FTE Global – the “CES of Aviation” – takes place in Long Beach, California, on 9 to 11 September 2025, where it will once again be co-located with APEX/IFSA Global EXPO, bringing the entire passenger experience ecosystem together under one roof. The event will be packed with inspirational content, world-class speakers, a dynamic exhibition and live demos of future-focused innovations, Tech & Innovation Briefings on the expo floor, the landmark FTE Americas Innovate Awards and FTE Global Pioneer Awards, a unique social and networking programme, and much more. Find out more in our in-depth preview.
See our 13 compelling reasons to attend FTE Global 2025 >> Register for FTE Global 2025 >>Live demos and a dynamic exhibition of cutting-edge solutions to enhance end-to-end CX, business performance and operational efficiency
The FTE Global exhibition is the most dynamic and future-focused showcase of air transport innovation in the region. From major global players to startup disruptors, the show floor offers access to technologies that can directly improve your operation – from passenger experience and biometrics to robotics, AI, baggage automation, and next-gen digital platforms. This year’s event will feature more live and immersive demos than ever before. Below is just a small selection of the live demos you can expect to experience:
- Pattern: Attendees will get hands-on experience with all Pattern solutions, including interactive activities with the Pathfinder autonomous baggage shuttles, the Pulse simulation and auto-dispatch system, and the intelligent Co-Pilot “Uber for ramp drivers” tool. Some booth visitors may even get to take home a baby Pathfinder bot!
- Micro-X: Micro-X is redefining what’s possible in X-ray imaging. Its compact CT scanner makes the vision of a self-screening checkpoint a reality, with a footprint of just 33in by 61in. Attendees will be able to view the system in operation and see the images it produces, experiencing first-hand the innovation that is taking aviation security beyond the century-old limitations of traditional X-ray technology.
- CVG Airport Pavilion: CVG is joining the FTE Global exhibition floor with an expanded Pavilion showcasing real deployments, live demos, and partner innovations. “FTE attracts doers, not just dreamers,” says Larry Krauter, CEO, CVG Airport. Partners include Donovan Energy, Volan, InfoTap, Hello Lamp Post, and the British Consulate General Chicago, with more to be announced soon. Read our full interview with Larry Krauter, CEO, CVG Airport, here.
- Meta and MSM.digital: Meta and MSM.digital are showcasing the XR Inflight Library — a curated portfolio of AAA-quality XR applications optimised for airline deployment. Covering entertainment, education, gaming, and well-being, the library is controller-free, motion-sickness reduced, and monetisation-ready. Building on last year’s world-first Lufthansa MVP, Meta is now moving into scale-up mode with more aircraft types, expanded app content, and new airline partnerships.
- ALBA Robot: Attendees can experience the latest robot added to ALBA Robot’s autonomous micro-mobility platform, the ALBA Caddie, live and in action. This autonomous robot follows passengers while carrying their luggage or waits for them at the gate, freeing them to navigate the terminal independently and comfortably.
- Azalea Robotics: Azalea Robotics will unveil REACH I (Robotic Element for Advanced Cargo Handling) to the aviation community – the first time airports and airlines will see the system in action. Visitors to the Azalea Robotics booth will experience REACH I through video demonstrations that showcase its real-world performance, with engineers and industry experts ready to answer technical and airport-specific questions. The Azalea Robotics team will be onsite throughout the event, ready for live demos and in-depth discussions.
- aiOla: Attendees can expect a truly immersive and eye-opening experience that will change how they think about operational data. Live demos include: Hands-Free Safety Reporting – witness how frontline teams, like ground crew or maintenance staff, can complete complex safety reports using natural speech, in any language, even amidst background noise, with zero typing. This directly translates spoken observations into structured data for immediate analysis. Real-time Maintenance Logging – see mechanics update work orders and log detailed observations using their voice, ensuring precision and compliance without breaking focus from their task. Operational Dispatch & Updates – experience how voice commands can streamline ground operations, flight departures, and personnel coordination.
- Amadeus: Amadeus will unveil a unique way to visualise the seamless passenger journey experience, with a live demonstration of how it is connecting the dots across every airport touchpoint – it’s interactive, educational and evolving.
Read our full FTE Global 2025 exhibitor, sponsor & tours preview for a comprehensive insight into our sponsor & exhibitor highlights.
Three events under one roof – FTE Global co-located with APEX/IFSA Global EXPO for ultimate industry gathering
We are very excited for FTE Global to once again co-locate with APEX/IFSA Global EXPO, which will bring the best of the airport and inflight realms under one roof. Together, the shows will create the largest gathering of air transport executives from around the world in North America in 2025 to network, learn, forge new partnerships, collaborate and be inspired on their next moves to transform their organisations’ passenger experience, business performance, innovation, and sustainability strategies. If you are registered for FTE Global with a Premium Pass you will get access to the APEX Thought Leadership Conference. Plus, if you are an airline, airport or rail operator registered with a Premium Pass or Exhibition Hall ticket for FTE Global you get complimentary access to the APEX/IFSA Global EXPO exhibition hall. Learn more about the benefits of this incredible co-location effort and how the co-location works in practice for participants at both shows here.
Inspirational keynotes from United, YVR, AMS, Sun Country Airlines, Vantage Group, Meta, flyadeal & more, plus APEX Thought Leadership Conference delivers airline CEO insights
FTE Global is renowned for hosting the air transport industry’s most forward-thinking conference, featuring true innovators from aviation and beyond. Every session is carefully curated to deliver real-world value and future-proof strategies – designed to help you navigate today’s challenges while planning confidently for what’s next. Plus, if you are registered for FTE Global with a Premium Pass you will get access to the APEX Thought Leadership sessions taking place in the morning on 9 September.
