Waymo Nashville Airport Field Report

Field Report · Nashville · Waymo · Robotaxi Ride Analysis · Airport Operations

Filed By: Grayson Brulte on October 28, 2026 Field Verified

Key Waymo Nashville Airport Report Findings

How is Waymo operating its robotaxi service at Nashville International Airport?

Waymo picks up passengers at Nashville International Airport (BNA) at a dedicated spot, D1, in the outer lane, away from the Uber and Lyft lanes. There are four dedicated Waymo spots. Drop offs use the same outer lane, right in front of the shuttle buses. Waymo is not operating on the highway in Nashville yet, so trips to and from the airport run on surface streets.

What is the current state of the Waymo Nashville airport rider experience?

The experience was simple and consistent from start to finish. The walk from the terminal doors to D1 took two minutes and 20 seconds, the Waymo arrived nine minutes after we ordered it, and the ride to the Ryman Auditorium cost $25.45, compared with $32.94 for UberX and $39.96 for a standard Lyft. Both the pickup and the drop off were in Jaguar I‑PACEs, including the return trip in the pumpkin Jaguar.

Where do the challenges lie for Waymo at Nashville International Airport?

Highway access is the main gap. Uber and Lyft vehicles use the highways in Nashville, but Waymo does not, so our ride downtown took roughly 35 minutes on back roads, about 10 to 12 minutes longer than a highway route. We also did not see a single Ojai at the airport, which suggests the Ojai may not be serving airport trips yet.

Waymo Nashville Airport Field Report

Grayson Brulte took a Waymo from Nashville International Airport (BNA) to downtown Nashville and back. This report covers the airport pickup, pricing against Uber and Lyft, the ride on surface streets, fleet observations, and the airport drop off.

Airport Pickup

The dedicated Waymo pickup spot at BNA is D1, which sits in the outer lane. The walk from the terminal doors to D1 took two minutes and 20 seconds. Because the spot is on the outside lane, Waymo riders avoid the Uber and Lyft congestion entirely, making it arguably the most convenient pickup point at the airport.

There are four dedicated spots for Waymo to pick up passengers at any one time, which points to an operation that works today and is built to scale. From the moment we ordered the Waymo to the moment it pulled up was nine minutes. No one at the airport questioned us about the vehicle we were getting into, which sometimes happens in newer markets.

Pricing

Our Waymo ride from BNA to the Ryman Auditorium cost $25.45. We priced the same trip on Uber and Lyft.

Uber

UberX: $32.94, eight minute wait
Comfort: $37.98, eight minute wait
Comfort Electric: $37.98, 10 minute wait
Black SUV: $65.97, five minute wait

Lyft

Standard: $39.96, six minute wait
Extra Comfort: $45.96, six minute wait
XL: $57.96
Priority Pickup: $39.96, four minute wait

The Waymo ride was $7.49 less than UberX and $14.51 less than a standard Lyft.

The Ride

Waymo does not drive on the highway in Nashville, so our ride into downtown Nashville ran through back roads and countryside and took roughly 35 minutes. That’s about 10 to 12 minutes longer than a highway route would take. In exchange, riders get a consistent experience, whether they’re picked up at the airport or on a curb downtown.

Around the airport, the Waymo moved with the flow of traffic. Unlike at San Antonio International Airport, we did not see any 15 miles per hour zones. The ride back to the airport was smoother than our San Antonio airport ride. One possible explanation is that Waymo tunes its vehicles to each market and Nashville is further along because of testing at BNA. We have no confirmation of this.

Fleet Observations

During our trip from the airport, we counted 11 Jaguar I‑PACEs, one Ojai, and a pumpkin wrapped Jaguar circulating in Nashville. That’s more Waymos than the market currently appears to be pricing in, and we believe the Nashville fleet is larger than it appears. Wait times to the airport were under 10 minutes.

On both the pickup and the drop off at the airport, we rode in Jaguar I‑PACEs, and we did not count a single Ojai at the airport. The Ojai may not be serving airport trips yet. We do not have independent confirmation on that.

Airport Drop Off

We returned to BNA after 7:00 PM in the pumpkin I-PACE. The ride was smooth and seamless. The airport is laid out in a simple way that makes it an easy environment for human drivers.

Approaching the drop off zone, several lanes on the left are reserved for Uber and Lyft. The Waymo took the outer lane and pulled up right in front of the shuttle buses. That gives Waymo the pole position at BNA for both pickups and drop offs.

Outlook

Waymo already has a strong airport product at Nashville International Airport. It has a dedicated outer lane, four pickup spots, short walks, sub 10 minute waits, and prices well below Uber and Lyft. Highway access is the remaining gap, and adding it would close the 10 to 12 minute time difference with Uber and Lyft. With a fleet that appears larger than the market recognizes, Nashville is positioned to be a very big market for Waymo.

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