NFL Week 1 Is Here: The Biggest Games to Travel For
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Introduction
Football is officially back.
The 2026 NFL regular season begins Wednesday, September 9, launching an opening week filled with rivalry games, prime-time matchups and one of the most unusual season openers the league has ever scheduled.
For fans planning to experience Week 1 in person, the first weekend of the season is also one of the biggest sports travel weekends of early fall. From Seattle to New York and Kansas City, some of football’s biggest destinations are about to come alive again.
Here are several of the Week 1 games worth putting on the calendar.
New England Patriots at Seattle Seahawks
Wednesday, September 9
There may not be a better way to start the season.
Seattle begins its Super Bowl title defense at home against the same New England team it defeated to win the championship just months earlier.
That makes the NFL Kickoff Game an immediate Super Bowl rematch—and gives fans a reason to make Seattle one of the first major football trips of the fall.
Private flyers have several options around the city, including Boeing Field/King County International Airport and Seattle-Tacoma International Airport.
With the game at Lumen Field and an entire city welcoming the defending champions home, Wednesday night should feel much bigger than a typical Week 1 matchup.
San Francisco 49ers vs. Los Angeles Rams
Thursday, September 10 — Melbourne, Australia
Week 1 then heads somewhere the NFL regular season has never gone before.
The San Francisco 49ers and Los Angeles Rams will meet at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Australia, bringing two NFC West rivals together on one of the league’s biggest international stages.
For fans willing to turn opening weekend into a true destination trip, Melbourne could easily become one of the most memorable NFL experiences of the season.
Buffalo Bills at Houston Texans
Sunday, September 13
Sunday brings the traditional full slate of football, and Buffalo at Houston stands out among the early games.
Two AFC teams with major expectations meet immediately, giving Week 1 an early look at a matchup that could matter much later in the season.
For anyone making a weekend out of the game, Houston offers several private aviation options around the city, including William P. Hobby Airport, Sugar Land Regional Airport and George Bush Intercontinental Airport.
Add Houston’s restaurants, hotels and nightlife, and this becomes much more than a Sunday afternoon football trip.
Green Bay Packers at Minnesota Vikings
Sunday, September 13
Some games simply feel like football season.
Packers-Vikings is one of them.
The NFC North rivals meet in Minneapolis, bringing one of the league’s established divisional rivalries to opening weekend.
Private travelers have access to Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport as well as St. Paul Downtown Airport and other surrounding airports.
For fans looking for a classic fall football weekend rather than simply one marquee game, this is one of Week 1’s strongest choices.
Dallas Cowboys at New York Giants
Sunday, September 13
Sunday night brings football back to the New York market in a big way.
Dallas and New York meet at MetLife Stadium for Sunday Night Football, putting two of the NFL’s most recognizable franchises under the lights.
A Cowboys-Giants game already carries plenty of attention. Putting it in prime time during the first Sunday of the regular season only raises the stakes.
For fans traveling into the area, New York City provides one of the country’s largest networks of airport options, making it possible to build an entire weekend around the game.
And because kickoff is Sunday night, private aviation offers another major advantage: planning the flight around the game rather than planning the weekend around an airline schedule.
Denver Broncos at Kansas City Chiefs
Monday, September 14
Week 1 closes at Arrowhead.
Denver travels to Kansas City for Monday Night Football, renewing an AFC West rivalry in one of the NFL’s most recognizable game-day environments.
A Monday-night game can also create a more difficult traditional travel schedule. Commercial travelers often have to decide between leaving late Monday night, staying another night or navigating limited Tuesday morning options.
Private flyers have significantly more flexibility.
Travelers heading to the game can explore private aviation into Kansas City, including access through Charles B. Wheeler Downtown Airport and Kansas City International Airport.
For anyone looking to extend opening weekend by one more night, Arrowhead may be the place to do it.
Football Weekends Are Back
NFL opening weekend is more than the beginning of another season.
It marks the return of fall travel built around rivalries, tailgates, stadiums and cities that feel completely different on game day.
And unlike a single championship event, the NFL creates opportunities to do it again almost every weekend through January.
For private flyers, that flexibility matters.
A Sunday afternoon game in Minneapolis, Sunday night in New York or Monday night in Kansas City does not necessarily have to mean sacrificing an additional travel day.
With access to thousands of aircraft and airport options across major NFL markets, Virtual Hangar® allows members to build the flight around the weekend—not the other way around.
The preseason is almost over.
Now the games count.
About the Author
Keira Svensen is the Content & Editorial Director of Virtual Hangar Media, where she leads editorial strategy and storytelling across private aviation, aircraft markets, and emerging flight technologies. With a focus on data-driven reporting and modern aviation trends, Keira helps shape how owners, operators, and travelers understand the evolving private aviation landscape.
Published: August 27, 2026
About The Team: https://virtualhangarmedia.com/about/
Website: https://virtualhangar.com/news/
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