Events · 14-16 August 2026
Pacific Airshow Gold Coast 2026
Dates, free vs paid viewing, what’s flying, and why Broadbeach is the smart base to watch it from.
The Pacific Airshow returns to the Gold Coast on 14-16 August 2026 – three days of world-class aerobatics, high-speed jet passes and aviation spectacle over Surfers Paradise Beach. It’s become one of the coast’s biggest winter events, drawing huge crowds to the sand to watch the sky.
The display is centred over Surfers Paradise, but Broadbeach is the quieter, easier base to enjoy it from: stay a few minutes south, tram up to the action, and skip the worst of the Surfers crowds and prices.
Here’s everything you need to plan it – the dates and hours, the confirmed 2026 lineup, how to watch for free versus paid, how to get there from Broadbeach, and whether you can catch the action from Broadbeach itself. With the show days away, August rooms are filling – sort your accommodation early.
Pacific Airshow 2026 at a Glance
- Dates: Friday 14, Saturday 15 and Sunday 16 August 2026 – all three days have the full lineup
- Where: Surfers Paradise Beach, centred opposite Cavill Avenue (2 Esplanade, Surfers Paradise)
- Hours: gates open 9am daily, flying display 10am to between 3pm and 4pm (organisers list timings as a guide, subject to change on the day)
- Cost: free to watch from the public beach; paid premium areas (grandstands, hospitality) for reserved seating
- Flying: headlined by the RAAF F-35A Lightning II, RAAF Roulettes and a US Marine Corps MV-22 Osprey demo, plus the RAAF C-130 Hercules, a US Navy P-8A, Gravity Industries jet suits and a Pays Aviation Spitfire
- From Broadbeach: about 3-4 km north – a quick G:link tram ride for a flat 50c, or a 30-45 min beach walk
- August is winter shoulder season, outside school holidays – easier accommodation than peak event weekends, but still book ahead
| Option | Cost | Best For | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Public beach, Surfers Paradise | Free | Most visitors, families, flexibility | Arrive early for a good patch of sand |
| Premium grandstand / reserved | Paid ticket | A guaranteed seat front-and-centre | 2026 tickets required; 2025 tickets won’t work |
| Hospitality / club areas | Paid ticket | Shade, food and drink, comfort | Books out – secure early |
| Broadbeach beach (looking north) | Free | Catching the high passes without the crowds | Distant view; main action is at Surfers |
The Essentials: Dates, Location and Hours
The full performer lineup flies all three days, so there’s no need to chase a specific ‘best’ day. Pick by weather and crowds – Sunday afternoons often ease off slightly.
Who’s Flying in 2026: The Confirmed Lineup
The organisers have now locked in the 2026 performer lineup, and it’s a strong one. Headlining are the RAAF F-35A Lightning II fast-jet display, the RAAF Roulettes aerobatic team, and a rare United States Marine Corps MV-22 Osprey demonstration.
Also confirmed: Gravity Industries’ jet suit flyers from the UK, Jeff Boerboon’s Yak 110 (USA), Greg Colyer’s T-33 Shooting Star (USA), a BO-105 aerobatic display, Matt Hall Racing, and Australian aerobatic acts including Rod Flockhart (Extra 330S), Emma McDonald (Extra 300L), Jeremy Miller (Yak-55) and the Screaming Diamonds.
Military and service aircraft include the RAAF C-130 Hercules, RAAF 100 Squadron, a PC-9, a US Navy P-8A and the Westpac Lifesaver Rescue Helicopter. The warbird contingent is Warbird Experience Australia’s CAC Mustang and P-40 Kittyhawk, a Pays Aviation Spitfire, a Beech 18 flown by Matt Hall, Jason Easthope and Kris Sieczkowski, and the Twin Vipers. Display and parachute teams round it out: the ADF Red Berets, the Southern Knights, the Red Star Roolettes, an Australian wingsuit display team, Gold Coast Skydive and the Queensland Fire Department’s air attack demo.
