iGA Istanbul Airport to host the 2026 ACI World Airport Experience Summit 

Türkiye’s flagship hub to spotlight excellence in airport customer and employee experience

Guangzhou, China, 11 September 2025 – Airports Council International (ACI) World today announced that iGA Istanbul Airport will host the 8th edition of the ACI World Airport Experience Summit from 31 August–4 September 2026 in Istanbul, Türkiye.

The ACI World Airport Experience Summit is the premier global event dedicated to airport experience. The event brings together executives and experts from around the world to share insights, strategies, and solutions that shape the customer and employee experience.

iGA Istanbul Airport highlights

• Opened in 2019; now one of the world’s leading aviation hubs at the crossroads of Europe, Asia-Pacific, and the Middle East
• Named the world’s best-connected airport in ACI EUROPE’s 2025 Airport Industry Connectivity Report
• Handled over 80 million passengers in 2024; target of 120 million within the next decade
• First in Europe to launch simultaneous triple runway operations in 2025, boosting capacity and efficiency
• New collaboration with Chicago O’Hare Airport to exchange expertise in operations and sustainability

ACI World Director General Justin Erbacci said: “iGA Istanbul Airport is an exceptional choice to host the 2026 ACI World Airport Experience Summit—where the next decade of passenger and employee experience will be shaped. As a global hub with remarkable growth and a forward-looking approach to customer experience, iGA Istanbul Airport exemplifies excellence in both passenger and employee experience, digital transformation, and operational resilience. We are confident iGA Istanbul Airport will offer invaluable insights and a warm welcome to our global airport community.”

iGA Istanbul Airport CEO Selahattin Bilgen said: “It’s our pleasure to welcome the 2026 ACI World Airport Experience Summit to Türkiye.  The opportunity to host this prestigious global event at iGA Istanbul Airport next year, is recognition of how far we’ve come in such a short space of time. This will be a great opportunity to celebrate our status as the world’s best-connected airport, as we share new ideas, showcase innovation, and celebrate global aviation.

“We’re proud that Istanbul will not only be a part of shaping the next chapter in world-class travel and exceptional passenger experiences, but that it is also central to new ideas and high-profile discussions that will occur between aviation leaders from around the world.”

Key highlights from the 2025 ACI World Airport Experience Summit

The announcement was made today at the Closing and Handover Ceremony of the 7th edition in Guangzhou, China. Highlights from this year’s event include:

• Global gathering: Brought together over 1,400 attendees from around the world.
• Thought leadership: Featured 15 panels and sessions with insights from top executives and 57 keynote speakers shaping the future of passenger and employee experience.
• Celebrating excellence: The prestigious ACI ASQ Awards and Customer Experience Accreditations celebrated over 181 airports setting new global benchmarks in service quality.
• Top speakers: Global leaders from major airports, Plaza Premium Group, Amadeus, Groupe ADP, and The Ritz-Carlton shared insights on innovation, digital transformation, and operational resilience.

These highlights reinforce the Summit as the premier global event dedicated to airport experience, advancing collaboration and innovation across the world’s airports.

About ACI 

Airports Council International (ACI), the trade association of the world’s airports, is a federated organization comprising ACI World, ACI Africa, ACI Asia-Pacific and Middle East, ACI EUROPE, ACI Latin America and the Caribbean and ACI North America. In representing the best interests of airports during key phases of policy development, ACI makes a significant contribution toward ensuring a global air transport system that is safe, secure, efficient, and environmentally sustainable. As of January 2025, ACI serves 830 members, operating 2,181 airports in 170 countries.

About iGA Istanbul Airport

iGA Istanbul Airport, the largest infrastructure project in the history of the Turkish Republic, has been serving passengers since April 6, 2019. As Türkiye’s gateway to the world, it continues to operate as the region’s most important global transfer center. In addition to numerous international awards, iGA Istanbul Airport was named the “World’s Best Airport” in 2025 by Travel + Leisure and Conde Nast magazines.

In an area of 76.5 million square meters, the airport is planned to be completed in four phases. The first phase includes five operational runways and a terminal with a capacity of 90 million passengers. Once all phases are completed, the airport is expected to serve up to 200 million passengers annually.

Editor notes

1. Learn more about ACI World Airport Experience Summit.
2. Learn more about ACI’s ASQ Awards and Customer Experience Accreditations.