Jets roar over South Beach as Air & Sea Show draws Memorial Day weekend crowd
Thousands of heads careened upward with covered ears and smiling faces as fighter jets, helicopters and an assortment of other military vehicles soared over the sands of South Beach on Saturday at this year’s Hyundai Air & Sea Show, celebrating Memorial Day and the U.S.’s 250th birthday.
Saint Alvarez, 10, and his father, Santiago, 46, have frequented many air shows and were just as excited to be in the crowd yet again. Together, they spent Friday researching which planes would streak through the skies to make sure to savor every moment.
“I’m loving it,” Saint said. “I want it to be loud and cool, and it is!”
Saint wants to grow up to be just like his pilot father, who flew cargo and passenger planes. Santiago most recently worked for Aztec Airways out of Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, shuttling packages and vacationers on Boeing 737s and ATR aircraft.
“It’s amazing, and we always come,” Santiago said of the Air & Sea Show. “The crowds are perfect and cool.”
Saint has his heart set on flying planes for the U.S. Air Force, a dream that he got to practice living on Saturday as he climbed into and sat inside a replica F/A-18 Hornet cockpit at the Air & Sea Show.
The lively event was sprawled out on the beach between 11th and 14th Streets on Ocean Drive. South Florida residents, vacationers and veterans watched more than a dozen demonstrations of different aircraft belonging to the U.S. Air Force, Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, Customs and Border Patrol and the British Army.
Some of the aircraft included an F-18, B-2 bomber, KC-135, C-17 and F-35B. The Army Golden Knights and the British Army Red Devils parachute teams also descended onto the beach during live demonstrations.
Apart from the main show, the event spawned a mass of interactive exhibits from all six military branches over five city blocks. The Display Village had its own unique events, including a Monster Moto-cross show and drill and band performances.
Seeing dirt bikes fly off ramps and flip in the air was one of the best moments at the event for 3-year-old Jasper, who came with his mother, Sophia, 25, and grandfather.
This is the second year in a row Sophia has brought Jasper to the Hyundai Air & Sea Show because of his love for planes.
“I saw the airplane, the really fast one,” Jasper said, smiling ear to ear. “My favorite airplane was the ones that made the really loud noise.”
Sophia said the event was just as exciting and fun as last year for her and her son — who, while searching for planes in the sky, excitedly grabbed her face and reminded her that the watermelons and lemonade were just as amazing as the planes.
Take a look at the 2026 Hyundai Air & Sea Show:
This story was originally published May 23, 2026 at 4:52 PM.
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