Exclusive Behind-the-Scenes Tour of DFW Airport – Fully Booked!
Don't miss this unique opportunity to experience the inner workings of one of the world's busiest airports.
Tuesday 8 September 2026
FTE Smart Ramp meeting (Members only)
FTE Digital, Innovation & Startup Hub meeting at Southwest HQ (members only)
Networking Welcome Party at Glass Cactus (featuring the FTE Hall of Fame Ceremony)
Wednesday 9 September 2026
08:30 - 18:00
Registration open
Opening Keynote Session
Welcome Address:
Max Gosney
Managing Director
Future Travel Experience
Airport CEO Fireside Chat:
Building the future of travel: Resilience and innovation at DFW Airport
Outside of the industry keynote:
More human, powered by AI: The future of hospitality
Moderator
Airline CEO Fireside Chat
Alison Sider
Air Travel Reporter
The Wall Street Journal
Exhibition Hall Opening & Networking Break on the show floor
Join us as we officially open the exhibition hall and unveil the latest innovations, live demonstrations, technology showcases, and products from across the aviation industry.
Take the opportunity to enjoy a light breakfast or a hot drink while exploring the show floor, connecting with exhibitors, and networking with fellow attendees before a full day of inspiring conference sessions and business meetings.
Tech & Innovation Briefing on the exhibition floor – Artificial Intelligence
The popular Tech & Innovation Briefings on the exhibition floor allow attendees to join guided tours and meet exhibitors with relevant products, services, and concepts. You can expect tailored guided tours from solution providers covering: Artificial Intelligence; Self-Service, Automation & Baggage; and Robotics & Autonomous Vehicles.
Keynote: Fireside Chat with Southwest Airlines
Moderator:
Max Gosney
Managing Director
Future Travel Experience
Keynote:
How Southwest Airlines will use technology to achieve its aim to be the world’s most loved, most efficient, and most profitable airline
Lauren Woods
Executive Vice President & Chief Information Officer
Southwest Airlines
Airline and airport leadership strategies to be future-ready
How do we bridge the gap between legacy leadership and future-ready air transport, and how can the sector unlock hidden capacity, operational efficiency and revenues by recalibrating their future strategies and maximising collaboration?
Moderator:
Dr. Joe Leader
Group CEO
APEX/FTE/IFSA
Panellists:
Bernadette Berger
Director of Innovation
Alaska Airlines
Thomas Hoff Andersson
Managing Director & Chief Operating Officer
Munich Airport
Andrew Watterson
Chief Operating Officer
Southwest Airlines
Patrick Carreno
Director of Aviation
Dallas Love Field Airport
Topics for discussion:
- How are industry stakeholders preparing for significantly higher passenger numbers in the future and where are the greatest opportunities to unlock hidden capacity?
- What should be the primary driving force in determining future strategies for airlines and airports?
- How can airlines, airports and their partners create deeper strategic partnerships that improve efficiency, passenger experience and profitability for all parties?
- As the industry navigates economic uncertainty, sustainability pressures, workforce challenges, and changing traveller expectations, what new business models or revenue opportunities will define the most successful airlines and airports over the next decade?
- What will the workforce of the future look like in an increasingly automated air transport industry?
- What must our industry do to meet its environmental and sustainability responsibilities, and what should different stakeholders be doing today to play their part in this?
- How do you see the industry evolving with the introduction of technologies and trends like physical AI, eVTOLs and new types of aircraft?
- Looking ahead to 2050, how different will the air travel experience look in comparison to today?
13:00 - 14:30
Lunch and networking on the exhibition floor with exclusive launches and unveilings
The FTE Global Moonshot Competition
At the epicentre of this show is the industry’s most exciting competition to seek out the very best new ideas to change our industry for the better. Competitors will pitch on-stage in an effort to impress our judges and audience, whose all-important votes will dictate who wins.
The format will be 5-minute pitch sessions by 5 shortlisted entries with quick-fire questions and comments from the judges on their transformative concept.
