Farnborough International Airshow 2026 will be the biggest ever: What’s the secret to its success?
November 14, 2025
While industry attention is focused on the forthcoming Dubai Airshow, behind the scenes, work is already well underway for the 2026 edition of the Farnborough International Airshow. Held at the birthplace of British aviation, next year’s show promises to be the biggest and best to date.
“I was told when I started in this role that the air show couldn’t get any bigger,” recalls Gareth Rogers, CEO of Farnborough International Limited. “But here we are, we’re growing, and next year will see the biggest event in history.”
Having sold out its entire exhibition space 12 months in advance of the event, the organisers worked to lay on an additional hall, expanding its footprint to accommodate even more aerospace stakeholders. Adding new space doesn’t come cheap, but for Rogers, it’s an investment worth making.
“The investment that we’ve put into the new hall reflects our commitment to keep the air show at the forefront of not only industry, but also the globe,” he tells AGN. “We’ve received really positive support from existing exhibitors and clients on the expansion; they are as excited by it as we are.”
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The changing face of Farnborough International Airshow
Rogers has been at the helm of Farnborough International since 2018, and in those years, he’s seen some significant shifts in the shape of the airshow.
“These days, the attendance is much more international,” he says. “Next summer, we’ll have 114 different countries exhibiting, which is around a 15% increase from when I started.”
Indeed, bookings for the event show that 63% of the 2026 exhibitors are from outside of the UK, making it not only the most international Farnborough to date, but also the most international airshow in the world.
Already, 26 international pavilions are confirmed, from Australia to Japan, Mexico, Brazil and Switzerland. Hosting pavilions for the first time will be Germany, China, Ireland and India.
“We’ve always been proud that it’s a truly international show,” says Rogers. “We’ve focused on bringing the world to the UK and providing a platform for the world to do business.”
Among those looking to do business in 2026 are many companies that have never been to Farnborough before. Some 22% are first-time exhibitors, reflecting the changing nature of aviation and the companies involved.
“We’re seeing more exhibitors from adjacent sectors like AI, technology, and cyber, but also from industries like finance, insurance and consultancy,” Rogers shared. “These businesses are seen as on the periphery of aerospace, but without them, it wouldn’t be able to function. So it’s great that they’re now a much bigger part of the show than they ever were.”
The 2026 airshow will see a huge US presence, with around 30% of the floorspace occupied by US companies. The US Pavilion by Kallman Worldwide, Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Bell Textron, and GE Aerospace will occupy tens of thousands of square meters on the site. American electric air taxi manufacturer Archer is one of the first exhibitors of the new hall.
“The 2026 show will see the largest US presence in the air show’s history,” Rogers says. “This shows the deepening relationship between the UK and US, as well as the importance of Farnborough as a place to do business.”
The Farnborough International Airshow secret sauce: What makes it so successful?
Between 2022 and 2024, the airshow saw strong organic growth, with visitors increasing by around a third and delegations by nearly 70%. Driving this momentum is Farnborough’s dedication to curating the event around what the industry needs most.
“We’ve sought hard to add new features and opportunities for our attendees, to understand what they want from the airshow and make sure we’re delivering it,” Rogers says. “We’re more in tune with the industry, more in tune with our exhibitors and visitors, and we look to base and curate the show on what our participants are looking for.”
Farnborough keeps close contact with its exhibitors and visitors, listening to their needs and building agendas around those. In tandem with this, it works closely with ADS, the UK government, and major stakeholders to better understand the trends and shifts driving the industry.
The end result is an airshow that is meticulously curated to meet the needs of its attendees and exhibitors, showcasing the best of the industry and creating the ideal platform from which to do business.
As the countdown to July 2026 begins, Rogers says the goal remains unchanged: to make Farnborough the place where the future of aerospace takes flight.
“That’s the point of the show,” says Rogers, “doing business, creating a showcase, and convening the global ecosystem.”
