Historic aircraft attraction Shuttleworth has celebrated a record-breaking air show season, with visitor numbers soaring by more than 20 per cent in 2026.

The popular Bedfordshire attraction, located at Old Warden near Biggleswade and within easy reach of Hitchin, welcomed more than 40,000 air show visitors this year, compared with just over 33,000 in 2025.

The impressive growth follows a successful programme of events featuring rare historic aircraft, spectacular flying displays and an expanded range of family entertainment.

One of the highlights was June's Festival of Flight, Shuttleworth's flagship two-day air show, which attracted substantially more visitors than in previous years.

The event featured the UK air show debut of the only Messerschmitt Bf 109 E-4 currently flying in Europe.

The historic German fighter aircraft was flown by the Luftwaffe during the Battle of Britain and shares a famous wartime history with Britain's Spitfire.

Visitors were also treated to more free ground attractions than ever before, including funfair rides, archery, axe throwing, circus skills workshops, BMX stunt shows and a land train.

July's Summer Air Show proved equally popular, selling out as aviation enthusiasts gathered to celebrate the 90th anniversary of the Spitfire's first flight.

The event featured a spectacular formation of nine Spitfires, alongside a simulated dogfight between a Spitfire and a Hispano Buchon.

Shuttleworth's success has also attracted praise from aviation experts.

Writing for Vintage Aviation News, Nigel Hitchman described Festival of Flight as "the go-to airshow in England" and "probably the best airshow anywhere in the world this year".

Meanwhile, Tony Harmsworth, writing for Aeroplane, called it "the undisputed highlight of the vintage aviation calendar".

Marc Boult, Head of Visitor Operations at Shuttleworth, said: "To have achieved this level of growth in a year speaks volumes about the work we have been putting in to make Shuttleworth air shows a great day out for both aviation enthusiasts and families.

"We have had some truly exceptional displays and a huge range of visiting aircraft, from aerobatic crowd pleasers to seriously rare aircraft.

"A growing awareness of what we do here has also been instrumental to this growth, and it is pleasing to see us reach new audiences who are experiencing air shows for the first time.

"I am keen to thank our teams here for their hard work and dedication, and I am excited to see what we can achieve in 2027."

New air show and fireworks finale announced for 2027

Following this year's success, Shuttleworth has already put tickets for its 2027 air show season on sale.

Next year's Summer Air Show will feature an American theme to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the United States Air Force.

Organisers have also announced a brand-new September event, the Season Finale Air Show, which will feature a fireworks display to bring the flying season to a spectacular close.

Details of visiting aircraft for the 2027 season have yet to be announced.

Shuttleworth is home to one of the world's most significant collections of airworthy historic aircraft, as well as the Regency-era Swiss Garden, making it a popular destination for families and aviation enthusiasts across Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire.

For more information about upcoming events and tickets, visit www.shuttleworth.org⁠.