Judging Panel:
Thomas Hoff Andersson
Managing Director & Chief Operating Officer
Munich Airport
Samuel Ingalls
Principal
Barich, Inc
Hosted by:
Kevin Kleist
Head of Emerging Trends
Southwest Airlines
Finalists:
A new class of fully electric hydrogen fuel cell propulsion systems for future commercial aircraft
Cedric Cocaud
Head of Research, Technology and Innovation
Airbus
The open airport: Rethinking security screening from the checkpoint to the gate
Christian George Kessler
Airports Transformation & Innovation Manager
Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority
AWARE: Advanced Warning and Response Engine
Jonah Johnson
Sr. Product Manager
DFW International Airport
The Smart Tunnel: A next-generation passenger checkpoint
Sukhvir Singh Mavi
Director – Emerging Technologies
King Salman International Airport
Beyond the terminal: The distributed airport
Akemi Kimura
Assistant Manager
ZIPAIR
The Customer Experience Leaders Symposium
Format:
The moderator will set the scene, and then each speaker will talk for three minutes from their seat on how they are evolving to serve the needs of all passengers. After everyone has voiced their opinion, the panel will share their ideas for the future, which could touch on some of the following key topics:
- How are airlines, airports and their partners embracing the latest technologies and trends to reimagine the end-to-end customer journey?
- How can you find the right balance between digital and human assistance across different classes of passenger?
- How can you successfully deliver a positive and inclusive experience for passengers of all types?
- In terms of passenger accessibility, how can airlines, airports and their partners go beyond compliance and truly excel as a sector?
- How can the industry better utilise data to deliver more seamless and personalised experiences?
- How can the industry make significant CX improvements during disruption situations?
- What are the main challenges to delivering perfect passenger (and baggage) journeys, and can industry stakeholders collaborate to overcome them?
- Can we take more processes away from the airport in the future, and deliver more choice to the passengers on their day of travel?
Moderator:
Jordan Parker
Aviation Reporter
The Dallas Morning News
Panellists:
Rhonda Crawford
Senior Vice President of Customer Experience Design and Strategy
American Airlines
Martha Todd Edge
Innovation & Experience Director
Charlotte Douglas International Airport
Gerhard Girkinger
Vice President, Customer Experience and Airports
Oneworld
Drew McMullen
Director of the Americas
Atrius
David Sconzo
Sr. Customer Experience Manager/Assistant FIFA Lead
Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport
Speed Networking Forum – Discover the Airlines
Following its highly successful debut at APEX FTE EMEA in Dublin, the initiative returns to Dallas and is bigger than ever. This airline-focused session offers attendees the chance to book guaranteed 5-minute introductory meetings with multiple airline buyers who will be hosting meeting tables.
The emphasis is on fostering airline-supplier collaborations on new technologies and sowing the seeds for long-term profit boosting business partnerships.
Participation is included at no additional cost as part of your FTE Global registration, although places are limited and meetings will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.
15:30 - 16:30
Networking on the exhibition floor
Special presentation: From next-generation mobility to airport automation – how the ANA Future Frontier Fund successfully identifies the startups redefining the future of travel
Kosuke Yamada
Director
ANA Future Frontier Fund
Understanding the trends, and factors, that will impact customer journeys and future strategies of airports and airlines by 2040
What are the changes coming in the near future such as new types of aircraft and technology, plus industry developments like walkthrough screening, no bags in customs, connection updates, or enhancements at the TSA checkpoint that would have a significant impact on the way airlines and airports should plan around when forging future strategies?
Format:
Following scene-setting from the moderator, each presenter will talk for 5 minutes to share their views before a fast-moving panel discussion begins.
Moderator’s scene-setting presentation:
The technologies and trends re-shaping the air transport ecosystem
Stefan Sandoval Yepes
Investments Principal
SKY VC
Panellists:
Ernest Huffman
Program Manager of Aviation Planning and Education
North Central Texas Council of Governments (NCTCOG)
Erika Moore
Chief Officer, Strategy & Growth | Travel, Transportation & Hospitality
Coforge
Harald Sieke
Head of Department Aviation Logistics
Fraunhofer IML
Gus Naughton
Principal Software Engineer – Innovation
Alaska Airlines
Paul Mills
Vice President, Strategy & Transformation
International Airlines Group (IAG)
Sponsored by
More speakers to be announced soon
100 years on: What’s next for American Airlines as the carrier marks its centenary?
Moderator:
Henry Harteveldt
President / Travel Industry Analyst and Advisor
Atmosphere Research Group
Keynote speaker:
Nat Pieper
Chief Commercial Officer
American Airlines
FTE Global Networking Drinks (featuring the FTE Global Moonshot Competition Ceremony)
Make the most of the vital networking opportunities provided during this networking reception where delegates can enjoy demonstrations in the exhibition and network with their peers over drinks.
