No, that sonic boom you hear isn’t a thunderstorm rolling in (hopefully!), but it’s pretty close. The Air Force Thunderbirds, Heritage Flight, A-10 Thunderbolt II, Ghost Squadron and SOCOM Para-Commandos all headline this year’s edition of the popular air show, which attracts thousands to the shores of Fort Lauderdale Beach.
What time is the Fort Lauderdale air show?
The Fort Lauderdale Air Show takes place on Saturday, May 11 and Sunday, May 12 2024. The show program starts around 11:45am and ends around 3pm on both days.
Where is the best place to watch?
Although the official show center is at Hugh Taylor Birch State Park, the aerobatic box where the planes do their thing is two miles wide, so you'll have a pretty great view anywhere along the beach. Spectators are prohibited from setting up chairs on the street but can purchase a ticket to the Drop Zone premium beach area, or find a public location somewhere north or south on the coast.
Viewing of the Fort Lauderdale Air Show by boat is also permitted in the area on the eastern perimeter of the United States Coast Guard Safety Zone, mapped below. The eastern perimeter extends for four miles parallel with the flight path of the performing aircraft and is approximately one mile away from the air show centerline.