Cleveland National Air Show 2025 touches down at Burke Lakefront Airport this Labor Day Weekend—Saturday, August 30 through Monday, September 1—continuing a Cleveland tradition that blends raw jet power with lakeside skyline views you won’t find anywhere else. The official lineup is headlined by the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds, with full-day flying on each of the three show days.
Quick facts you need before you go
- Where & when: Burke Lakefront Airport, Aug. 30–Sept. 1 (Labor Day Weekend).
- Headliners: U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds perform a choreographed, ~50-minute F-16 demo each show day.
- Daily flying window: approximately 9:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m.; gates open 9:00 a.m. and close to new entry at 3:00 p.m. (plan your arrival early).
- Tickets & parking: advance online only—no gate sales for admission or on-site parking.
What to expect in the sky (and on the ground)
Beyond the Thunderbirds, the show program traditionally mixes military jet demonstrations, precision parachute teams, heritage fly-bys, and high-G aerobatics. Inside the gates, expect hands-on exhibits, walk-through display aircraft, and even a jet truck sprinting a runway duel—an only-at-an-air-show spectacle that pairs nicely with the shoreline backdrop and downtown skyline.
Each day’s order of events can shift due to weather, winds off Lake Erie, or pilot/aircraft requirements, so think in terms of a window rather than fixed minutes. The jet team performs daily, but exact times are set by the air boss for safety and flow.
First-timer tips for a smooth day
Arrive early and plan your exit. Gates open at 9:00 a.m., and new entry stops at 3:00 p.m. That’s partly to keep post-show traffic manageable on the lakefront site. If you’re bringing kids, staking a flight-line spot by late morning leaves you less scrambling before the headliners.
Mind the sound. Modern military jets are loud in the best way—bring ear protection for little ones (and your own comfort). The water-cooled air off Lake Erie can also shift sound and smoke differently than inland shows; moving a few yards can change your view and noise level dramatically.
Pack smart. The Air Show emphasizes advance purchases and streamlined entry; check your ticket type and on-site parking status before leaving home. Box seats and sky boxes include seating; general admission is bring-your-own chair/blanket. Sunscreen, hats, and refillable bottles are your friends on reflective tarmac.
Why Cleveland’s Air Show is a big deal for the city
Last year’s independent study by Enigma Research pegged the Air Show’s economic impact at an estimated $13.1 million, supporting the equivalent of 145 full-year jobs and generating about $2.3 million in tax revenue—numbers that matter in an ongoing conversation about the lakefront’s future and how Burke is used.
The same study noted that 57% of ticketed attendees came from outside the region, with many indicating they’d return to Cleveland for a future visit.
That’s the headline—but the brand story runs deeper. Cleveland has been a magnet for aviation spectators since the days of the National Air Races, when the city played host to Amelia Earhart, Roscoe Turner, and Charles Lindbergh in the late 1920s and 1930s. Today’s show is an heir to that civic DNA: big-league feats of flight set against a downtown crowd.
A welcome (and surprising) generational shift
If you grew up thinking air shows were mostly for longtime aviation buffs, Cleveland’s crowd is proving otherwise. After years of inching older, the event’s age mix has younger momentum: the percentage of attendees over 60 has dipped in recent seasons, replaced by a steady rise in adults under 40—visible in the show’s own partner demographics (where ages 18–34 account for more than a third of the audience) and noted in local coverage leading into this weekend. That mix bodes well for the next decade of STEM curiosity and ticket demand.
Thunderbirds return: what makes this jet team different
Whether you’ve seen them 10 times or you’re introducing your kids to their first diamond pass, the Thunderbirds bring a unique combination of speed and precision. Six F-16 Fighting Falcons carve formation aerobatics at closing speeds that can push 1,000 mph, then snap into mirror-image solos that skim just a few feet apart. The team’s Cleveland appearance is a centerpiece of the 2025 show and the clearest reason to lock your plans for one of the three days.
Choosing your day: Saturday vs. Sunday vs. Monday
All three dates are designed to be equal—same headliners, similar supporting acts, and the same flying window. Saturday often feels buzziest with “opening-day” energy; Sunday can bring slightly larger crowds if weather looks nicest; Monday sometimes rewards patient locals with elbow room as out-of-towners head home.
Whichever day you choose, the show reminds fans that the jet team performs each day and that the sequence may vary to suit winds and safety.
Getting there and getting set
Make a game plan for parking: on-site parking is a separate, advance-purchase-only item. If you’re taking transit or rideshare, leave a buffer for post-show congestion; exits compress quickly south toward downtown arteries. If you’re making it a family day, consider one parent “gear sherpa” for chairs and snacks while the other shepherds kids to the static displays early, before lines build.
Why the lakefront venue matters
Burke’s shoreline runway allows long, over-water aerobatic boxes with fewer noise and altitude constraints than urban inlands—great for photo angles and smoke trails that slide against Lake Erie’s horizon. On hot afternoons, lake breezes can mess with smoke persistence and crosswinds; that’s part of the drama.
If you’re a photographer, shoot from the early-day sun angle and switch to higher shutter speeds (1/1000+) when the F-16 solos spool up.
From the Air Races to now: a concise history
The Cleveland story starts long before the modern Air Show’s launch in 1964. In 1929, the city staged the National Air Races, complete with parades down Euclid Avenue and appearances by aviation royalty. That era inspired generations of Ohioans (and seeded an aerospace workforce that still matters).
Today’s non-profit Air Show keeps that torch lit, even installing twin F-4 Phantoms—one in Thunderbird colors, one in Blue Angels livery—at Burke’s entrance as a nod to the jet-team legacy on the lake.
For the official schedule and any day-of updates, see the Air Show’s page here: Cleveland National Air Show schedule.
Bottom line: why 2025 is a can’t-miss year
Between the Thunderbirds’ return, a full slate of military and aerobatic acts, and Cleveland’s lakefront vantage point, 2025 shapes up as one of the most photogenic editions in years. The show is also pulling a broader, younger audience, which is good news for everyone who wants this Labor Day tradition to thrive for decades to come.
Just remember the golden rules: buy tickets and parking before you go, arrive early, hydrate and sunscreen, protect your ears, and keep your eyes on that diamond formation when the narrator says, “Look right…”
