HOME | CONNECT Aviation

17-19 February 2026

Lublin, Poland

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Welcome to CONNECT AVIATION

CONNECT Route Development Forum brings together Europe’s key airline, airport, tourism, and destination leaders to help shape the future of air travel. Established in 2004, the annual three-day event fuels significant route, business, and economic growth.

With a friendlier, more enjoyable, and immersive tone, CONNECT offers superb networking opportunities and a strong business focus. From structured to informal meetings, the event attracts key decision-makers and consistently delivers unmatched ROI. Put simply, CONNECT is unmissable.

The wonderful, culturally rich city of Lublin in Poland will host CONNECT 2026. Come and join us for an unforgettable experience, grow your business, and help to shape the future of international air services.

ABOUT OUR HOSTS >

WHAT TO EXPECT:

+4000

Meetings

+75

Airlines

+280

AIRPORTS

+40

SPEAKERS

+60

COUNTRIES

Past attendees

VIEW FULL LIST

CONNECT step by step

Conference Programme

Join industry leaders as they explore key trends shaping the future of aviation. The programme blends expert panels, strategic discussions, and interactive sessions, providing valuable insights for all delegates.

Networking & Meetings

Network with the world’s airports, airlines, destinations, tour operators and other aviation players for three impactful days.

EVENT SCHEDULE

Discover a dynamic agenda filled with curated sessions, networking and one-to-one meetings. The event schedule is designed to help you make the most of every moment , from daily meetings to evening functions.

Excursions

Step beyond the event and experience the destination through our exclusive excursions. Designed to encourage informal networking and cultural discovery, these activities offer a relaxed and memorable way to experience the host region.

Event benefits

Airlines

Our events are beneficial to airlines who are looking to expand their routes. Our delegates include representatives from airports, tourism operators, ground handlers, aircraft manufacturers, data suppliers and consultancies – plus many more!

Develop new routes with new airports
Meet new potential suppliers and consulting partners
Form relationships with tourism associations
Access the latest insider industry news via our conference programme
Plan future business with existing partners and reinforce your relationships
Grow your airlines through world-class airline networking

Airports

Our events are beneficial to airports who are looking to raise their profile and establish new routes. Our delegates include representatives from airlines, tour operators, ground handlers, aircraft manufacturers, data suppliers, consultancies and many more!

Develop new routes
Raise awareness of your airport and region
Form relationships with tourism associations
High quality networking opportunities

Consultants

Our events are beneficial to consultants looking to gain new business from airlines and airports. Our delegates include representatives from airports, airlines, tour operators, ground handlers, aircraft manufacturers, data suppliers and many more!

Gain new business with airlines, airports and more through networking
Get fresh insight into the industry including challenges it faces
Raise awareness of your business with a stand at the event

Destinations

Whether you’re a city, region, or tourism board, CONNECT puts you face-to-face with the airline decision-makers that decide when and where they fly. It’s your chance to collaborate with airports and fellow destinations to secure new air services that strengthen your connectivity, fuel your economy, and boost tourism in your region.

Suppliers

Our events are beneficial to suppliers who can identify new opportunities to sell their services. Our delegates include representatives from airports, airlines, tour operators, ground handlers, consultancies and many more!

Raise awareness of your services to airlines and airports
Establish new working relationships with airlines for future contracts
Get one step ahead of your competitors with an event stand
Share insights and analytics with a targeted audience of delegates

Join the CONNECT Community

What delegates say about CONNECT

"This event gave us positive outcomes from both B2B and social networking while we had a great opportunity to start new partnerships and developed existing ones. Also, the team of CONNECT did an enormous effort to make each participant as comfortable and good as it could be done in the best way. All of you have made it an unforgettable event!"

Gediminas Almantas

Lithuanian Airports

"CONNECT is one of the most strategic forums for the development of air traffic in Europe. Hosting the event has allowed airlines and airports to see first-hand our destination and market potential. Thank you team CONNECT"

Alberto Scanu

Cagliari Airport

"It was a great pleasure to host such a prestigious event in our country for the first time, playing an active role in shaping aviation. We were delighted to ensure that key names of the aviation industry met with the Turkish press and to provide the perfect background for new route negotiations with the airlines. This was also the chance to show all Antalya has to offer: an amazing destination all year long, with a lot of architectural heritage. We hope to see the results of this Antalya experience soon."

Bilgihan Yılmaz and Deniz Varol

Antalya Airport

Organization was great. Attendance by airports was outstanding, this is what we value the most.”

Ignacio Martinez

Vueling

CONNECT is more about meaningful conversations in a relaxed environment and less noise that distracts you from getting value from the meetings.

Johan Laurberg Lund

Copenhagen Airports A/S

Very good organization. CONNECT helped to discover new opportunities, and for sure has been an interesting factor to operate new routes.

