The new era of the airport experience in Istanbul
The eighth edition of the ACI World Airport Experience Summit took place at iGA Istanbul Airport from August 31 to September 4, 2026. Almost 800 delegates including airports, customer experience, technology, hospitality and travel experts discussed the future of air travel, with a focus on passenger well-being, accessibility, stress reduction, wayfinding, local identity and new technologies.
One of the central moments of the event was the ceremony on 2 September, dedicated to the ASQ Customer Experience Awards 2025 and the airports that have obtained Airport Customer Experience Accreditation. ACI World recognized over 100 airports in the main category, "Best Airports at Departures, by size and region", rewarding airports that fall within the top 20% of their traffic range and geographical area; the Category Awards, on the other hand, recognize the regional top 5% in the individual dimensions of the experience.
Four Italian airports among the ACI awards
Among the Italian airports awarded is Rome Fiumicino, included among the European "Best Airports at Departures" in the category over 40 million passengers per year, together with Madrid-Barajas. Fiumicino also appears among the European airports recognized for its staff, simplicity of the route, pleasantness of the experience and cleanliness.
Milan Linate , on the other hand, is among the best European airports in the 5-15 million passenger range, as well as being recognized in the categories dedicated to staff and ease of travel. Rome Ciampino is among the winners in the 2-5 million passenger range and was also awarded for staff. Finally, Turin Airport appears among the European airports awarded for Most Dedicated Staff and Cleanest Airport, therefore for the quality of staff and the cleanliness of the terminal.
ASQ awards are based on feedback collected directly from passengers through ACI's standardised surveys of departures and arrivals, and not on an editorial assessment or overall ranking of airports.
Less stress and more intuitive airports
The theme of the 2026 edition, "Airport Experience: The New Era", highlighted how airport design is evolving beyond simple flow management. Over 60 speakers from major international hubs, regional airports and travel companies addressed issues that directly affect the traveller experience: stress reduction, accessibility, more intuitive orientation in terminals, technology and greater attention to the local identity of airports.
The Summit also included workshops developed with the contribution of Cirque du Soleil and a seminar dedicated to the training of future airport professionals.
Istanbul as a customer experience laboratory
The choice of Istanbul Airport (IST) as the venue for the event also underlined the role of the Turkish airport in the sector. According to ACI World, Istanbul is currently the only European airport to have achieved the highest level of Airport Customer Experience Accreditation.
The message that emerged from the Summit is therefore that the airport of the future will not only be defined by size and capacity, but by the ability to make travel easier, more accessible, comfortable and less stressful, combining operational efficiency, technology and attention to the real needs of passengers.
