Air Charter Expo achieves third consecutive year of record‑breaking attendance

Global trade body The Air Charter Association (The ACA) celebrated another record‑setting edition of Air Charter Expo (ACE’26) on Tuesday, 8 September 2026, delivered in partnership with Business Air News and London Biggin Hill Airport. ACE has firmly established itself as the premier one‑day event in the air charter industry calendar, and this year’s edition once again surpassed expectations, welcoming more than 2,200 registered attendees — comfortably exceeding last year’s record and reinforcing its position as the sector’s most influential annual gathering.

This year’s Expo showcased a significantly expanded aircraft static display, complemented by a newly introduced pavilion area that provided additional space for high‑value networking, alongside a reconfigured and more efficient conference zone. More than 20 fixed‑wing and rotary aircraft were featured, including standout models such as the Dassault Falcon 6X, Gulfstream G700, Embraer 135, and Saab 2000. True to ACE’s hallmark approach, every aircraft was fully accessible, offering attendees the rare opportunity to step on board and experience each platform firsthand.

The ACE conference, hosted by The ACA, was initiated with a special introduction from Glenn Hogben, chief executive, The ACA and Tobias Bretzel, show director, AERO Friedrichshafen, showcasing the new, additional ACE Regional – Europe exhibition, which launches in 2027 from April 14–16, as part of AERO Friedrichshafen.

Glenn Hogben, chief executive, The Air Charter Association, commented: “Each year Air Charter Expo continues to set new attendance records, which is testament to the value and impact of the show in the air charter industry. London Biggin Hill Airport is a fantastic venue as the established home of ACE and we look forward to another successful expo in September next year. In the meantime, we are excited about the expansion in April 2027, to introduce an additional exhibition, ACE Regional – Europe in partnership with Business Air News, at AERO Friedrichshafen, with the aim of delivering a new European hub for the air charter industry, building upon the success of ACE.”  

Robert Walters, commercial director, London Biggin Hill Airport, stated: “ACE continues to be an unmissable event in the business aviation calendar, bringing together expertise from across the sector at London Biggin Hill Airport. This year’s record attendance demonstrates the value of meeting face-to-face and exchanging ideas to better the industry. We look forward to welcoming the air charter community back again next year.” 

The conference brought together leading professionals from across the air charter ecosystem, delivering focused sessions on the state of the 2026 market in business aviation, rotary operations, commercial charter, and cargo.

Chris Mace, CEO of MaceAero and board member of The ACA, moderated a high‑value panel exploring the viability and future resilience of smaller aircraft charter operations. This was followed by an ‘innovation fireside chat’ hosted by Julie Black, Head of Executive Aviation at Hunt & Palmer and fellow ACA board member, examining how technology and innovation can shape and strengthen the future of flight.