An airshow is a long day outdoors, usually on an airfield with very little shade, a lot of walking and a long queue to get out at the end. What you bring makes the difference between a good day and a long one.
Every show sets its own rules, and they really do differ. At the Royal International Air Tattoo, for example, you can bring step ladders up to 1.5 metres high (kept back from the crowd line). At IWM Duxford's air shows, ladders and stepladders are on the list of things you can't bring in. So use the checklist below as a starting point, then read the "plan your visit" or FAQ page for the show you're going to.
Before you leave home
- Tickets, printed or on your phone, plus any car park pass. Many big shows sell parking separately and some only sell it in advance.
- The show's own rules. Check what it says about chairs, food, gazebos, dogs and bags. Bag searches are common.
- The flying programme, if it has been published. It tells you when the displays you care about are due, though timings move on the day.
- The weather forecast, for wind and rain as well as sun. Airfields are exposed.
- A charged phone, and a battery pack if you have one. You'll use it for tickets, photos, maps and finding each other.
For your ears
- Ear defenders or earplugs for everyone, especially children. Fast jets are very loud, and displays often run for hours.
- Proper ear defenders for babies and small children. Small foam earplugs aren't a good idea for little ones. Some shows sell ear defenders on site, but don't count on it: the Air Tattoo says it doesn't hire them out, and that the ones on its merchandise stands may not suit very young children.
Sun, rain and wind
- Sun cream and hats. Most airfields have almost no shade, and you'll spend hours looking up.
- Sunglasses. You'll be looking towards the sky, and often towards the sun.
- Waterproofs. A light jacket packs small, and unlike an umbrella it doesn't block the view of the people behind you.
- A warm layer. Even in summer, an open airfield in the wind gets cold by late afternoon.
- Comfortable shoes. Car parks can be a long walk from the showground, and the ground is often grass.
Somewhere to sit
- Folding chairs or a picnic blanket, if the show allows them. The Air Tattoo does; check yours.
- A small windbreak or shelter, only if the rules say so. Full-height gazebos are commonly banned because they block other people's view.
Food and drink
- A packed lunch and snacks. Many shows let you bring your own food (both the Air Tattoo and Duxford do), and catering queues get long around lunchtime.
- A refillable water bottle. Some shows provide free water points. Bring more than you think you need on a hot day.
- No barbecues. They are banned at almost every show, including the car parks at some.
- Check the rules on alcohol and glass before you pack either.
Money
- A card and some cash. Most food stalls and shops take cards, but phone signal can struggle when a big crowd is on one field, and card machines with it. Some shows have cash machines on site, sometimes with a fee.
For children
- Ear defenders (see above).
- Something to do in the gaps between displays.
- A way to find you if you get separated. Some shows hand out children's wristbands at the gates (the Air Tattoo asks every child to wear one). Otherwise, put your phone number on a card in their pocket. Agree a meeting point when you arrive, and find out where the show's lost-children point is.
- A buggy or carrier for small children, as the walking adds up. Check the show's accessibility page for pushchair access.
For photography
- A camera with a longer lens if you have one, and spare batteries and memory cards.
- Binoculars. Useful for anyone, not just photographers, as display aircraft are often a long way off.
Things to leave at home
These are banned at many shows. Check yours, as the list varies:
- Drones. Shows prohibit them, and the airspace around a flying display is restricted.
- Barbecues and open flames.
- Dogs, other than assistance dogs, at many shows (both the Air Tattoo and Duxford say no).
- Full-height gazebos and tents outside a campsite.
- Ladders, unless the show says otherwise.
- Laser pens, balloons, bicycles and scooters, which several shows list as prohibited.
A short version to print
If you only remember a few things: tickets, ear defenders, sun cream, waterproofs, water, food, chairs if allowed, a charged phone and a plan for finding each other. Then read the show's own page before you set off, because its rules are the ones that count.
Find an airshow
Events.Aero lists airshows across the UK and beyond, with dates, prices and links to each show's own website. Our guide to your first airshow explains how the day works, from the gates opening to getting out of the car park.
Sources and further reading
- Royal International Air Tattoo, FAQs: at the show, checked October 2026 (chairs, food, gazebos, step ladders, drones, dogs, ear defenders, wristbands, water points).
- Imperial War Museums, Terms and conditions for IWM Duxford Flying Season event tickets, checked October 2026 (prohibited items, dogs, bag searches).
- Imperial War Museums, Air show advice for on the day, checked October 2026 (food and picnics).