Florida Air Show Calendar 2024

By James | Last updated March 11, 2024

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The fantastic weather means that Florida hosts a large number of 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 (fall).

A complete schedule of upcoming air shows and hot air balloon festivals in Florida for 2024 can be found below.

You will also find details of vintage air tours that often visit Florida, the air museums hosting air shows, and the aerobatic display teams performing in Florida.

TOP 5 Florida Tours

If you are looking for something different from your Florida Holiday, these are some of our favorite tours:

  1. Kennedy Space Center – Lots to see and explore here including full day tours, astronaut experiences and your general entry tickets
  2. Everglades Boat Tours – Experience a different side of Florida with the hovercraft and boat tours around the Everglades
  3. Pirates Adventure Dinner Show – This is an action packed adventure show that is great fun for all the family
  4. Key West Dolphin Watching and Snorkeling – This unique tour is great if you love dolphin watching and or snorkeling (optional)
  5. Orlando: Drive-Thru Safari Park – Break away from the Theme Parks in Orlando and meet the animals in the comfort of your car

Complete List of Florida Air Shows in 2024 at a glance

Click links (opens on a new page) for more details on specific Florida air show ticket prices, schedules and appearances.

Key: TBC – To be confirmed.

DatesFlorida Air Show NameLocation
January 27, 2024Aerospace and Aviation Day 2024Million Air Hangar, Sanford International Airport
February 18, 2024Daytona 500 Flyover (USAF Thunderbirds)Daytona International Speedway
March 1-2, 2024Planes, Tunes & BBQTavares
March 23, 2024Gator Fly in Armed Services Appreciation DayGainesville Regional Airport
March 29-30, 2024MacDill AFB Tampa Bay AirFest 2024MacDill Air Force Base
April 5-7, 2024 New Smyrna Beach Balloon & Skyfest (CANCELLED)New Smyrna Beach Municipal Airport
April 9-14, 202450th Sun ‘n Fun Aerospace ExpoLakeland Linder Regional Airport
April 20-21, 2024Cocoa Beach Air ShowCocoa Beach
May 3-5, 2024Vero Beach Air Show 2024Vero Beach Regional Airport
May 4-5, 2024Tyndall AFB Gulf Coast Salute Air Show 2024Tyndall AFB, Panama City
May 11-12, 2024Fort Lauderdale Air Show 2024Fort Lauderdale Beach
May 25-26, 2024Hyundai Air & Sea Show 2024South Beach, Miami Beach
June 14-17 2024Tallahassee Balloon Festival 2024
July 10-13, 2024Pensacola Beach Air Show 2024Pensacola Beach
October TBC, 2024NAS Jax Air Show 2024NAS Jacksonville
October 26-27, 2024Orlando Air and Space ShowOrlando Sanford International Airport
November 2-3, 2024NAS Pensacola Open House, Blue Angels Homecoming Air ShowSherman Field, NAS Pensacola
November 2-3, 2024Florida International Air ShowCharlotte County Airport, Punta Gorda
November 8-10, 2024Stuart Air Show 2024Witham Field, Stuart
TBC, 2024Tampa International Balloon FestivalZooTampa, Tampa
TBC, 2024Jacksonville Balloon FestivalNortheast Florida Fairgrounds
March 2025Space Coast Warbird AirshowTitusville
April 1-6, 202551st Sun ‘n Fun Aerospace ExpoLakeland Linder Regional Airport

Vintage Air Tours in Florida

Though not air shows as such, several vintage and warbirds aircraft tours often visit Florida in the spring. Over the space of a couple of months, they visit a number of regional airports throughout the state.

This is an opportunity to see real vintage and World War II aircraft in flight rather than just as static museum exhibits. You can often get a ride in one of them for a fee.

Air Shows at Florida Air Museums

A couple of Florida’s air museums like the Valiant Air Command at Titusville (Space Coast Warbird Airshow, formerly TICO Warbird Airshow) and the Florida Air Museum in Lakeland (Sun ‘n Fun Fly-In and Convention) host annual air shows each Spring.

