iscover
The Gold Coast has secured the annual Pacific Airshow for another two years.
The airshow, which returned to Surfers Paradise over the weekend after its cancellation in 2025 due to beach erosion, has confirmed events for 2027 and 2028, with the Queensland Government expecting the 2028 outing alone to generate more than $28 million for the state’s economy.
This content is available exclusively to Australian Aviation members.
A monthly membership is only $5.99 or save with our annual plans.
- Australian Aviation quarterly print & digital magazines
- Access to In Focus reports every month on our website
- Unlimited access to all Australian Aviation digital content
- Access to the Australian Aviation app
- Australian Aviation quarterly print & digital magazines
- Access to In Focus reports every month on our website
- Access to our Behind the Lens photo galleries and other exclusive content
- Daily news updates via our email bulletin
- Unlimited access to all Australian Aviation digital content
- Access to the Australian Aviation app
- Australian Aviation quarterly print & digital magazines
- Access to In Focus reports every month on our website
- Access to our Behind the Lens photo galleries and other exclusive content
- Daily news updates via our email bulletin
“Events like the Pacific Airshow bring people to Queensland, fill hotel rooms and put money through the tills of local businesses,” said Minister for Tourism Andrew Powell.
“That means more work for tourism operators, more customers for small businesses and more reasons for visitors to choose the Gold Coast.
“We want Queensland to be the events capital of Australia, and securing the Pacific Airshow through to 2028 is another step towards making that happen.”
The airshow is being supported through Queensland’s $1 billion Destination 2045 plan, with Pacific Airshow CEO Kevin Elliott welcoming the government’s backing.
“We are fired up to bring Pacific Airshow Gold Coast back all the way through to 2028,” he said.
“This is one of the biggest events on the calendar, and we’re going all in to make it bigger, bolder, and better every single year. The best is yet to come, and we can’t wait to share it with everyone.”
While official figures for this year’s event have yet to be released, the 2024 airshow grew attendance by 20 per cent over its initial outing in 2023, achieving 100 per cent occupancy throughout Surfers Paradise and over 92 per cent occupancy across the Gold Coast.
According to Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate, this year’s airshow “cemented its place as a favourite on the Gold Coast’s major events calendar”.
“The airshow has proven yet again why it’s one of the biggest drawcards on our city’s annual event calendar and we’re not stopping there,” said Tate.
“Buckle up, because there’s no slowing down now, we’re going full throttle through to 2028 with more high-octane aerial action, big stunts and roaring jets coming our way.”
The Pacific Airshow Gold Coast was created by the team behind the Pacific Airshow at Huntington Beach, California, which attracts 3 million visitors.
Launched in 2016, the original Pacific Airshow in California in 2021 included aerial displays by the US Navy Blue Angels, US Air Force Thunderbirds, Royal Air Force Red Arrows, and the Canadian Forces Snowbirds.
Want to see more stories from trusted news sources?
Make Australian Aviation a preferred news source on Google.
Click here to add Australian Aviation as a preferred news source.
