Chicago Midway (MDW) to Nashville (BNA)

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

Quick answer

Chicago Midway (MDW) to Nashville (BNA) is 395 miles in a straight line, about 1h 17m gate to gate. Your flight is handed between 6 air traffic control facilities along the way.

395miles
344nautical miles
636kilometers
~1h 17mestimated flight time
Nonetime change on arrival
Southinitial 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. MDWTowerChicago Midway Tower (MDW)Clears you for takeoffThank them →
  2. C90TRACONChicago TRACON (C90)Guides the climb outThank them →
  3. ZAUCenterChicago ARTCC (ZAU)Takes over at cruising altitudeThank them →
  4. ZIDCenterIndianapolis ARTCC (ZID)Keeps you separated en routeThank them →
  5. ZMECenterMemphis ARTCC (ZME)Starts your descentThank them →
  6. BNATowerNashville Tower (BNA)Clears you to landThank them →

Flying the other way

Nashville (BNA) to Chicago Midway (MDW)

BNA → ZME → ZID → ZAU → C90 → MDW

About the airports

Chicago Midway International Airport

Chicago, IL

Codes: MDW · KMDW

Time zone: Central

Control tower: Chicago Midway Tower (MDW)

Thank the tower →

Nashville International Airport

Nashville, TN

Codes: BNA · KBNA

Time zone: Central

Control tower: Nashville Tower (BNA)

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 Chicago Midway (MDW) to Nashville (BNA)?

About 1h 17m gate to gate for the 395-mile trip.

How far is Chicago Midway (MDW) from Nashville (BNA)?

395 miles (344 nautical miles, 636 km) in a straight line. The path your flight actually takes is usually a little longer.

Which air traffic controllers handle a flight from Chicago Midway (MDW) to Nashville (BNA)?

Usually 6 facilities: Chicago Midway Tower (MDW), Chicago TRACON (C90), Chicago ARTCC (ZAU), Indianapolis ARTCC (ZID), Memphis ARTCC (ZME) and Nashville Tower (BNA). You can thank each one on its own wall at Thank ATC.

Is there a time change between Chicago Midway (MDW) and Nashville (BNA)?

No. Chicago Midway (MDW) and Nashville (BNA) are in the same time zone.

Updated October 2026

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