Alice Ternisien

Transavia

For Air Nostrum, it’s always successful to come to CONNECT as we value a lot the networking atmosphere here.

Miguel Oliver

Air Nostrum

CONNECT event is the opportunity to see some new companies and new trends in the airline industry.

Mihajlo Zdravković

Airports of Serbia

Events like CONNECT highlight the importance of collaboration between airlines, airports, and destinations as we continue working to expand and strengthen our network across Europe.

Pol de la Fuente Marín

Volotea

From insightful discussions to high-impact networking, we connected with industry leaders, forged valuable partnerships, and secured game-changing business opportunities.

Emilia Andreeva

Fly2Sky

A great event to catch up with existing and new business partners and talking about route opportunities

Mathias Richter

Münster/Osnabrück Airport (FMO)

Always a great opportunity to explore airline strategies, exchange with airport peers, and discuss the future of our industry

Victoire Totah

EDEIS

We've forged valuable connections and explored potential partnerships that will be instrumental in expanding air connectivity to Saudi Arabia.

Mohsen Abduljawwad

Saudi Air Connectivity Programm (ACP)

A wonderful opportunity to get in touch with the top Airports Worldwide.

Gibson Preziuso

Plus Ultra Líneas Aéreas

CONNECT is a great event, well organized as always

Anthony Lori

easyJet

Easy format to meet people & good conference programme

Gonzalo Pernas

SAS

CONNECT delivered a well-structured and insightful experience, aligning closely with my expectations. The event successfully brought together key players in the aviation sector, fostering meaningful discussions on route development and market trends.

Alexandra Pacurar

Sibiu Airport

Great opportunity to catch up with industry topics during the conference and to keep the relationship with airline customers.

Marta Sabin

ATR Aircraft

CONNECT is the event of the year for me where to meet colleagues and peers. The event brought together hundreds of aviation industry decision-makers to discuss current and future air routes, making it one of the most important route development events.

Marja Aalto

Business Tampere

A very good event with meeting back-to-back

Frederic Revel

KM Malta Airlines

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“CONNECT event is the opportunity to see some new companies and new trends in the airline industry.”

Mihajlo Zdravković

“CONNECT is the event of the year for me where to meet colleagues and peers. The event brought together hundreds of aviation industry decision-makers to discuss current and future air routes, making it one of the most important route development events.”

Marja Aalto

“For Air Nostrum, it’s always successful to come to CONNECT as we value a lot the networking atmosphere here.”

Miguel Oliver

“From insightful discussions to high-impact networking, we connected with industry leaders, forged valuable partnerships, and secured game-changing business opportunities.”

Emilia Andreeva

“Connect is a conference where you can meet all your current and potential airline partners in a very relaxed way!”

Maarten Cooreman

Aarhus Airport

“A great event to catch up with existing and new business partners and talking about route opportunities”

Mathias Richter

“A wonderful opportunity to get in touch with the top Airports Worldwide.”

Gibson Preziuso

“CONNECT is a great event, well organized as always”

Anthony Lori

“Very good organization. CONNECT helped to discover new opportunities, and for sure has been an interesting factor to operate new routes.”

Alice Ternisien

“A very good event with meeting back-to-back”

Frederic Revel

“CONNECT is a great format to network with industry professionals and decision-makers. Through our connections at the event, Flyadeal launched 3 routes to Tbilisi International Airport, with 9 frequencies per week.”

UAG Team

United Airports of Georgia

“Organization was great. Attendance by airports was outstanding, this is what we value the most.””

Ignacio Martinez

“Thank you for the event organisation. As always excellent organisation, quality meetings, transfers worked well, and the food was great during the event (which makes a massive difference). Thank you, we look forward to next year’s event!”

Janice Mather

Head of Airports & Tourism Organisations, Jet2.com & Jet2holidays

“CONNECT is more about meaningful conversations in a relaxed environment and less noise that distracts you from getting value from the meetings.”

Johan Laurberg Lund

“CONNECT delivered a well-structured and insightful experience, aligning closely with my expectations. The event successfully brought together key players in the aviation sector, fostering meaningful discussions on route development and market trends.”

Alexandra Pacurar

“We've forged valuable connections and explored potential partnerships that will be instrumental in expanding air connectivity to Saudi Arabia.”

Mohsen Abduljawwad

“CONNECT New World provided an incredible platform for passionate individuals like myself who desire to connect different corners of our planet. The event brought together like-minded professionals in the industry.”

Pierre-Hugues Schmit

Vinci Airports

“The experience was excellent before and during the event; thank you very much for your effort. Keep going!”

Andres Fernandez

La Romana Airport

“Events like CONNECT highlight the importance of collaboration between airlines, airports, and destinations as we continue working to expand and strengthen our network across Europe.”

Pol de la Fuente Marín

“Perfect, relaxed, and still profitable, business wise…you have to come!!”