Book Flights to Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis sits on the fourth Chickasaw Bluff above the Mississippi River, and the river has defined everything: the trade routes that made it a 19th-century cotton capital, the migration routes that brought Delta blues musicians north to Beale Street, and the cultural exchange that fused Black gospel and blues with white country music in the studios of Sam Phillips to produce rock and roll. No city of its size has contributed more to American music -- blues, soul, rock, and gospel all have deep Memphis roots. Add Graceland, the civil rights museum at the Lorraine Motel, and some of the most serious barbecue in the country, and Memphis earns its place on any American bucket list.
Memphis International Airport (MEM) is served by Delta, American, Southwest, United, Spirit, and Frontier. FareOptic compares all carriers to find the cheapest MEM fare.
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Why Visit Memphis, Tennessee?
Blues, rock and roll, Graceland, Civil Rights Museum, Sun Studio, barbecue, the Mississippi River
Beale Street and the Blues Heritage
Home of the Blues -- Where American Music Was BornBeale Street -- a 1.8-mile stretch of W.C. Handy Park to the Mississippi River -- is the street where the blues was born, commercialized, and sent out to transform American music. W.C. Handy, the 'Father of the Blues,' moved to Memphis in 1903 and published the first blues compositions for commercial sale on Beale Street in 1912. The street today is a National Historic Landmark and entertainment district of live music clubs, restaurants, and bars. The B.B. King Blues Club (established by the late king of the blues himself) anchors the Beale Street strip.
How the Blues Created Rock and Roll
The Memphis blues -- the urban, amplified version of the Delta blues that developed on Beale Street and in Memphis recording studios in the 1940s-50s -- is the direct parent of rock and roll. When Sam Phillips opened Sun Studio at 706 Union Avenue in Memphis in 1950, he was explicitly seeking to record Black blues artists. The first recordings of Howlin' Wolf, B.B. King, Junior Parker, and Rufus Thomas came from Sun. Then, in 1954, a young white truck driver named Elvis Presley walked in and fused the blues with country; within a year, Sam Phillips had also signed Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins, and Johnny Cash. The Sun Studio recordings of 1954-1956 are the founding documents of rock and roll.
Graceland -- Elvis Presley's Home
The Most Visited Private Home in America After the White HouseGraceland -- Elvis Presley's 14-acre estate at 3764 Elvis Presley Boulevard in Memphis -- is the most-visited private home in the United States after the White House: more than 650,000 visitors per year tour the mansion where Elvis lived from 1957 until his death in 1977. The estate includes the original 1939 Colonial Revival mansion (frozen in its 1970s decor), Elvis's grave in the Meditation Garden (alongside his parents and grandmother), the Trophy Building (containing his gold records, Grammy awards, and jumpsuits), and the Presley Motors Automobile Museum.
Why Elvis Presley Chose Memphis and What Graceland Reveals
Elvis Presley (1935-1977) moved from Tupelo, Mississippi to Memphis at age 13; the city shaped him more than any other. Memphis exposed him to gospel at the East Trigg Baptist Church, R&B at the segregated clubs on Beale Street, and country on the Grand Ole Opry radio broadcasts -- the three streams he fused at Sun Studio. Elvis bought Graceland in 1957 for $102,500 when he was 22; it was his primary home for the rest of his life. The mansion's Jungle Room (decorated with waterfalls and green shag carpet), the TV Room (with three screens so Elvis could watch all three networks simultaneously), and the racquetball court (where he played his final game the day before his death) reveal a man simultaneously enormous and deeply private.
National Civil Rights Museum at the Lorraine Motel
Where Dr. King Was Assassinated -- America's Civil Rights MemorialThe National Civil Rights Museum -- built around the Lorraine Motel at 450 Mulberry Street, where Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated on April 4, 1968 -- is one of the most powerful museums in the United States. The museum's permanent collection traces the African American civil rights movement from the early 20th century through the present, with particular depth on the Montgomery Bus Boycott, the Little Rock Nine, the Freedom Riders, the March on Washington, the Selma to Montgomery marches, and the Memphis Sanitation Strike of 1968 (which brought Dr. King to Memphis).
The Memphis Sanitation Strike of 1968 and Dr. King's Final Campaign
Dr. King was in Memphis in April 1968 to support the Memphis Sanitation Strike -- a labor action by 1,300 mostly Black sanitation workers demanding recognition of their union (AFSCME Local 1733) and basic workplace safety protections after two workers, Echol Cole and Robert Walker, were crushed to death by a malfunctioning garbage truck on February 1, 1968. The strikers' sign -- 'I AM A MAN' -- became one of the most iconic images of the civil rights era. Dr. King delivered his final speech ('I've Been to the Mountaintop') at Mason Temple in Memphis on April 3; he was shot on the Lorraine Motel balcony the following evening. The museum preserves the balcony, Room 306, and the rooming house across the street from which the shot was fired.
