COUNTLESS THOUSANDS of eager spectators are expected to descend on some of Murcia's most popular beaches for the 25th annual San Javier Air Show this summer.
This year's event, the Festival Aéreo Internacional AIRE 25 will take place at San Javier's Academia General del Aire, with an open day on Saturday 14th June 2025 between 10:00 and 17:00.
The weekend event promises to be the largest air show ever seen in Spain, commemorating the 40th anniversary of the Patrulla Águila (Eagle Patrol), the national Spanish aerobatic display team.
There will be static displays relating to the Air Academy and Spanish aviation history, and visitors will be able to see inside the different models of fighter aircraft, helicopters, and transport aircraft used by the Spanish Air and Space Force, the “Ejército del Aire y del Espacio”.
The annual event is truly international in nature with participants from across the globe, and the main air show takes place on Sunday 15th June 2025.
San Javier Air Show, Sunday 15th June 2025
The display will include formation and aerobatic displays by the Dassault/Dornier Alpha Jets of the French precision aerobatic demonstration unit, the Patrouille Acrobatique de France.
They will be joined by their Italian counterpart, the Frecce Tricolori demonstration team of the Italian Air Force, flying Aermacchi MB-339 military jet trainers.
The United Kingdom's Royal Air Force “Red Arrows” Aerobatic Team will take to the Mediterranean skies in their distinctive red liveried BAE Systems Hawk T1 jets, accompanied later by the Patrouille Suisse display team of the Swiss Air Force flying their fleet of Northrop F-5 light fighter aircraft.
They will perform alongside Spain's aerobatic display team. The Patrulla Águila aerobatic demonstration team is based at San Javier Air Base and traditionally performs at some of the country's most nationally significant events, including a breathtaking aerobatic display over the skies of Madrid each October.
The largest airshow ever seen in Spain
Part of the 794th Squadron of the General Air and Space Academy (AGA), the Murcia air show will be the last chance to see Spain's national aerobatics team fly their CASA C-101 Aviojets, as the Spanish Air and Space Force transitions to Pilatus PC-21 turboprop-powered advanced trainer aircraft.
The San Javier Air Show will include displays from the Spanish Air Force's Patrulla ASPA aerobatic helicopter team based at Armilla Air Base in Granada. The group will be in attendance at the show with their Eurocopter EC-120B Colibri helicopters.
Some of the outstanding show highlights will be solo displays by a McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet multirole combat jet, the AV-8B Harrier II of the Spanish Navy, and a Eurofighter Typhoon, assembled by Airbus at their factory in Getafe just south of Madrid.
Late risers on Sunday morning will wake to thunderous skies and the aroma of jet fuel, as the large-scale aerial display commences at 10:00.
San Javier Air Show is one of the most visually impressive events in the Murcia calendar, and the aerobatic teams will take to the skies on Sunday accompanied by helicopter and parachute display teams.
The best places to view the air show in Murcia
The main aerial display commences at 10:00 on Sunday 15th June 2025, and will be best viewed from Santiago de La Ribera's beaches. The aircraft will depart San Javier and fly over the Mediterranean Sea and the open waters of the Mar Menor.
The beaches are expected to be busy, with Playa de Barnuevo, Playa de El Pescador, Playa El Castillico, and the large fine sandy beach of Playa de Colón all expecting a high visitor turnout.
Santiago de la Ribera is just 15 minutes south of La Zenia with easy access via the N-332 coastal road. For travel information about the San Javier Air Show, click here for a map of the event or visit the official website.
Looking for holiday ideas and travel inspiration? Find out more about our favourite recommended things to do on the Orihuela Costa or join the La Zenia community Facebook group and find out what's going on in the local area.
