Why flights get delayed at BNA
Spring storms
Severe thunderstorms are common in spring and early summer and can stop traffic with little warning.
Fast growth
Passenger numbers have grown quickly and the airport has been under long-running construction, which squeezes gate and ramp space.
Aircraft running late all day
Much of the schedule is flown by aircraft making many stops a day, so delays elsewhere arrive here later.
Flying through BNA soon? How to prepare
- Time it well.
- Know your airline's commitments. Check what Southwest Airlines or your own airline has promised for delays and cancellations in our airline policy guides, or see how to check it yourself.
- Line up a backup. Note the next couple of flights on your route before you leave home.
- Connecting here? Keep both flights on one ticket and choose a layover with room to spare above the minimum connection time.
The full list is in our pre-trip checklist.
Airlines most affected
Nashville is a hub or major base for Southwest Airlines. When the airport slows down, that airline has the most flights to re-plan, but it also has the most later departures to rebook you onto. What you are offered during a delay depends on the carrier.
Check the live status
- The FAA shows current ground stops and delay programs for BNA at nasstatus.faa.gov.
- Departure boards, terminal and security information are on the official Nashville website.
If your flight is delayed or cancelled at BNA
- Find the real cause. Ask the gate agent, then compare it with the FAA status above. The cause decides what the airline owes you: see is it really a weather delay?
- Know your refund right. If the flight is cancelled, or delayed three hours or more (six for international), you can decline to travel and get your money back.
- Line up alternatives first. Look at later flights, other airlines and the alternate airports below before you reach the desk.
- Ask for what the airline has committed to. For delays within its control, that usually means a meal after three hours and a hotel overnight. Here is what to say.
The full walkthrough is in what to do when your flight is delayed.
Alternate airports near BNA
Nashville has no other major commercial airport within a short drive, so rebooking onto a later flight or another airline from BNA itself is usually the practical option.