562.570.2679
Kate.Kuykendall@longbeach.gov
Public Affairs Officer
Long Beach Airport
Long Beach, CA – Southwest Airlines is now offering daily, nonstop flights from Long Beach Airport (LGB) to Nashville International Airport (BNA). The first flight departed Sunday, Nov. 6, 2022, and tickets are available now at Southwest.com.
“We’re excited see Southwest Airlines continue to increase its presence at Long Beach Airport,” said Mayor Robert Garcia. “This new route to Nashville gives our community members another convenient option while also connecting more travelers nationwide to our award-winning airport.”
Southwest’s flights to Nashville—utilizing the airline’s Boeing 737 fleet—depart seven mornings per week. On weekdays, the aircraft leaves about 9 a.m. and then makes an approximate 45-minute stop at BNA to drop off passengers visiting Nashville and the surrounding area, before continuing to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) in Arlington, Virginia. According to the new schedule, weekday travelers can depart LGB and arrive at DCA in six and a half hours, without a plane transfer.
To celebrate the first flight to Music City on Sunday, Nov. 6, Long Beach Airport hosted California Country singer-songwriter Victoria Bailey to perform a very early morning set of honky-tonk tunes for departing passengers. Travelers on the Nashville flight also received customized cookies commemorating the first flight.
“We gave Southwest passengers on yesterday’s first nonstop flight from Long Beach to Nashville a big sendoff in celebration of this convenient new route between two great destinations,” said Airport Director Cynthia Guidry. “Beyond Nashville, this new service adds flexibility and options for travelers to connect to the East Coast and Southwest’s broader network.”
Southwest Airlines first began service at LGB in 2016 and has continued to increase its presence at the Airport since then. Of the 53 daily flight slots available at Long Beach’s noise-controlled airport, Southwest currently holds a majority, with a total of 38.
Including Nashville, the Dallas-based airline flies nonstop to 15 U.S. cities from LGB.
“We’re grateful to the City of Long Beach for additional access at the airport that will bring travelers much more than just nonstop travel to and from Nashville,” said Adam Decaire, Vice President of Network Planning, when Southwest Airlines first announced service in June. “Nashville service also brings dozens of cities in the East within faster reach, and the fastest trip between Long Beach and the heart of the nation’s capital region, with through-service to Reagan National Airport.”
Long Beach Airport currently offers nonstop service to 17 destinations across the nation, including Hawaii. LGB was also recently named among the Top Ten in the airports in the country by Condé Nast Traveler magazine.
About the City of Long Beach
Home to approximately 470,000 people, the multiple award-winning and innovative City of Long Beach offers all the world-class amenities of a large metropolitan city while maintaining a strong sense of individual and diverse neighborhoods nestled together along the California coast. As a full-service charter city, Long Beach is home to the Queen Mary, Aquarium of the Pacific, several museums and theaters, a highly-rated school district, Long Beach Airport, the Port of Long Beach, as well as many award-winning City departments such as Health and Human Services; Parks, Recreation and Marine; Development Services; Public Works and more. The City also has a highly respected university and city college, two historic ranchos, five hospitals, 12 libraries, five golf courses, 169 parks, miles of beaches, marinas, bike paths and a Bike Share program.
For more information about the City of Long Beach, visit longbeach.gov/. Follow us on social to keep up with the latest news: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.
About Long Beach Airport
Founded in 1923, Long Beach Airport (LGB) is the oldest airport in California. Among its many awards, LGB was named a Top 10 airport in the 2020 USA Today 10Best Readers' Choice travel award contest for Best Small Airport. LGB offers non-stop service to several U.S. cities while supporting a healthy general aviation community with more than 300,000 annual operations. The airport is also a source of substantial economic activity and employment, with the LGB Aviation Complex generating $8.6 billion in economic impact and supporting 46,000 jobs. LGB is a self-supporting enterprise of the City of Long Beach and does not receive local tax dollars. The Airport prides itself in preserving its esteemed historic legacy and maintaining a safe, sustainable, and environmentally responsible operation. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter @LGBAirport.