WTCE marks its fifteenth edition with an expanded 2027 show focused on the future of onboard travel

World Travel Catering & Onboard Services Expo (WTCE) will take place at Hamburg Messe from 6 – 8 April 2027, bringing airline, rail and travel catering buyers together with suppliers of inflight catering, onboard retail and passenger comfort products.

The 2026 edition drew more than 4,500 visitors and over 300 exhibitors, 90 of them new to the show, and the 2027 line-up is set to build on those numbers with over 200 companies already confirmed to exhibit.

The global inflight catering market is projected to be worth £12.41 billion in 2026, up from £11.61 billion in 2025 and is expected to grow at a compound annual rate of 7.03% through to 2031. WTCE 2027 will reflect the areas shaping that growth within sustainability, operational efficiency, onboard retail and passenger experience (Mordor Intelligence, 2026).

What’s taking shape for 2027

WTCE 2027 will once again span three halls, with gategroup and its family of brands, including deSter and gategourmet, returning to a dedicated hall after a successful 2026 show.

SATS and dnata will also represent the major global caterers, joined by Foodcase International and Cuisine Solutions. Devion will lead the catering technology and supply chain offer. Kaelis will showcase onboard retail solutions, while FORMIA, Kimirica Hunter, Linstol and Buzz Products will bring amenities and passenger comfort products to the show floor. Bottega and Intervine will be among the drinks exhibitors.

Elsewhere, the Discovery Zone, Drinks Zone and New Exhibitor Village will return in larger formats, giving buyers a straightforward way to explore more products and meet new suppliers in the time available.

New ways to explore the show floor

For 2027, new product trails including the Nutrition and Healthy Eating Trail, Upper Cabins Trail and Economy Trail to help visitors find relevant products quickly alongside the returning Steps to Sustainability trail. Grouped around important areas impacting onboard travel, each route will lead buyers from stand to stand, highlighting products and suppliers working in sustainability, operational efficiency, onboard retail and passenger experience.

The trails will be curated by an expanded line up of WTCE ambassadors for 2027, with exhibitor entries currently open. 

Ideas for the onboard market

The free-to-attend Taste of Travel Theatre, in partnership with Onboard Hospitality and sponsored by En Route International, will return with a programme of talks, demonstrations and tastings centred on the commercial and operational questions facing onboard teams in 2027.

The programme will bring together airlines, caterers, suppliers and retail specialists, offering practical ideas from across the air and rail sectors.

New voices join the Journey Circle

WTCE’s Journey Circle has expanded for 2027, with Cam Woodward of Qantas, Hari Ghotra and Shiada Drysdale of Virgin Atlantic, Þórunn Björg Guðmundsdóttir of Icelandair, and Yann Bayeul of Eurostar the newest members.

They join the founding members Simone Walli of Austrian Airlines, Samson Arega of Ethiopian Airlines, Tobias Ögren of Sunclass Airlines and Louise Leaupepe of Riyadh Air.

Bringing together senior figures from across airline catering, onboard service and passenger experience, the Journey Circle gives WTCE a link to the people making decisions about what passengers eat, drink and experience during their journey. Its members contribute to the show’s programme and ensure that the conversations held at WTCE reflect the realities facing airlines and rail operators, as well as the ideas and products that could improve future experiences onboard.

Shona Thomson, Event Manager of WTCE 2027 said: “Reaching the fifteenth edition of WTCE is an important milestone for the show and for the community it serves, and it reflects the continued need for a place where the people responsible for catering, retail and passenger comfort can meet the suppliers, products and ideas helping to move the onboard experience forward.

“The event gives the industry a chance to take a wider view of what is changing across the onboard market. Buyers can see and test new launches, speak directly to the companies behind them, and come away with a clearer idea of what could work for their own catering, aircraft and rail services.”

WTCE will once again be co-located with Aircraft Interiors Expo (AIX), and a single badge gives visitors access to both shows. Passenger Experience Conference (PEC) opens the week on Monday 5^th April 2027, with curated keynotes and panels for airline professionals. For teams that split catering, retail and cabin responsibilities, the people and products they need are in one place.

For more information on World Travel Catering & Onboard Services Expo 2027, please visit: https://www.worldtravelcateringexpo.com/en-gb.html