the country music scene, and beyond that, dedicated so much time and money to helping others. There’s now a serious proposal to honor her at the airport that’s home to country music. Proposal to name Nashville Airport after Dolly PartonI’m not a huge fan of naming airports after people, but…Bottom line Proposal to name Nashville Airport after Dolly Parton Tennessee Governor Bill Lee and Nashville International Airport (BNA) have announced their intention to name the airport in honor of Dolly Parton, to create a lasting tribute to her legacy, and the people she inspired in Tennessee, and beyond. Lee reportedly spoke with Dolly’s team about this, and they “expressed their appreciation for the extraordinary outpouring of support to honor Dolly and said they are touched by the idea and open to continuing the conversation.” The Metro Nashville Airport Authority (MNAA) will discuss this proposal on September 17, 2026. As you’d expect, there’s still quite a bit of work that has to be completed before this happens. Beyond getting formal approval from the MNAA, there would also presumably be some sort of licensing deal between the airport and Parton’s team. Furthermore, there’s talk of the airport code possibly changing to “DPI,” referencing “Dolly Parton International.” Currently Nashville Airport uses the code “BNA,” and that’s because when the airport opened in 1937, it was known as Berry Field Nashville. At the time, the airfield was named to honor Colonel Harry Berry, who was the Tennessee administrator for the Works Progress Administration (WPA), as he helped establish the facility. Here’s what Doug Krulen, CEO of the MNAA, had to say about this proposal: “BNA is the front door to Music City, and with that comes a responsibility to reflect the very best of who we are as a community. Dolly’s remarkable legacy reminds us that what makes Nashville special is our ability to welcome people from every walk of life. She understood that dignity, kindness and opportunity should never be defined by where you come from or your socioeconomic status. At BNA, we share that commitment. Whether you are boarding a private aircraft or taking your first flight, you deserve to be welcomed, respected and served with the same level of care. That spirit is what defines BNA and it is a fitting reflection of the values Dolly shared with Tennessee and the world.” I’m not a huge fan of naming airports after people, but… As I’ve explained in the past, in general I’m not a fan of naming airports after people, especially when the name of the person completely overshadows the destination. I’m particularly opposed to renaming airports after politicians, who roughly half of people (at a minimum) will typically dislike. This isn’t just a partisan take on account of Palm Beach Airport recently being named after Donald Trump. I had the same belief when Las Vegas Airport was named after Harry Reid. However, as I have said in the past: It’s one thing to name an airport after someone a vast majority of people can agree on, but to me it’s a bit different to name an airport after a politician, which is always going to be divisive I think to be fair to Dolly Parton, she very much fits in that former category. We live in such a divisive time, and she’s one of the few very high profile people that a vast majority of people can agree on. I saw the below (forget the commentary), and I found it interesting how she has among the highest “favorability” ratings among both Republicans and Democrats. That’s pretty remarkable. And ouch, poor Mark Zuckerberg (well, not really, but…). Dolly Parton was progressive, yet a lot of MAGA liked her… maybe they didn't know she was progressive and just assumed that since she was a country singer that she was automatically a republican?Kinda like how they like Rage Against The Machine because they don't read lyrics. pic.twitter.com/ucwTxSlLRo— Anonymous (@YourAnonNews) August 27, 2026 So as far as naming airports after people go, I couldn’t think of a person in the United States who would get such a high level of agreement among people across the spectrum. You’d have to otherwise be in North Korea to find such a high approval rating. 😉 Bottom line There’s a proposal to name Nashville International Airport after Dolly Parton, given the impact she has had on the country music scene. While nothing has been finalized yet, the Tennessee governor and airport authority are in favor of this, and are in discussions with her team. If the renaming does happen, you can also expect a change to the airport code, with “DPI” being the frontrunner. What do you make of possible renaming of Nashville Airport after Dolly Parton?