SRIA Adds Busses and Trolleys for Air Show Guests
The Santa Rosa Island Authority (SRIA) is extending public transportation hours along Pensacola Beach on Friday, July 17, and adding extra buses to the schedule on Saturday, July 18, for the 2026 Pensacola Beach Air Show, which this year celebrates the 80th Anniversary of the U.S. Navy Blue Angels and America's 250th birthday. Thousands of visitors are expected to attend one of the nation's largest air shows, making the free trolley and bus service one of the easiest and most convenient ways to access the event.
On Friday, July 17, the SRIA's three free open-air trolleys will begin transporting passengers at 7:30 a.m. and extend service to Park East, located approximately one mile east of Portofino Island Resort, until 6 p.m. After that, the regular trolley route will resume until midnight.
On Saturday, July 18, beginning at 6:30 a.m., the SRIA will operate four buses, in addition to the three open-air trolleys, and will extend service to Park East until 6 p.m. Following the air show, the three open-air trolleys will return to their normal operating schedule until midnight.
On both Friday and Saturday, buses and trolleys will transport passengers between Park East, Park West and Casino Beach, the air show's show center. Passengers will only be picked up and dropped off at designated trolley stops. Each stop will be clearly marked with a bright ECAT feather flag.
Following the air show each day, trolleys serving Portofino Resort/Park East will be staged on Via de Luna Drive in front of Sidelines Sports Bar and the Hampton Inn (facing east). Trolleys serving Park West will be staged on Fort Pickens Road in front of the Surf & Sand Hotel and The Sandshaker (facing west).
Due to the significant traffic congestion expected on Friday and Saturday, trolley service to the access road stops, including The Grand Marlin, Radical Rides/Laguna's, Quietwater Beach and the Pensacola Beach Boardwalk, will be temporarily suspended until 6 p.m. each day. Regular service to those stops will resume afterward and continue until midnight.
Passengers wishing to return to their vehicles as quickly as possible after the air show should board the first available buses immediately following the performance. Because of the traffic congestion that occurs after the show, riders who miss the first departure should expect extended wait times before buses and trolleys are able to return to the show center.
The SRIA also reminds visitors to use only the designated pedestrian crosswalks when crossing roadways throughout Pensacola Beach.
The official 2026 Pensacola Beach Air Show, celebrating the 80th Anniversary of the U.S. Navy Blue Angels and America's 250th birthday, will begin approximately 10:45 a.m. on Saturday, July 18. Free trolley and bus service is provided by the Santa Rosa Island Authority, with transportation operated by Escambia County Area Transit (ECAT).