Waymo Launches Airport Rides in Nashville
Waymo has launched driverless airport rides at Nashville International Airport, marking its fifth commercial airport route in the United States.
The service at BNA marks Waymo’s fifth commercial airport route in the United States, opening first to select riders through the Waymo app.
Waymo launched commercial airport rides in Nashville on Tuesday, October 13, 2026. The Alphabet subsidiary announced the service through its official channels, while local outlets WKRN and WSMV4 confirmed that driverless vehicles are already picking up passengers. It is the first commercial robotaxi service operating at an airport anywhere in Tennessee.
The new route links Nashville International Airport directly to Waymo’s active coverage across central neighborhoods. For travelers heading into or out of the city, the airport connection provides an autonomous option that avoids human-driven ride-hail lines.
How Waymo Airport Rides Work at BNA
Airport passenger pickup takes place at a designated zone arranged with BNA officials to avoid snarling general passenger drop-offs. Robotaxis arrive exclusively at the D1 curb inside the Ground Transportation Center, located on Level 1 of Garage 2. Keeping pickups on that lower level ensures the autonomous fleet stays separated from the congested departures loop upstairs.
Access is limited during this initial rollout. Waymo opened BNA trips to an initial group of passengers registered through its standalone app, rather than opening service citywide on day one. The company plans to widen access in waves over coming weeks as it evaluates charging schedules and wait times during peak flight banks. While Waymo has maintained an operational partnership with Lyft in Nashville since September 2026, airport rides launched solely through the Waymo app; routing these specific airport trips through Lyft remains unconfirmed.
Fifth Airport in Waymo’s US Network
Nashville joins an expanding group of aviation hubs with active Waymo robotaxi service. The company already runs airport trips at Phoenix Sky Harbor (PHX), San Francisco International (SFO), San José Mineta (SJC), and San Antonio International (SAT).
The airport launch comes six months after Waymo began mapping Nashville streets in April 2026. The company opened commercial service to the general public in late June, and its operating footprint now spans 50 square miles across central Nashville. That coverage includes busy corridors such as Downtown, Broadway, Midtown, and East Nashville.
Ground Operations at Ellory Court
Running high-volume airport transfers requires dedicated maintenance space near terminal access roads. Waymo and Lyft set up an 80,000-square-foot support facility on Ellory Court, located minutes from BNA.
The hub serves as the operational anchor for the Nashville robotaxi fleet. Technicians on site handle battery charging, sensor cleaning, mechanical inspections, and routine system checks between shifts. According to the companies, the facility supports more than 70 direct technical jobs across the metro area.
The Logistics Challenge of Airport Routes
Airport transfers are among the most lucrative fares for ride-hailing networks, but they also expose autonomous vehicles to chaotic driving environments. Terminal roads combine high-speed interstate exits with sudden bottlenecks: luggage carts rolling into driving lanes, double-parked shuttles, and distracted drivers cutting across lanes to find parking spots.
Handling real-world traffic at BNA gives Waymo a proving ground outside its long-standing testing territories in Arizona and California. If its robotaxis can navigate holiday airport rushes without creating curbside holdups, the deployment will provide a repeatable blueprint for other major regional hubs.