Miramar Air Show: 2026 Recap, 2027 Dates, Schedule and Parking

The MCAS Miramar Air Show is San Diego’s big military air show, held each fall on the Marine Corps air station north of the city, with the Navy’s Blue Angels as the headline act. The 2026 show ran September 25–27, 2026, and general admission and parking were free. No 2027 dates are on the official site yet, but the Blue Angels’ preliminary 2027 schedule lists Miramar for September 25–26, 2027.

When is the Miramar Air Show?

The show runs over a late-September weekend, Friday through Sunday. Here is where things stand as of November 2026:

Edition	Dates	Status
2026	September 25–27, 2026	Held; the official site now thanks visitors for attending
2027	Blue Angels preliminary schedule: September 25–26, 2027	Air show dates not yet posted (“check back soon”)

The 2027 entry comes from the Blue Angels’ preliminary 2027 schedule, which only covers the days the team flies. Those dates fall on a Saturday and Sunday, so a Friday opening day on September 24 would match the usual pattern, but treat that as a guess until the official Miramar Air Show site confirms. Preliminary military flight schedules can shift.

The show has a long history. It dates to the 1950s and typically draws hundreds of thousands of people over the weekend. It has also been cancelled before, including in 2013 over federal budget problems and in 2020 and 2021 because of COVID-19, so it is worth checking the official site again closer to the date.

The 2026 show in brief

The 2026 lineup was headlined by the U.S. Navy Blue Angels and their C-130 support plane, Fat Albert. Other acts on the official lineup included:

• USMC F-35B demonstration
• MAGTF Demo, the Marines’ combined air-ground demonstration with pyrotechnics
• MV-22 Osprey demonstration
• U.S. Air Force C-17 Globemaster III
• U.S. SOCOM ParaCommandos parachute team
• Folds of Honor biplane with Ed Hamill
• Vicky Benzing in the Stearman “Plum Crazy”
• USMC Mounted Color Guard and the 3d MAW Marching Band

On the ground there were static aircraft displays you can walk up to, vendors and family activities. The lineup changes every year, so use 2026 as a guide to the style of show rather than a promise of who will fly in 2027.

Miramar Air Show schedule and times

The 2026 schedule was the same on Friday, Saturday and Sunday:

Time (approx.)	What happens
8:00 a.m.	Flightline gates open to the public
10:15 a.m.	Aerial demonstrations begin
1:25 p.m.	U-2 Dragon Lady flypast (Friday only)
2:45 p.m.	U.S. Navy Blue Angels
4:15 p.m.	End of aerial demonstrations
5:00 p.m.	Flightline gates close

All times are approximate and can move with weather and air traffic. The Blue Angels slot in the afternoon is the one most people plan around.

Friday, Saturday or Sunday?

Friday is usually the easiest day. Crowds are lighter, and in 2026 the military discount on preferred seating applied to everyone on Friday. It also had the one-off U-2 flypast. Saturday is typically the busiest day, and Sunday falls in between.

Is there a twilight show?

Past Miramar shows have included a Saturday twilight show, the only evening performance, with night aerobatics, fireworks and a pyrotechnic “wall of fire.” The 2026 schedule did not include one: it listed the same daytime program on all three days. If you are hoping for the night show, look at the schedule page once the next edition is announced.

Tickets, cost and seating

General admission, blanket seating and parking are free. You do not need a ticket to get in. Bring your own low chairs or a blanket and find a spot along the flight line.

You only need a ticket for preferred seating. In 2026 the ticket page offered:

• Grandstands: raised bleacher seating with its own viewing area
• Box seats: individually reserved chairs just west of show center, in front of the grandstands
• Observation Deck Chalet: shaded and open-air seating with water and a program; food is extra
• Stars and Stripes Family Chalet: shade, kids’ activities and a family menu
• Semper Fi Chalet: shaded seating with breakfast, buffet lunch, snacks, beer and wine
• Devil Dog Chalet: front-row shaded seating with meals and an open bar (21+)
• Corporate chalets: private tents for groups, booked by email

The official page did not list prices. KPBS’s 2026 event listing put preferred seating at about $22.45 to $372.09, depending on the option. Strollers and open umbrellas are not allowed in the grandstands or box seats.

Location, parking and getting there

The show takes place on the flight line at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar in San Diego (ZIP 92126 on event listings), between I-15 and I-805 north of Miramar Road.

• Parking is free. After you enter the base you are directed to the nearest open lot. The official FAQ does not publish a fixed parking map, because lots are assigned on the day.
• Free shuttles run from all parking lots to the flight line, so budget time for the shuttle line on the way in and out.
• Buses use the West Gate off Miramar Road. Accessible-parking vehicles use the West or North Gate off Miramar Road.
• Rideshare drop-off and pickup is at the McDonald’s parking lot on Mitscher Way and Elrod Avenue. Rideshare cars cannot drive onto the flight line.

Traffic on Miramar Road and the I-15 and I-805 ramps backs up badly late morning and right after the Blue Angels finish. Arriving close to the 8 a.m. gate opening, or leaving before the Blue Angels land, saves a lot of sitting in traffic.

Security rules: ID, bags and prohibited items

Miramar is an active military base, so security is stricter than at a typical festival. According to the official FAQ:

• ID: Everyone 18 and older needs a valid government-issued ID, and you won’t be let in without one. Any state-issued ID works. Foreign nationals must bring a passport. Photos or copies of ID are not accepted.
• Clear-bag policy: One large clear bag per person, or a one-gallon Ziploc or store-bought clear bag plus a small clutch. Regular backpacks, purses and totes are not allowed.
• No coolers or ice chests, except for medically necessary items, which are inspected at a designated lane.
• No personal drones on federal property or airspace.
• No pets. Only service animals are allowed.

Check the full permitted and prohibited items list on the official site before you pack.

Tips for a better day

• Bring shade and water. The flight line is mostly open tarmac, and late September in inland San Diego can be hot. Sunscreen, hats and ear protection for kids make a big difference. See our San Diego weather guide for typical fall temperatures.
• Set up near show center. The announcers and the formation passes are lined up on show center, so the closer you are, the better your view of the Blue Angels’ formations.
• Walk the static displays early. Lines to look inside aircraft grow through the day.
• Plan your exit. Leaving before the final act, or waiting an hour after the gates close, is often quicker than leaving with the crowd.

Who it suits and what to pair it with

The show works for aviation fans, families with kids old enough to handle noise and a long day in the sun, and anyone who enjoys a big free event. Very young children, people with noise sensitivity and anyone with mobility limits should plan around the long walks and loud jets, or book a shaded chalet.

The base is in inland north San Diego, about 15 to 20 minutes from the coast on a normal day. If you are making a weekend of it, cool off the next morning at Torrey Pines or with a lake day at Miramar Lake, which shares the name but is a separate reservoir a few miles northeast of the base.