As the unassuming jewel of Tennessee, Nashville has steadily transformed from a niche country music mecca into one of the nation’s hottest travel destinations. Booming with new hotels, restaurants and more bachelorette parties than you can shake a cowboy boot at, it’s no surprise that airlines are getting in on the action with increased flight routes and fare competition to the Music City capital.
For budget-savvy travelers not married to a particular airline or routing, the world is your oyster when it comes to scoring cheap tickets to Nashville. With a convenient central location and multitude of air carriers servicing the Nashville International Airport, chances are you can find an appealingly low airfare from wherever your departure point may be. It just takes some flexibility, timing, and perhaps a few travel hacking tricks up your sleeve.
As a major focus city for low-cost giants Southwest and Allegiant, Nashville frequently pops up as a sub-$100 roundtrip fare option from dozens of airports. Booking early for off-peak dates can net you outrageous deals, like $49 one-way fares from Denver or $76 roundtrips from Las Vegas. And with Southwest’s attractive policies allowing up to two free checked bags and no annoying change fees, even spirited travelers can pack everything but the kitchen sink.
Searching from the Northeast or farther afield like the West Coast? There’s still hope to avoid breaking the bank for Nashville flights. Other budget carriers like Frontier, Spirit, and Sun Country rotate incredibly affordable fares and travel bundle deals to Nashville on a semi-regular basis. Having a bit of flexibility with your dates can help you capitalize when the sales strike.
Last summer for instance, I pounced on a bonkers $113 roundtrip fare from San Francisco to Nashville on bargain basement airline Sun Country. Were there compromises like a redeye flight and long layover involved? Absolutely. But I would have happily endured far worse inconveniences for sub-$60 one-way tickets to Tennessee’s beloved state capital. A few months of meticulous fare tracking made that deal possible.
If you’ve got a bit of personal travel capital invested in one of the major U.S. airline frequent flyer programs, Nashville makes an excellent destination for burning those hard-earned miles or credit card sign-up bonus points. Most major airline award maps price a roundtrip ticket to Nashville for just 25,000-30,000 miles during the majority of peak and off-peak dates. For those of us that have accumulated a stash of points from churning credits cards, that equates to an essentially “free” ticket aside from applicable taxes and fees.
For added savings, Nashville’s airport offers a reasonable selection of rental cars and ground transportation options. It’s an easy 20 minute/$25 flat-rate taxi or rideshare to downtown. Or budget travelers can hop on the $2 regional bus line running directly from the airport with service every 30 minutes. Personally, I prefer following in the footsteps of hometown heroes like Johnny Cash and channel my inner American rebel – renting some vintage Detroit muscle for $35 a day to cruise around in proper Nashville style.
Looking ahead to future Nashville trips, there are even more incentives to keep your travel rewards accounts topped up. Premium cabin awards for lie-flat business class from the East Coast can routinely be had for around 50,000 miles each way on American or Delta metal. If you’re imagining living that lifelong honky-tonk star fantasy while sipping gratis Jack Daniels at 35,000 feet, start saving now! Domestically, I’ve also started eyeing the new Capital One travel portal for dynamically attractive cash ticket prices on Star Alliance carriers.
The great news is that no matter which direction your country music wanderlust is pulling you from – north, south, east or west – getting to Nashville is as easy as adding a side of hot chicken to your plate. With its prime geographic location and abundance of airline service, savings on airfare abound for crafty travelers in the know. The toughest decision is choosing whether to spend those savings on yet another round of moonshine lemonades upon arrival.
So dream of rhinestone suits and Tennessee whiskey chasers while booking your Nashville airfare at prices even the most budget-conscious cowpokes would approve of. Whether it’s a quick weekender or extended honky-tonk immersion you crave, Nashville remains poised to have you dancing in its neon kaleidoscope clutches sooner than you think.