The FTE Global Conference

At the heart of FTE Global is our world-class conference, where senior leaders, disruptors, and innovators share candid, revealing insights that shape the future of air transport.

2026 Theme: Transforming Travel Together

At the heart of FTE Global is a world-class conference programme designed to inspire, challenge and inform. Explore practical insights, fresh perspectives and breakthrough innovations across three dedicated tracks: Future Airports, Digital & Innovation, and Future Trends & Customer Journeys.
Hear from industry leaders and innovators from both within and beyond aviation as they share the ideas and strategies shaping the future of travel.

agendas now live

FTE Global 2026 Conference Programmes Launched!

We are excited to launch the first details of our three landmark conference tracks. Click below to explore the comprehensive schedule at a glance, highlighting key sessions, timings, and speakers shaping this year's landmark 20th Anniversary event.

Explore the Live Agenda

Agenda Launched

Digital & Innovation Conference

Leverage data, digital platforms, and innovation to evolve, create new business models, and reinvent operations & passenger experiences. Topics include digital transformation, AI, Robotics, and digital twins.

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Agenda Launched

Future Airports Conference

Focus on how future airports should adapt, look, collaborate, and operate. Cover digital transformation, identity, biometrics, security, planning, design, energy & sustainability, baggage, and ramp.

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Agenda Launched

Future Trends & Customer Journeys

Shaping the end-to-end passenger experience from booking, airport terminal processes, inflight, and seamless immigration, and understanding how technology will facilitate this journey.

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Latest Speakers Confirmed

Meet the latest confirmed speakers joining the FTE Global 2026 conference programme.

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Chris McLaughlin

CEO DFW International Airport

Andrew Watterson

Chief Operating Officer Southwest Airlines

Patrick Carreno

Director of Aviation Dallas Love Field Airport

John Thomas

CEO Connect Airlines

Thomas Hoff Andersson

Managing Director & Chief Operating Officer Munich Airport

Brian Tossan

Chief Technology Officer Greater Toronto Airports Authority

Gerhard Girkinger

Vice President, Customer Experience and Airports Oneworld

Sharon McCloskey

VP Customer Experience Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport

Douglas Wycoff

Director Digital Technologies & Innovation Tampa International Airport

Courtney Moore

Chief Revenue and Experience Officer Los Angeles World Airports

Tom Stevens

VP Customer Experience and Service Operations Air Canada

Wesley Almeida

Chief Technology Officer Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport

Steve Goldberg

SVP of Operations and Hospitality Southwest Airlines

Gary Tomasulo

Vice President, Corporate Security & Chief Security Officer American Airlines

Mohamed Charkas

EVP, Chief Development and Infrastructure Officer DFW International Airport

Martha Todd Edge

Innovation & Experience Director Charlotte Douglas International Airport

Scott Goodwin, C.M.

Assistant Vice President (AVP), Airport Operations Greater Orlando Aviation Authority

Amber Simonsen

Director, Passenger Service Systems Integration Alaska Airlines

Phillip Elchitz

Director, Operations & Innovation Kelowna International Airport

Allen Yuarata

Director - Terminal, Baggage and Groundside Services Vancouver Airport Authority

Beth Larkcom

Director of Strategic Innovation Cincinnati / Northern Kentucky International Airport

Kosuke Yamada

Director ANA Future Frontier Fund

Christian George Kessler

Airports Transformation & Innovation Manager Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority

Keith Walters

Group Transformation Lead IAGi

Melissa Conley

Executive Director Transportation Security Administration (TSA)

Guðmundur Karl Gautason

Director of Innovation Isavia

Nicola Smith

Sr. AI Advisor Southwest Airlines

Gus Naughton

Principal Software Engineer – Innovation Alaska Airlines

Ted Gordon

VP Airport Affairs Southwest Airlines

Paul Puopolo

Executive Vice President of Innovation Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport

Stuart Holdstock

Head of projects and processes – Operations Lufthansa

Diego Alonso Tabares

Airport Operations Senior Engineer Airbus

Jerome Woodward

Executive Vice President of Operations DFW International Airport

Jim Moses

Senior Vice President of DFW Operations American Airlines

Paul Drury

VP Product Development and Innovation DFW International Airport

Kushal Pasari

Director of GenAI & ML Engineering United Airlines

Justin Bundick

VP Artificial Intelligence & Intelligence Platforms Southwest Airlines

Ernest Huffman

Program Manager of Aviation Planning and Education North Central Texas Council of Governments (NCTCOG)

Kevin Kleist

Head of Emerging Trends Southwest Airlines

Lori Daigle

Program Manager for Outreach & Education, Identity Management AAMVA (American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators)

