Florida Air Shows Calendar 2026
The fantastic weather means that Florida hosts many air shows, fly-ins, and hot-air balloon festivals, many of which are free to attend, especially the beach air shows. The air show season in Florida typically runs from mid-January to November, with most shows in either the spring or the autumn.
Below is an updated schedule of upcoming air shows and hot air balloon festivals in Florida for 2026. Where organisers have already published official dates, we include them. Where they have not, we keep the listing and mark it TBC until the official event website confirms the schedule.
You will also find details of vintage air tours that often visit Florida, air museums hosting air shows, and aerobatic display teams performing in Florida.
This guide is designed as a planning resource for 2026. Many organisers publish dates and performer line-ups gradually, so this page is intentionally conservative: exact dates only appear when they are clearly shown on the official event website or official team schedule. Everything else stays TBC until confirmed.
TOP 5 Florida Tours
If you are looking for something different from your Florida Holiday, these are some of our favorite tours:
- Kennedy Space Center - There is lots to see and explore here, including full-day tours, astronaut experiences, and your general entry tickets
- Everglades Boat Tours - Experience a different side of Florida with the hovercraft and boat tours around the Everglades
- Pirates Adventure Dinner Show - This is an action-packed adventure show that is great fun for all the family
- Key West Dolphin Watching and Snorkeling - This unique tour is excellent if you love dolphin watching and or snorkeling (optional)
- Orlando: Drive-Thru Safari Park - Break away from the Theme Parks in Orlando and meet the animals in the comfort of your car
Florida Air Shows and Balloon Festivals in 2026
As of 18 April 2026, the table below focuses on the upcoming 2026 Florida air shows and balloon festivals we can verify using official event pages, official team schedules, or both. Sun 'n Fun is included because the 2026 event still runs through 19 April.
Key: TBC = to be confirmed. We only use exact dates where they are clearly published by the official event organiser or official team schedule.
| Dates | Florida Air Show Name | Location |
| April 14-19, 2026 | Sun 'n Fun Aerospace Expo | Lakeland Linder International Airport |
| May 9-10, 2026 | Fort Lauderdale Air Show | Fort Lauderdale Beach |
| May 15-17, 2026 | Vero Beach Air Show | Vero Beach Regional Airport |
| May 23-24, 2026 | Hyundai Air & Sea Show | South Beach, Miami Beach |
| 2026 (TBC) | Tallahassee Balloon Festival | North Florida Fairgrounds, Tallahassee |
| 2026 (TBC) | Pensacola Beach Air Show | Pensacola Beach |
| October 17-18, 2026 | NAS Jax Air Show | NAS Jacksonville |
| 2026 (TBC) | Orlando Air and Space Show | Orlando Sanford International Airport |
| 2026 (TBC) | MacDill AFB Tampa Bay AirFest | MacDill Air Force Base |
| Cancelled / not currently scheduled | New Smyrna Beach Balloon & Skyfest | New Smyrna Beach Municipal Airport |
| 2026 (TBC) | NAS Pensacola Open House / Blue Angels Homecoming Air Show | Sherman Field, NAS Pensacola |
| 2026 (TBC) | Space Coast Warbird Airshow | Titusville |
| 2026 (TBC) | Planes, Tunes & BBQ | Tavares |
Largest Airshow in Florida
Sun 'n Fun Aerospace Expo in Lakeland is widely regarded as Florida's biggest aviation event and one of the best-known fly-ins in the world. The official Sun 'n Fun website currently lists the 2026 event for April 14 to 19. Because the show is in progress this weekend, daily schedules, performers, and evening programming can still shift, so it is worth checking the event site again before you travel.
Vintage Air Tours in Florida
Vintage and warbird aircraft tours do sometimes stop in Florida, but schedules vary from year to year. If you are hoping to catch a specific aircraft tour, it is best to check the operator’s official schedule before travelling.
These tours can be a good opportunity to see historic aircraft flying rather than only on static display, and some operators may also offer paid flight experiences.
- Wings of Freedom Tour by the Collings Foundation
- Commemorative Air Force (CAF) AirPower History Tour
- Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) Aluminium Overcast Tour
- Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) Ford-Tri-Motor Tour
Air Shows at Florida Air Museums
A small number of Florida air museums are also connected to flying events and seasonal aviation weekends. Two of the best-known names are Valiant Air Command in Titusville and the Florida Air Museum in Lakeland.
Fantasy of Flight at Polk City also remains a notable Central Florida aviation attraction, but visitors should check the official calendar before travelling because opening dates and operating schedules can vary.
Air Demonstration Teams visiting Florida in 2026
Two of America's top military aerobatic display teams, the United States Air Force Thunderbirds flying Lockheed (General Dynamics) F-16 Fighting Falcons and the United States Navy Blue Angels flying Boeing (McDonnell Douglas) F/A-18E/F Super Hornets regularly perform at some of Florida's Air Shows.
