Global Aviation Leaders to Converge in Riyadh to Discuss Industry’s Key Challenges and Opportunities

As Middle East airport development spending reaches US$180 billion and ACI reports record 21% air connectivity growth in 2025, four co-located conferences will bring global aviation leaders to Riyadh to explore the industry’s most pressing priorities, from airport infrastructure and investment to workforce transformation and women’s leadership.

As Saudi Arabia and the wider Middle East enter a period of rapid aviation investment, technological transformation and infrastructure development, Global Airports Forum 2026 will bring together four co-located conferences examining the forces set to shape the future of airports and aviation.

Taking place from 30 November to 1 December 2026 at the Riyadh Front Exhibition & Conference Center (RFECC), Global Airports Forum will bring together global and regional aviation leaders through four co-located conferences: the Global Aviation Issues Conference, Future Aviation Investment Conference, Airport Design & Build Conference and Women in Aviation General Assembly.

Together, the four conferences will explore how the industry is responding to some of its most significant opportunities and challenges, from artificial intelligence, cybersecurity and advanced air mobility to airport investment, smart infrastructure, sustainability, passenger experience and the future aviation workforce.

At the Global Aviation Issues Conference, industry leaders will discuss airport security and air traffic control. Sessions will explore AI-driven transformation, aviation cybersecurity, passenger and baggage screening, operational resilience, workforce development and the future of air traffic management, including airspace capacity, automation, cross-border coordination and the integration of drones and eVTOL aircraft.

Leading aviation organisations represented at the conference include ICAO, GACA, MATARAT Holding, Riyadh Air, Etihad Airways, IATA, SITA, the Saudi Data & AI Authority and the Saudi Academy of Civil Aviation, bringing together expertise across regulation, airport operations, airline security, technology and air traffic management.

Running alongside this, the Future Aviation Investment Conference on 30 November will focus on the capital required to support aviation’s next phase of growth. Against the backdrop of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, discussions will explore airport public-private partnerships, concession models, investor confidence and aviation infrastructure opportunities, alongside where capital is moving across airports, airlines, cargo, leasing and MRO. The programme will also address sustainable aviation finance, green bonds, ESG-linked capital and investment in eVTOL and drone infrastructure.

The confirmed speaker line-up includes representatives from RICS KSA, daa International, Sofia Airport, the National Center for Privatization & PPP, Oman Airports International and AviLease, offering expertise in aviation investment, infrastructure development, airport operations and public-private partnerships.

On 1 December, the Airport Design & Build Conference will turn the conversation towards the infrastructure needed to support aviation growth. From greenfield airports and future-ready terminals to digital twins, automation and connected passenger journeys, discussions will examine how airports can balance capacity and operational efficiency with sustainability, technology and changing passenger expectations. The programme will also explore the role of local identity in airport design and the increasingly complex task of delivering major airport developments while managing procurement, risk, phasing and live operations.

Confirmed contributors represent leading organisations, including King Salman International Airport, Gensler, Mott MacDonald, Riyadh Air, Foster + Partners and Grimshaw, bringing together expertise in infrastructure, sustainability, architecture, design and airport development.

Completing the programme, the Women in Aviation General Assembly on 1 December will put leadership and human capital at the centre of the conversation. Sessions will explore how Vision 2030 is empowering women across aviation, as well as AI and digital transformation, future skills, talent development, gender diversity and career pathways for women in flight operations.

The programme will also turn to one of Saudi Arabia’s most distinctive aviation challenges, with a dedicated discussion examining how Jeddah Airports delivers Hajj operations at scale, bringing together perspectives across planning, operations, passenger experience, communications and emergency response to support the journeys of millions of pilgrims.

“Aviation is evolving on multiple fronts at once, from how airports are financed and designed to the technologies transforming operations and the people who will lead the industry forward. ACI’s latest report on Middle East Air Connectivity highlights the region’s exceptional air traffic growth projections and its ambitious vision to deliver this.

We are also observing the largest-ever phase of Middle East airport development in its history to support this growth. Through the Global Airports Forum’s conferences, we want to bring key global leaders and future partners together in one place, creating a platform where the industry can exchange ideas, address shared challenges and explore the opportunities shaping aviation’s next chapter,” said Daksha Patel, Event Director of Niche Ideas.

As Saudi Arabia continues to advance its aviation ambitions under Vision 2030, the four conferences will broaden the conversation at Global Airports Forum 2026 beyond airport infrastructure alone, creating a meeting point for decision-makers across investment, technology, operations, design, policy and talent.