IFSA Global Expo is an important annual event for the inflight services sector, where airline executives, catering companies and suppliers, and many other industry players assemble every year to learn, collaborate, try the latest products and technologies, and do business. There are many new developments for the 2026 event in September.
The expo is organised by IFSA (the International Flight Services Association), which is a global professional association created to serve the needs and interests of airline and rail personnel, caterers, and the suppliers responsible for providing inflight services on travel routes around the globe.
IFSA strives to serve the needs of its members (which include 60+ airlines and 160+ suppliers and caterers) by growing global airline engagement, positively influencing industry regulations, and amplifying the voice of the industry.
An interesting evolution for the 2026 Expo, which takes place on September 8-10, is its new location at the Gaylord Texan Resort and Convention Center, located close to Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) in Texas. IFSA Global Expo has been held at Long Beach, California for many years, and the show organisers say the change of venue has already generated a renewed sense of excitement among exhibitors and planned visitors. Indeed, DFW is the fourth-busiest airport in the world after Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta, Dubai, and Tokyo Haneda, according to Airports Council International (ACI).
There will be more than 200 exhibitor booths on the show floor at IFSA Global Expo, which will be visited by hundreds of representatives from dozens of airlines and many industry professionals (nearly 1,000 attended the 2025 show), to explore the latest options for food, beverages, amenities, and inflight services.
Popular IFSA Global Expo features return
As ever, IFSA Global EXPO also includes a conference programme. This will include thought leadership sessions covering digital catering and the evolving definition of premium offerings for passengers. The sessions will also include discussions of evolving food safety standards, which will spotlight the launch of IFSA’s latest World Food Safety Guidelines.
Another treat is that, on the final evening of the event, delegates can gather to celebrate the winners of the 2027 IFSA Awards. The awards span several categories: Best Food & Beverage (Meal Service); Best Food & Beverage (Buy Onboard); Best Food & Beverage (Beverage Program) sponsored by Bottega; Best Onboard Amenity (Business Class); Best Onboard Amenity (Specialty); and Best Tableware Presentation.
The popular live chef demonstrations are also back for the Texas show. These will include American Airlines showcasing its new inflight Texas barbecue offerings created in partnership with Pecan Lodge, allowing attendees to sample the same dishes currently being served on flights out of DFW to destinations including New York, Boston, and Los Angeles.
IFSA guests will be able to enjoy brisket, smoked sausage, signature sides, and Pecan Lodge’s famous barbecue sauce – all inspired by the onboard menu – while learning how American integrates local flavours into its premium cabin dining programme.
Another chef demonstration will be delivered by Aeroméxico. Adriana Noriega, director of gastronomic innovation and quality at Les Croissants Banquetes, a fine dining restaurant based in Mexico City, will present some of the dishes she has created in collaboration with the airline.
There is also a special breakfast hosted for airline delegates on 9th September between 07:45 and 08:45.
Co-located with the FTE Global & PCIAW shows
IFSA Global EXPO attendees will have access to two concurrent events during their time in Dallas. The first is Future Travel Experience’s flagship event, FTE Global, which focuses on artificial intelligence (AI), customer experience (CX) and trends in aviation innovation.
Additionally, the Professional Clothing Industry Association Worldwide (PCIAW) is hosting the third iteration of its Airline Clothing Show, the definitive educational destination for uniform buyers.
The PCIAW event will feature a catwalk show that the organisers say “showcases how luxury tailoring survives the ‘real world’ of a cabin crew’s 14-hour shift, from spilled coffee to emergency drills.”
With both Delta and Land’s end as headline sponsors, the event will also celebrate the global debut of ‘Distinctly Delta,’ a uniform collection created by the airline in collaboration with the American workwear retailer.
2026 marks the first time PCIAW will also host its own thought leadership sessions, including a report on the technical journey of the Digital Product Passport (DPP) – an incoming regulatory obligation that requires a scannable digital record on workwear that tracks the piece of clothing’s lifecycle, material origins, and environmental footprint – from start to finish.
There is still time to register to attend the IFSA Global Expo. To sign up, click here.
