The Jersey International Air Display 2026 takes place on Thursday, 10 September 2026, over St Aubin’s Bay, Jersey, Channel Islands. The free 4-hour flying display runs from 13:00 to 17:00. It is one of the largest free airshows in Europe and one of the most significant dates on Jersey’s annual calendar.
For official aviation safety context, see the UK Civil Aviation Authority. For the previous guide in this series, see Avalon Airshow Geelong: Dates, History, Aircraft, and 6 Key Facts.
What Is the Jersey International Air Display?
The Jersey International Air Display is an annual free aviation event held over St Aubin’s Bay, featuring fast jets, vintage warbirds, international aerobatic teams, and seaplane displays. The show is organised by Jersey International Air Display A.R.L., a private sector not-for-profit company. It is staged in aid of British service charities and Jersey tourism.
The event covers 4 core programme elements:
- A free 4-hour flying display over St Aubin’s Bay
- A static aircraft exhibition at Jersey Airport
- A ground display and food fair on the Lower Park
- Live commentary on BBC Radio Jersey throughout the show
When and Where Is the Jersey Airshow 2026?
The Jersey International Air Display 2026 is held on Thursday, 10 September 2026, at St Aubin’s Bay, Saint Helier, Jersey, Channel Islands. The flying display runs from 13:00 to 17:00. The main spectator area is along Victoria Avenue and Lower West Park, adjacent to St Aubin’s Bay.
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Event Detail |
Information |
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Date |
Thursday, 10 September 2026 |
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Time |
13:00 – 17:00 |
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Display Duration |
4 hours |
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Venue |
St Aubin’s Bay, Saint Helier, Jersey |
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Entry |
Free |
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Organiser |
Jersey International Air Display A.R.L. |
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Commentary |
BBC Radio Jersey |
The Guernsey Air Display 2026 takes place on Wednesday, 9 September 2026, as a twilight spectacle beginning at 18:30 — 1 day before the Jersey show.
What Is the History of the Jersey International Air Display?
The Jersey International Air Display was first staged in 1952 as the Battle of Britain Air Display, making it 1 of the longest-running airshows in the British Isles. The event has taken place every year since 1952, with the exception of 1954. In 1997, the show was rebranded as the Jersey International Air Display to reflect the inclusion of international aircraft alongside its traditional RAF participants.
The event holds 4 notable historic distinctions:
- It is the longest-running annual airshow in the Channel Islands
- It regularly features the UK or European debuts of rare international aircraft
- It is 1 of only a few airshows where seaplanes perform water operations as part of the programme
- All Jersey schools give children the day off to attend, and local markets close for the afternoon
Past aircraft making their only UK appearance at Jersey include the Swedish Air Force Historic Flight’s Saab Viggen and Saab Draken, the world’s only airworthy Nord Noratlas, and the Breguet Br.1050 Alizé anti-submarine aircraft.
What Makes St Aubin’s Bay Unique for an Airshow?
St Aubin’s Bay forms a natural 5-kilometre curved amphitheatre that allows aircraft to perform low-level passes visible across the entire seafront simultaneously. The bay’s large tidal range and sheltered waters also allow seaplanes and flying boats to perform water takeoffs and landings as part of the display.
Aircraft that have operated from the water at Jersey include:
- De Havilland Beaver Float Plane — single-engine floatplane performing bay operations
- Dornier DO24 Flying Boat — a WWII-era 3-engine rescue flying boat performing touch-and-goes
- Consolidated PBY-5A Catalina — a US WWII-era patrol flying boat
The seafront viewing area along Victoria Avenue stretches the full length of the bay, providing free standing viewing from St Helier to St Aubin. No ticket or wristband is required to watch from the seafront.
What Aircraft Are Featured at the Jersey Airshow?
The Jersey International Air Display features aircraft from more than 10 nations, including fast jets, WWII warbirds, aerobatic teams, vintage propeller aircraft, and seaplanes. The event has previously welcomed aircraft from Belgium, France, Ireland, the Netherlands, Poland, Russia, Sweden, Canada, the United States, and the United Kingdom.
Aircraft types regularly featured include:
- Fast jets — RAF and international military jets in solo and formation displays
- Aerobatic teams — including the Red Arrows and French display teams such as the Patrouille de France
- WWII warbirds — Lancaster Bomber, Spitfire, Hurricane, and Seafire
- Naval heritage aircraft — Fairey Swordfish, Harvard, and carrier-based types
- Seaplanes and flying boats — performing bay operations unique to the Jersey venue
- Aerobatic solo acts — international civilian aerobatic performers
Notable past participants include the Patrouille de France, B-52 Stratofortress, A-10 Thunderbolt, Avro Vulcan, Saab Draken, Republic P-47D Thunderbolt, OV-10 Bronco, and the RAF Falcons parachute display team.
