There are so many great aviation conferences happening throughout year. However, for most of us, attending them all just isn’t in the cards, and quite frankly, it would be exhausting to try!

So if you had to prioritize, which should you choose? IMHO, it really comes down to what you are trying to accomplish and how far you are willing to travel.

To help you out, I’m going to give you a rundown of some of the biggest and best conferences for business aviation that should be on your radar for 2024. I’ll also list out some smaller, more focused events that may be of interest to you.

Top Picks

NBAA Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (NBAA-BACE)

Las Vegas, NV, U.S.A.; Oct. 22-24, 2024

Hands down, NBAA-BACE (or often just called “NBAA”) is the #1 international conference for business aviation. It’s ranked as a top-10 tradeshow in the U.S. based on its massive square footage—taking up two halls in the Las Vegas Convention Center  with its impressive static display. The format includes educational sessions, exhibitor convention, a static display, and a strong media presence. If you can make this one, I strongly suggest you do.

Reported attendance: 23,000+
Website: https://nbaa.org/events/2023-nbaa-business-aviation-convention-exhibition-nbaa-bace/ 
Social Media hashtag: #NBAA24

You can also read my tips for attending NBAA-BACE.

NBAA Schedulers and Dispatchers Conference (SDC)

Ft. Worth, TX, U.S.A.; March 12-14, 2024

If you’re an aircraft scheduler or dispatcher—or essentially perform scheduling duties—this is your show, and I highly encourage you to attend. This show includes educational tracks, all-day informational sessions, and an exhibitor convention.

Reported attendance: 2,900+
Website: https://nbaa.org/events/2023-schedulers-dispatchers-conference/
Social Media hashtag: #SDC24

You can also read my tips for attending SDC.

NBAA International Operators Conference (IOC)

Orlando, FL, U.S.A.; March 26-28, 2024

If you frequently operate internationally to various non-routine destinations, then this educational conference should be high on your list. It uses a plenary session format, with talks focusing on all aspects of international business aircraft operations—such as tips for planning operations to various regions and recent regulatory changes. There isn’t a convention, but there are some official exhibitor suites within the hotel hosting the conference.

Reported attendance: 500+
Website: https://nbaa.org/events/2023-nbaa-international-operators-conference-ioc2023/
Social Media hashtag: #IOC24

European Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (EBACE)

Geneva, Switzerland; May 28-30, 2024

EBACE is Europe’s counterpart to NBAA-BACE, and the format is essentially the same as NBAA-BACE…just smaller in scale. EBACE clocks in as the second-largest business aviation conference, and because the show is always in Geneva, it’s a pretty short flight to get there from most places in Europe—which also results in many attendees making EBACE just a single-day trip in and out. If you are based in Europe or frequently operate into Europe, I strongly recommend you attend.

Our blog has more on operating to Geneva for the event.

Reported attendance: 13,000+
Website: https://ebace.aero/2023/
Social Media hashtag: #EBACE24

Asian Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (ABACE) Postponed

Shanghai, China

Update: ABACE is the Asia-Pacific equivalent of NBAA and EBACE. It has not been held since 2019 and the start of the COVID pandemic. With the reopening of China’s borders to foreigners in early 2023, we are awaiting news on if the show will return.

Reported attendance: 8,000+

Website: https://abace.aero

Notable Mentions

NBAA Leadership Conference

Palm Springs, CA, U.S.A.; Feb. 5-7, 2024

This is a great two-day educational conference focused on helping business aviation leaders and aspiring leaders take their teams to success. Top decision-makers from across the industry are in attendance.

Reported attendance: 200+
Website: https://nbaa.org/events/2023-nbaa-leadership-conference/
Social Media hashtag: n/a

CBAA Annual Convention & Exhibition

Montreal, Canada; June 18-20, 2024

The annual CBAA is the premier event for Canada’s business aviation community. Format is similar to an EBACE or ABACE, but smaller in scale.

Reported attendance: 700+
Website: Too long to post – click here.
Social Media hashtag: #CBAA24

Latin American Business Aviation Conference & Exhibition (LABACE)

Sao Paulo, Brazil; August 6-8, 2024

While LABACE claims to be the business aviation show for Latin America, it’s really more like the business aviation show for Sao Paulo, with a majority of attendees commuting in from the local area. For this reason, I’m not putting it on my top-tier list internationally. That said, it’s a great (and fun) show to attend if you can.

Format includes an exhibitor floor and static display. There are no real educational sessions going on. The show hours go late, and many attendees just head over after they leave work for the day. The last day of the show opens to the public.

Reported attendance: unclear – they report 145,000+ total visitors over a 15-year span.

Website: https://labace.com.br/en/
Social Media hashtag: #LABACE24

Additional Considerations

Local/Regional Aviation Associations

If you had time to count, there are probably hundreds of associations all over the globe with business aviation representation, and many host some sort of annual event. You’ll see these at the city, state, country, and regional levels. You should definitely look into your local chapters. It’s always worth networking with other business aviation professionals.

OEM Operator Conferences

Most OEMs hold some annual or biennial operator conference. Based on your equipment type, you should check out what’s available to you.

Owner/Operator Associations

There are quite a bit of these, and they offer a great opportunity to network with fellow aircraft-type operators and discuss challenges. Here are some:

• Citation Jet Pilots (CJP) Owner Pilot Association
• Embraer Jet Operators Association
• Malibu/M-Class Owners and Pilots Association
• TBM Owners and Pilots Association

NBAA Regional Forums

NBAA hosts two of these per year across the United States. You can check out upcoming forums here.

International Women in Aviation (WAI) Annual Conference

Orlando, FL, U.S.A.; March 21-23, 2024

Although not focused specifically on business aviation, a good number of people from within our community attend. It’s definitely worth looking into.

Website: https://www.wai.org/2023-conference

Corporate Jet Investor Conferences

Corporate Jet Investor hosts a series of events at various locations around the world. These conferences are focused on the business of business aviation. If there is one near you that you can attend, it’s worth checking out.

Website: https://www.corporatejetinvestor.com/events/

NBAA Maintenance & Technicians Conference

Portland, OR, U.S.A.; May 30-April 2
The 2023 NBAA Maintenance Conference provides vital education and networking opportunities for anyone involved in business aircraft maintenance – from technicians to directors of maintenance.

Website: https://nbaa.org/events/2020-flight-attendants-flight-technicians-conference/

Wrap Up

Hope this helps you with your 2024 planning. And if you find another event that you think should be on this list, send me a note.