Note: There are NO GATE SALES of tickets or parking passes for the 2025 Cleveland National Air Show. You MUST purchase tickets and on-site parking passes online in advance!
Every Labor Day weekend, an exciting event takes place in Cleveland: the Cleveland National Air Show.
This air show is a Cleveland tradition with roots dating all the way back to 1929, when the event was known as the National Air Races. It morphed into the National Air Show in 1964 and has been running ever since, making it one of the oldest annual air shows in the country.
The Cleveland Air Show takes place at Burke Lakefront Airport and draws more than 100,000 spectators each year to see aerial shows, military aircraft, and more.
If you’d like to be one of those spectators this year, read on to learn everything you need to know about going to the Cleveland National Air Show in 2025!
Note: Photos in this post are from past Cleveland National Air Shows.
When is the Cleveland National Air Show?
The air show happens over Labor Day weekend in September. In 2025, the event dates are August 30-September 1 (Labor Day is early this year!).
Things to do at the Cleveland Air Show
If you’ve never been to the National Air Show before, you might be wondering, “What do people actually DO at an air show?” Well, I’ll tell you! Here are all the things you can expect to find at the Air Show in 2025:
1. Watch aerial demonstrations
The most popular reason to go to the Cleveland Air Show is, of course, the aerial demonstrations by all sorts of aircraft!
The “headliners” of the 2025 show are the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds. The pilots will put their F-16 Fighting Falcons through a performance filled with aerobatic maneuvers and daring flight formations.
This year, the Thunderbirds will be flying each day during the airshow, with a daring 50-minute routine that involves the six jets reaching speeds of up to 500 miles per hour and flying as little as three feet from each other.
Other aircraft that will be performing fly-overs and demonstrations include the F-15 Eagle, the C-130 Hercules, and the US Navy Super Hornet.
Additionally, there will be an aerial show put on by the Golden Knights, the U.S. Army’s elite parachute team, and the Red Bull Air Force aerobatic team.
You can also watch daily demonstrations by local groups, including the Cleveland Aeromodeling Society and Lake Erie Drone.
And these are just the things happening in the sky!
You can check the schedule for the various aerial demonstrations here. (Note that the schedule goes up roughly a week before the Air Show. Flying usually happens between 9:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. each day.)
2. Explore aircraft on the ground
Along with everything going on in the sky, the Cleveland National Air Show also offers attendees the chance to get up close and personal with all sorts of aircraft on the ground.
Some of the aircraft you can see up close this year include:
From the US Air Force:
- C-130J Hercules (military tactical aircraft)
- C-17 Globemaster III (military transport aircraft)
- C-5M Super Galaxy (a massive military transport aircraft)
- KC-135 Stratotanker (aerial refueling aircraft)
From the US Army:
- UH-60M Black Hawk (tactical transport helicopter)
- HH-60M Blackhawk (tactical transport helicopter)
- CH-47 Chinook (heavy-lift helicopter)
- UH-72 Lakota (multi-mission helicopter)
There will be other aircraft, too, like several WWII-era warbirds, a Boeing 737-800, Life Flight and Coast Guard helicopters, and several small passenger airplanes.
You can explore the interiors of many of these aircraft, and even climb into the cockpit for a memorable photo!
3. See other cool demonstrations
There’s always something new to see and learn about at the Cleveland Air Show. Cool things to check out this year include:
- The Hangar – Participate in immersive experiences like the Quest 3 Flight Simulator VR Experience, an in-flight refueling mission, or testing and modulating jet engines.
- Tuskegee Airman Display – Learn about the first Black military airmen who flew fighter missions in WWII.
- Cleveland Aeromodeling Society – Learn all about flying model airplanes.
- Strike Group – Test out the Navy experience through virtual reality simulations and training like a Navy SEAL.
- Hot Streak II – A ‘57 Chevy Pickup fitted with twin jet engines, this truck will reach speeds of 350mph!
Be sure to bring a fully-charged camera or phone, because there are so many great photo opportunities here.
Can I bring my kids to the Air Show?
