Cranky Dorkfest 2026: My First Visit Was Worth Every Minute
My first time at Cranky Dorkfest at LAX - ramp visit with 5 aircraft, plane spotting from In-N-Out, and one of the best AvGeek events in the country.
A morning ramp visit with five aircraft on display, Randy's Donuts, an afternoon plane spotting session from the famous In-N-Out at LAX, and a whirlwind weekend trip to LA that was absolutely worth it. My first Cranky Dorkfest, and hopefully not my last.
Cranky Dorkfest is the annual gathering of aviation enthusiasts at LAX, organized by Brett Snyder (the "Cranky Flier" himself) and is now in its umpteenth year. This was my first time attending, and I flew out to LA specifically for it. It was a whirlwind weekend trip, but genuinely worth every hour of travel and every minute at the event.
Here's a look at what the event was like.
The Morning Ramp Visit at Flight Path Museum
The morning session ran from 8am to noon at the Flight Path Museum, which sits right by the airport and offers great ramp views. Los Angeles World Airports pulled out all the stops this year - based on what I heard from fellow attendees this was easily the biggest Dorkfest yet, with an expanded event perimeter and five aircraft on display. It's no surprise that the lines started early to check-in
American Airlines came in strong. AA brought two aircraft to the ramp - their first A321XLR that visitors could walk through, plus their famous AirCal heritage livery aircraft. The heritage livery was particularly fitting for LA, and having the XLR available to tour was a highlight.
Funny enough the suite doors were unlocked on this aircraft and the cabin crew mentioned that all airframes should have their doors operable. Oh well - looks like I missed it by a day on my flight!
Beyond the aircraft, AA had the strongest staff presence of any airline. This included flight attendants, flight crew, and maintenance crew that were all on site and happy to answer questions. Plenty of freebies distributed too by the AA crew.
Delta brought the 100th anniversary A321neo. Delta doesn't run as many special liveries as AA, but the 100th anniversary aircraft is a striking one and it was open for tours. It was a little towards the back of the ramp area, so it was a little less crowded than the others.
Southwest rolled up with their striking Independence One livery. This was my first time seeing Independence One in person and based off the line, it caught many eyes. Southwest even printed custom posters for attendees featuring the aircraft.
United brought a 787-9. No special livery (or new interior), but the lines to walk through it were among the longest. The flight deck was open for photos along with the upper pilot crew rest area. Everyone wanted to see the interior of the Dreamliner.
LAWA handled the event exceptionally. The airport authority went above and beyond. They distributed hats with the airport's coordinates and LAX log, plus Randy's Donuts and coffee, cold water, and a DJ playing music.
Standing on the ramp watching commercial traffic at LAX while touring aircraft up close was surreal.
The Main Event at the Park
At 11am, the crowd migrated to the Airplane Landing View Point near the famous LAX In-N-Out for the second half of the day.
More airlines showed up here than at the ramp visit. Southwest, United, Volaris (in from Mexico), and others set up tables handing out swag. There was also a big giveaway with prizes from AA, Delta, Alaska/Hawaiian, and dozens of aviation industry partners. While I wasn't a winner, I was pretty jealous of those who won great prizes like 100,000 Alaska Atmos points or the centennial items from the likes of American.
Coming Back Next Year
I'm marking September 18, 2027 on the calendar for next year's Cranky Dorkfest. If you're an aviation enthusiast and have never made it out to LAX for this, put it on your list. Flights to LAX can be cheap on the right dates (or you can use points in true Milesmate fashion.) RSVPs typically open in late July or early August.
Final Thoughts
My first Cranky Dorkfest lived up to the hype. The ramp visit portion alone made the trip worth it, and the afternoon plane spotting session at In-N-Out was the perfect closer. A cross-country flight for a weekend event? Would do again.
Big thanks to Brett Snyder and the Cranky Flier team for organizing this annual event, and to LAWA and their airline partners for the effort they put into making it special. See you all in 2027.
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