IATA to host finance and passenger symposiums jointly in Macao in 2026

The International Air Transport Association will hold its World Financial Symposium and World Passenger Symposium as a joint event in Macao on 28–29 October 2026. The meeting is organised under the theme "From Vision to Value: The Next Era of Air Travel".

According to IATA, the agenda will examine how airlines convert advances in artificial intelligence, digital identity, modern retailing and new payment technologies into practical gains for their operations and for passengers. Sandrine Le Borgne, IATA's Interim Director General and Senior Vice President, Corporate Services, and CFO, said those technologies hold considerable potential to change how carriers work and how travellers experience flying, and that turning that potential into value shapes the programme.

Executives from finance, commercial, operations and customer experience roles are expected to discuss technologies and processes already producing results, along with difficulties that remain around implementation, efficiency and resilience.

The event opens with remarks from Le Borgne and from Stanley Pun, President of the Civil Aviation Authority of the Macao SAR. The opening session also includes the IATA Industry Economic Outlook and findings from the 2026 IATA Global Passenger Survey.

Programming is split into three specialised tracks.