Europe hosts over 100 confirmed airshows in 2026, spanning the United Kingdom, Germany, Belgium, France, Portugal, Poland, Italy, and beyond. Events range from major international aerospace trade shows to free seaside community displays. This article covers the 8 most significant European airshows of 2026 by date, including confirmed aircraft, themes, locations, and attendance figures.
For official aviation safety context, see the UK Civil Aviation Authority. For the previous guide in this series, see Hotels Near Fairford Airshow 2026: 7 Best Places to Stay for RIAT in July.
What Are the Biggest Airshows in Europe in 2026?
European airshows in 2026 fall into 3 categories:
- Major international trade and military shows — attracting aerospace industry professionals, military delegations, and large public crowds from multiple countries
- National public airshows — free or ticketed events held along coastlines, at military bases, or civilian airfields
- Heritage and specialist events — focused on warbirds, vintage aircraft, or aerobatic display teams
The 8 confirmed major events below are listed in chronological order.
May 2026: La Ferté-Alais — France
Dates: 23–24 May 2026 | Location: Aérodrome de La Ferté-Alais, Île-de-France
La Ferté-Alais and the Paris-Villaroche Air Legend event will both take place in 2026, making the Île-de-France region a key destination for aviation enthusiasts in the early summer season.
La Ferté-Alais is recognised as one of France’s most atmospheric heritage airshows. It focuses on vintage and historic aircraft and draws thousands of spectators each year to the airfield south of Paris. The show is titled Le Temps des Hélices (The Time of Propellers) and is regarded as one of Europe’s finest warbird gatherings.
June 2026: ILA Berlin Air Show — Germany
Dates: 10–14 June 2026 | Location: Berlin ExpoCenter Airport, Berlin-Schönefeld
The ILA Berlin Air Show combines a major trade exhibition for the aerospace and defence industries with a public airshow. Established in 1909, it claims to be the world’s oldest air show and is among the largest and most important aerospace trade fairs today.
At ILA Berlin 2024, approximately 600 exhibitors from 31 countries presented their products and services to 95,000 visitors, a third of them professional visitors. The show attracted 200 delegations from 60 countries. For 2026, organisers expect 650 exhibitors from 35 countries and 1,500 media representatives from 40 countries. The show covers 5 segments: Aviation, Space, Defence & Support, Advanced Air Mobility, and Supplier, accompanied by approximately 100 conferences.
Confirmed major industry participants include Airbus, Boeing, Rolls-Royce, Siemens, Safran, and Thales.
June 2026: Headcorn International Airshow — United Kingdom
Dates: 27–28 June 2026 | Location: Headcorn Aerodrome, Kent, TN27 9HX
The first-ever Headcorn International Airshow takes place on 27–28 June 2026 at Headcorn Aerodrome in Kent, building on more than a decade of successful heritage events. The airfield is launching a new show with a wider scope, promising historic warbirds, civilian aerobatics, and a festival-style ground display. Tickets start from £30 per adult.
July 2026: Royal International Air Tattoo (RIAT) — United Kingdom
Dates: 17–19 July 2026 | Location: RAF Fairford, Gloucestershire, GL7 4DL
The Royal International Air Tattoo is the world’s largest military airshow, held annually in July at RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire, England, in support of The Royal Air Force Charitable Trust. The show typically attracts 150,000 to 200,000 spectators over the weekend.
The operational theme for RIAT 2026 is Fighter Meet, highlighting aircraft used throughout the last century for air-to-air combat. A secondary theme — Royal Flight — recognises the 30th anniversary of RIAT receiving its Royal status and showcases aircraft used for VIP transportation.
Visitors can expect display appearances from Typhoons, F-35 Lightning IIs, and F-16 Fighting Falcons, along with a selection of Rafales, Mirages, Gripens, F/A-18 Hornets, F-15 Eagles, and MiG-29s.
Across 3 days, RIAT features approximately 18 hours of aerial demonstrations. The STEM zone includes more than 40 hands-on exhibits aimed at visitors aged 5–18.
Guinness World Records recognised RIAT 2003 as the world’s largest ever military airshow, with 535 aircraft in attendance.
July 2026: Farnborough International Airshow — United Kingdom
Dates: 20–24 July 2026 | Location: Farnborough Airport, Hampshire
RIAT has evolved into an important showcase for the world’s military, taking place the week before the biannual Farnborough Airshow, which occurs in even years. RIAT allows the military aerospace industry to showcase its products to both the general public and customers in a more relaxed environment outside the commercial selling pressure of the Farnborough trade show.
