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| Pacific Airshow Gold Coast |
Following another blockbuster three-day staging at Surfers Paradise, the announcement provides certainty for visitors, tourism operators, accommodation providers, restaurants and businesses that benefit from the thousands of people drawn to the Gold Coast for the aerial spectacular.
The 2026 Pacific Airshow was held from 14 to 16 August, turning the Surfers Paradise beachfront into a spectacular outdoor arena featuring military aircraft, aerobatic performers, skydivers, live entertainment and family attractions. Queensland Government regulations confirm the 2026 event period ran from 14 to 16 August.
With the event now secured through 2028, the Gold Coast has firmly established Pacific Airshow as an important part of its annual events calendar and as a compelling reason for travellers to plan a Queensland holiday around a major international spectacle.
The Gold Coast’s Ultimate Sky-High Spectacle
There are few places in Australia where visitors can combine a world-class beach holiday with the thrill of watching elite aviators perform directly above an iconic coastal skyline.
Pacific Airshow Gold Coast does exactly that.
For three days, Surfers Paradise becomes the centre of an extraordinary aviation and entertainment experience, with the Pacific Ocean providing a dramatic backdrop to military aircraft, precision aerobatics and elite skydiving performances.
The event has been described as the only ocean-front airshow of its kind in Australia, and its setting is a major part of its appeal. Visitors can enjoy the spectacle while also experiencing the Gold Coast’s famous beaches, restaurants, hotels, nightlife and attractions.
Experience Gold Coast describes the event as a three-day weekend featuring aerobatic demonstrations by leading aviators, VIP experiences, social events, family entertainment and a licensed ticket precinct.
A Major Win for Gold Coast Tourism
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| Pacific Airshow Gold Coast |
Major events encourage travellers to extend their stays, book accommodation, dine locally and explore attractions beyond the event precinct.
The Queensland Government has said the 2028 Pacific Airshow is projected to generate more than $28 million for the Queensland economy and approximately 97,000 direct visitor nights.
For the Gold Coast, that translates into opportunities across a broad range of tourism businesses, from hotels and serviced apartments to restaurants, cafes, tour operators, retail outlets and transport providers.
The event's ability to attract visitors from interstate and overseas also gives the destination an international promotional platform, placing the Gold Coast's beaches, skyline and tourism experiences in front of audiences beyond Queensland.
Pacific Airshow Brings Visitors to Surfers Paradise
The success of Pacific Airshow is closely linked to its location.
Surfers Paradise is one of Australia's best-known beach destinations, with high-rise accommodation, a long sandy coastline, dining, shopping and entertainment all within easy reach of the event.
During the airshow, the beachfront becomes the stage.
The combination of aviation action overhead and the Gold Coast lifestyle on the ground creates an experience that appeals to aviation enthusiasts, families, couples, photographers, domestic holidaymakers and international visitors.
The 2026 event offered more than aerial displays, with the official event program featuring performer signing sessions, a STEM area, food and drink options and a dedicated kids zone alongside the flying program.
For travellers, this makes Pacific Airshow more than something to watch. It becomes a complete weekend experience.
A Stronger Events Calendar for Queensland
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| Pacific Airshow Gold Coast |
The Gold Coast already attracts visitors with its beaches, theme parks, hinterland, dining, nightlife and outdoor lifestyle. Major events provide another reason for travellers to visit at specific times of the year.
The Queensland Government has promoted the return of Pacific Airshow as part of its strategy to strengthen Queensland's reputation as Australia's events capital. The 2026 event was expected to attract around 17,000 interstate and international visitors and generate approximately $26 million for the Queensland economy.
The extension to 2028 therefore gives tourism businesses greater certainty and provides travellers with more opportunities to plan future Gold Coast holidays around the spectacular airshow.
From 2026 to 2028: The Future Looks High-Flying
The latest commitment means Pacific Airshow will return to Surfers Paradise in 2027 before continuing into 2028.
For visitors who have already experienced the event, the announcement offers another reason to return. For those who have yet to see the aircraft roar across the Gold Coast skyline, the next editions provide an opportunity to make the airshow the centrepiece of a future Queensland getaway.
Pacific Airshow CEO Kevin Elliott has welcomed the extension, with the event team signalling its ambition to continue expanding the experience and taking the event to new heights.
The Gold Coast has proven to be an ideal home for the concept. Its coastline provides a spectacular natural setting, while its extensive accommodation, hospitality and tourism infrastructure can support the large numbers of visitors attracted by a major international event.
Plan a Gold Coast Holiday Around Pacific Airshow
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| Pacific Airshow Gold Coast |
Visitors can combine the event with time on Surfers Paradise Beach, explore the restaurants and cafes of the coastal suburbs, visit the Gold Coast's famous theme parks or head inland to discover the rainforest, waterfalls and villages of the Gold Coast Hinterland.
The city's events calendar also provides plenty of opportunities to extend a stay before or after the airshow. Experience Gold Coast promotes a broad program of sporting, cultural, lifestyle, entertainment and food events throughout the destination.
This makes the Pacific Airshow particularly attractive to visitors travelling from interstate or overseas. Rather than making the trip solely for the aircraft, travellers can turn the occasion into a complete Queensland holiday.
Why Pacific Airshow Matters to Local Businesses
Major events have a ripple effect throughout a destination.
A visitor attending Pacific Airshow may book several nights in a Gold Coast hotel, eat breakfast at a local cafe, enjoy dinner at a restaurant, take a tour, shop in local businesses and visit other attractions.
Those individual experiences collectively contribute to the destination's visitor economy.
The projected 97,000 direct visitor nights associated with the 2028 event demonstrate the scale of that opportunity. It means the benefits of Pacific Airshow extend well beyond the beachfront and into accommodation, hospitality, tourism and retail businesses throughout the Gold Coast.
The event's continuation through to 2028 also gives businesses an opportunity to plan ahead and develop packages, viewing experiences, dining offers and accommodation products around future airshow weekends.
Surfers Paradise Takes Centre Stage
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| Pacific Airshow Gold Coast |
The Surfers Paradise skyline, golden beaches and Pacific Ocean provide a distinctive setting that separates the Gold Coast event from traditional airshows held at airports or inland locations.
Aircraft flying above the coastline create a spectacular contrast between modern aviation and one of Australia's most recognisable holiday destinations.
It is precisely this combination that has helped Pacific Airshow become a major tourism attraction and an increasingly important part of the Gold Coast's identity as an events destination.
The Next Chapter Begins
The 2026 Pacific Airshow has now come to a close, but the roar of aircraft above Surfers Paradise is set to return.
With the event secured through to 2028, Queensland has provided a longer-term future for one of Australia's most distinctive aviation and tourism experiences.
For the Gold Coast, the commitment means more major-event certainty, additional visitor nights and continued opportunities for local businesses.
For travellers, it means another spectacular reason to visit one of Australia's favourite holiday destinations.
Pacific Airshow Gold Coast is no longer simply an exciting weekend on the events calendar. It has become part of the Gold Coast tourism story, combining aviation, entertainment, beaches and Queensland hospitality into an experience that is quite unlike anything else in Australia.
The next chapter is already taking shape, with Pacific Airshow set to return to Surfers Paradise in August 2027 before its 2028 edition.
For anyone looking for a future Gold Coast holiday with a difference, the skies above Surfers Paradise are likely to be the place to look.
Pacific Airshow Gold Coast
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| Pacific Airshow Gold Coast |
Email: info@pacificairshow.com
Address: PO Box 1217, Surfers Paradise QLD 4217, Australia
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