When and where is AAO 2026 taking place?

AAO 2026, the American Academy of Ophthalmology annual meeting, takes place October 9-12, 2026, in New Orleans, Louisiana, at the New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center at 900 Convention Center Blvd.

Who should attend AAO 2026?

The meeting is designed for ophthalmologists, physicians in training, medical students, practice administrators and allied clinical team members. Only optometrists who are members of the American Academy of Optometry and selected for presentation may attend, and optometrists may not attend Subspecialty Day.

How do I register and what does it cost?

Register directly with the Academy at aao.org for in-person or virtual attendance. Academy member fees start at $225 early registration, while nonmember physicians start at $1,100; early registration ends Aug. 5 and advance pricing ends Sept. 9 before fees increase.

What is included in my meeting registration?

In-person registration includes instruction courses, clinical sessions and original papers, Skills Transfer lectures, the AAOE Practice Management Program, the AAOP Clinical Teams Program, videos and posters, the Expo, and AAO 2026 Virtual content. Subspecialty Day meetings, Coding Sessions, Skills Transfer labs and the Illuminate event require separate tickets.

How do I get to the venue and where can I park?

Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport (MSY) serves the city, and public buses plus the Riverfront Streetcar Line (Route 2) stop in front of the convention center. Ample paid daily parking is available at 400 Calliope Street, though overnight parking is prohibited.

AAO 2026 – American Academy of Ophthalmology Meeting, New Orleans | Trade Show Event Directory

Back to Directory

Venue & Travel

Venue

New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center

900 Convention Center Blvd.

The New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center is home to America's largest contiguous-space exhibit hall with 1.1 million sq. ft. of prime exhibit space plus 140 meeting rooms, a 4,000-seat theater, a 30,000 sq. ft. ballroom and a 60,300 sq. ft. divisible, column-free ballroom with a 25,000 sq. ft. pre-function area. It has about 1.1 million sq. ft. of exhibit space, covering almost 11 blocks, and over 3 million sq. ft. of total space, making it the seventh largest convention center in the United States. The facility has also achieved LEED Gold certification.

See all shows at this venue

Parking

Ample parking is available at the Convention Center for a daily fee, at 400 Calliope Street, New Orleans, LA 70130; overnight parking is prohibited. Two EV charging stations, each able to accommodate two cars, are located in Parking Lot F at 400 Calliope Street near the Transportation Center entrance and are complimentary for parking lot users. Additional parking garages are available throughout downtown New Orleans.

Getting There

The Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport (MSY) serves New Orleans, currently hosting 15 airlines and over 50 nonstop destinations. The W-2, W-3, and W-8 buses stop directly in front of the convention center, as does the Riverfront Streetcar Line (Route 2). Taxis and rideshares should use the designated Taxi/Rideshare Zone; follow the pedestrian crossing across Calliope Street, which can be found outside Lobby G. A multi-modal transportation center at the venue serves all buses, shuttles, taxis and ride-shares for pick-up and drop-off.

Nearby Hotels

The Academy offers a discounted room block at leading New Orleans hotels; rooms can be reserved through the official Academy housing system. There are more than 7,300 rooms within a 5 minute walk of the New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center, and 26,000 sleeping rooms within a two-mile radius, represented by national and independent hotel brands. Many of these are in the adjacent Warehouse/Arts District and French Quarter areas.