Today will be a bit exotic, as it’s on the border between Europe and Africa. At the end of September 2025, I traveled to Malta with two aviation photography enthusiasts to watch and photograph the local display – the Malta International Airshow 2025. What prompted us to choose this particular airshow was the prospect of seeing the Spanish Air Force’s AV-8B Harrier. We bought our plane tickets, paid for our accommodation, and waited for the departure date to arrive. Unfortunately, it turned out that due to some military exercise, the Spanish Harrier wouldn’t be performing. Since we’d already seen most of the other aircraft at other displays, we lost most of our enthusiasm. Looking for the positives, we started to relax. After all, it’s warm in Malta, so it will be nice, and the displays will be a bonus. As it turned out, we had three days of photographing planes and helicopters.
Malta International Air Show 2025 – what it is like
It’s worth noting that the event takes place a bit differently than most events of this type. A ticketed static exhibition and accompanying events are held at the Maltese airport. The airshow, however, takes place over the water and is viewed from a rocky shore located near the Maltese National Aquarium. Admission is completely free here, and hundreds (if not thousands) of people take advantage of the opportunity. Photographers are a minority here. Most people base themselves on the rocky shore, but rooftops and balconies of nearby buildings are also excellent places to admire the aerial acrobatics.
Malta International Airshow 2025 – in the air
The organizers launched a marketing campaign several months before the show. They advertised the event’s participants, attractions, and partners. Admittedly, given the volume and format of the message, one might expect it to be a massive event. This isn’t the case; it’s a small airshow, after all. It takes place every two years. The dynamic displays themselves last about four hours each over two days (Saturday and Sunday). Friday’s training sessions can also be considered a great opportunity to capture aerial acrobatics.
Since we’ve completely left out the static display at the airport, I won’t go into detail about what it was like or whether it was worth it. However, I can confidently say that the dynamic displays at the Malta International Airshow 2025 were quite interesting. Firstly, because of the location: the seaside. Secondly, the temperature, sun, and breeze made it quite comfortable. Thirdly, the participants.
The airshow opened with a flyover by a Maltese Leonardo AW-139 flying the national flag. We could also see this helicopter in two other versions, in the livery of the Italian Air Force and Coast Guard. The Maltese also presented two aircraft – an Islander and a King Air. The Italian Guardia Costiera was complemented by an ATR-42. The French Navy displayed a Falcon 10. But what really gets the heart racing are the loud jets. For the first time, I had the opportunity to witness the exciting aerobatics performed by the F-16 Solo Turk. The German Air Force presented a dynamic display in a beautifully painted, anniversary Tornado. Two teams flew Eurofighter Typhoons, piloted by Noble and BamBam. Each pilot flies a slightly different style, which was interesting to witness. The displays culminated in an incredible display (as usual) by the RAF Red Arrows.
Malta International Airshow 2025 – RAF Red Arrows
