Nashville (BNA) to Detroit (DTW)

Distance, flight time and the air traffic controllers who guide you.

Quick answer

Nashville (BNA) to Detroit (DTW) is 457 miles in a straight line, about 1h 25m gate to gate. Your flight is handed between 7 air traffic control facilities along the way.

457miles
397nautical miles
735kilometers
~1h 25mestimated flight time
+1 htime change on arrival
Northinitial heading

Who handles your flight

Every airliner is passed from one air traffic control facility to the next. On the most direct path, these are the teams that guide you, in order. Weather and traffic can send a flight through other centers, so your actual flight may differ a little.

  1. BNATowerNashville Tower (BNA)Clears you for takeoffThank them →
  2. ZMECenterMemphis ARTCC (ZME)Takes over at cruising altitudeThank them →
  3. ZIDCenterIndianapolis ARTCC (ZID)Keeps you separated en routeThank them →
  4. ZAUCenterChicago ARTCC (ZAU)Keeps you separated en routeThank them →
  5. ZOBCenterCleveland ARTCC (ZOB)Starts your descentThank them →
  6. D21TRACONDetroit TRACON (D21)Lines you up for the approachThank them →
  7. DTWTowerDetroit Metro Tower (DTW)Clears you to landThank them →

Flying the other way

Detroit (DTW) to Nashville (BNA)

DTW → D21 → ZOB → ZAU → ZID → ZME → BNA

About the airports

Nashville International Airport

Nashville, TN

Codes: BNA · KBNA

Time zone: Central

Control tower: Nashville Tower (BNA)

Thank the tower →

Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport

Detroit, MI

Codes: DTW · KDTW

Time zone: Eastern

Control tower: Detroit Metro Tower (DTW)

Thank the tower →

More routes

All flight routes →

How we figure this out

Distance is the great-circle distance between the two airports, the shortest path over the curved Earth. Flight time assumes an average airliner speed of about 500 mph plus about 30 minutes for taxi, takeoff and landing. The list of facilities follows the same path, using each airport's tower and approach control and the FAA's en route center boundaries.

Say thanks to the controllers who got you there. It's free, takes 30 seconds, and every post is checked before it goes up.

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Common questions

How long is the flight from Nashville (BNA) to Detroit (DTW)?

About 1h 25m gate to gate for the 457-mile trip.

How far is Nashville (BNA) from Detroit (DTW)?

457 miles (397 nautical miles, 735 km) in a straight line. The path your flight actually takes is usually a little longer.

Which air traffic controllers handle a flight from Nashville (BNA) to Detroit (DTW)?

Usually 7 facilities: Nashville Tower (BNA), Memphis ARTCC (ZME), Indianapolis ARTCC (ZID), Chicago ARTCC (ZAU), Cleveland ARTCC (ZOB), Detroit TRACON (D21) and Detroit Metro Tower (DTW). You can thank each one on its own wall at Thank ATC.

Is there a time change between Nashville (BNA) and Detroit (DTW)?

Yes. Detroit (DTW) is 1 hour ahead of Nashville (BNA).

Updated October 2026

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