While the Thunderbirds are based at Nellis AFB in Nevada, the Blue Angels are based in Florida at NAS Pensacola in Florida's Panhandle.
When airshows run over several days, teams like the Thunderbirds and the Blue Angels do not necessarily perform every day. It is always best to check with the airshow organizers.
They also tend to alternate, so if the Thunderbirds appear at an airshow one year, they will not appear at the same airshow the following year, but possibly the Blue Angels will appear instead and vice-versa.
Because military schedules can change, the safest approach is always to confirm appearances using the official team schedule and the host event website. When those two sources differ, trust the host event website for the latest local event details.
United States Navy Blue Angels
The Blue Angels now fly the larger F/A-18E/F Super Hornets, supported by their C-130J Super Hercules.
In May 2019, the original Lockheed C-130T Hercules, affectionately known as 'Fat Albert,' was retired as it had reached the end of its service life and was replaced by an ex-Royal Air Force C-130J Super Hercules.
The Blue Angels publish official show and practice schedules on their own site, and their show page now links to a downloadable 2026 schedule. Florida appearances should still be checked against the host event website before travel, especially where local pages are still being updated.
- Vero Beach Air Show — May 15-17, 2026
- NAS Jax Air Show — October 17-18, 2026 (the host site currently promotes the Blue Angels, but it is still wise to re-check the official team schedule before you travel)
- Pensacola Beach Air Show — 2026 date TBC
- Blue Angels Homecoming Air Show, NAS Pensacola — 2026 date TBC
When the Blue Angels are at home in Pensacola, public practice information is typically published through official Blue Angels and NAS Pensacola channels. The public Pensacola Beach page is now labelled for 2026, but the detailed article content still shows 2025 information, so it is safest to keep Pensacola Beach as TBC until a clean 2026 schedule is published.
Their official website remains the best source for the latest display and practice schedule information.
United States Air Force Thunderbirds
The official Thunderbirds schedule currently lists the following Florida appearances for 2026:
- Daytona 500 — Daytona, Florida (February 15, 2026)
- Gulf Coast Salute Air Show — Panama City, Florida (April 11-12, 2026 on the Thunderbirds schedule)
- Sun 'n Fun Aerospace Expo — Lakeland, Florida (April 18-19, 2026 on the Thunderbirds schedule)
- Fort Lauderdale Air Show — Fort Lauderdale, Florida (May 9-10, 2026 on the Thunderbirds schedule)
- Hyundai Air & Sea Show — Miami, Florida (May 23-24, 2026 on the Thunderbirds schedule)
- NAS Jacksonville — Jacksonville, Florida (October 17-18, 2026 on the Thunderbirds schedule, although this currently conflicts with the NAS Jax event site)
The official Thunderbirds schedule currently includes the Daytona 500 in Florida. It also still lists NAS Jacksonville in October, but the NAS Jax host website says the October 17 to 18, 2026 show will feature the Blue Angels, with free admission and parking, gates at 9 am, the show from 11 am, and a 2:30 pm Blue Angels performance. Until those official sources line up, it is safest to treat Jacksonville as a live source conflict rather than a settled 2026 team confirmation. The official Gulf Coast Salute page promotes a full April 10 to 12, 2026 event weekend in Panama City Beach, with the Thunderbirds scheduled for 3 pm daily, so it is worth checking the host page for the most practical day-by-day timings.
United States Parachute Teams
As well as aerial demonstration teams, there are also several military parachute teams, including the United States Army Golden Knights, United States Navy Leap Frogs, and United States Special Operation Command (SOCOM) Para-Commandos.
Other International Teams
International display teams appear in Florida less often than U.S. military teams, but occasional overseas participation does happen. Because those visits are relatively rare, it is best to rely on the official event performer list for confirmation.
Florida has also hosted occasional special appearances by overseas military and civilian performers, which is one reason some of the state’s larger events attract aviation fans from well beyond the local area.
These international appearances are not guaranteed from year to year, so they should always be treated as special additions rather than routine line-up items.
For the latest confirmed line-ups, always check the official event site or the official team schedule before making plans.
Single Ship and Legacy Demo Teams
In addition to the headline formation teams, Florida air shows may also feature single-aircraft military demonstrations, heritage flights, parachute teams, and ground displays.
These supporting acts vary by event and by year, so individual show websites remain the best source for confirmed participation.
- A-10 "Thunderbolt II" Demo Team — The Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II, also known as the "Warthog," was explicitly designed as a close air support aircraft and is built around a 7-barrel Gatling type 30 mm GAU-8 Avenger rotary cannon firing 3,900 rounds per minute.
