Fans Might Soon Fly Into Dolly Parton International Airport: Where the Petition Stands
Dolly Parton died on August 25 at the age of 80. The news sent the world into mourning. Parton, known as the queen of country, was more than a musician to fans, and in the wake of her death, they are trying to ensure the entire world knows that. Within hours of her passing, a petition that was launched before Parton’s death gained serious traction, with thousands signing it. Now, it’s a very real possibility that fans could soon fly into Dolly Parton International Airport. Here is where the process stands.
A Change.Org petition to honor her with an airport name was launched before Dolly Parton died
In January 2025, as Dolly Parton discussed taking a break to focus on her health, Lydia Popovich and Dan Dion launched a petition on Change.org to have Nashville International Airport named in Dolly Parton’s honor. The Nashville-based comedians were inspired to start the petition after they visited the Louis Armstrong International Airport in New Orleans.
At the time, the petition slowly climbed toward roughly 50,000 signatures over several months. The petition was brought to Parton’s attention. While she brushed it off as “probably more of a joke than anything,” she admitted the idea of a flight “departin’ from Nashville’s D. Parton” sounded fun. Rumor has it that while the official name hasn’t changed yet, pilots are already referring to the airport as Dolly Parton International Airport.
Where things stand now
It took almost no time at all for that petition to grab the attention of the people who could make serious changes, and they wasted no time moving forward. Tennessee Governor Bill Lee, along with the Metropolitan Nashville Airport Authority, announced plans to rename the Nashville International Airport in Dolly Parton’s honor. Lee said, “At a place where Tennessee welcomes the world, it is fitting that Nashville International Airport would bear the name of our state’s favorite daughter.”
Lee made the announcement three days after Parton’s death, and her representatives have said they’re touched by the idea. Still, that doesn’t mean it is a done deal just yet. There is a serious procedural catch. The Metro Nashville Airport Authority’s policy requires a two-year waiting period before any building or facility is named in a deceased person’s honor. The policy has been in place since 2010 and, if followed, would require Nashville to wait until August 2028 to rename the airport.
The overwhelming support and the governor’s interest have made this a pressing matter. According to NBC 5, the board is meeting on September 17 to vote. The vote will decide whether they can waive or amend the current policy.
She wouldn’t be the first person to have an airport named after her
Dolly Parton’s potential airport honor might be making headlines right now, but she wouldn’t be the first celebrity honored in such a way. Several U.S. and international airports already carry the names of entertainers and cultural icons.
Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport, the airport that inspired the original petition, was renamed in 2001 in celebration of the jazz legend’s 100th birthday. John Wayne Airport in Orange County, California, was renamed just nine days after the actor’s 1979 death and features a statue of him in its terminal. Bob Hope, Will Rogers, and cartoonist Charles M. Schulz all have smaller regional airports named for them as well. Bob Hope’s has since been rebranded for geographical recognition.
There are airports abroad named for familiar faces, too. Liverpool’s airport became John Lennon Airport in 2001, complete with a seven-foot bronze statue and lyrics from “Imagine.” Yoko Ono approved the project. An airport in Salzburg bears Mozart’s name. You can fly into Tirana International Airport Nënë Tereza if you are traveling to Albania. The airport name honors Mother Teresa.
Whether Dolly really joins that list is completely up to the airport authority. Fans will know more on September 17.
This is a developing story…
