Carry-On Only for Nashville: Airlines, BNA, and Packing Tips

Nashville is a practical carry-on destination for many trips, and BNA has Southwest service. Compare bag-inclusive fares against lower fares plus checked-bag charges. Cowboy boots are heavy and bulky in a carry-on, so decide whether to wear or pack them before choosing a bag.

Airlines Flying to Nashville

Southwest Airlines includes one carry-on and one personal item on every fare. Checked-bag charges vary by fare and eligible benefits, which matters for groups carrying several bags. Check Southwest's fare rules and the baggage details for each booking.

American Airlines operates an extensive BNA network and serves Nashville as one of its mid-tier focus cities. Standard economy fares include one free carry-on (22 × 14 × 9 inches) plus a personal item. Basic economy restricts overhead bin access.

Delta and United both serve BNA from their major hubs. Standard economy fares allow one carry-on and one personal item. Basic economy fares on both carriers restrict carry-on bags to personal items under the seat — this is a real issue if you are booking the cheapest fares and planning to carry on only.

Frontier and Spirit serve BNA and charge for carry-on bags as a separate add-on fee. Personal items that fit under the seat are free. If your bag qualifies as a personal item on these carriers (typically 18 × 14 × 8 inches or smaller), you can avoid the fee entirely.

BNA: Nashville International Airport

BNA is a compact, growing airport that handles the increased traffic from Nashville's tourism boom better than most similarly sized airports. The terminal is a single connected building with four concourses (A, B, C, and D). Security queues are manageable — domestic security typically clears in 20 to 30 minutes. The airport is about 8 miles from downtown Nashville, and a rideshare takes roughly 15 to 25 minutes depending on traffic on I-40.

The airport underwent a major expansion in recent years with the "BNA Vision" redevelopment, adding new gate capacity and dining options. It is consistently ranked among the more pleasant mid-size US airports.

The Boots Question

Cowboy boots are woven into Nashville's identity. Walking lower Broadway in boots is entirely appropriate. The problem for carry-on travel is pure physics: a pair of quality leather cowboy boots can weigh 2 to 3 kilograms and takes up a significant chunk of a 22-inch carry-on. A few strategies:

Wear them on the plane. This is the most common solution. Boots worn on the plane free up the space and weight they would otherwise consume in your bag. You will be slightly more restricted at airport security (boots typically must come off at standard security), but TSA PreCheck allows you to keep shoes on.

Buy boots in Nashville. Lower Broadway has multiple boot shops including specialty stores in the Gulch and around the city. Purchasing boots in Nashville and checking a bag home — or shipping the boots back — is a legitimate strategy, particularly if you want to try multiple pairs or buy something specific to Nashville.

Accept the space trade-off. If boots are essential for your outfits and you do not want to wear them on the plane, pack them in the bottom of your carry-on and build the rest of your packing around them. One pair of boots plus minimal other footwear (a pair of comfortable trainers or flats) is manageable.

Packing for Nashville

One or two going-out outfits for Broadway. Lower Broadway's honky-tonks operate with a casual-to-smart-casual dress code. Boots, jeans or a skirt, and a top cover most venues. The environment is warm (bars are crowded and energetic), so light, breathable fabrics work better than heavy layers. Pack outfits you can move in and that dry quickly.

Summer heat demands lightweight fabrics. June through August in Nashville is genuinely hot and humid — not Phoenix dry-heat hot, but the mid-South humid heat that makes the air feel heavy. Linen shirts, lightweight cotton, and moisture-wicking synthetics are practical. Heavy fabrics are uncomfortable and slow to dry. Avoid packing multiple pairs of jeans for a summer Nashville trip.

Layers for spring and fall. March through May and September through November in Nashville are beautiful — warm days, cooler evenings, and low humidity. A light fleece or cardigan over a T-shirt handles the temperature variation without adding bulk.

The whiskey shipping solution. If you visit any of the Nashville-area distilleries — Jack Daniel's in Lynchburg, George Dickel in Cascade Hollow, or the Pennington's and Tennessee distilleries closer to Nashville — and want to bring bottles home, plan for it. Bottles cannot go in carry-on bags. Options: pack a collapsible duffel bag and check it home, ship bottles via UPS or FedEx from a Nashville shipping center (many are near the airport), or purchase from the airport duty-free store if flying internationally.

Boot Shopping as a Return Trip Strategy

If you find yourself buying boots or significant souvenirs in Nashville, the most carry-on-friendly approach is to buy an inexpensive piece of soft luggage at a Nashville Target, pack your purchases, and check it home. The checked bag fee is almost always less than shipping costs for heavy items.

Getting Around Nashville with a Carry-On

Nashville does not have a metro rail system connecting the airport to downtown — rideshare and taxis are the standard options. The WeGo bus runs between the airport and downtown, though transit times are longer than rideshare. Once in downtown Nashville or the Gulch, most attractions are walkable or a short rideshare away. A 22-inch carry-on handles Nashville's hotel check-ins, rideshare boots, and bar-to-bar walking on Broadway without difficulty.