The NAS Oceana Air Show is organized by NAS Oceana. NavyWeek.org is an independent guide and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by the show, its organizers, the U.S. military, or any participating squadron. Dates, performers, and ticketing are set by the organizer and the Department of Defense and can change — always confirm current details with the official source before you travel.
NAS Oceana Air Show 2026
The U.S. Navy's largest open house returns to Virginia Beach September 19–20, 2026 — with the Blue Angels headlining and free admission.
For more than 70 years, the Navy's East Coast Master Jet Base has opened its gates to the public for a weekend of naval aviation. The 2026 NAS Oceana Air Show draws more than 300,000 visitors to watch the people and aircraft that fly from Oceana every day. This year's theme — “Celebrating 250 Years of America” — marks the nation's semiquincentennial. Here's everything you need to plan your visit.
NAS Oceana Air Show 2026 — Key Facts
- Dates
- Saturday–Sunday, September 19–20, 2026
- Hours
- 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM daily
- Location
- NAS Oceana, 1750 Tomcat Blvd, Virginia Beach, VA
- General admission
- Free
- Parking
- Free (on base)
- Headliner
- U.S. Navy Blue Angels
- ID required
- Yes — physical government-issued photo ID for everyone 18+
- Official site
- oceanaairshow.com
Last verified: June 15, 2026
WHEN IS THE 2026 NAS OCEANA AIR SHOW?
The 2026 NAS Oceana Air Show runs Saturday, September 19 and Sunday, September 20, with gates open from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM both days. The base also hosts a practice day on the Friday before, which includes a long-running STEM Laboratory that gives local fifth-graders an early look at the show.
Oceana holds its show in mid-to-late September most years, a few weeks before its sister Navy event, San Francisco Fleet Week, on the opposite coast. If you follow naval aviation, it's a natural anchor for an East Coast fall trip.
A note on military shows: dates and performers depend on Department of Defense scheduling and can shift. We verify this page against the official Oceana schedule and update it as the 2026 details are finalized.
TICKETS & ADMISSION
General admission and parking are both free. For most visitors, there's nothing to buy — bring a valid ID, park on base, and head to the flight line.
If you want a guaranteed seat and a better view, upgraded seating is available to purchase (sold exclusively through the show's official ticketing partner, AttendStar). Premium options typically include reserved flight-line seating and hospitality areas with shade and amenities. These sell out as the show approaches, so buy early once they're released.
PERFORMERS & FLIGHT SCHEDULE
The U.S. Navy Blue Angels headline, flying the F/A-18 Super Hornet. As the Navy’s Master Jet Base, Oceana is home turf for naval aviation, and the 2026 lineup leans heavily into Navy and joint-force airpower. Officially announced performers include:
- U.S. Navy Blue Angels (F/A-18 Super Hornet)
- F-22 Raptor Demonstration Team
- F-35C Lightning II Demonstration Team
- Rhino Demonstration Team of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 106 — the F/A-18 Super Hornet demo flown by Oceana's own “Gladiators”
- World-class civilian aerobatic performers
The F-35C demo is a particularly fitting draw here: the C is the Navy's carrier variant, and seeing it fly at the Navy's own jet base is a rare treat.
The full day-by-day flying order is released by the air show closer to the event. We update this section as the official 2026 schedule is published.
PARKING & DIRECTIONS
Getting there: NAS Oceana is in Virginia Beach, accessible from I-264. All air show parking is on the installation.
- Follow signage toward NAS Oceana / Tomcat Blvd on show days
- As you arrive, Security directs you to the next available parking area
- Free shuttles run from the outlying parking areas to the pedestrian entry points
For accessible parking, have your placard clearly visible so Security can direct you to the appropriate area.
KNOW BEFORE YOU GO
Oceana is an active Navy installation, so entry rules are stricter than a civilian venue. Getting these right keeps you from being turned away at the gate.
ID is required. Every attendee 18 and older must present a valid, physical government-issued photo ID. Digital IDs and photos of IDs are not accepted. Non-U.S. citizens should carry valid documentation of their current legal status.
No drones. Unmanned aerial systems are prohibited at NAS Oceana. Flying a drone within five miles of the base — including the Virginia Beach oceanfront resort area — is also not allowed.
Come prepared. The show runs all day with limited natural shade, so bring sunscreen, a hat, and water. The event is rain or shine; base leadership monitors weather and adjusts flying as conditions require.
ABOUT NAS OCEANA
Naval Air Station Oceana is the U.S. Navy’s East Coast Master Jet Base — the home of its F/A-18 Super Hornet strike-fighter squadrons. What began in 1943 as a remote auxiliary landing field grew, as Virginia Beach grew up around it, into one of the largest and most important naval aviation installations in the country.
That operational pedigree is exactly what makes the show worth attending. The jets you watch perform aren't visiting — they fly from these runways year-round, flown and maintained by the sailors who call Oceana home. It's one of the most authentically Navy air shows in the nation.
SOURCES
- Official NAS Oceana Air Show site — NAS Oceana
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
NEARBY & RELATED
The Blue Angels headline Oceana — follow the team’s full national tour schedule and demonstration guide. Oceana is the Navy’s East Coast counterpart to San Francisco Fleet Week, held a few weeks later on the opposite coast. For the largest military air show in the country, see the MCAS Miramar Air Show in San Diego.
All military air showsEditorial policy
- Source priority. We cite the official NAS Oceana Air Show announcements and the participating military teams' schedules first. Dates, performers, and admission details are quoted from those sources and confirmed on the "Last verified" date above.
- Independence. NavyWeek.org is not affiliated with the U.S. Navy, the Department of Defense, NAVCO, or any federal agency. We do not accept payment to recommend specific recruiters, schools, vendors, or services.
- Review cadence. Because the organizer and the military can change dates and performers at any time, this guide is re-verified against the official sources on a recurring basis and whenever a reader reports a change.
- Reviewer. The page is reviewed for accuracy by the reviewer named in the byline. The "Last reviewed" date at the top of the page reflects the most recent review pass.
- Corrections. Factual errors are corrected as soon as we can verify the issue against an official source. See the "Report an outdated fact" link below.
- Not advice. This page is informational only. For decisions about service, benefits, pay, or assignment, rely on official .mil sources and your chain of command, detailer, recruiter, or accredited representative.