One caveat from the organisers: individual performers can vary by day depending on availability, and the program can change. Two acts previously listed have since withdrawn, the McDermott Aviation C-47 and the USAF Wings of Blue, so check the official performer page close to your visit for the latest.
The headline acts – the F-35, Roulettes and Osprey – are scheduled across all three days, so pick your day by weather and crowds rather than the lineup.
Pacific Airshow Schedule and Gate Times
The organisers have published the running order for 2026. These times apply to the ticketed venue on Surfers Paradise Beach; if you are watching free from the public sand or from Broadbeach there are no gates to worry about, but the flying window is the same.
| What | Time (all three days) |
|---|---|
| Gates open | 9am |
| Hospitality spaces open | 10am |
| Flying display starts | 10am |
| Flying display finishes | Between 3pm and 4pm |
| Ticket | Suggested gate |
|---|---|
| General Admission (GA) | Gate A, B, E or F |
| Accessible | Gate D or E |
| Show Centre Zone (SCZ) | Gate B or D |
| Premium GA | Gate B |
| Hospitality (Garden Bar, Beach Club, Cabana or Chalet) | Gate C |
| NXTGN STEM Students with Altitude (Friday) | Gate D, E or F |
Download or print tickets in advance rather than relying on signal in the crowd. No outside commercial takeaway food and no glass is allowed into the ticketed venue. Venue layout, gate entrances and vendor locations can change, so check the official event map before you set out.
Free vs Paid: How to Watch
Unless you specifically want a reserved seat with facilities, the free public beach gives you the full show. Go early, set up, and you’ve spent nothing for a world-class spectacle.
Getting There from Broadbeach (and Can You See It from Here?)
Driving to Surfers on airshow days means gridlock and no parking. The Broadbeach tram drops you near the beachfront for 50 cents and runs frequently – it’s the only sane way in.
Why Stay in Broadbeach for the Airshow
Mid-August is peak whale-watching season too. A morning cruise from nearby Main Beach plus an afternoon at the airshow makes for a brilliant Gold Coast winter weekend.
Frequently Asked Questions
Friday 14, Saturday 15 and Sunday 16 August 2026. All three days feature the full lineup of performers. Gates open at 9am daily, the flying display starts at 10am and finishes between 3pm and 4pm. The organisers list these timings as a guide and note they can shift on the day.
Yes – it’s free to watch from the general public areas of Surfers Paradise Beach. There are also paid premium options (grandstand seating, hospitality suites and reserved areas) for those who want a guaranteed seat with facilities. Note that 2026 tickets are required for gated areas – 2025 tickets won’t work.
The display is centred over Surfers Paradise Beach, which is where the close-up action and all official viewing areas are. Because the show includes high-altitude aerobatics, aircraft are often visible along the coast, so from Broadbeach beach looking north you can catch some of the higher passes for free and away from the crowds. For the full experience, take the tram up to Surfers.
Take the G:link tram north from Broadbeach South or Broadbeach North to around the Cavill Avenue stop, then walk to the beachfront – a flat 50 cents and far easier than driving (parking near Surfers is gridlocked on event days). You can also walk along the beach in about 30-45 minutes.
The confirmed 2026 lineup is headlined by the RAAF F-35A Lightning II, the RAAF Roulettes and a United States Marine Corps MV-22 Osprey demonstration, alongside the RAAF C-130 Hercules, a US Navy P-8A, Gravity Industries jet suits, a T-33 Shooting Star, Matt Hall Racing and Australian aerobatic acts, plus a warbird contingent including the CAC Mustang, P-40 Kittyhawk and a Pays Aviation Spitfire. The McDermott Aviation C-47 and the USAF Wings of Blue have withdrawn. Individual performers can vary by day, so check the official performer page near the date.
Base Yourself in Broadbeach for the Airshow
A quick tram from the action, calmer than Surfers, and great winter value – Broadbeach is the smart base for the Pacific Airshow weekend. The show is only weeks away and August rooms are filling, so compare stays for your dates now.
Written and maintained by a Broadbeach local. I update this guide regularly to keep it accurate.