WTCE 2026 spotlights the future of onboard hospitality
Attendees arrive at the Hamburg Messe for WTCE 2026
More than 160 airlines from 66 countries gathered in Hamburg for World Travel Catering and Onboard Services Expo (WTCE) 2026, reinforcing the event’s role as a key meeting point for the global onboard services industry.
Held April 14 to 16, the three-day show welcomed procurement teams from 50+ of the world’s leading inflight caterers and featured 319 exhibiting companies, including 79 first-time exhibitors. Suppliers across food and drink, packaging, amenities, service ware, onboard technology and catering technology showcased products and services for the modern cabin.
The co-located Aircraft Interiors Expo helped attract a wider passenger experience audience, with more than 4,000 visitors attending WTCE.
For airlines, the value of WTCE lies in the opportunity to see, taste and compare products while speaking directly with the people behind them. The 2026 edition included the Drinks Zone, Discover Zone, New Exhibitor Village, themed exhibitor trails and a dedicated hall for gategroup and its family of brands, including deSter and gategourmet.
The event’s VIP Buyer Program welcomed senior decision-makers from 160 airlines, including American Airlines, United Airlines, Turkish Airlines, easyJet, Emirates, Lufthansa, Wizz Air, Delta Air Lines, Qantas and British Airways. Fourteen rail companies also attended, including Eurostar, DB Fernverkehr, Trenitalia, Amtrak and LNER.
The program supported more focused product discovery through personalized sample bags assembled from 20 products selected by VIPs in the Discover Zone. The approach helped reduce waste while allowing buyers to test products in their own environment and share them with wider teams.
WTCE 2026 show floor map
Across the show floor, companies presented concepts designed to meet airline priorities around efficiency, sustainability and passenger satisfaction. In inflight catering and service solutions, gategroup, dnata, SATS, Foodcase International and Cuisine Solutions highlighted approaches to menu design, service logistics and waste reduction.
gategroup marked its 95th anniversary with a dedicated hall showcasing its brands, technologies and creative thinking across airline catering and travel experience. SATS spotlighted Monty’s Bakehouse and Gourmet Solutions by SATS, while dnata Catering & Retail showcased a micro farm installation to demonstrate how airlines can integrate selected herbs into menu development.
Around Noon launched its Arctic Deli concept for airlines looking to serve fresh sandwiches on longer routes. En Route International unveiled the En Route Club, a sandwich series including bread rolls, ciabattas and brioches that can be filled with different flavors to reflect regional tastes.
Food and beverage brands also used the show to respond to changing passenger expectations. Poco Vino showcased 187 milliliter wine bottles, Traiteur de Paris unveiled a crème brûlée developed for onboard service and Wabba Treats brought flavors of its vegan and major allergen-free bean-based snacks.
Bottega presented Italian wines and spirits with small-format packaging for premium service, while Twisst showcased non-alcoholic, ready-to-drink cocktails as an efficient mocktail solution for airlines.
Amenities and passenger wellness remained a key focus. Linstol launched its concept collection, “The Art of Delivery,” focusing on craftsmanship, engineering and sustainability behind inflight products. The company also introduced Sound by Bose technology into its inflight audio portfolio.
Technology providers focused on digital integration, ancillary revenue and operational efficiency. Devion demonstrated robotics for catering supply chain processes, including robotic arms handling high-volume tray assembly. Driessen Catering Equipment unveiled its Cool Trolley, designed to keep food and beverage items chilled for extended periods without dry ice.
C8Rtech, a stand-alone company from LSG Group, launched with digital tools designed to help airlines use data analytics to predict passenger demand and optimize inventory loading. Omnevo showcased digital platforms integrating point-of-sale systems and pre-order technology to personalize the passenger journey and open ancillary revenue opportunities.
The Taste of Travel Theatre, sponsored by En Route International, hosted tastings and panel discussions across three core themes: The Intelligent Cabin, The Elevated Passenger Experience and The Business of Onboard. Sessions covered AI, automation, smart design, wellness, taste, sensory experience, commercial strategy and airline partnerships.
“While food and catering remains at the heart of the passenger journey, it is now a much bigger picture,” said Shona Thomson, Event Manager of WTCE 2026. “Sustainability, design, wellness, and the role of operations to drive efficiencies, sustainability and improve passenger experience all playing a key role in getting the passenger experience right across the world and across all cabins.”
Thomson said the industry is working to balance premium service with operational reality.
“WTCE 2026 was once again a vital event for the supply chains to build and nurture the partnerships that will define how we will all fly over the next decade,” she said.
WTCE 2027 will take place April 6 to 8, 2027, at the Hamburg Messe.