This year’s speaker line-up brings together an unparalleled mix of visionaries and change-makers from across the sector and beyond. Highlights include keynotes from the CEOs of United Airlines, Vantage Group, Breeze Airways, Vienna Airport, flyadeal, Sun Country Airlines, Fiji Airways, and Ethiopian Airlines, alongside senior leaders from Los Angeles World Airports, Meta, Spirit Airlines, WebAI, Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport, Long Beach Airport, British Airways, Southwest Airlines, Aena, Alaska Airlines, Gerald R. Ford Airport Authority, Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority, and many more.
Leading enterprise innovation expert Dan Toma will headline the Opening Keynote Session, delivering much-needed inspiration on how to build sustainable systems for innovation-led growth.
Meanwhile, Albert Van Veen, Vice President, Innovation and Chief Information Officer, Vancouver Airport Authority, and Lennert l’Amie, CIO, Royal Schiphol Group, will a joint keynote on how Vancouver Airport Authority is leveraging digital twins and AI to reimagine airport operations, and how is it partnering with other airports to co-develop intelligent solutions that shape the future of aviation. Read our compelling pre-event interview with Albert Van Veen here. “FTE Global is a unique opportunity to connect with peers who are navigating similar challenges and pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in aviation,” says Van Veen. “We’re looking forward to sharing our work on Digital Twin and AI, but even more so to the conversations and collaborations that happen on the side-lines – where real innovation often begins.”
Multiple conference tracks to create new levels of inspiration and engagement in 2025
Three conference tracks will be in focus at this year’s event – ‘Digital & Innovation’, ‘Future Airports’, and ‘Future Trends & Customer Journeys’. Sessions will focus on how airlines and airports should adapt, collaborate, leverage digital platforms, create new business models and reinvent the passenger experience going forward. Hear from industry leaders on a range of topics including digital transformation & automation, sustainability, reimagined customer experiences, commercial, workforce optimisation, digital identity, baggage and new areas such as Agentic AI.
Indeed, a key session will provide on ‘A deep-dive into Agentic AI and the move towards Artificial General Intelligence’. As part of our comprehensive pre-event coverage, read Part 1 and Part 2 of our focus on Agentic AI, with compelling insights from Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority, United Airlines, Lufthansa Industry Solutions, Publicis Sapient, Nagarro, CVG Airport, Aeroporti di Roma, and DataArt.
Meanwhile, among the deep-dive digital transformation case studies that will be shared, is a focus on how Schiphol is leveraging technology, design, and data with in-house developed intelligence that reduced passenger peaks by 22% and elevated airside efficiency and safety. Read our pre-event interview with Martijn van Boven, Product Manager, Amsterdam Airport Schiphol, here. “I’m excited to connect with peers who are shaping the future of aviation and to exchange ideas with innovators tackling similar challenges,” says van Boven. “I also look forward to inspiring others by sharing Schiphol’s approach of using intelligence behind the scenes to deliver real value to both our operations and our passengers.”
Landmark FTE Americas Innovate Awards and FTE Global Pioneer Awards
At the epicentre of FTE Global 2025 will be the region’s largest and most respected innovation competition: the FTE Americas Innovate Awards. Recognised as the industry’s definitive platform for showcasing transformative ideas, the awards see airlines, airports, and vendors present pioneering initiatives that are reshaping the future of travel. Alaska Airlines and Air Canada are shortlisted for Most Innovative Airline Initiative; Tampa International Airport, Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority are shortlisted for Most Innovative Airport Initiative; and BagCheck & Brock Solutions, Journey Robotics, RozieAI, DataArt, and Cignal are shortlisted for Best New Transformative Concept. The finalists are set to pitch their concepts live on stage before a judging panel and audience whose votes will decide the winners. Find out more about why they made the shortlist and what they will present in the pitch sessions in our in-depth preview article here.
Meanwhile, the shortlists for the FTE Global Pioneer Awards 2025 have been unveiled. Read our full awards preview here in which we recognise the broad, long-term commitment of these 24 pioneering airlines and airport operators from across the world that are consistently pushing the boundaries to enhance the passenger experience, drive innovation and redefine the future of air travel. Six of the 24 nominees will be presented with an ‘Outstanding Achievement’ trophy during the presentation ceremony in Long Beach, California. The ceremony will take place during the FTE Global 2025 Networking Party, sponsored by T-Mobile for Business, on 10 September, with the FTE Global Pioneer Awards sponsored by Assaia, providing the perfect opportunity to honour global innovators among industry friends and colleagues.
The FTE Global Networking Party will also be an opportunity to recognised members of the FTE Airline Digital Transformation Power List Americas 2025 and FTE Airport Digital Transformation Power List Americas 2025.
A premium social programme designed for high-level networking
FTE Global is renowned not only for its content and innovation but also for creating the most enjoyable and effective networking environments in the industry. Our premium social programme brings together forward-thinking leaders from across the globe in settings designed to spark meaningful conversation, new ideas, and lasting connections. This year’s line-up includes the lively Happy Hour on the exhibition floor, the unmissable FTE Global Networking Party, sponsored by T-Mobile for Business, at Hotel Maya – complete with stunning waterfront views and a high-energy atmosphere – as well as the FTE Global Pioneer Awards ceremony. The event will wrap up in style with the celebratory FTE Global Closing Party, which also hosts the live finale of the FTE Americas Innovate Awards. These one-of-a-kind social experiences are designed to make networking natural, enjoyable, and genuinely memorable.
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