- F-16 "Viper" Demo Team — The Lockheed F-16CM Fighting Falcon "Viper" is a single-seat, multirole fighter that can exceed speeds of Mach 2.
- F-22 "Raptor" Demonstration Flight Team — the Lockheed Martin F-22A Raptor is a twin engined fifth generation stealth fighter equipped with thrust vectoring offering amazing maneuverability and speeds over Mach 2 and can fly at Mach 1.5 without resorting to afterburners
- F-35A "Lightning II" Demo Team — Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II is a single-engine multirole, all-weather air-to-air and surface attack stealth fighter
Many larger shows also include heritage flight pairings that bring modern military aircraft together with older warbirds from earlier eras of aviation history.
- North American P-51 Mustang
- North American F-86 Sabre
- Lockheed P-38 Lightning
- Curtis P-40 Warhawk
- Republic P-47 Thunderbolt
- Douglas A-1 Skyraider
Heavy aircraft demonstrations, transport aircraft appearances, and special military fly-bys can also appear at selected Florida events.
The U.S. Navy also operates a Legacy Flight, which flies twin ship formations combining frontline fighters with warbirds from World War II, Korea, and Vietnam.
Frontline aircraft include:
- Beechcraft T-6 Texan II
- Boeing EA-18G Growler
- Boeing F/A-18G Super Hornet
- Lockheed Martin F-35C Legacy II
- McDonnell Douglas F/A-18C/D Hornet
- McDonnell Douglas TA-45 Goshawk
Warbird aircraft include:
- Beechcraft T-34 Mentor
- Curtiss SB2C Helldiver
- Douglas AD-4 Skyraider
- Douglas A-4B Skyhawk
- Douglas TA-4J Skyhawk
- Goodyear FG-1D Corsair
- North American SNJ Texan
- North American T-2 Buckeye
- North American T-28 Trojan
The U.S. Marine Corps flies the following aircraft as part of its demo teams:
- McDonnell Douglas AV-8B Harrier II
- Lockheed F-35B Lightning II
- Bell Boeing MV-22B Osprey
Florida Air Show Team Appearances in 2026
Below are some of the headline military display team appearances currently supported by official team schedules or event pages. These line-ups can still change, so always confirm with the official event website before travelling.
- Gulf Coast Salute Air Show — Thunderbirds
- Sun 'n Fun Aerospace Expo — Thunderbirds
- Fort Lauderdale Air Show — Thunderbirds
- Hyundai Air & Sea Show — Thunderbirds
- Vero Beach Air Show — Blue Angels
- NAS Jax Air Show — the official host page currently promotes the Blue Angels for 2026, whilst the Thunderbirds schedule also lists NAS Jacksonville for the same weekend, so treat this as a source conflict until updated
- Pensacola Beach Air Show — the official Pensacola update is still in transition, so we are keeping the 2026 date as TBC for now
Along with aerobatic and demo teams, many airshows have ground-based displays, including modern and vintage aircraft and warbirds.
Florida Air Show Ticket Prices
Florida air show prices vary a lot. Some events are still completely free, whilst others sell paid beach zones, premium seating, or hospitality upgrades.
Here are a few current 2026 examples from official event pages: Gulf Coast Salute Air Show says general admission is free and free parking is available at Aaron Bessant Park; NAS Jax Air Show says admission and parking are free with no tickets required; and Fort Lauderdale Air Show is currently selling paid options including Drop Zone Beach from $35, Sand Boxes from $69.75 per person, Flight Line Club from $189, and the VIP Penthouse from $574.
Remember that sitting or standing outside in the Florida sunshine for hours can be overwhelming, but many shows offer VIP areas where you can relax in the shade. Don't forget to make sure you are properly hydrated.
Some events also offer photography areas, upgraded viewing zones, hospitality packages, or private beach boxes for an extra fee, so it is worth comparing the official options before you book.
Larger aviation events may also offer camping, RV parking, or other on-site options, but these vary from one event to another.
This information is correct to our knowledge, but you should always check with the show organizers before making a trip, as events sometimes get canceled or rescheduled.
If you have any corrections or additions to the list of Florida air events and hot air balloon festivals noted above, please do not hesitate to contact us.
The History of Florida Air Shows
Florida has a tradition of hosting air events that showcase aviation achievements and feature breathtaking aerial performances.
Aviation events in Florida have developed over many decades, with military flyovers, regional air shows, and large-scale fly-ins all contributing to the state’s strong aviation calendar.
Florida has hosted aviation-related public displays for many decades, reflecting the state’s long association with military aviation, training bases, and civilian flying culture.
Over time, large recurring events helped establish Florida as one of the most active states in the country for public aviation displays and fly-in culture.
