Nashville International Airport® Celebrates Multiple Top Honors While Hosting the 22nd Annual Airport Experience® Conference

Nashville, Tenn. (Feb. 26, 2026) – Nashville International Airport® (BNA®) proudly announced today that it earned top honors at the 22nd Annual Airport Experience® Conference, which BNA proudly hosted Feb. 22–25 in Nashville. The conference drew a record number of attendees and opened in true Music City fashion as multi‑platinum entertainer Dierks Bentley welcomed guests with an exclusive opening‑night concert. 

The Airport Experience® Conference is the industry’s leading forum for airport and concessions professionals, drawing leaders from across the country to explore new ideas, share insights and shape the future of the traveler experience. Hosting the conference allowed BNA to showcase its world‑class concessions program, customer‑centered culture and strong community partnerships — qualities reflected in the awards it received. 

BNA Award Highlights 

• Airport with the Best Overall Concessions Program 
  BNA was recognized for offering a diverse mix of food, retail and service options that meet the needs of today’s travelers. 

• Airport with the Best Program Design 
  BNA was recognized for its visually striking and thoughtfully designed concessions environment, which blends aesthetics, flow and functionality. The airport’s design approach creates a sense of place that is uniquely Nashville while ensuring an efficient and enjoyable traveler journey. 

In addition to BNA’s accolades, Fraport Nashville, LLC — the airport’s concessions developer that manages concessions operations throughout BNA’s main terminal — earned an award of its own, further highlighting the strength, quality and variety of the operators that fuel BNA’s nationally recognized concessions program. 

Fraport Nashville, LLC Awards 

• Best ACDBE Operator – Food & Beverage (Aero Service Group) 
  Aero Service Group was recognized for its excellence as an ACDBE‑certified operator, highlighted at BNA by its work with Three Casks in BNA’s C Concourse, a restaurant and whiskey bar developed in partnership with the Tennessee Whiskey Trail and the Tennessee Distillers Guild. The company’s focus on fresh food, local craft beverages and continuous improvement reflects its strong operational performance. 

Paradies Lagardère — BNA’s concessions developer that manages concessions operations at the airport's Satellite Concourse — likewise earned multiple top awards, underscoring the excellence and high performance of its restaurant and retail operations at BNA. 

Paradies Lagardère Concessions Awards 

• Best Overall Restaurateur (Large Operators)
  Paradies Lagardère was recognized for excelling across every facet of its restaurant operations at BNA, including culinary quality, operational performance, creative concept development, marketing and consistently exceptional customer service. 

• Best Overall Retailer (Large Operators)
  Paradies Lagardère was honored for delivering an outstanding retail program at BNA, demonstrating excellence in merchandising, customer engagement, operational execution and strategic marketing across its diverse portfolio of airport retail brands. 

• Retailer with the Highest Regard for Customer Service (Large Operators)
  Paradies Lagardère was recognized for its dedication to superior customer service within its BNA retail locations, supported by robust employee training, strong product knowledge standards and a traveler‑focused approach carried out by all onsite staff. 

By bringing together voices from across the industry, the conference created an environment for sharing ideas and best practices that will support BNA’s ongoing efforts to enhance its award‑winning concessions program.