More than 130,000 tickets have been sold for this year’s Royal International Air Tattoo (RIAT), with Saturday tickets now officially sold out. The renowned three-day aviation event will take place at RAF Fairford from Friday, July 18 to Sunday, July 20.
This year’s show will carry the theme ‘Eyes in the Skies’, focusing on the critical role aviation plays in areas such as aerial surveying, early warning systems, maritime patrol, search and rescue, reconnaissance, signals intelligence, and surveillance.
Marking a significant milestone, 2025 also commemorates 40 years since the Air Tattoo first took place at RAF Fairford. To celebrate the anniversary, a dedicated heritage centre will be featured on the showground.
More than 200 aircraft have already been confirmed, including performances by the Royal Air Force’s Red Arrows and popular international displays like the Spanish Navy’s Harrier jet.
Paul Atherton, Chief Executive Officer of the Royal Air Force Charitable Trust, expressed appreciation for the overwhelming response.
“Demand for our event has been incredible since returning after COVID. We’re truly grateful for the support from our visitors, international air forces, and our volunteers,” said Atherton.
“This year promises to be another spectacular show, with aircraft and crews from across the globe ready to engage with visitors about their aircraft and careers in aviation. For those still hoping to attend, I encourage you to act quickly—tickets are selling out fast.”
Proceeds from RIAT support the event’s parent organisation, the Royal Air Force Charitable Trust, which aims to inspire young people to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).
Beyond the aerial displays, the event will offer a wide range of ground attractions, including an extensive static aircraft exhibition, the Techno Zone featuring hands-on air and space technology exhibits, and the Inspire Stage, which hosts talks from professionals in aviation and technology.
Dr. Kevin Stenson, Director of the Royal Air Force Charitable Trust, emphasised the importance of RIAT’s educational mission.
“The popularity of RIAT is hugely important for our charity as we work to spark the imagination of young people,” he said. “RIAT is an incredible showcase of what’s possible in aviation and space, and the Inspire Stage plays a key role in that.”
This year’s Inspire Stage will include live educational sessions, appearances by pilots, astronauts, Everest climbers, TV presenters, Minecraft demonstrations, a robot dog, and more.
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