All You Need to Know About the Blue Angels Homecoming Air Show on NAS Pensacola

All you need to know to see this year’s show!
November 1-2, 2024

If you’ve ever visited Pensacola, you may have noticed that we’re pretty obsessed with the Blue Angels… everywhere you go you’ll see tributes to them all over the city and county.

That’s because the U.S. Navy Blue Angels call Pensacola Naval Air Station home. Locals are accustomed to hearing the roar of their engines and seeing the team of distinctive blue and gold F/A-18 Hornets flying in tight formations over the city and water during routine practices from March through November every year.

And each fall it’s Pensacola’s turn to welcome them home for their final airshow of the season. We call it the Pensacola NAS Blue Angels Homecoming Air Show. It’s when the Blue Angels get to wrap up their performance season on their home turf and it’s our special way of thanking them for another stellar season and showing them how much they mean to our community.

Here’s all you need to know to see this year’s show!

The NAS Pensacola Blue Angels Homecoming Air Show is hosted by the Navy’s Morale, Welfare & Recreation (MWR) Pensacola every year and takes place along Sherman Field, located aboard NAS Pensacola, the "Cradle of Naval Aviation."

This year, the Homecoming Air Show takes place on Friday, Nov. 1 and Saturday, Nov. 2. Both the main gate and west gate of NAS Pensacola will open at 8 a.m. to the public on Friday and Saturday. Entry and parking to the Homecoming Air Show is FREE and open to the community. Attached here is a map of the event with all gates, entrances and viewing areas detailed.

Attendees are admitted on a first come, first served basis. Arrive early and be prepared for traffic delays outside and within the base. Attendees will be allowed to park at scattered sites across the base and then bussed to the Flight Line for the show. Once base security determines the base has reached max capacity, security will close the gates to late-comers.

Entry & Admission

Please note: All vehicles are subject to search and inspection prior to entering the base. At all entry points to the Air Show Flight Line, all individuals are subject to search and all bags will be inspected and subject to refusal by Security. Attendees can purchase upgraded VIP seating in the Flight Line Club or the Premium Boxed Seating areas. These seats offer a more specialized experience of the Air Show. Seating options and pricing can be found here.

There is a seating section for wheelchairs only. A companion may sit with the wheelchair member, but large family groups are asked to not take up space that others with handicap needs would like to use. If a family wants to purchase reserved seating (Boxed or Flight Line Club), accommodations for a wheelchair can be made the day of the show.

To keep delays at a minimum, remember that the following items are NOT PERMITTED at the air show site:

All weapons
Alcoholic beverages
Ice chests and coolers
Backpacks or most large bags
Outside food and drink
Pets
Bicycles, roller skates, roller blades, skateboards, kick or electric scooters
Drones

It is strongly recommended that attendees minimize the number and size of items carried into the air show to reduce the access time to the area. These items are PERMITTED:

Folding chairs, lawn chairs, blankets
Wheelchairs
Small purses and/or diaper bags
Cameras and camcorders
Children’s strollers or non-motorized wagons
Umbrellas

Food and drink vendors will be stationed around the event for purchase.

It's pure aviation excitement, so if you’re an aviation enthusiast – you do not want to miss out on this!

While there, don’t forget to stop in the National Naval Aviation Museum and explore more than 350,000-square feet of naval aviation history! Experience the thrill of flight in multiple types of flight simulators, catch all the drama, sound and power on the amazing Giant Screen Digital Theater, experience hands-on flight history with more than 4,000 artifacts and discover the story behind more-than 150 beautifully-restored aircraft on display, representing Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard aviation. The National Naval Aviation Museum is open 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

If you choose to watch the show from Fort Pickens, please check out the map below for more detailed information. Pack your patience and be prepared in advance by buying a digital pass. Expect long wait times for entry and exit on both show days. For more information about the Gulf Islands National Seashore check out the website.

Watching the show from a Boat

Several boat companies in the Pensacola Bay Area offer cruises during the time of the Blue Angels Homecoming Show. Be sure to book in advance, as these cruises may fill up quickly!

See the Blue Angels on a Boat!

Explore Water Tours and find a boat cruise to see the Blues.

Learn More

Author

Katie King

Katie King is a self-proclaimed beach bum who moved from Atlanta to Pensacola in late 2002 where she spent the next 13 years working as a photojournalist and editor for the Pensacola News Journal, covering all aspects of Pensacola life. Katie's photographs have appeared in The New York Times, USA Today, The Los Angeles Times, The Washington Post and have made the Newseum’s Top Ten Front Pages exhibit. In 2015, Katie transitioned from journalism to public relations and began work at EW Bullock Associates. Her love for Pensacola only deepened after settling into her rustic, 93-year-old home in East Hill that she shares with photojournalist Ben Twingley and their great danes - who control all sitting and sleeping arrangements in the house. When she’s not working, you can often find her snorkeling the sandbar at Park East on Pensacola Beach, strolling the shoreline of the Pensacola Pass at Fort Pickens, or chasing her four-legged best buddy at Bayview Dog Park in East Hill.