The reception will also provide the perfect location for our Moonshot Competition co-host, Kevin Kleist, Head of Emerging Trends, Southwest Airlines & Head of Innovation & Startup Engagement, Future Travel Experience, to reveal the winner of the FTE Global Moonshot Competition.
Thursday 10 September 2026
08:00 - 16:00
Registration open
U.S. CBP Symposium
U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s efforts to further secure and enhance air travel through technology innovation
CBP has expanded public/private partnerships with the airlines, airports, and cruise lines to provide travellers a secure, seamless, and touchless inspections process that further enhances the passenger experience. With an expected increase in travel to the United States for the major sporting events, as seen with the World Cup this past summer, and the upcoming LA Olympics in 2028, CBP is innovating the inspections process to add an extra layer of security while streamlining entry into the U.S. through a number of initiatives. In this session, CBP officials will provide an update on CBP’s ongoing efforts to leverage advanced technology like facial biometrics and mobile applications in the arrivals process while highlighting the local stakeholder partnerships at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) and the successful planning for the World Cup.
Moderator:
Samuel Ingalls
Principal
Barich, Inc
Scene-setting presentation:
Judson W. Murdock II
Director of Field Operations (DFO), Houston Field Office, Office of Field Operations (OFO)
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP)
Speakers:
Jayson Ahern
Area Port Director / Dallas
US CBP
Gary Tomasulo
Vice President, Corporate Security & Chief Security Officer
American Airlines
Jerome Woodard
Executive Vice President of Operations
DFW International Airport
Lawanda Hale
Deputy Federal Security Director, DFW Airport
Transportation Security Administration (TSA)
09:00 - 16:00
Exhibition open
Day 2 Opening Keynote
Moderated by:
Dr. Joe Leader
Group CEO
APEX/FTE/IFSA
Fireside Chat:
The Glowing Hearted edge: AI, innovation, and the human experience at Air Canada
Advancing digital identity & seamless travel efforts
Format
The panel will share a range of dynamic approaches and learnings on how they are advancing digital identity to deliver next-level customer experiences and efficiencies for industry stakeholders, and ideas on how the industry can build compelling business cases and swiftly scale the use of facial technology for passenger, and industry, benefit.
Moderator:
Ryan Propis
Vice President of Security and Facilitation
U.S. Travel Association
Panellists:
Douglas Wycoff
Director Digital Technologies & Innovation
Tampa International Airport
Lori Daigle
Program Manager for Outreach & Education, Identity Management
AAMVA (American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators)
Nicole Williams
Executive Director
Ernst & Young
Topics for discussion:
- What does a truly seamless, digital identity-enabled journey look like, and how close are we to making it a reality?
- How can we increase the pace of the rollout of digital identity efforts across the industry? Also, what are the barriers preventing a speedier rollout and how can these be addressed?
- What are the main benefits of AI-enabled biometrics in terms of enhancing CX and customer service?
- What impact could AI-powered biometrics potentially have on optimising the way airports are designed and understanding how travellers interact with facilities?
- To what extent can digital identity/biometrics help to facilitate more personalised services for travellers? Is the industry ready to tap into this potential?
- What are the biggest cybersecurity considerations for airports and airlines when it comes to digital identity and biometrics rollouts?
- What more can suppliers do to support industry progress, and the desire for increased interoperability?
- What steps must the industry take to ensure passengers have confidence in how their personal data is collected, stored, and used?
- How can you successfully build a business case for the rollout of biometrics/digital identity?
10:30 - 11:30
Networking break on exhibition floor
Tech & Innovation Briefing on the exhibition floor – Self-Service, Automation & Baggage
Guided tour within the exhibition hall
The popular Tech & Innovation Briefings on the exhibition floor allow attendees to join guided tours and meet exhibitors with relevant products, services, and concepts. You can expect tailored guided tours from solution providers covering: Artificial Intelligence; Self-Service, Automation & Baggage; and Robotics & Autonomous Vehicles.
How AI and other new technologies are reimagining the end-to-end customer journey and empowering customer-facing staff
This interactive panel discussion will reveal some of the secrets to using AI and other new technologies to reimagine end-to-end customer journeys, and empower staff along the way.
Format:
Each presenter will talk for 3 to 5 minutes to set the scene, before a fast-moving panel discussion.