Farnborough 2026 is a trade-focused event. Public flying displays take place on Friday 24 July. It is one of the world’s 3 premier aerospace trade shows alongside the Paris Air Show and ILA Berlin.
August 2026: Clacton Airshow — United Kingdom
Dates: 27–28 August 2026 | Location: Clacton Seafront, Essex, CO15 1LA
In its 33rd year, the Clacton Airshow event site will welcome in the region of 250,000 visitors, with impressive aerobatic displays, exhibition stands, a food court, and on-site entertainment. The event is free to attend.
Confirmed aircraft include the RAF Red Arrows on both days, the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight featuring the Spitfire and Hurricane, and the RAF Grob Tutor T1. Thursday evening features a Twilight Display with illuminated aircraft, lasers, and pyrotechnics.
September 2026: International Sanicole Airshow — Belgium
Dates: 12–13 September 2026 | Location: Hechtel-Eksel Airfield, Hechtel, Belgium
Belgium’s flagship civilian airshow returns to Sanicole Airfield at Hechtel, pairing a high-energy flying programme with a packed showground and one of the best all-round atmospheres on the European calendar. The weekend is split between a dedicated Sunset Airshow on Saturday and the full main show on Sunday.
The Saturday Sunset Airshow runs from 17:00 to 20:15, followed by the main Sunday Sanicole Airshow from 10:00 to 17:30.
For 2026, the Belgian Air Force F-35A Lightning II will make its debut at the event as Belgium celebrates 80 years of air power. Two aircraft from Florennes Air Base are expected to perform a tactical role demonstration — the first confirmed F-35 appearance at Sanicole.
Sanicole hosts the only major civilian airshow in Belgium, featuring an 8-hour flying display with a huge variety of aircraft from civilian and military backgrounds, both modern and historic.
Key European Airshow Dates 2026: Quick Reference
| Event | Country | Dates | Admission |
| La Ferté-Alais (Le Temps des Hélices) | France | 23–24 May | Ticketed |
| ILA Berlin Air Show | Germany | 10–14 June | Ticketed |
| Headcorn International Airshow | UK | 27–28 June | From £30 |
| Royal International Air Tattoo (RIAT) | UK | 17–19 July | Ticketed |
| Farnborough International Airshow | UK | 20–24 July | Trade/Public |
| Clacton Airshow | UK | 27–28 August | Free |
| International Sanicole Airshow | Belgium | 12–13 September | Ticketed |
| Air Invictus Airshow | Portugal | 19–23 June | Ticketed |
What Other European Airshows Take Place in 2026?
Additional confirmed European airshow events in 2026 include the Liepāja Airshow in Latvia on 12–13 June, the Antidotum Airshow in Leszno, Poland on 19–20 June, the Air Invictus Airshow across Porto, Gaia, Maia, and Matosinhos in Portugal on 19–23 June, and the Budaörsi Airshow in Hungary on 20–21 June. Further events are confirmed in the Czech Republic, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, and Sweden throughout the season.
The European airshow calendar is maintained and updated at europeanairshows.co.uk, milavia.net, and air-shows.org.uk, all of which carry regularly updated event listings with location maps and official website links for each confirmed show.
For the most comprehensive and up-to-date listing of all airshows across Europe in 2026, visit europeanairshows.co.uk/airshow-calendar-2026.
Alex Bradley is a UK-based aviation writer and airshow circuit regular who has spent years attending displays from RIAT at Fairford and the Biggin Hill Festival of Flight to small fly-ins that drew two hundred people and a hot dog van, and values both for entirely different reasons.
He is not a pilot. He is not a PR man for the aviation industry. He is the person in the crowd who has been coming long enough to notice when something has quietly changed, when an organiser is papering over a problem, and when a display is genuinely worth the drive.
His writing on Redhill Airshow covers the British airshow circuit, safety, display team politics, CAA regulations, and the quiet contraction of grass airfield culture that nobody in the industry wants to discuss plainly.
He has stood at Redhill Aerodrome in every kind of English summer weather, watched Tiger Moths bank low over Surrey farmland, and carries strong opinions about what this country is slowly losing one cancelled event at a time.
