Plan Your Trip

Racing Dates

September 16-20, 2026

Roswell New Mexico | Roswell Air Center

Plan Your Trip in 4 Easy Steps

Buy Tickets

How To Get There

Book Lodging

Explore Rosewell

Choose Your Experience

General Admission

Reserved Seating

Box Seats

VIP Seating

Getting There & Getting Around

Fly-in Information

The National Championship Air Races is a destination event, welcoming aviation enthusiasts from across the country and beyond.

Roswell Air Center (1 Jerry Smith Cir, Roswell, NM 88203) offers ample space for civilian aircraft, and fly-in reservations are now available.

Important for General Aviation Pilots

General Aviation (GA) arrivals and departures are only permitted before and after daily race waivers are active.

Distances to Roswell:

  • Santa Fe, NM: ~195 miles
  • Albuquerque, NM: ~205 miles
  • Santa Rosa, NM: ~115 miles
  • Clovis, NM: ~105 miles
  • Portales, NM: ~95 miles
  • Lubbock, TX: ~175 miles
  • Ruidoso, NM: ~75 miles
  • Alamogordo, NM: ~90 miles
  • Artesia, NM: ~40 miles
  • Hobbs, NM: ~95 miles
  • Carlsbad, NM: ~75 miles
  • Las Cruces, NM: ~180 miles
  • El Paso, TX: ~200 miles

Albuquerque, Nm

Albuquerque, New Mexico’s largest city, sits in the high desert. Its modern Downtown core contrasts with Old Town Albuquerque, dating to the city’s 1706 founding as a Spanish colony. Old Town is filled with historic adobe buildings, such as San Felipe de Neri Church, 5 museums, and shops selling Native American handicrafts. Nearby, The Indian Pueblo Cultural Center traces the area’s tribal history.

Miles to Roswell - 201 Miles

Albuquerque, Nm
Santa Fe, Nm

Santa Fe, Nm

Santa Fe, New Mexico’s capital, sits in the Sangre de Cristo foothills. It’s renowned for its Pueblo-style architecture and as a creative arts hotbed. Founded as a Spanish colony in 1610, it has at its heart the traditional Plaza. The surrounding historic district’s crooked streets wind past adobe landmarks including the Palace of the Governors, now home to the New Mexico History Museum.

Miles to Roswell - 192 miles

Santa Rosa, Nm

Santa Rosa, Nm

Santa Rosa is a city in and the county seat of Guadalupe County, New Mexico, United States. The population was 2,848 at the 2010 census. It lies between Albuquerque and Tucumcari, situated on the Pecos River at the intersection of Interstate 40 and U.S. Route 54 and 84.

Miles to Roswell - 134 Miles

Ruidoso, Nm

Ruidoso is a village in New Mexico, set in the Sierra Blanca mountain range. The nearby Ski Apache resort offers runs of varying difficulty and a terrain park. To the southwest, Lincoln National Forest has trails and waterfalls. Ruidoso Downs Race Track features summer horse races. Northeast of the village, Lincoln Historic Site has 19th-century adobe and stone buildings, including a store and church, plus a museum.

Miles to Roswell - 74 Miles

Albuquerque International Sunport

Albuquerque International Sunport, locally known as the Sunport, is the primary international airport serving the U.S. state of New Mexico, particularly the Albuquerque metropolitan area and the larger Albuquerque–Santa Fe–Los Alamos combined statistical area.

Miles to Roswell - 201 Miles

Artesia, Nm

Artesia, Nm

Artesia is a city in Eddy County, New Mexico, centered at the intersection of U.S. routes 82 and 285; the two highways serve as the city's Main Street and First Street, respectively. As of the 2020 census, the city population was 12,875.

Miles to Roswell - 41 Miles

Las Cruces, Nm

Las Cruces, Nm

Las Cruces is a city in New Mexico, on the edge of the Chihuahuan Desert. The interactive New Mexico Farm and Ranch Heritage Museum features livestock and gardens. On the Rio Grande, Mesilla Valley Bosque State Park has trails and birdlife.

Miles to Roswell - 184 Miles

El Paso, Tx

El Paso, Tx

El Paso is a city in and the county seat of El Paso County, Texas, United States. The 2020 population of the city from the U.S. Census Bureau was 678,815, making it the 22nd-most populous city in the U.S., the most populous city in West Texas, and the sixth-most populous city in Texas.

Miles to Roswell - 205 Miles

Carlsbad, Nm

Carlsbad, Nm

Carlsbad is a city in southeast New Mexico. It’s known as a gateway to the vast, bat-filled caves of Carlsbad Caverns National Park. North of the park, trails surround towering Sitting Bull Falls. Downtown, Lake Carlsbad Beach Park has picnic and swimming areas, plus an adjacent water park.

Miles to Roswell - 76 Miles

Carlsbad, Nm
Hobbs, Nm

Hobbs, Nm

Hobbs is a city in Lea County, New Mexico, United States. Its population was 40,508 at the 2020 census, increasing from 34,122 in 2010. Hobbs is the principal city of the Hobbs, New Mexico micropolitan statistical area, which includes all of Lea County.

Miles to Roswell - 116 Miles

Lubbock, Tx

Lubbock, Tx

Lubbock is a city in northwest Texas known as the birthplace of rock ’n’ roll legend Buddy Holly. The Buddy Holly Center celebrates his life and music with artifacts and mementos. Nearby is the West Texas Walk of Fame, with a statue of Holly and plaques honoring musicians from the region.

Miles to Roswell - 176 Miles

Clovis, Nm

Clovis, Nm

Clovis is a city in and the county seat of Curry County, New Mexico. The population was 38,567 at the 2020 census. Clovis is located in the New Mexico portion of the Llano Estacado, in the eastern part of the state.

Miles to Roswell - 111 Miles

Portales, Nm

Portales is a city in and the county seat of Roosevelt County, New Mexico, United States. Its population was 12,280 at the 2010 census. Portales is located near the larger city of Clovis, and Cannon Air Force Base, a major contributor to the economy of the region.

Miles to Roswell - 92 Miles

Where to Stay

The city of Roswell and the state of New Mexico are well-prepared to help you find places to stay while visiting for the Air Races. Below are very useful links to help coordinate your stay.

Discover Roswell, New Mexico

While the Air Races may be what brings you to Roswell, you’ll be happy to know that the region has so much more to offer. Take a day trip to the Carlsbad Caverns, play a round or four of golf at one of their three courses, visit a wide range of art galleries, ride OHVs in the Mescalero Sands, and so much more!

PLEASE NOTE: Links presented here are for informational purposes, but are not maintained by the National Championship Air Races

Roswell Tourism

Roswell Chamber of Commerce

Virtual Tour

Roswell Walking Map

Roswell, New Mexico

Located in Chaves County, Roswell is a growing city that is home to a thriving population of nearly 50,000 residents. The city's unique history with flying objects provides an exciting backdrop for our Championship aviation event. Learn more below about the region and traveling throughout it.