Event general manager Ed Taylor said having the USAF F-22 Raptor Demo Team performing on all three days of the airshow was a real coup.
"This team displays at all the major airshows in the United States and at big military airshows around the world," Mr Taylor said.
"To have them come here says a lot about how well regarded the Wānaka show is globally.
"For the aircraft community this is like getting Taylor Swift or The Rolling Stones to attend.
"We have sold a ticket every minute since the announcement was released."
Two Raptors would make the trip to New Zealand and would operate out of Christchurch International Airport, he said.
Mr Taylor said the team at Christchurch had been instrumental in helping secure the F-22s.
"We couldn’t have done it without them," he said.
Only 183 Raptors have been built since they first entered service in 2005, a statement from the airshow said.
At a cost of more than $NZ200 million each, the Raptor is the only US-built fighter not sold to other countries.
