Monday, Southwest Airlines announced their plan to establish a new base for flight crews at Nashville International airport (BNA) starting in 2024.
The move will create an estimated 1,300 jobs in Nashville.
BNA has an average of 60,000 passengers per day for personal and business travel, including 24,500 passengers originating travel from BNA.
Southwest Airlines began their service to BNA on March 18, 1986, with eight daily nonstop departures to Chicago (Midway) and Houston (Hobby).
The carrier has grown to operate more flights and serve more air passengers as BNA’s largest carrier, offering up to 166 departures a day to 57 cities nonstop, and currently housing nearly 1,000 Southwest employees.
“Hundreds of Southwest Employees who work in the air and on the ground already consider their hometown to be in Middle Tennessee, with our presence in Nashville remaining a key factor to our success, future growth, and the Reliability of our network,” said Andrew Watterson, Chief Operating Officer at Southwest Airlines. “Given our love for Nashville and the critical importance it plays in our network, it’s a natural choice to make further investments by adding a Crew Base and doubling down on our commitment to Music City.”
In 2016, the airline unveiled Tennessee One, a specialty aircraft emblazoned with an artist’s rendition of the Tennessee State flag, as a tribute to the state of Tennessee. Southwest additionally started service to Memphis International Airport on Nov. 3, 2013, and now offers up to 14 departures a day to 10 cities nonstop.