Moderator:
Brian Cobb
Chief Innovation Officer
Cincinnati / Northern Kentucky International Airport
Panellists:
Courtney Moore
Chief Revenue and Experience Officer
Los Angeles World Airports
Sharon McCloskey
VP Customer Experience
Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport
Nicola Smith
Sr. AI Advisor
Southwest Airlines
Bret Greenstein
Chief AI Officer
West Monroe
Sponsored by
Cybersecurity workshop: Balancing business innovation and cybersecurity to safeguard operations, passengers and data
Alternative Session Choice
Cybersecurity has never been more critical. As the aviation industry embraces digital transformation, increasingly sophisticated threats, expanding attack surfaces, and the rapid adoption of AI and autonomous technologies are creating new security challenges across the ecosystem. In this interactive workshop, Theresa Blackwell-Frank, President & Chief Information Security Officer at Virtuo Group Corporation, will draw on her extensive experience across the airport industry and other sectors – including with the likes of Pittsburgh International Airport, City of Houston and Houston First Corporation – to explore today’s evolving cyber threat landscape. Attendees will gain practical insights into strengthening cyber resilience while enabling innovation, with a focus on balancing the adoption of smart technologies and digital infrastructure with the need to safeguard sensitive passenger, operational, and business-critical data from emerging threats.
Led by
Theresa Blackwell-Frank
President & Chief Information Security Officer
Virtuo Group Corporation
Tech & Innovation Briefing on the exhibition floor – Robotics & Autonomous Vehicles
The popular Tech & Innovation Briefings on the exhibition floor allow attendees to join guided tours and meet exhibitors with relevant products, services, and concepts. You can expect tailored guided tours from solution providers covering: Artificial Intelligence; Self-Service, Automation & Baggage; and Robotics & Autonomous Vehicles.
12:30 - 14:00
Lunch and networking on the exhibition floor with exclusive launches and unveilings
Speed Networking Forum – Discover the Airports
Following its highly successful debut at APEX FTE EMEA in Dublin, the initiative returns to Dallas and is bigger than ever. This airport-focused session offers attendees the chance to book guaranteed 5-minute introductory meetings with multiple airline buyers who will be hosting meeting tables.
The emphasis is on fostering airline-supplier collaborations on new technologies and sowing the seeds for long-term profit boosting business partnerships.
Participation is included at no additional cost as part of your FTE Global registration, although places are limited and meetings will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.
Post-lunch keynote: One year on: The biggest lessons learned from the opening of Pittsburgh International Airport's new terminal
Moderator:
Ryan Ghee
Chief Operating Officer
Future Travel Experience
Keynote Fireside Chat
In, out and around: Future airport mobility approaches
What are the new ways in which passengers will arrive and move through the airport, and how should the industry prepare for that?
Format:
Following a scene-setting presentation, the moderator will lead an interactive panel discussion.
Moderator:
Beth Larkcom
Director of Strategic Innovation
Cincinnati / Northern Kentucky International Airport
Panellists:
Ted Gordon
VP Airport Affairs
Southwest Airlines
Arica Gately
Airport Partnerships
Waymo
Max Coppin
General Manager UK
Joby Aviation
Javier Centeno
Assistant Director - Aviation Operations
City Of Dallas Dept of Aviation
Topics for discussion include:
- What does the future airport mobility ecosystem look like, and how will it reshape the way passengers travel to, from and around airports?
- What are the biggest challenges that must be overcome before solutions such as eVTOLs become a scalable part of airline/airport operations?
- How can airports integrate emerging mobility solutions with existing transport networks, including rail, road, public transit and parking infrastructure, to create a seamless passenger journey?
- What are the strongest commercial and operational opportunities created by new mobility approaches, and how can airports and airlines ensure they generate a return on investment?
- Looking 10 years ahead, what will be the most significant change in how passengers access airports, and which mobility innovations are most likely to become part of everyday travel?
Closing Keynote Session
Moderator:
Jordan Parker
Aviation Reporter
The Dallas Morning News
Keynote speakers:
FTE Global Unofficial Wrap-Up Drinks
After two days of learning, networking, and inspiration, we invite you to unwind with an informal drink. Rock & Brews is just 12 minutes from the Gaylord Convention Center and 6 minutes from DFW Airport—perfect for a quick drink, a casual bite, or a last stop before you head out.
![Mo Gawdat, Former Chief Business Officer, Google [X] & Founder, One Billion Happy, keynoting at FTE Global](https://www.futuretravelexperience.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/5-Mo-Gawdat.jpg)
