What you're seeing over Nashville
Most airliners over Nashville are going to or from Nashville International, about eight miles southeast of downtown. BNA has grown rapidly into one of the busiest airports in the Southeast without being a hub, and Southwest is its largest airline, with American, Delta, United, Alaska, Allegiant and others adding service to keep up with the city's boom.
BNA's main runways run north-south, so arrivals and departures cross the southeast side, Antioch and Donelson, while downtown and the Gulch see aircraft at moderate altitudes. Business jets come and go for the music industry and corporate travelers, and John C. Tune Airport, west of downtown, adds more. To the northwest, Fort Campbell, home of the 101st Airborne Division, flies Black Hawks, Chinooks and Apaches across Middle Tennessee, and you'll sometimes see them heading through the area. The heavy thump of a twin-rotor Chinook is unmistakable, and our guide to telling military aircraft apart covers the rest.
Airports near Nashville
- commercialBNANashville International Airport
KBNA · 6 miles southeast of downtown
A fast-growing airport southeast of downtown, with Southwest as the largest carrier. Live traffic at BNA ↗ - relieverKJWNJohn C. Tune Airport
KJWN · 6 miles west of downtown
A business-aviation airport west of downtown, owned by the Metropolitan Nashville Airport Authority. Live traffic at KJWN ↗ - general aviationMQYSmyrna Airport
KMQY · 18 miles southeast of downtown
A former Air Force base southeast of Nashville used by business jets and the Tennessee Army National Guard. Live traffic at MQY ↗ - militaryHOPCampbell Army Airfield (Fort Campbell)
KHOP · 53 miles northwest of downtown
The main airfield of the 101st Airborne Division, northwest of Nashville on the Kentucky line. Live traffic at HOP ↗
Common traffic over Nashville
Southwest dominates BNA with 737-800s and MAX 8s on a long list of routes, while American, Delta, United, Alaska, Allegiant, Frontier, Spirit and others add more. Some international flights connect Nashville with Europe, Canada and Mexico, so a widebody occasionally appears among the narrowbodies.
BNA has four runways, three running north-south and one crossing runway:
- South flow, common with prevailing south winds: arrivals descend from the north over Donelson, Hermitage and the Cumberland River, and departures climb out to the south over Antioch and La Vergne.
- North flow: arrivals come in from the south over Antioch and La Vergne, and departures climb north over Donelson and toward Old Hickory Lake.
Business aviation is big in Nashville, with music industry executives, artists, sports teams and corporate travelers using BNA, John C. Tune and Smyrna. Large events, such as CMA Fest, Titans games and the NFL Draft held in the city in 2019, bring surges of private jets.
Military flying comes from Fort Campbell, where the 101st Airborne flies UH-60 Black Hawks, CH-47 Chinooks and AH-64 Apaches, and the Tennessee Army National Guard flies helicopters from Smyrna. Helicopters also include Vanderbilt LifeFlight medevac, Metro Nashville Police and news crews. Overflights between the Midwest and Florida or Atlanta pass high over the region.
Aircraft you'll often see here
Boeing 737-800
narrowbody airliner
Boeing 737 MAX 8
narrowbody airliner
Airbus A320
narrowbody airliner
Airbus A321
narrowbody airliner
Embraer E175
regional jet
Bombardier CRJ900
regional jet
Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk
military utility helicopter
Cessna Citation Excel / XLS
midsize business jet
Plane-spotting tips for Nashville
The roads around BNA's perimeter, especially near the runway ends along Murfreesboro Pike and Donelson Pike, give views of arrivals and departures. The airport's cell phone lot is a popular waiting spot. John C. Tune is easy to watch from the surrounding roads near the Cumberland River. From downtown rooftops, look southeast toward BNA. Spring brings storms and dramatic skies, while fall offers the clearest days. Shelby Bottoms Greenway, along the Cumberland River in East Nashville, has open fields and wide views north of the airport, where south-flow arrivals line up. On big event weekends, watch the general aviation ramps at BNA and John C. Tune fill with business jets, and keep an eye out for Army helicopters transiting from Fort Campbell.
Nashville sky questions
What are the military helicopters over Middle Tennessee?
Many are from Fort Campbell, home of the 101st Airborne Division, which flies Black Hawks, Chinooks and Apaches. The Tennessee Army National Guard also flies helicopters from Smyrna.
Why is Nashville's airport so busy?
Nashville's population and tourism have grown rapidly, and airlines, led by Southwest, have added many new routes to BNA, making it one of the fastest-growing airports in the country.
Which way is BNA landing today?
BNA usually operates in south flow with prevailing south winds, with arrivals coming in over Donelson and Hermitage. When winds shift to the north, arrivals come in from the south over Antioch.
Nearby cities
Planes over Louisville (155 mi) · Planes over Birmingham (183 mi) · Planes over Memphis (196 mi) · Planes over Atlanta (215 mi)