Alerts Sign-up
American Airlines once operated a hub at Nashville International Airport (BNA) in Tennessee. The airline established the hub in 1986 due to Nashville's central location, which was ideal for connecting flights across the United States. Initially, American Airlines faced little competition at BNA and quickly expanded its operations.
By 1987, the airline offered nearly 100 daily flights from Nashville, including routes to Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD), Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW), and Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport (DFW). However, despite rapid growth in the early 1990s, the hub struggled financially.
The recession of the early 1990s led to a decline in passenger traffic. Most of American Airlines' traffic through BNA was transfer rather than local origin-and-destination traffic. Additionally, Southwest Airlines began expanding aggressively at BNA during this period, offering lower fares and more point-to-point services.