The nearby Fantasy of Flight museum at Polk City used to offer daily (Thursday through Sunday) aerial demonstrations subject to the weather but they shut the main museum to the general public on April 6, 2014 and are currently operating a seasonal interim museum with joy rides in vintage biplanes on the days the museum is open. There are plans to re-open as a much larger and more aviation-themed attraction in the future.

Air Demonstration Teams visiting Florida in 2024

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.

Whilst the Thunderbirds are based at Nellis AFB in Nevada, the Blue Angels are based in Florida at NAS Pensacola in Florida’s Panhandle.

Note that 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 organisers.

They also tend to alternate, so if the Thunderbirds appear at an airshow one year, they will not appear at the same airshow the next year but possibly the Blue Angels will appear instead and vice-versa.

The exception is that the Blue Angels always appear at their current home base in Pensacola and Jacksonville, the birthplace of the Blue Angels.

United States Navy Blue Angels

The Blue Angels have now transitioned to the larger F/A-18E/F Super Hornets supported by a “new” 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 has been replaced by an ex-Royal Air Force C-130J Super Hercules.

2023 their show schedule includes the following Florida air shows:

  • Sun ‘n Fun Aerospace Expo in Lakeland — April 1–2
  • NAS Key West Southernmost Air Spectacular — April 15–16
  • Fort Lauderdale Air Show — April 29–30
  • Pensacola Beach Air Show — July 8
  • Jacksonville Sea and Sky Air Show — October 21–22
  • Blue Angels Homecoming Air Show in Pensacola — November 3–4

In 2024 they are due to appear at the following Florida air shows:

  • Cocoa Beach Air Show — April 20–21
  • Vero Beach Air Show — May 3–5
  • Pensacola Beach Air Show — July 13
  • NAS Jacksonville Airshow — October 19–20
  • Blue Angels Homecoming Air Show in Pensacola — November 1-2

When the Blue Angels are ‘at home’ they often perform practice sessions that are open to the public typically between March and October. There is even a chance to grab an autograph.

Their full display schedule and practice sessions calendar can be found on their website.

United States Air Force Thunderbirds

The Thunderbirds are due to appear at the following Florida air shows in 2023:

  • Wings Over Homestead ARB — April 1–2
  • Cocoa Beach Air Show — April 15–16
  • Orlando Air and Space Show in Sanford — October 28–29
  • Florida International Air Show in Punta Gorda — November 4–5

They also have a tradition of doing a fly-past at the Daytona International Speedway for the annual Daytona 500 in February and often fly over Disney’s Magic Kingdom as well.

Provisional dates for 2024 include:

  • Sun ‘n Fun Aerospace Expo in Lakeland — April 9–14
  • Gulf Coast Salute — May 4–5
  • Fort Lauderdale Air Show — May 11–12

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

The Canadian Snowbirds Demonstration Team fly the Canadair Tutor CT-114 and sometimes venture south. In 2012 they appeared at the Wings and Waves Air Show at Daytona Beach, in 2016 at the Fort Lauderdale Air Show and in 2017 they returned to the Fort Lauderdale Air Show. They are making a welcome return to Florida in 2022 at the Space Coast International Air Show in Titusville.

In 2017, the French national display team, The Patrouille de France, flying 8 Alpha Jet trainers made a rare USA appearance and displayed at both the Melbourne Air & Space Show and Sun’n Fun Fly-In in April.

In 2019 the British Red Arrows display team, took part in a North American tour but did not display in Florida.

The British Army Red Devils Parachute Regiment appeared in Florida in 2022.

Single Ship and Legacy Demo Teams

As well as the Air Demonstration formation teams, there are also several U.S. military service demo teams drawn from the U.S. Army, U.S. Air Force, U.S. Navy, U.S. Marine Corps and U.S. Coast Guard.