Ryan Propis

Vice President of Security and Facilitation U.S. Travel Association

Samuel Ingalls

Principal Barich, Inc

Nicole Williams

Executive Director Ernst & Young

Corey Clothier

Co-founder & CEO ARIBO

Justin Kester

VP-Global Sales Synaptic Aviation

James Samperi

Managing Partner Engine

Manuel van Lijf

Director Aviation Innovation nlmtd

Jayson Ahern

Area Port Director / Dallas US CBP

Teaque Lenahan

Managing Partner & Group VP Publicis Sapient

Gino Matteoni

Chief Operating Officer dnata USA

Dr. Joe Leader

Group CEO APEX/FTE/IFSA

Max Gosney

Managing Director Future Travel Experience

Ryan Ghee

Chief Operating Officer Future Travel Experience

Darin Juby

Head of Transformation Future Travel Experience

2026 Conference Tracks

Future Airports

Future Airlines

Digital & Innovation

Future Trends & Customer Journeys

Smart Ramp & Baggage

Ancillary & Retailing

Design & Development

Air Mobility X

A Track Record of World-Class Keynotes

Over the years, FTE Global has welcomed some of the most influential leaders in aviation, technology, and beyond. Our keynote stage has featured industry icons such as:

Scott Kirby

CEO United Airlines

Mo Gawdat

Author, 'Solve for Happy' Chief Business Officer (2015-2018) Vice President of Business Innovation (2013-2015) Google X

Ted Christie

Industry Pioneer and Former President & CEO, Spirit Airlines

Christine Trodella

Vice President Meta

Max Coppin

Partner Development Manager Google

Christina Cassotis

CEO Pittsburgh International Airport

Russell Dicker

Head of Airport Experience Uber Technologies

Dirk Ahlborn

CEO JumpStarter Inc & Hyperloop Transportation Technologies, Inc

Alison Taylor

Chief Customer Officer American Airlines

Brian Loo

Senior Director of Operations Development Meow Wolf

Jay Dryer

AAVP Program Director NASA

Gil West

Senior Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Delta Air Lines

Michael Tchao

VP Product Marketing Apple

Michael Rousseau

President and Chief Executive Officer Air Canada

John Couluris

Vice President, Lunar Permanence Blue Origin

Jacqueline Yaft

CEO Austin-Bergstrom International Airport

Brian J. Glaser

Ph.D, VP & Chief Talent and Learning Officer, Member of Board of Advisors, LIFT Airline & original start up team member of JetBlue Google

Jeff Shaw

EVP Brand Partnerships & Business Strategy Live Nation Entertainment

Shai Weiss

CEO Virgin Atlantic

Ben Smith

CEO Air France KLM

Anton Vidgen

Vice President, Guest Experience Riyadh Air

David Decker

President Content Sales Warner Bros. Discovery

Albert Van Veen

Vice President, Innovation and Chief Information Officer Vancouver Airport Authority

Lennert l'Amie

CIO Royal Schiphol Group

Jude Bricker

CEO Sun Country Airlines

Become a Speaker

Mo Gawdat, Former Chief Business Officer, Google [X] & Founder, One Billion Happy, keynoting at FTE Global

Apple's first-ever keynote address at a passenger experience event, delivered by Apple's VP of Technology at FTE Global

Virgin Galactic sharing their vision on the Future Travel Experience stage

Christina Cassotis, CEO, Pittsburgh International Airport, presenting on-stage

Joe Taylor, former Chairman & CEO, Panasonic Corporation of North America, presenting at FTE Global

Scott Kirby, CEO, United Airlines, keynoting on-stage at Future Travel Experience Global

David Decker, VP Content Exhibition & Operations, Walt Disney Television, speaking at FTE Global

Shai Weiss, CEO, Virgin Atlantic, speaking at FTE Global

FTE GLOBAL 2026

Ready to join the industry's most influential innovation event?

Join airlines, airports, vendors, startups and industry leaders in Dallas for three days of networking, learning and business opportunities.

Created with the support of the FTE Advisory Board

Questions? Contact our team

Event Partners and Sponsors

Vital Event Information

Future Travel Experience Global 2026 will bring together airlines, airports, government agencies, vendors, startups, terminal designers, architects, ground handlers, destination partners, and other key travel industry stakeholders to collaborate and be inspired to transform passenger experience, business performance, and sustainability strategies.

Event:: Future Travel Experience Global 2026
Date:: 8–10 September 2026
Location:: Gaylord Texan Resort & Convention Center, Dallas–Fort Worth, Texas, United States