Browse the site
Shuttleworth Bedfordshire visitor attraction and event venue, home to some of the world’s oldest airworthy examples of historic aircraft and Regency Swiss Garden, has seen a record increase in air show visitors this year, increasing from over 33,000 in 2025 to over 40,000 in 2026.
Festival of Flight, Shuttleworth’s flagship two-day air show in June, saw substantial growth in visitor numbers. The event featured a range of rare visiting aircraft, including the UK air show debut of the only Messerschmitt Bf 109 E-4 flying in Europe, an example of the front-line fighter flown by the Luftwaffe during the Battle of Britain, sharing a strong military history with Britain’s Spitfire. The festival also saw more free ground attractions than ever before, with fun fair rides, archery, axe throwing, circus skills workshops, BMX stunt shows, and a land train amongst the entertainment.
Just a month later, in July, Shuttleworth experienced the sell-out success of Summer Air Show, an event featuring a tribute to the 90th anniversary of the first flight of the Spitfire, reflecting the enduring enthusiasm of the British public for the aircraft. The afternoon flying display saw a formation of nine spitfires, as well as dogfight scenario between a Spitfire and a Hispano Buchon.
Shuttleworth’s growing success was reflected in air show reviews published by aviation publications, with Nigel Hitchman for Vintage Aviation News describing Festival of Flight as ‘the go-to airshow in England’ and ‘probably the best airshow anywhere in the world this year’. Festival of Flight was also described by Tony Harmsworth for Aeroplane as ‘the undisputed highlight of the vintage aviation calendar’.
Marc Boult, Head of Visitor Operations at Shuttleworth, commented: “To have achieved this level of growth in a year speaks volumes about the work we have been putting in to make Shuttleworth air shows a great day out for both aviation enthusiasts and families. We have had some truly exceptional displays and a huge range of visiting aircraft, from aerobatic crowd pleasers to seriously rare aircraft. A growing awareness of what we do here has also been instrumental to this growth, and it is pleasing to see us reach new audiences who are experiencing air shows for the first time. I am keen to thank our teams here for their hard work and dedication, and I am excited to see what we can achieve in 2027.”
Shuttleworth’s 2027 season is already on sale, with visiting aircraft yet to be announced. So far, Shuttleworth has shared that its Summer Air Show 2027 will feature an American theme to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the US Air Force.
They have also launched a brand-new air show for September, Season Finale Air Show, featuring a fireworks finale to celebrate the end of the season.