What Are the Static Displays at the Jersey Airshow 2026?
The Jersey Airshow 2026 includes 2 dedicated static aircraft exhibitions: 1 at Jersey Airport and 1 at Lower West Park, St Helier. Both displays provide close-access ground viewing before the main flying programme begins.
2026 static display times are:
- Jersey Airport static display — Wednesday 9 September: 15:00–19:00
- Jersey Airport static display — Thursday 10 September: 09:00–11:00
- Lower West Park, St Helier — open on the day of the main flying display
The airport open day on Wednesday provides arrivals viewing, with international display aircraft flying into Jersey Airport from Wednesday afternoon onwards. Aviation photographers use the Wednesday arrival sessions as a dedicated shooting opportunity before the main show.
What Is the Guernsey Air Display 2026?
The Guernsey Air Display 2026 is a twilight airshow held on Wednesday, 9 September 2026, starting at 18:30 over Guernsey. Confirmed participants for the 2026 Guernsey event include the Red Arrows and the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight Douglas Dakota.
The Guernsey Air Display originated in 1967. It was originally called the Guernsey Battle of Britain Air Display. Its origins trace to the 1960s, when Jersey display aircraft used to practice over Guernsey on the morning before the main Jersey show. In September 1967, Lord Sandhurst formalised these practice sessions into a standalone Guernsey event.
In 2025, the Guernsey Air Display switched to a twilight format and took place 1 day before Jersey. Following positive public feedback, the 2026 programme repeats this structure. Visitors attending both events can experience 2 Channel Islands airshows across 2 consecutive evenings and afternoons.
How Is the Jersey International Air Display Funded?
The Jersey International Air Display is funded through 3 sources: a Government of Jersey grant, corporate sponsorship, and public donations. The event is free to attend and generates no gate revenue.
Funding facts include:
- Government grant 2024: £40,000 — reduced from a previous high of £100,000 in prior years
- Government grants in 2022 and 2023: £60,000 per year
- Corporate sponsorship: provided by financial, energy, and hospitality businesses based in Jersey
- Public donations: collected through the official website at jerseyairdisplay.org.uk
2025 corporate sponsors included Strada Geothermal Jersey (title sponsor), TISE, ATF Fuels, RBC, Geomarine, Grand Jersey Hotel, and the Radisson Blu. Staging costs cover aircraft fuel, crew accommodation, ground power, and ground operations at the airport and seafront.
Organiser Mike Higgins confirmed that costs have increased each year since the post-Covid recovery phase. The event aims to return to its 2013 programme standard with enhanced static displays and STEM education areas.
How Do Visitors Travel to Jersey for the Airshow?
Visitors travel to Jersey by air or sea, with flights available from more than 20 UK airports and ferry services from Poole, Portsmouth, and Saint-Malo. Jersey Airport is served by airlines including British Airways, easyJet, and Blue Islands.
3 primary travel options are:
- Direct flights — from London Gatwick, London City, Manchester, Bristol, and regional UK airports
- Condor Ferries — passenger and vehicle ferries from Poole and Portsmouth
- Manche Îles Express — passenger ferry connections from Normandy, France
Accommodation books quickly during airshow week. Visitors are advised to book hotels in St Helier at least 3 months in advance. The Grand Jersey Hotel and Radisson Blu are 2 official sponsor hotels located within walking distance of the main seafront viewing area.
How Does the Jersey Airshow Compare to Other UK Free Airshows?
The Jersey International Air Display is distinct from mainland UK free airshows in 3 ways: its island setting, its seaplane water operations, and its international aircraft access. The bay setting allows aircraft from France, Sweden, and other European nations to participate at lower logistical cost than mainland UK shows, due to Jersey’s proximity to continental Europe.
|
Feature |
Jersey Airshow |
Bournemouth Air Festival |
Eastbourne Airshow |
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Entry Cost |
Free |
Free |
Free |
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Duration |
4 hours |
4 days |
2 days |
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Seaplane Displays |
Yes |
No |
No |
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Static Displays |
2 locations |
Seafront only |
Seafront only |
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International Aircraft |
10+ nations |
Varies |
Varies |
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School Closure |
Yes (island-wide) |
No |
No |
The island-wide school closure and midweek scheduling are unique to Jersey among all British and Channel Islands airshows.
Sources: Jersey International Air Display official website (jerseyairdisplay.org.uk), Military Airshows UK (military-airshows.co.uk), Flightline UK (air-shows.org.uk), Vibrant Jersey (vibrantjersey.je), Bailiwick Express.
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.