How to request your very own Red Arrows flypast

"Generally, unless you are a military venue or a major event, your chances of a flypast are likely to be based on whether there is a plane in the air nearby visiting such a place, so the more flexible you are in requesting a date for your smaller event, the greater the chance of the plane making a slight detour to visit you."

"Likewise, for the Red Arrows, although as they rarely visit London, you will have a better chance if you try to synchronise your request with something else happening in the South-East that the Red Arrows are likely to be visiting. Such as the Airshows at Southend, Farnborough, etc, or maybe following the King's Birthday flypast if you are in West London."

Requests for military flypasts are often possible and usually free for events open to the public, though approval is not guaranteed. The Battle of Britain Memorial Flight (BBMF) is the most likely source, offering fighters and occasionally larger aircraft like the Lancaster Bomber for special occasions. The Red Arrows are less likely but worth requesting, especially if dates can align with their regional appearances or airshows. Flexibility on dates increases success, since nearby scheduled flights can make detours. The BBMF flies over London a few times monthly in summer. Applications for 2026 must be submitted by the end of November via the provided forms.

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