San Antonio is about to get loud. The Great Texas Airshow opens this weekend at Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph on May 2–3, 2026 — headlined by the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds and the U.S. Army Golden Knights parachute team. With Operation Epic Fury having hollowed out portions of the spring airshow calendar, this is one of the few open-base military spectacles still standing.
Admission is free. Parking is free. Gates open at 9 a.m. both days, aerial performances kick off at 11 a.m., and organizers are bracing for 125,000 to 150,000 attendees per day. Premium shaded seating with reserved front-row placement runs $55 through JBSAtoday.com — the only authorized ticketing source. Officials have already flagged scam Facebook pages impersonating the show.
Theme and Timing
The 2026 show carries the theme “Let Freedom Roar; Honoring 250 Years” — planting it squarely inside the national Semiquincentennial celebrations. The framing feels earned at Randolph, long called the “West Point of the Air.” Bringing the Thunderbirds back to this historic training base hits differently in an anniversary year.
JBSA alternates the Great Texas Airshow with the Great Texas Freedom Fest, held at JBSA-Fort Sam Houston, on a yearly rotation. The 2024 edition drew the Thunderbirds under then-commander Col. Nathan Malafa, who led the team through 125 aerial demonstrations in 59 locations. This year’s show marks the public debut of Lt. Col. Alexander “Knight” Prevendar as Thunderbird 1.
The Thunderbirds in 2026
Prevendar came up through the F-16 community and logged more than 3,300 flight hours and 1,000 combat hours across operations including Midnight Hammer and Prosperity Guardian. He earned ACC certification for the 2026 season on March 5 from Gen. Adrian Spain, commander of Air Combat Command.
“These certifications mark the pinnacle of our training season. Team 2026 met every milestone we set and raised the standard by flying closer than ever before during a training season, demonstrating elite trust and discipline.” — Lt. Col. Alexander “Knight” Prevendar, Thunderbird 1
His slot wasn’t predetermined. Lt. Col. Daniel “Rage” Trueblood had originally been named Thunderbird 1 before ACC made a last-minute command change in April 2025, citing “unique team requirements.” Prevendar’s wing is anchored by Maj. Joshua “Shadow” Burress — Thunderbird 2, Left Wing, and dedicated IP for the lead — alongside Maj. Brandon Maxson as Thunderbird 3, Right Wing. The team flies six F-16C/D Fighting Falcons and will close out each day with roughly 30 maneuvers across a 40-minute set, including the signature four-ship diamond formation.
Full Performer Lineup
The flying program is stacked. Beyond the Thunderbirds and Golden Knights, the F-22 Raptor Demo Team takes the air, followed by a Heritage Flight pairing the F-22 with a P-51C and P-51D Mustang. The C-17 Globemaster III, KC-46 Pegasus, and KC-135 Stratotanker all have demo slots.
Warbird and civilian acts round out the schedule. Greg Colyer flies a T-33 Shooting Star. Randy Ball brings a MiG-17. Jerry Conley takes the controls of a de Havilland Vampire, Michael Goulian flies his Extra 330SC, and Tom Larkin puts the SubSonex mini jet through its paces. Redline Airshows arrives with a pair of RV-8s. And then there’s Tora! Tora! Tora! — the warbird attack recreation that never gets old.
Static displays include the C-5M Super Galaxy, F-16C Fighting Falcon, B-52 Stratofortress, B-1 Lancer, F-35A Lightning II, A-10 Thunderbolt II, T-7A Red Hawk, T-38C Talon, and T-6 Texan II.
Friday Military Appreciation Day and STEM Fair
Friday, May 1 opens as Military Appreciation Day, restricted to DoD ID cardholders, with a STEM Fair featuring cyber activities and practice aerial demonstrations. It’s a sharp reminder that this is an active military installation hosting the public — not the other way around.
Getting There
Traffic from Pat Booker Road funnels east on FM 78 to the East Gate. Coming from the Seguin direction on I-10, use FM 1518 or Loop 1604 to reach the Lower Seguin or South Gates. Randolph residents can use Lindsey or West Gates but should expect significant delays either way.
Leave the RVs, trailers, firearms, non-clear bags, drones, and coolers at home — all are prohibited on base. A weather system is forecast to push into the San Antonio area around show weekend, bringing a chance of strong storms and a temperature drop. Watch JBSA’s official channels for any high-show versus low-show adjustments on Saturday.
The Thunderbirds’ next confirmed appearance after San Antonio is scheduled later in May. Full 2026 schedule at thunderbirds.af.mil.
Stay in the loop
Get the latest airshow spectacle updates delivered to your inbox.