My (totally fun) vacation at Nashville International Airport
You may think you already spend too much time at airports. Most frequent flyers do.
But the growing list of airports offering visitor passes to nonticketed guests is a sure sign that there's fun to be had on the other side of the security checkpoint. This is especially true if you're not juggling carry-on bags and don't have a flight to catch.
Right now, there are about a dozen airports you can visit without a plane ticket. The list includes Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA), Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW), Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport (MSY), Orlando International Airport (MCO) and Philadelphia International Airport (PHL).
Nonticketed guests may also apply for a visitor pass at Palm Springs International Airport (PSP), Tulsa International Airport (TUL), John Wayne Airport (SNA), Ontario International Airport (ONT), Tri-Cities Airport (PSC), Capital Region International Airport (LAN) and Bishop International Airport (FNT).
On July 1, Nashville International Airport (BNA) became the newest airport to roll out a visitor pass program.
Music City's airport has multiple live music stages. Plus, back in 2013, it became the first airport in the country to secure beer and liquor licenses that allow passengers to wander the secure side of the airport with purchased drinks. More recently, the airport spent $1.7 billion upgrading and expanding its terminal and celebrated the opening of an on-site, aviation-themed Hilton hotel with a rooftop pool and bar.
I had airline credits about to expire and a milestone anniversary on the calendar, so it seemed like a perfect time to plan a getaway. The trip included a stay at the new Hilton BNA Nashville Airport Terminal and a day at Nashville's airport, courtesy of the new BNA Passport guest pass program.
The Hilton BNA Nashville Airport Terminal hotel
Our flight from Seattle brought us to Nashville in the late afternoon. It took all of five minutes to leave the terminal, walk across a covered pedestrian bridge and arrive at the lobby of the Hilton BNA Nashville Airport Terminal hotel.
Our corner room on the eighth floor of the hotel overlooked the ramp areas and the swooping terminal building. We had splendid views of planes taking off and landing. The ninth-floor fitness center offered views of both the airport and downtown Nashville.
From the pool, fire pit and bar on the 10th-floor rooftop, we could see the airport runways, the Nashville skyline and the surrounding landscape. Over cocktails in the evening, we even saw fireworks off in the distance.
Getting a BNA Passport
The BNA Passport program is limited to 75 nonticketed guests a day. You must fill out an application online between seven days and 24 hours prior to a planned visit.
The form asks for your name as it appears on your Transportation Security Administration-approved photo ID, your birth date, your gender, your email address and the date you plan to visit. A drop-down menu asks the reason for your visit. The two options: "Greeting Family/Friend at the Gate" and "Shop/Dine at the Airport."
We filed our applications as soon as we booked our flights to Nashville and headed that way. Just after midnight on the night of our arrival, we received our email approvals to visit the airport.
We showed the email and our IDs at the airport information desk in the morning and received cards (our BNA Passports) to show at the TSA checkpoint. You can't use TSA PreCheck with airport visitor passes, so we made sure to arrive at the airport wearing easy-to-remove shoes and carrying only a small bag with the day's essentials.
The person who checked our IDs and issued our passes told us we were lucky to get them; apparently, the new BNA Passport program is already so popular that each day's allotment of 75 passes gets claimed. Pretty much everyone who received a pass has shown up to use it.
What to do on a daycation at BNA
Once through security, we walked through the terminal to locate all the live music stages and stopped to listen to a song or three at each. We perused menus and noted how many places served barbecue and Nashville's signature hot (as in spicy) chicken. While we didn't come across any free tastings, we marveled at how many shops had bottles of premium Tennessee whiskey for sale.
Along the way, we spotted some of the remaining sections of BNA's bold carpet and checked out art, including terrazzo floor medallions, elaborate murals, suspended sculptures and more.
We stopped in shops selling Tennessee-made Moon Pies and Goo Goo Cluster candies as well as souvenirs from the Country Music Hall of Fame, the Musicians Hall of Fame and the Grand Ole Opry.
BNA is one of the few remaining airports with an indoor smoking area, so we took a peek into the small, pay-to-enter smoking lounge. Since BNA is the original "cocktails to go" airport, we purchased drinks to carry while wandering back through the airport listening to live music.
Bonus: Meeting Jim Henson's cartoonist
In BNA's Central Marketplace area, we stopped by the Nashville Jam Session shop. It sells music-themed souvenirs, musical instruments, Elvis-branded whiskey and other fun goods — many of them locally made.
The store also carries a wide assortment of art by Guy Gilchrist, a noted illustrator, cartoonist and songwriter known as Jim Henson's cartoonist. When Gilchrist is in town, he spends time in the store making art and signing prints, posters, ukeleles, guitars and other items featuring his drawings of Muppets, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Disney characters.
While were milling about the store, we met several passengers who were enthusiastic about the cartoons. Traveler Stephen Speelman declared it "kismet" that he could get Gilchrist to add a personalized message on a print from "The Muppet Christmas Carol" for his son, Austin, who is a huge fan.
When some other travelers — Gregory Manning and his 9-year-old daughter, Katharine — picked out prints to get signed ("Muppets" for him, "Alice in Wonderland" for her), it was hard to tell who was more excited.
Bottom line
The on-site Hilton hotel and the BNA Passport guest pass program make it easy and fun to plan a quick vacation at the Nashville airport. It can serve as an introduction to Music City.
Even if you don't have a flight, you can use the guest pass program to meet a friend or family member at the gate, spend more time with someone before they get on their flight, or just enjoy shopping, eating and planespotting.
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