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As airlines look ahead to 2026, the industry calendar is once again filling with high-impact conferences that bring together airline leaders, innovators and decision-makers from around the world. In a landscape shaped by digital transformation, evolving passenger expectations, and renewed focus on commercial performance, choosing the right events to attend has never been more important.
From global aviation festivals to region-focused summits and specialist retailing forums, these conferences offer airlines valuable opportunities to gain strategic insight, build partnerships, and stay ahead of the trends shaping the future of air travel.
Below, we highlight the top five conferences airlines should prioritise in 2026 and why each one deserves a place on your agenda.
1. World Aviation Festival — Lisbon, Portugal
📅 13–15 October 2026 | 📍 Lisbon, Portugal
The World Aviation Festival is one of the most important global gatherings for airline technology, commercial strategy, operations and innovation leaders. Taking place at the FIL exhibition centre in Lisbon, this three-day event brings together thousands of senior aviation executives, startup founders, and industry partners to explore digital transformation, retailing, sustainability and the business of air travel.
With high-level keynote panels, engaging breakout sessions and robust networking opportunities, airlines can use this forum to benchmark emerging technologies, refine strategic priorities, and build partnerships that will define the next era of air transport.
2. Aviation Festival Asia — Singapore
📅 25–26 March 2026 | 📍 Singapore, Singapore
Aviation Festival Asia returns to Suntec in Singapore as a premier regional event focused on digital innovation, commercial partnerships, sustainability and ecosystem growth across Asia Pacific.
For airlines with Asia-Pacific routes, or plans to expand there, this conference is an essential platform to meet airport partners, explore technological trends, and engage with peers on topics such as digital retailing, customer experience and route development strategies.
3. AviaDev Africa — Gaborone, Botswana
📅 10–12 June 2026 | 📍 Gaborone, Botswana
AviaDev Africa is the key aviation development conference dedicated to driving air connectivity across Sub-Saharan Africa; a region with significant growth potential for both intra-African and intercontinental air services.
Held at the Gaborone International Conference Centre, this event brings together airlines, airports, tourism authorities, and service providers for targeted, prearranged meetings, strategy sessions, and panels focused on route development, fleet planning, and investment partnerships. It’s an ideal event for airlines seeking to expand into or partner with Africa’s emerging markets.
4. CAPA Airline Leader Summit — Australia Pacific (APAC)
📅 28–29 July 2026 | 📍 Adelaide, Australia
Part of the CAPA Airline Leader Summit series, the APAC edition in Adelaide gathers airline CEOs, senior executives and industry strategists from across the Asia Pacific region to discuss key topics like network growth, commercial performance, sustainability, and competitive dynamics.
The summit format emphasises independent analysis, expert insight and peer exchange. This makes it a strategic platform for airline leaders who want to understand macro trends, regional challenges and high-level opportunities shaping aviation in APAC.
5. FTE Ancillary & Retailing — Dublin, Ireland
📅 9–11 June 2026 | 📍 Dublin, Ireland
The FTE Ancillary & Retailing Conference (co-located with APEX FTE EMEA) at the RDS in Dublin is the global hub for airline and airport commercial innovation.
Over three days, commercial leaders explore the future of airline retailing, ancillary revenue strategy, data-driven personalisation, loyalty programs, digital commerce, and passenger experience strategies that unlock new revenue streams.
This event is especially valuable for airlines looking to transform their commercial models, strengthen ancillary revenue streams, and connect with vendors and partners shaping the future of airline retail.
Why these conferences matter for airlines in 2026
The 2026 aviation events calendar reflects how airlines are evolving from prioritising digital transformation and customer experience to accelerating route development and commercial innovation:
- Strategic vision & leadership dialogue: Events like the World Aviation Festival and CAPA Airline Leader Summit provide insights into long-term industry strategy and executive leadership trends.
- Regional market focus: Aviation Festival Asia and AviaDev Africa offer deep dives into region-specific opportunities — crucial for airlines expanding networks in fast-growing markets.
- Commercial excellence: FTE Ancillary & Retailing helps airlines rethink their revenue strategy by unlocking the potential of ancillaries and retail across the passenger journey.
