The 6 Largest Airports in All of Tennessee

Tennessee is a beautiful state full of lots of incredible cities. The best way to explore the great state of Tennessee is by flying directly into some of the most wonderful regions in the state. We’re going to take a look at six of the largest airports in Tennessee, located all around the state. No matter where you’re headed, one of these commercial airports is sure to bring you close to where you’re looking to go!

Tennessee is home to six commercial airports. Five are primary airports, and one is non-primary. Additionally, there are two international airports for folks flying into the state from abroad. Tennessee’s commercial airports span the state, providing lots of opportunities for convenient air travel. Let’s take a look at the six largest airports, the cities they serve, and how many travelers fly in and out annually. We’ll also highlight some of the attractions you can check out in the state’s biggest cities!

6. McKellar-Sipes Regional Airport

The sixth-largest airport in the state of Tennessee is the McKellar-Sipes Regional Airport. This airport is located in Jackson, Tennessee, and it’s the only commercial nonprimary airport in the state. In 2022, this small airport served 3,398 travelers. While this doesn’t seem like too many enplanements, it’s actually a 24% improvement from 2021! McKellar-Sipes Regional Airport is an important airport for travelers looking to reach the more rural parts of the state.

5. Tri-Cities Airport

The fifth-largest airport in Tennessee is the Tri-Cities Airport. This airport is the smallest of the primary commercial airports in the state and serves the Tri-Cities region of Tennessee. In 2022, 191,882 travelers flew in or out of the Tri-Cities Airport. This is a significant leap from the McKellar-Sipes Regional number of enplanements, and it’s also a 22% increase from the Tri-Cities’ 2021 enplanements.

4. Lovell Field

The fourth-largest airport in Tennessee is the Lovell Field Airport, located in Chattanooga, Tennessee. This airport serves a considerable number of travelers. In 2021, the airport had 377,726 enplanements, and in 2022, the airport served 431,984 travelers. That’s a 14% increase in just one year. Chattanooga, Tennessee sits right along the southeast border of the state, with Georgia only a few miles away.

3. McGhee Tyson Airport

The McGhee Tyson Airport is located in Alcoa, Tennessee, though it serves the Knoxville region of the state. McGhee Tyson is the third-largest airport in the state, with 1,216,383 enplanements in 2022. In 2021, the airport only saw 976,000 enplanements, so there was a 24% increase in travelers.

2. Memphis International Airport

The second-largest airport in Tennessee is located in the state’s second-largest city: Memphis! Memphis, Tennessee has a population of 628,000 residents, so it’s a large hub for travel in and out of the state. The Memphis International Airport is one of the two international airports in the state and served 2,163,692 travelers in 2022.

1. Nashville International Airport

Finally, the largest airport in the state of Tennessee is the Nashville International Airport. This airport serves the Nashville area, which is the largest city in the state of Tennessee. Nashville International Airport is the most substantial of the two international airports in Tennessee, and in 2022, the airport served 9,829,000 travelers. That’s more than all the other airports on this list combined. This airport also saw almost a 30% increase in enplanements from 2021, so it’s surely growing.

Summary of the Largest Airports in Tennessee

Now you know the basics of the six largest airports in Tennessee. Before you go, take a look at this quick summary, showing the airport, its location, and the number of travelers served in the year 2022.

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