Sun Studio
The Birthplace of Rock and Roll -- 706 Union AvenueSun Studio -- the recording studio opened by Sam Phillips at 706 Union Avenue in Memphis in 1950 -- is the room where rock and roll was invented. Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins, Roy Orbison, Howlin' Wolf, B.B. King, Rufus Thomas, and Ike Turner all recorded at Sun. The studio's original equipment, the same room dimensions, and the same acoustic space that produced 'That's All Right' (Elvis, 1954) and 'Rocket 88' (Ike Turner, 1951) -- widely considered the first rock and roll record -- are preserved. Tours of the 18x30-foot studio run daily; the studio still records artists.
Rocket 88 (1951) -- The Argument for the First Rock and Roll Record
Recorded at Sun Studio in March 1951 by Ike Turner's Kings of Rhythm (with Jackie Brenston on vocals), 'Rocket 88' is the song most often cited as the first rock and roll record. The song featured: (1) a driving, boogie-woogie piano riff in the jump blues tradition; (2) saxophone-led horn section; (3) distorted electric guitar (the speaker cone of guitarist Willie Kizart's amplifier had been damaged in transit and stuffed with newspaper -- creating the first recorded guitar distortion); and (4) lyrics about a car (an Oldsmobile 88) as a metaphor for freedom and sexual power. Chess Records released the song in April 1951; it reached #1 on the R&B charts. Sam Phillips produced it and sold the master to Chess; he later said it was the record that convinced him to focus on rock and roll.
Memphis Barbecue
Dry Rub Capital of the World -- Slow-Smoked Pork Ribs Over HickoryMemphis-style barbecue is one of the four great American regional barbecue traditions (alongside Texas brisket, Kansas City, and Carolina pulled pork) and is defined by two things: pork (ribs, shoulder, and pulled pork -- beef is rare), and the dry rub (a blend of salt, paprika, cumin, garlic, cayenne, and other spices applied to the meat before smoking, creating a bark without sauce). The World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest -- held annually in Tom Lee Park on the Mississippi River in May -- is the largest pork barbecue competition in the world, drawing 250+ teams.
Wet vs. Dry Ribs -- Memphis's Defining Barbecue Debate
Memphis barbecue's defining debate is wet vs. dry ribs. Dry ribs are rubbed with a spice blend before smoking and served without sauce; the rub forms a thick, flavorful bark during the 4-6 hour smoke over hickory wood. Wet ribs are mopped with a tomato-based sauce during smoking and served with additional sauce. The Rendezvous (founded 1948, serving downstairs beneath a downtown alley since 1965) is the most famous dry rib institution; Charlie Vergos developed the dry rub recipe that defined the style. Cozy Corner (founded 1977 by Raymond Robinson) is known for its wet ribs and the unique Cornish hen barbecue. Most Memphis pitmasters serve both styles but have a preference.
How to Find Cheap Flights to Memphis
Delta Dominates MEM-ATL -- Check for Nonstop Deals
Delta's Atlanta hub is the strongest connection point for Memphis travelers. The MEM-ATL nonstop is one of the most competitive routes from Memphis; multiple daily departures mean fares can be reasonable. For northeastern US destinations, American's Charlotte hub often offers comparable alternatives worth checking.
Visit in May for Barbecue World Championship and Beale Street Music Festival
May is Memphis's biggest month: the Beale Street Music Festival (early May, Tom Lee Park) and the World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest (mid-May) draw hundreds of thousands of visitors. Book flights and hotels months in advance for these weekends; prices spike significantly during festival weeks.
FedEx Hub Makes MEM a 24-Hour Airport -- Early Morning Flights Available
FedEx Express operates the world's largest cargo hub at Memphis International, which means MEM has 24-hour airport infrastructure and staffing. Very early morning and late-night flights are available on some routes; off-peak departure times can yield lower fares than peak-hour bookings.
Book Graceland Tours Separately -- They Sell Out in Peak Season
Graceland tour tickets, especially for premium experiences (Elvis's private jet, automobile museum, or the combined mansion + entertainment complex tours), sell out weeks in advance during summer and the Elvis Week anniversary (August 16). Book Graceland tours when you book your flight; the basic mansion tour is always popular.
Airlines Serving Memphis (MEM)
Delta Air Lines
Atlanta Hub -- Southeast Gateway and International ConnectionsDelta Air Lines connects Memphis to Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson (ATL) -- a hub that gives Memphis travelers access to Delta's entire domestic and international network via SkyTeam. Delta and its regional partners (SkyWest, Endeavor Air) operate multiple daily MEM-ATL flights. Delta previously operated Memphis as a major hub (until 2013); it remains the largest carrier at MEM by seat capacity on some routes.
Key Routes
MEM to Atlanta ATL (1h 10m nonstop); connections through ATL to all Delta domestic and SkyTeam international routes including Europe, Asia, and Latin America
American Airlines
Charlotte and Dallas Hubs -- Nationwide Reach from MEMAmerican Airlines connects Memphis through Charlotte Douglas (CLT) and Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW) -- two of American's largest hubs -- providing access to American's full domestic and international network. American Eagle regional jets operate MEM service. The CLT connection is particularly strong for reaching northeastern US cities, while DFW opens connections to the western US and Latin America.
