diff --git a/.github/workflows/evalml_main_airflow_performance_tests.yaml b/.github/workflows/evalml_main_airflow_performance_tests.yaml
index 08ffa56767..b04ae7eb1c 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/evalml_main_airflow_performance_tests.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/evalml_main_airflow_performance_tests.yaml
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ jobs:
                       "holdout-size": 0.5,
                       "pred-vs-actual": false
                   },
-                  "python_version": "3.8",
+                  "python_version": "3.9",
                   "scenarios_yaml": "release.yaml",
                   "evalml_branch_previous": "${{ env.PREVIOUS_HASH }}",
                   "evalml_branch_new": "${{ env.CURRENT_HASH }}",
@@ -75,7 +75,7 @@ jobs:
                       "holdout-size": 0.5,
                       "pred-vs-actual": false
                   },
-                  "python_version": "3.8",
+                  "python_version": "3.9",
                   "scenarios_yaml": "release.yaml",
                   "evalml_branch_previous": "${{ env.PREVIOUS_HASH }}",
                   "evalml_branch_new": "${{ env.CURRENT_HASH }}",
diff --git a/docs/source/release_notes.rst b/docs/source/release_notes.rst
index b296e2d2d6..ef03cdf989 100644
--- a/docs/source/release_notes.rst
+++ b/docs/source/release_notes.rst
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ Release Notes
     * Changes
     * Documentation Changes
     * Testing Changes
+        * Run airflow tests in Python 3.9 :pr:`4391`
 
 .. warning::