The Blue Angels fly a Wednesday practice over the National Naval Aviation Museum's flight line at NAS Pensacola, and team members then visit the museum to answer questions and sign autographs. The flight-line gates open at 9:30 AM, the jets are scheduled up at about 10:30 AM, and the flight, the autographs and the museum are all free. This is the last practice on the museum's 2026 schedule. Base entry pauses once the museum lot is full, so plan to arrive early.
Before you go
- Enter NAS Pensacola through the West Gate on Blue Angel Parkway public access starts at 9 AM and the flight-line gates open at 9:30 AM.
- U.S. citizens 18 and older show a REAL ID or a valid U.S. passport at the West Gate.
- Bring a chair, which the museum strongly encourages, or rent one for $6 from the limited supply the open bleachers seat 500.
- Leave backpacks and coolers in the car and bring a card, because the flight line is cashless.
- Pack sunscreen, plus ear protection for anyone with sensitive hearing, and head into the museum after the flight for the autograph session.
What we checked, and when
Read off the venue's own page on 2026-10-17.
The museum's own practice page and FAQ say the practice, the autograph session, the museum and parking are all free. Chair rental is $6, the open bleachers seat 500, and Admiral's Club flight-line seating is $12 with ear plugs and a water bottle. Seats cannot be bought ahead, and the flight line takes cards only.
Not confirmed: A military rate. We searched and the venue publishes none. That is not the same as there being none, so it is worth asking.
⚠️ Weather or base operations can change a practice, and the museum says practice times vary. Check the museum's practice page that morning.
The museum posts no start time for the autograph session, only that it follows the practice.
⚠️ Base access rules from the museum: non-U.S. citizens must be escorted by a U.S. citizen, and people with felony convictions are not authorized on base.
Where this came from
- Museum's Blue Angels page, read 10/17/2026: October 14, 20 and 28 on the 2026 list with 14 and 28 starred as autograph sessions in the museum, practices at or around 10:30 AM, free admission, chairs $6, Admiral's Club seating $12, REAL ID for visitors 18 and older
- Museum's FAQ, read 10/17/2026: REAL ID or a valid U.S. passport at the West Gate on Blue Angel Parkway, free practices, autograph sessions and parking, bring your own chairs, backpacks and coolers stay in the car
- Museum's Plan Your Visit page, read 10/17/2026: flight-line gates open at 9:30 AM, the Blues scheduled up at 10:30 AM, public base access from 9 AM through the West Gate, more than 150 aircraft
- Museum's home page, read 10/17/2026: its post saying the museum reopens Thursday 10/15 after a temporary closure following Hurricane Isaias
- PensacolaBeach.com practice schedule, read 10/17/2026: the same October dates, base entry from 9 AM, flight-line gates at 9:30 AM, base entry paused once the museum lot is full, autographs inside the museum after the practice