Key Routes
MEM to Charlotte CLT (1h 40m nonstop); MEM to Dallas DFW (1h 30m nonstop); MEM to Chicago ORD (1h 15m nonstop); connections to all American Airlines routes
Southwest Airlines
No-Fee Network -- Florida, Mountain West, and TexasSouthwest Airlines is a significant carrier at Memphis, connecting MEM to Orlando (MCO), Denver (DEN), Las Vegas (LAS), Los Angeles (LAX), Dallas Love Field (DAL), Houston Hobby (HOU), Chicago Midway (MDW), and Baltimore (BWI). Southwest's no bag fees and no change fees policy makes it attractive for leisure travelers; Memphis is a common stopping point on Southwest's southeastern routes.
Key Routes
MEM to Orlando MCO; MEM to Denver DEN; MEM to Las Vegas LAS; MEM to Los Angeles LAX; MEM to Dallas Love DAL; MEM to Baltimore BWI; no bag fees on all Southwest routes
United Airlines
Chicago O'Hare and Houston ConnectionsUnited Airlines connects Memphis through Chicago O'Hare (ORD) and Houston George Bush Intercontinental (IAH), providing access to United's domestic network and Star Alliance international partners. United Express regional jets handle MEM service. FedEx Express, headquartered at Memphis International, operates the world's largest cargo hub at MEM -- making the airport a 24-hour cargo operation with significant infrastructure.
Key Routes
MEM to Chicago ORD (1h 15m nonstop); MEM to Houston IAH (1h 45m nonstop); connections to all United and Star Alliance routes
Things to Do in Memphis, Tennessee
Essential Info for Your Memphis Trip
State
Tennessee (TN)
Currency
USD — US Dollar
Time Zone
CST (UTC-6) / CDT (UTC-5) in summer
Airport Code
MEM — Memphis International Airport (15 km southeast of downtown)
Population
~630,000 city; ~1.35 million Memphis metro area
Top Attractions
Graceland, Beale Street, Sun Studio, National Civil Rights Museum, Stax Museum, Memphis Zoo, Peabody Hotel
Tennessee Sales Tax
9.75% combined state/local (no state income tax)
Emergency Number
911
Most Popular Airlines
Best Airlines for Domestic & International Routes
Frequently Asked Questions on Travel to Memphis
Everything you need to know about booking cheap flights to Memphis, Tennessee
What airport serves Memphis, Tennessee?
Memphis International Airport (IATA: MEM) serves Memphis, located approximately 15 km southeast of downtown. MEM is served by Delta Air Lines, American Airlines, Southwest Airlines, United Airlines, Spirit Airlines, and Frontier Airlines. Memphis International is also home to the FedEx Express world hub -- the largest cargo airport hub in the world by cargo volume -- which makes it a 24-hour airport operation with strong ground transportation infrastructure. Taxis, rideshares, and car rentals are available.
What is Memphis, Tennessee known for?
Memphis is known as the birthplace of the blues and rock and roll (Sun Studio, Beale Street), the home of Elvis Presley (Graceland), the site of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s assassination (National Civil Rights Museum at the Lorraine Motel), world-famous dry-rub barbecue (the World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest in May), the Stax Records soul music legacy (Otis Redding, Isaac Hayes, the Staple Singers), and the FedEx worldwide headquarters.
When is the best time to visit Memphis?
April and October offer the best combination of weather (18-26°C, low humidity) and events. May is the most eventful month: Beale Street Music Festival (early May) and the World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest (mid-May). Elvis Week (around August 16, anniversary of Elvis's death in 1977) draws 75,000+ Presley fans to Graceland; book far ahead if attending. Summer (June-August) is very hot and humid (33-37°C). December-February is cool with occasional ice storms.
How do I get from Memphis Airport to downtown?
Memphis International Airport is approximately 15 km southeast of downtown Memphis via I-240. Rideshares (Uber, Lyft) are the most convenient option, taking 20-25 minutes to downtown. Taxis are available at the ground transportation area. Car rentals at MEM are plentiful. MATA (Memphis Area Transit Authority) Route 32 connects MEM to downtown, but service is infrequent; most visitors use rideshares or taxis.
Is Beale Street safe to visit?
The Beale Street Entertainment District -- the 1.8-mile stretch from W.C. Handy Park to the Mississippi River -- is heavily policed and has significant security presence, especially on weekend evenings. The district itself is generally safe for visitors. As with any urban entertainment district, exercise standard precautions at night. Downtown Memphis away from the entertainment district requires more awareness; stick to well-lit main streets after dark. Graceland, the National Civil Rights Museum, Sun Studio, and the Stax Museum are in different parts of the city and are all considered safe visitor destinations.
What is Memphis-style barbecue?
Memphis-style barbecue is defined by pork (ribs, shoulder, pulled pork) slow-smoked over hickory wood, with an emphasis on the dry rub -- a spice blend of salt, paprika, cumin, garlic, and cayenne applied before smoking to form a flavorful bark. 'Dry' ribs (no sauce) are Memphis's signature; 'wet' ribs (sauced during smoking) are also traditional. The World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest (mid-May at Tom Lee Park) is the largest pork barbecue competition in the world. The Rendezvous, founded in 1948, is Memphis's most famous dry rib institution.
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