Pensacola is the home of the Blue Angels, the U.S. Navy’s flight demonstration squadron, and watching them fly over their home base is one of the best free things to do on the Emerald Coast. This guide covers the Blue Angels Homecoming Air Show on November 6 and 7, 2026, how practice viewing works, what you need to get onto Naval Air Station Pensacola, and what else to see on the base while you’re there.
Quick answer
- Next chance to see them: the NAS Pensacola Blue Angels Homecoming Air Show, Friday and Saturday, November 6 and 7, 2026. General admission, parking and blanket seating are free.
- Practices: free to watch from the flight line behind the National Naval Aviation Museum. The 2026 practice season ended in late October.
- Getting on base: visitors use the West Gate on Blue Angel Parkway, and everyone 18 and older needs a REAL ID or U.S. passport.
- Also on base: the free aviation museum, the Pensacola Lighthouse & Maritime Museum and historic Fort Barrancas.
The Blue Angels Homecoming Air Show, November 6 and 7, 2026
Each fall the Blue Angels close their season with a homecoming show over NAS Pensacola. 2026 is the team’s 80th anniversary season, and the 2025 homecoming show was canceled during the federal government shutdown, so this year’s show is expected to be one of the busiest yet. More than 300,000 people are expected over the two days.
- When: Friday, November 6 and Saturday, November 7, 2026. Gates open at 8 a.m., the flying starts around 9:30 a.m., and the Blue Angels usually fly around 2 p.m.
- Cost: general admission, parking and blanket seating are free. Paid options are reserved box seats at the show line ($50 per person age 4 and up) and Flightline Chalet tables with catered lunch ($300 for 2 or $600 for 4), each sold by day.
- Bags: only small purses and diaper bags are allowed, and they are searched. Backpacks and camera bags are not allowed.
- Not allowed: coolers, outside food and drink (except baby bottles and small snacks for kids), pop-up tents, pets other than service animals, drones, bikes, and weapons of any kind, including pocket knives.
- What to bring: ID for every adult, a blanket or lawn chair, sunscreen, a hat, and ear protection for small children. Strollers, wagons and cameras are allowed.
Traffic into the base backs up early on show days, so plan to arrive when the gates open. Security directs cars to the nearest open parking areas, and shuttles run from some lots. Check the official air show site, naspensacolaairshow.org, for updates before you leave.
How to watch a Blue Angels practice
During the show season, the Blue Angels practice over NAS Pensacola on select weekday mornings, and anyone who can get onto the base can watch for free. Viewing is on the flight line behind the National Naval Aviation Museum. Practices usually start around 10:30 a.m. and last about 45 minutes, and some are followed by an autograph session with the pilots inside the museum.
The last 2026 practice was on October 28, so the next practices will be in the 2027 season. The museum posts the schedule on its website. Practices can be canceled for weather or base operations, so check the morning you go, and arrive early because the museum lot fills up on practice days.
Getting onto NAS Pensacola
NAS Pensacola is an active military base, and public access changed several times during 2026. As of this writing:
- Visitors without a Department of Defense ID enter through the West Gate on Blue Angel Parkway, open 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily.
- Everyone 18 and older needs a REAL ID-compliant driver’s license or a U.S. passport.
- The gate stops admitting the public at 3 p.m., even though the museum stays open until 4, so arrive by 3 p.m.
- Vehicles and visitors are subject to security searches, and backpacks and coolers aren’t allowed on base.
- Access can be limited or closed with little notice, so check the National Naval Aviation Museum’s website on the day of your visit.
What to see on the base
National Naval Aviation Museum: free admission and more than 150 restored Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard aircraft, including four Blue Angels A-4 Skyhawks hanging in formation in the atrium. The giant screen theater and flight simulators cost extra. The museum is open daily from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas Day and New Year’s Day.
Pensacola Lighthouse & Maritime Museum: climb the 177 steps for a view over Pensacola Bay, the base and the Gulf. Admission is $10 for adults and $7 for kids 12 and under, seniors 65 and older and military. Young climbers must meet the lighthouse’s age and height minimums.
Fort Barrancas: part of Gulf Islands National Seashore, this brick fort was built between 1839 and 1844 from about 6 million bricks, above a Spanish water battery that dates to about 1797. Entry is free. The National Park Service lists the Fort Barrancas area as open Wednesday through Sunday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., with last entry at 3:30 p.m., but remember the base gate closes to visitors at 3 p.m. Call 850-934-2600 to confirm before you go.
Why Pensacola is the Cradle of Naval Aviation
The Navy’s first aviators arrived in Pensacola on January 20, 1914, to open the service’s first naval air station, and the city has called itself the Cradle of Naval Aviation ever since. The Blue Angels formed in 1946 and have been based in Pensacola since 1955.
Where to stay and eat nearby
Three hotels sit a short drive from the base’s West Gate: the Best Western Plus Blue Angel Inn, the Holiday Inn Express & Suites Pensacola West Navy Base and the Super 8 by Wyndham Pensacola NAS Area. Book early for air show weekend. For more options, from downtown to the beach, see our guide to where to stay in Pensacola.
After a morning on the base, spend the afternoon downtown with our perfect day in downtown Pensacola guide and end the night at Seville Quarter, or head over the bridge for things to do on Pensacola Beach and Fort Pickens. West of the base, Big Lagoon State Park is a quiet spot for a walk or a paddle.
Tips for a Blue Angels visit
- Bring ID for every adult. The base requires a REAL ID or passport for visitors 18 and older on normal days, so bring it for the air show too.
- Make a weekend of it. The Great Gulfcoast Arts Festival runs November 6 to 8 in Seville Square downtown, so you can pair the air show with a free arts festival.
- Have a rain plan. If the weather turns, see our rainy day guide for indoor ideas across the coast.
Blue Angels Pensacola FAQ
When is the Blue Angels air show in Pensacola in 2026? The Blue Angels Homecoming Air Show is Friday and Saturday, November 6 and 7, 2026, at Naval Air Station Pensacola. Gates open at 8 a.m.
Is the Pensacola air show free? Yes. General admission, parking and blanket seating are free. Premium seating costs extra.
Where can you watch the Blue Angels practice in Pensacola? From the flight line behind the National Naval Aviation Museum on NAS Pensacola. Practices are free, and the schedule is posted on the museum’s website.
Do you need ID to visit NAS Pensacola? Yes. Everyone 18 and older needs a REAL ID or U.S. passport, and visitors enter through the West Gate on Blue Angel Parkway.
How long have the Blue Angels been based in Pensacola? The team formed in 1946 and has been based in Pensacola since 1955.