The answer is yes! The Cleveland National Air Show is a kid-friendly event. There’s even a dedicated “Kiddie Koncourse” area offering some crafts and activities for kids (up to 7 years old), along with changing areas and a parent lounge inside a shaded tent for families that need to take a break.
Children 5 and under get into the Air Show for free, but be aware that the show is full of loud noises. Parents bringing babies and toddlers might want to come prepared with baby-friendly earmuffs designed for hearing protection (like these).
Strollers and wagons are both permitted. And you can also pick up a Child Locator Wristband for your kiddo at the Kiddie Koncourse.
Note that furry children (AKA dogs and other pets) are NOT permitted at the Air Show.
Is there food available at the Air Show?
Yes, there are concession stands serving a variety of fair-style food (think: hot dogs, fries, etc.) and drink throughout the event. Cash and credit are accepted; however, cash is recommended.
You are also permitted to bring your own (non-alcoholic) beverages in plastic containers (like water bottles), as well as your own food and snacks, as long as they’re not inside a cooler (coolers, cans, and loose ice are not permitted at the Air Show).
How do I get tickets for the Cleveland National Air Show?
In years past, you could purchase general admission tickets at the gate on the day you wanted to attend. In 2025, though, tickets MUST be purchased online in advance.
Ticket prices are as follows:
- General admission: $35 for adults before August 25 ($40 after), and $20 for kids 6-11. Kids 5 and under are free. (Note that there are NO GATE SALES of GA tickets, and tickets are day-specific.)
- If you’re purchasing General Admission tickets, you ARE permitted to bring your own chairs or blankets in order to make watching the aerial shows more comfortable. You can also bring small hand-held umbrellas for shade.
- Box seats: $45 for a 1-day reserved box seat (which includes general admission to the air show, a reserved seat along the flight line, and access to a private concession area). These are only on sale through August 30th.
- No umbrellas are permitted in the Box seats.
There are also Sky Boxes (previously Sponsor Boxes, which are groups of 10 reserved seats), tables with umbrellas in the Barnstormer Club, and VIP seats in the Flight Deck Loge available for those with more of a budget.
Where can I park for the Air Show?
There is on-site event parking at Gate 13 at the far eastern end of Burke Lakefront Airport. Parking here costs $35 per car (plus city fees), and you MUST purchase a date-specific parking pass online in advance. There will be no parking passes sold on-site for this lot.
You’ll need to purchase your Air Show admission first, and then you’ll be given the option to add on a parking pass.
There are other parking options nearby, too, including the parking lot in front of the Burke main terminal (not operated by the Air Show), as well as in lots and garages throughout the downtown area. The closest areas to look for parking include North Coast Harbor, Downtown, and AsiaTown.
If you’re going to park elsewhere in Cleveland and walk to the Air Show (or catch a ride share to the show), you’ll want to enter at the west end of the airport, through the Plaza Gate.
Getting around inside the Air Show
A free Air Show tram will be operating each day from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. The tram will be available inside the Air Show grounds, making two stops: one close to the large display aircraft, and the other near Gate 9. (The tram won’t go into the parking lot.)
Can I watch from anywhere else?
Since much of the Air Show action happens in the air, you can definitely see a lot of the demonstrations and aerial shows from other points around Cleveland.
There are a couple of Cleveland locations that put on Air Show “watch parties,” including the Great Lakes Science Center. The Science Center puts on a few different Air Show events, including unique viewing access from the Steamship William G. Mather.
We’re excited for another edition of the Air Show, and hope this info helps you plan your visit to this unique event!
Are you planning to go to the Cleveland National Air Show this year?
Amanda was born and raised in northeast Ohio, and has always been a fangirl of her home state. Now, she’s sharing her love of the Cleveland area, highlighting all the best things to do, see, and eat in the CLE. She’s been running Cleveland Traveler since January 2019.
Thanks for this detailed guide! I’m really looking forward to the Cleveland National Air Show this year. Your tips on parking and the best viewing spots are super helpful. Can’t wait to see those amazing aerial performances!