U.S. Air Force Air Combat Command single-ship demonstration teams operate in the USA and regularly attend the various Florida airshows. These include:

  • A-10 “Thunderbolt II” Demo Team — the Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II, also known as the “Warthog” was specifically 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, multi-role 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 manoeuvrability 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-engined multirole, all-weather air-to-air and surface attack stealth fighter

The single-ship demo teams often team up with warbirds from the U.S. Air Force Heritage Flight (HF) who operate vintage aircraft from World War II, Korea and the Vietnam era like:

  • 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

As well as fighter aircraft, the U.S. Air Force also operates a heavy-lift Boeing C-17 Globemaster III demo team.

The U.S. Navy also operate a Legacy Flight where they fly twin ship formations combining frontline fighters with warbirds again 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 fly 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 2023 & 2024

For 2023, air show performers include:

  • Sun ‘n Fun Fly-In and Convention — Blue Angels, F-35A Lightning II, USMC F-35B Lightning II
  • Wings Over Homestead ARB — Thunderbirds, F-22 Raptor
  • NAS Key West Southernmost Air Spectacular — Blue Angels, F-35A Lightning II, F/A-18 Super Hornet
  • Cocoa Beach Air Show – Thunderbirds , A-10 Thunderbolt II, C-17 Globemaster III, Combat Search & Rescue, USN E/A-18G Growler
  • Fort Lauderdale Air Show — Blue Angels, F-22 Raptor, USN F-35C Lightning II
  • Hyundai Air & Sea Show — F-35A Lightning II, F/A-18 Super Hornet
  • Pensacola Beach Air Show — Blue Angels
  • Jacksonville Sea and Sky Airshow 2023 — Blue Angels
  • Orlando Air and Space Show — Thunderbirds, F-35A Lightning II, F/A-18 Super Hornet, C-17 Globemaster III
  • Blue Angels Homecoming Air Show — Blue Angels, F-16 Viper, USN F-35C Lightning II
  • Florida International Air Show — Thunderbirds
  • Stuart Air Show — F-22 Raptor, C-17 Globemaster III, USN E/A-18G Growler

For 2024, air show performers include:

  • Sun ‘n Fun Fly-In and Convention — Thunderbirds
  • Cocoa Beach Air Show — Blue Angels
  • Vero Beach Air Show — Blue Angels
  • Gulf Coast Salute — Thunderbirds
  • Fort Lauderdale Air Show — Thunderbirds
  • Pensacola Beach Air Show — Blue Angels
  • NAS Jacksonville Airshow — Blue Angels
  • Blue Angels Homecoming Air Show — Blue Angels

As well as aerobatic and demo teams, many airshows also have several ground-based displays including both modern and vintage aircraft and warbirds.

Florida Air Show Ticket Prices

Some airshows offer free admission and free parking, typically some of those on military bases like the Tampa Bay AirFest at MacDill AFB and some beach airshows like the Pensacola Beach Air Show.

Others charge an admission fee that may or may not include parking, though you can often get a discount if you purchase online in advance, especially with “early bird” discounts. Just follow the individual links in the list of events above to check on ticket prices.

Remember that sitting or standing outside in the Florida sunshine for hours can be overwhelming, but many air shows offer VIP areas where you can relax in the shade. Don’t forget to make sure you are properly hydrated.

Avid photographers can often pay to access special flight line areas sometimes with bleacher-style raised seating.

Shows like Sun ’n Fun even offer camping for RVs or tents as well as aircraft camping for visiting aircraft.

This information is correct to the best of our knowledge but you should always check with the show organisers before making a trip as air shows sometimes get cancelled or rescheduled.

If you do have any corrections or additions to the list of Florida air shows 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 shows that showcase aviation achievements and feature breath-taking aerial performances.

There were two key events that helped establish the popularity of Florida Air Shows today. They include (and of course are not just limited to these two events):

In 1918 the roots of air shows in Florida can be traced back to when JN4 Jenny biplanes and Curtiss Hydroaeroplanes flew over Jacksonville to celebrate the end of World War I.

In 1982 The Florida International Air Show started, quickly becoming a seminal event each spring. This was then joined by an increasing host of other events that eventually led to a calendar of events listed every year. All of which became more and more popular due to the quality of events Florida as a whole was hosting.

Florida Theme Parks

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