Historic military aircraft are rolling onto the tarmac at Dallas Executive Airport this weekend as the Commemorative Air Force hosts Aviation Discovery Fest, a two-day event giving visitors rare access to iconic warbirds, their pilots and the volunteers who keep them flying. The event runs Friday and Saturday, with hands-on activities, cockpit tours and even paid rides aboard select historic planes.
According to Visit Dallas, the Commemorative Air Force will host Aviation Discovery Fest 2026 at Dallas Executive Airport on November 6 and 7. The festival bills itself as an interactive adventure for all ages, as reported by CultureMap Dallas, with visitors able to explore historic warbirds up close and tour aircraft cockpits.
What Visitors Can Expect on the Tarmac
Hours for the event are set for Friday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., per the Commemorative Air Force. The organization, which presents the festival, says visitors can tour historic aircraft, meet pilots and restoration volunteers, watch living history demonstrations, and take part in hands-on STEM activities, the Commemorative Air Force notes. CultureMap Dallas adds that guests can meet the pilots and volunteers who maintain these historic aircraft, putting a human face on decades of preservation work.
Many aircraft on the ramp will offer cockpit tours for an additional fee, according to the event's own site. For those who want to do more than look, select historic aircraft will also be available for paid rides, a detail confirmed separately by Visit Dallas.
How Many Planes, and Where Exactly
Exactly how many aircraft will show up depends on which source you check. The Commemorative Air Force says more than 20 historic aircraft are expected to attend, while the event's own website states that over 15 historic aircraft will be featured. Organizers caution that the lineup is subject to change due to weather, maintenance requirements, and operational considerations, according to the Commemorative Air Force.
There's also some disagreement over the visitor address. Visit Dallas lists the venue as the Henry B. Tippie National Aviation Education Center at 5657 Mariner Drive in Dallas, while CultureMap Dallas's event listing gives the Dallas Executive Airport address as 5303 Challenger Drive. Either way, the festival takes place at Dallas Executive Airport, and attendees planning a visit may want to double check routing ahead of time.
Tickets, Parking and Weather Policy
Adult tickets run $22.76 online or $25 at the gate, per the event's ticket information page. Organizers note that tickets are non-refundable, valid for one day only, and come with no rain checks. Parking at the event is free, the same source confirms.
The festival is scheduled to go on rain or shine, though flying activities depend on weather conditions, according to the event's ticket page. Given that the schedule may shift due to weather or other concerns, as CultureMap Dallas notes, attendees should check with the venue or organizers to confirm the event is proceeding as planned before heading out.
