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Dolly Parton could soon have an airport bearing her name after Nashville officials took a major step toward honoring the late country music legend.
The Metropolitan Nashville Airport Authority voted unanimously, 6-0, on Friday, Sept. 11, to begin the process of renaming Nashville International Airport in Parton's honor. The decision changes an existing policy that previously required a two-year waiting period before a facility could be named after someone who had died.
The authority stressed that a final name has not yet been selected and that more steps will be required before the change becomes official.
"While a final name has not yet been determined, we are working closely with the appropriate parties to thoughtfully determine how Dolly Parton's name and legacy will be incorporated," the airport authority said. "We look forward to sharing additional details as plans are finalized."
The possibility of calling the facility Dolly Parton International Airport has gained significant public support. An online petition launched in January 2025 had collected more than 175,000 signatures by Friday, with interest increasing sharply following Parton's death at 80 on Aug. 25.
The campaign originally emerged amid an earlier proposal to rename the airport after President Donald Trump. Parton's death, however, brought renewed attention to the idea of honoring the Tennessee-born star.
Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee has backed the proposal, as has Nashville Mayor Freddie O'Connell. Lee said the airport was an appropriate place to recognize Parton because it welcomes visitors to the state and could carry forward her legacy of "music, generosity, faith, and kindness."
Parton herself had previously joked about the idea before her death. When asked about a possible airport honor in 2025, she imagined travelers being told their flight was departing from "Nashville's D. Parton."
The potential renaming also has a personal connection to the singer's history. Parton grew up in a small cabin in the Great Smoky Mountains of Tennessee before moving to Nashville after high school and establishing the music career that eventually made her an international icon.
