The Next Cranky Dorkfest is September 19, 2026
RSVPs are now closed but you can still come to the Main Event
If you are confirmed for the ramp visit or the giveaway and you will NOT be joining us, please email cf@crankyflier.com asap so we can take you off the list.
Welcome to the main page for everything you need to know in order to attend Cranky Dorkfest, the airline industry’s best and geekiest gathering* for those of us who like to watch airplanes, talk shop, and eat burgers.
Cranky Dorkfest is always held in Los Angeles (LAX) on the second or third weekend in September, the same weekend as NYC Aviation’s SpotLAX so you can have one long weekend of avgeeky fun.
There are usually two events under the Cranky Dorkfest umbrella:
- A morning ramp visit at LAX
- The Main Event at the park across from the In-N-Out Burger just off the northeast end of the airfield at 9149 S Sepulveda Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90045 from 11am to 1pm
*Says me, and if you got a problem with it, too bad
The Morning Ramp Visit – RSVPS ARE CLOSED
It has become a tradition for Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA) to open up the ramp outside the Flight Path Museum for Cranky Dorkfest attendees on the morning of the event. There, we get to watch airplanes depart and arrive on the south runway complex up close. They also bring in some static aircraft displays that we get to crawl around on.
In 2025, we had the lovely American B737-800 Astrojet livery and a gigantic Delta A350-900:
- If you have received an email confirming you are on the list, then everything you need has been sent to you.
- If you have received an email saying you’re on the waitlist, then do NOT show up for the ramp visit. If you clear the waitlist, we will email the address you signed up with.
- If you haven’t received an email at all, then you probably never signed up, so ignore this. If you did sign up but never got any email, check your spam folder to see if it got missed. Everyone who signed up should have received an email.
Getting to the Ramp Visit and Parking
The ramp visit is held at the Flight Path Museum at 6661 Imperial Hwy., Los Angeles, CA 90045. If you are taking rideshare, just put this into the app, and it will drop you off just steps away from the gate to enter. Make sure you have your ID (unless you’re under 18), so they can check you in.
You are only able to park in the lot if you received an email saying you were on the list and you filled out the form provided by LAWA by the deadline. If you did not fill out the form, then you will not be allowed into the lot. For those who don’t have a spot to park, here’s some useful options for you:
1) Park on the street. There are places around that allow for street parking with only a relatively short walk. On the map below, the entrance to the event is that blue dot. There is no parking on Imperial Highway, but there is some street side parking in the areas outlined in green. If you park on the south green circle, California St is where you need to walk to cross Imperial to get to the event. Make sure to look for signs, because if you park in a private lot, your car may not be there when you get back.
2) Take rideshare. Yeah, I know. It’s pretty obvious, but it’s always an option. The good thing about rideshare is you can take it from anywhere. The area south of Imperial Hwy is the city of El Segundo. There are plenty of places further south with parking in town and you can take rideshare from there if you’d like. Or you can park at a garage near the In-N-Out like The Parking Spot. Then you can rideshare from there and right back for the main event.
3) Take public transit. Public transit is not generally good to get to the Flight Path Museum, but there are two options. One is Metro Micro which is the LA Metro’s rideshare-style service that operates in the LAX/Inglewood zone. I’ve never used it, but you can consider looking into it as a way to connect from a bigger transit hub nearby. Learn more.
The other option is Beach Cities Transit 109 which stops right by the Flight Path. It only runs about once an hour, but if it fits with your planes, it’s a good option to consider.
If you have any questions in advance, email cf@crankyflier.com.
The Main Event – RSVPS ARE CLOSED BUT ALL ARE WELCOME
The Cranky Dorkfest Main Event is what started it all back in 2011 with a simple premise. Let’s all get together and do three things:
- watch airplanes
- eat In-N-Out burgers
- talk shop
Now, hundreds of people converge on LAX each year on a Saturday in September to do just that. Over the years, airlines have wanted to support the event, so they provide prizes which we hand out at a giveaway during the day.
- Timing: 11am to 1pm on Saturday, September 19
- Location: The park across from the In-N-Out Burger just off the northeast end of the airfield at 9149 S Sepulveda Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90045 from 11am to 1pm
If you did RSVP in advance, your name is on the list for the giveaway. If you will not be attending, please email us at cf@crankyflier.com, so we can take you off the list. You must be present to win, and the last thing we want to do is call a bunch of names of people who aren’t there.
RSVPs are now closed. There is no requirement to RSVP to show up, but yo uwill not be entered into the giveaway. But please do come on out and talk shop, watch airplanes, and get some burgers with us!
Getting to the Park and Parking
In general, people either walk from the terminals/nearby hotels, take rideshare, or find street parking. This year, we have a better option if you’d like to drive. Thanks to The Parking Spot, you can park right across from the park at a special discounted rate of $12 plus tax. How close is it? So close.
If you want to park there, you MUST reserve in advance.
- Go to theparkingspot.com
- Enter LAX and put the date as Sep 19 to Sep 19 only
- Put a minimum of 3 hours in there, even if you plan on staying less
- Enter promo code CrankyDorkFest26
- Scroll down to The Parking Spot Sepulveda (you do NOT want Century) and select the $12 rate
This will make your life much easier once you are there, so thank you to The Parking Spot for joining the fun this year!
