New food safety guidelines, AI-driven catering, chef-created menus, and the first expanded IFSA Awards: the world’s inflight services industry mapped what comes next at EXPO 2026, co-located with Future Travel Experience Global, and set the agenda for 2027.
DALLAS, TEXAS (10 September 2026) – The International Flight Services Association (IFSA) concluded its 2026 Global EXPO today, bringing airlines, caterers, suppliers and technology companies together in Dallas, Texas to examine the developments reshaping inflight services, from artificial intelligence and food safety to premium hospitality and culinary innovation. Held 8-10 September at the Gaylord Texan Resort & Convention Center, the event drew nearly 1,000 attendees and marked a new chapter for IFSA, featuring an exhibit floor co-located with the Future Travel Experience (FTE) Global EXPO, three thought leadership sessions, live chef demonstrations, the expanded IFSA Awards program, and more.
“IFSA sits at the heart of the onboard experience. Everything a passenger tastes, drinks, and touches in the cabin, from food and beverage to amenities and the food safety standards, our members are behind them,” said Lauren Costello, IFSA Executive Director. “This year that expertise advanced at remarkable speed, with new global food safety guidelines, chef-driven menus, and the first expanded IFSA Awards. Co-located with Future Travel Experience Global, IFSA Global EXPO 2026 brought the entire journey into one room, from the tray table to the technology and design shaping travel end to end, and that is exactly why this show matters and keeps growing.”
The EXPO’s thought leadership program focused on three areas with direct implications for the future of onboard service, highlighting how advances in safety, hospitality, technology and culinary innovation can elevate the passenger experience while strengthening the operations behind it.
Food Safety First: The Future of Global Inflight Standards examined the role of food safety in passenger trust and operational consistency across the inflight supply chain. The session also marked the launch of IFSA’s 2026 World Food Safety Guidelines, which combine the association’s previous Guidelines and Implementation Guide into a single resource for airline catering operations. The discussion brought together food safety leaders from IFSA, gategroup, Newrest and Porsche Consulting.
Premium by Design: The New Era of Airline Hospitality discussed how airlines are redefining premium service across cabins as passenger expectations evolve. Panelists discussed chef-driven menus, dining on demand, buy-onboard programs, brand collaborations and the growing role of the inflight experience in differentiation and loyalty. The panel featured leaders from Southwest Airlines, Saudia, Delta Air Lines, and JSX.
Turning Data into Dinner: How AI Is Transforming Airline Catering explored how airlines, caterers and technology providers are applying forecasting, digital ordering, inventory planning and personalization to improve catering operations, reduce waste and better align onboard offerings with passenger demand. The session brought together speakers from Airbus, International Airlines Group, United Airlines, Paxia and SkyChefs. Read more here.
Beyond the sessions, live chef demonstrations brought the industry’s culinary conversation to life, showing how airlines are weaving regional flavors, culinary partnerships, and passenger-focused dining into the onboard experience. American Airlines and Pecan Lodge showcased the airline’s Texas barbecue offering, including brisket, smoked sausage, signature sides and barbecue sauce, while Aeroméxico presented signature and seasonal dishes developed with Chef Adriana Noriega, including sautéed shrimp with tamarind and tequila, Chile en Nogada, and a dessert inspired by cajeta from Guanajuato. Together, the demonstrations highlighted the growing role of regional culinary traditions in creating distinctive onboard dining.
On the final day, IFSA unveiled the winners of its expanded Awards program, recognizing achievements across six categories, including food and beverage, onboard amenities and tableware. Read more about the 2026 winners here.
The progress showcased at IFSA Global EXPO points to an inflight services industry with greater opportunity to make every element of the passenger journey more thoughtful, reliable and responsive. As airlines and their partners look toward what comes next, IFSA remains focused on advancing the standards, knowledge and collaboration needed to turn progress into meaningful improvements across the onboard experience.
IFSA Global EXPO returns in 2027, and the momentum from Dallas carries straight into it, with the onboard experience at the center of the conversation. For highlights, images, and details on next year’s show, please visit ifsa.aero or follow IFSA on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.
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About the International Flight Services Association (IFSA)
The International Flight Services Association (IFSA) is a global professional association serving the needs and interests of airline and railway personnel, caterers and suppliers who provide onboard services on regularly scheduled travel routes. Under the umbrella of APEX (Airline Passenger Experience Association) serving every major airline in the world, IFSA is dedicated to the advancement of the art and science of the multi- billion dollar inflight and railway onboard service industry.
