AIAA | Aviation Forum 2026
Event Date
June 8–12, 2026
Location
San Diego, CA
About This Show
AI-drafted summaryThe AIAA AVIATION Forum is one of the world's premier gatherings for the aviation and aeronautics community, organized by the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA). It is billed as the only aviation event that covers the entire integrated spectrum of aviation business, research, development, and technology, bringing together industry, government, and academia under one roof.
The 2026 forum, themed "From Velocity to Altitude – Accelerating Toward Tomorrow," spans five days in San Diego and addresses next-generation technologies reshaping flight — including AI in the cockpit, electric aircraft, hydrogen propulsion, hypersonics, eVTOL, autonomy, and digital transformation. The program uniquely brings together the full aviation community across commercial, military, space, and general aviation domains.
Attendees include aerospace engineers, researchers, program managers, defense and government leaders, corporate decision makers, academics, and students. The forum is known for its deep technical content, with peer-reviewed papers, workshops, keynote plenaries, and structured networking. As AIAA CEO Clay Mowry described it, the event is "mission essential" for aviation professionals working to ensure next-generation air transportation systems are safe, efficient, and ready for what's next.
Show Highlights
The 2026 program is organized around the theme "From Velocity to Altitude – Accelerating Toward Tomorrow," spotlighting the accelerating pace of aviation technology.
Key features include:
- Main-stage plenaries covering AI in the cockpit, electric aircraft, and hydrogen propulsion.
- VADM Douglas "V8" Verissimo (Commander, Naval Air Forces) delivering an operational defense perspective on aerospace life-cycle.
- Blake Scholl (Founder & CEO, Boom Supersonic) presenting "From Progress to Possibility" on the return of supersonic commercial flight.
- Amy Pritchett (Head of Aerospace Engineering, Penn State) closing the week with "Transforming the Global Airspace."
- Co-located events including the 5th Annual H2-Aero Symposium, the AIAA Electric Propulsion and Advanced Technologies Symposium (EPATS), and AIAA Awards and Recognition.
- In-person courses and workshops, student paper competitions, and a Flow Visualization Showcase.
Speakers represent leading aviation agencies, companies, and universities worldwide, including NASA, the FAA, Airbus, Boeing, Lockheed Martin, RTX, Rolls-Royce, Northrop Grumman, and Embraer.
Attendance
According to AIAA, the 2026 forum drew approximately 2,000 attendees from 35 countries, featuring 100+ speakers. The technical program included around 800 technical presentations (AIAA also cites over 1,000 presentations spanning more than 20 research topics) across roughly 240 technical sessions, along with 6 in-person courses and workshops. The audience spans commercial aviation, defense, academia, government, and industry.
Registration
Registration is available online through the AIAA AVIATION Forum website via the official registration portal.
Published full-conference professional rates for the 2026 forum were:
- Early-bird Member: $1,099
- Early-bird Non-Member: $1,399
- Standard Member: $1,399
- Standard Non-Member: $1,599
Early-bird pricing rewards registering ahead of the deadline, and AIAA membership reduces registration costs. Additional passes for courses, workshops, and co-located symposia may be available. Check the official site for current rates, student and government pricing, and deadlines for the upcoming edition.
History
The AIAA AVIATION Forum is produced by the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA), the world's largest aerospace technical society, which has nearly 30,000 individual members from 91 countries and 100 corporate members. The forum has established itself as a leading annual gathering covering the full integrated spectrum of aviation business, research, development, and technology, and rotates among major U.S. cities. Recent and upcoming editions include San Diego (2026) and future forums announced by AIAA.
Venue & Travel
Venue
Manchester Grand Hyatt
1 Market Place
The Manchester Grand Hyatt San Diego is an iconic waterfront hotel on San Diego Bay in the heart of downtown, just steps from the San Diego Convention Center and the historic Gaslamp Quarter. It offers more than 320,000 square feet of flexible event space, including roughly 140,000 square feet of dedicated indoor meeting space, with 4 ballrooms (the largest is the 34,000-square-foot Grand Ballroom, which can be divided into four sections), 47 breakouts, and 45 conference suites. The AAA Four Diamond property features 1,628 guestrooms and suites with Pacific Ocean and city views, two rooftop pools, a 24-hour fitness center, complimentary Wi-Fi, a spa, and multiple on-site restaurants including the waterfront Sally's Fish House & Bar and the 40th-floor Top of the Hyatt sky lounge.
Parking
The Manchester Grand Hyatt San Diego offers convenient on-site valet and self-parking. Per the forum's travel page, overnight valet parking is approximately $75 per night and self-parking is approximately $55 per day (rates vary by season and are subject to change). Off-site garages and pre-booked spots near the venue are also available through services such as SpotHero.
Getting There
By air: San Diego International Airport (SAN) is the nearest major airport, roughly 3 miles (about 10 minutes by car) from the venue, with 12 rental car companies at its Rental Car Center.
By rail/bus: Santa Fe Depot is about 0.5 mile away, served by Amtrak's Pacific Surfliner and the NCTD COASTER commuter rail.
Getting around: The MTS San Diego Trolley (Green Line) stops at the nearby Seaport Village Station, connecting to Downtown, Little Italy, Old Town, and Fashion Valley. The Coronado Ferry runs from the nearby waterfront, and taxis, Uber, and Lyft are readily available throughout the city. The downtown location is highly walkable.
Nearby Hotels
The Manchester Grand Hyatt San Diego serves as the primary forum hotel; AIAA typically arranges a discounted room block (for the 2026 forum, standard attendee rooms were $299 plus tax, with a government per-diem option). The hotel is in downtown San Diego's Embarcadero/Marina district, within walking distance of Seaport Village, the Gaslamp Quarter, and the San Diego Convention Center. Numerous additional hotels line the downtown waterfront and Gaslamp Quarter nearby, including the Hilton San Diego Bayfront and Omni San Diego Hotel, both a short walk or ride away.
Frequently Asked Questions
When and where is the AIAA AVIATION Forum 2026 held?
The 2026 AIAA AVIATION Forum takes place June 8–12, 2026, at the Manchester Grand Hyatt San Diego, located at 1 Market Place, San Diego, CA 92101.
Who should attend the AIAA AVIATION Forum?
The forum is designed for aviation professionals across industry, government, and academia, including aerospace engineers, researchers, program managers, defense and government leaders, corporate decision makers, and students. It uniquely brings together the commercial, military, space, and general aviation communities.
What does the program cover?
The 2026 theme is "From Velocity to Altitude – Accelerating Toward Tomorrow," with content on AI in the cockpit, electric aircraft, hydrogen propulsion, hypersonics, eVTOL, and autonomy. The technical program features over 1,000 presentations across more than 20 research topics, plus keynote plenaries, courses, and workshops.
How do I register and what does it cost?
Registration is handled online through the official AIAA AVIATION Forum website. Full-conference professional rates for 2026 ranged from about $1,099 for early-bird members to $1,599 for standard non-members, with AIAA membership and early registration lowering the price.
How do I get to the venue and where can I stay?
San Diego International Airport (SAN) is about 3 miles away, and the Santa Fe Depot rail station is roughly half a mile from the hotel. The Manchester Grand Hyatt serves as the forum hotel, offering an AIAA room block, and it sits within walking distance of Seaport Village, the Gaslamp Quarter, and the Convention Center.
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