Get Your Official T-Shirt
Once again we are partnering with Plane Apparel Co to design this year’s official Cranky Dorkfest t-shirt. You can order it here.
FAQ
General
When is Cranky Dorkfest?
September 19, 2026 with the Main Event from 11am to 1pm and the LAX ramp visit from 8am to 12pm with a slight overlap.
Where is Cranky Dorkfest held?
It is held at and around LAX, Los Angeles International Airport with the Main Event at the park across from the In-N-Out Burger just off the northeast end of the airfield at 9149 S Sepulveda Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90045. The LAX ramp visit is at the Flight Path Museum at 6661 Imperial Hwy., Los Angeles, CA 90045.
Do I need to RSVP to attend?
RSVP is required for the LAX ramp visit and to be eligible for the giveaways. Otherwise, it is not required.
How do I get to Cranky Dorkfest?
We aren’t able to provide transportation to and from the various events, so it’s best to stay local in the airport area, stay near public transit, use rideshare, or rent a car. If you’re local, rideshare is a great option, public transit can get you to LAX, or you can drive a car.
Do you have a group rate at a hotel I can use?
We do not arrange any hotel blocks for the event. There are plenty of airport hotels all around the area where you can find a room. SpotLAX does usually arrange for a hotel block at the H Hotel, so you can check with them.
What is this SpotLAX thing?
SpotLAX is NYC Aviation’s annual pilgrimmage to watch airplanes and take photos at LAX. We have held the events the same weekend for several years now to make it possible for people to have a fully-packed weekend of geekery. SpotLAX has events Friday and Saturday evenings as well as Sunday morning. Visit NYC Aviation for more detail.
Why are you doing this? What do you get out of it?
Good vibes. We don’t have sponsors and that’s on purpose. This is purely for the love of the game.
LAX Ramp Visit
How do I get to the LAX Ramp Visit from LAX?
We suggest using rideshare as the easiest option. If you must, we will have limited parking available. Note that in your RSVP. You can also try using transit, but there aren’t great options. Your best bet is to consider Metro Micro.
Do you provide parking at the ramp visit?
The LAX ramp visit will have limited parking available within walking distance of the event (unlike last year which required busing). If you plan on driving, please select that option in the RSVP. You will then be prompted to say how many people are in your car, so we can prioritize spots if needed. You will be emailed closer to the event if you are eligible for a parking pass.
If I can’t get a parking pass, what do I do?
We are hoping we don’t have to turn people away, but if you don’t get a parking pass, then we suggest using rideshare. You can also look for street parking which is available on California and Imperial in the vicinity of the museum.
The Main Event
Do I need a ticket?
No you don’t. You can just show up, though if you want to have a chance to win in the giveaway raffle, you’ll need to RSVP in advance.
How much does it cost?
Nothing! Well, maybe if you have to pay to park somewhere, but the event itself is free to all
Is there a limit to how many people can attend?
No there’s not. Just come on by and have a good time.
Do you provide parking at the Main Event?
We are unable to provide parking at the Main Event. You should be able to find street parking in the general area or you can take public transit/rideshare.
How can I take public transit to the Main Event?
The new LAX/Metro Transit Center is served by several bus lines throughout the area along with two rail lines (C/Green and K/Expo).
From the LAX/Metro Transit Center, there are three bus lines that stop across the street from In-N-Out at the Westchester/Sepulveda stop:
- Culver CityBus 6 goes from UCLA through Culver City to the LAX/Metro Transit Center
- LA Metro 102 goes from South Gate past USC and Leimert Park before coming to the LAX/Metro Transit Center
- Santa Monica Big Blue Bus 3 goes from downtown Santa Monica to the LAX/Metro Transit Center
Broader LA Metro Rail Map:
LAX Area Map:
Can I walk to the Main Event?
That depends on where you’re coming from! But if you’re at LAX, then you sure can. It may not be the most pedestrian-friendly airport, but there are signs to walk toward the LAXit lot and then you can just keep going to the east side of Sepulveda. Head north and you’ll be at the park in just a few more minutes. Here’s a map:
How do I enter the giveaways?
You will have to RSVP. We pick the winners from the list of RSVPs in advance. If you aren’t on the list, you can’t win anything. So make sure to follow the rules of when RSVPs are open.
Is there a cost to enter the giveaway raffle?
Nope, no cost at all. Just make sure you RSVP and you will be entered.
What do you give away in the raffle?
We have various airlines, media companies, and airline-related sites that donate models, tickets, mileage, subscriptions, and more to the raffle so they can take part in the fun. In 2025, we had:
- Airlines: Alaska/Hawaiian, American, Avelo, Breeze, JetBlue, Porter, Southwest, Spirit, and United
- Subscriptions: Flightradar24, JetTip, Seats.aero, The Air Current
Can I donate something to the raffle?
We appreciate the offer, but we don’t take donations from individuals to avoid having the raffle go too long. If you’d like to, feel free to bring stuff and hand out to people who are there. (Kids love goodies.) If you’re from an airline and would like to participate, send an email to cf@crankyflier.com.
Do you still have questions? Send us a note at cf@crankyflier.com and we’ll be happy to do our best to answer.