Biggin Hill Airshow 2026: Heritage Hangar, History, and What to Expect
The Biggin Hill airshow, officially known as the Festival of Flight, is London’s only airshow, held at London Biggin Hill Airport in Bromley, Kent. The Biggin Hill International Air Fair was one of the largest civilian airshows in the world and the largest privately organised air show in Europe, running from 1963 to 2010. It was succeeded by a smaller-scale event titled the Festival of Flight, launched in June 2014. For the previous guide in this series, see Teignmouth Airshow 2026: Why It Is Cancelled and 3 Devon Alternatives to Attend.
As of May 2026, no Festival of Flight has been confirmed for 2026. This article covers the event’s history, aircraft, heritage, and what aviation activity is taking place at Biggin Hill in 2026.
What Is the Biggin Hill Airshow?
The Biggin Hill airshow is a 2-day aviation display event at London Biggin Hill Airport combining warbird flights, military displays, and ground entertainment. Over 30,000 people from far and wide attend the annual event to enjoy a weekend of aerial entertainment and family activities in the showground.
Gates open at 8:30am. The flying display runs from 12:30pm to 5:30pm. Tickets are advance-only and cannot be purchased at the gate.
What Is the History of the Biggin Hill Airshow?
The Biggin Hill airshow has a history spanning over 60 years, across 2 distinct formats.
Squadron Leader Jock Maitland commenced the first Biggin Hill Air Fair in 1963, after purchasing a lease to run the airport from Bromley Council in 1958. In 2010, Biggin Hill Airport Ltd cancelled the licence after 47 years.
On Saturday 14 June 2014, the air fair was revived in a new smaller-scale format entitled the Festival of Flight. The proposed annual event was limited to 15,000 spectators and was intended to portray Biggin Hill as both a site of historical value and a modern thriving business airport.
Key milestones include:
- 1963 — First Biggin Hill Air Fair held
- 2010 — Original Air Fair ended after 47 years
- 2014 — Festival of Flight launched; Red Arrows performed their 50th display season
- 2017 — The show expanded to 2 days and celebrated the centenary of the airport. The only UK display by La Patrouille de France in 2017 took place at Biggin Hill.
- 2018 — The show commemorated the RAF’s centenary year. A total of 49 aircraft across 12 multi-aircraft teams performed.
- 2019 — Final Festival of Flight before pandemic-related cancellations
- 2020–2021 — The Biggin Hill ‘The Hardest Day’ 2020 event was cancelled due to the Covid-19 virus. The Festival of Flight 2021 also did not take place.
What Aircraft Have Performed at the Biggin Hill Festival of Flight?
The Biggin Hill Festival of Flight has featured 3 main aircraft categories: WWII warbirds, modern military jets, and aerobatic teams. Past performers include the RAF Typhoon Jet Fighter, the Breitling Jet Team, and the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight.
Past aircraft and display teams include:
- Red Arrows — RAF aerobatic display team
- Battle of Britain Memorial Flight — Lancaster, Spitfire, and Hurricane
- RAF Typhoon — modern fast jet
- B-17 Flying Fortress, RAF Chinook, OV-10 Bronco, Hawker Sea Fury FB11, and the Great War Display Team
- Czech ‘Hip’ and ‘Hind’ helicopters, Belgian F-16, and Patrouille de France
What Aircraft Does the Biggin Hill Heritage Hangar Operate?
The Biggin Hill Heritage Hangar operates 4 confirmed flyable warbirds in 2026. Biggin Hill is home to several warbirds owned and operated by the Biggin Hill Heritage Hangar, based at the airport.
Aircraft registered to the Heritage Hangar and appearing at UK airshows in 2026 include:
- Supermarine Spitfire IX
- North American P-51D Mustang
- Hispano HA1112-M1L Buchón
- Hawker Hurricane I
These aircraft appear at external UK airshow events throughout 2026, including Duxford and the Royal International Air Tattoo.
What Is the Biggin Hill Heritage Hangar?
The Biggin Hill Heritage Hangar is a museum and restoration facility housing original WWII aircraft at London Biggin Hill Airport. It maintains and flies a collection of combat aircraft from the Second World War, with a particular focus on the Battle of Britain. Visitors can attend photography sessions and hangar events throughout the year.
What Aviation Events Are at Biggin Hill in 2026?
There are 2 confirmed aviation events at London Biggin Hill Airport in 2026.
|
Event |
Date |
Type |
|
Warbird Photography Session |
30 March 2026 |
Heritage Hangar access |
|
Air Charter Expo |
8 September 2026 |
Business aviation industry |
The Air Charter Expo takes place at London Biggin Hill Airport on 8 September 2026. It is a dedicated conference and exhibition for the global business air charter industry. Admission is by pre-registration only, with tickets available online from 1 June 2026.
What Is the WWII Significance of RAF Biggin Hill?
RAF Biggin Hill is recognised as one of the most significant fighter stations of the Second World War.
London Biggin Hill Airport was formerly RAF Biggin Hill. Biggin Hill is best known for its role during the Battle of Britain, when it served as one of the principal fighter bases protecting London and South East England. Over the course of the war, fighters based at Biggin Hill claimed 1,400 enemy aircraft, at the cost of the lives of 453 Biggin Hill-based aircrew.
Biggin Hill in Kent is a very famous fighter station. On November 2nd 1939, one of its resident Squadrons claimed the first enemy aircraft of the war when it shot down a Dornier Do 17.
During the Battle of Britain, the station was home to several Spitfire squadrons. Biggin Hill aerodrome was attacked repeatedly and received heavy damage from the Luftwaffe but remained operational throughout the battle.
How Did Biggin Hill Airport Begin?
London Biggin Hill Airport was established by the Royal Flying Corps in 1917.
The airfield was originally opened by the Royal Flying Corps during the First World War. Koonowla House was requisitioned by the War Office in 1916 for wireless experiments. On 13 February 1917, the RFC transferred there and established it as part of the London Air Defence Area.
Biggin Hill was established as a wireless testing park and Air to Air and Air to Ground telephony systems were developed at the site. Bristol Fighters of 141 Squadron RFC were based here as part of the inner patrol zone of the London Air Defence Area.
How Do You Get to London Biggin Hill Airport?
London Biggin Hill Airport is located 14 miles south-southeast of Central London in the London Borough of Bromley.
London Biggin Hill Airport is located 12 nautical miles south-southeast of Central London. It specialises in general aviation, handling traffic from private aviation to large business jets.
The airport postcode for navigation is TN16 3BH. Key travel information:
- By car — Accessible via the A233 and M25 junction 4 or 6
- By train — Bromley South and Bromley North are the nearest stations, with onward taxi connections
- Distance from London — Approximately 14 miles from Central London
5 Key Facts About the Biggin Hill Airshow
- The original Biggin Hill Air Fair ran from 1963 to 2010 — a period of 47 years.
- The Festival of Flight launched in 2014 as a successor event.
- At its peak, 49 aircraft across 12 multi-aircraft teams performed at a single Festival of Flight.
- The Festival of Flight did not take place in 2020 or 2021 due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
- Fighters based at Biggin Hill claimed 1,400 enemy aircraft during the Second World War.
Is There a Biggin Hill Airshow in 2026?
No Festival of Flight at Biggin Hill has been confirmed for 2026. Aviation enthusiasts seeking a nearby display can visit the Biggin Hill Heritage Hangar events, or attend the Royal International Air Tattoo at RAF Fairford in July 2026, where Biggin Hill Heritage Hangar aircraft are confirmed to appear.
For the latest announcements, visit bigginhillairport.com or follow the Biggin Hill Heritage Hangar on social media.
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.