Routes World 2025
Hong Kong
• 24 – 26 September 2025
The History of Routes World
We're celebrating 30 years of Routes World, the leading global route development event. Since 1995, our global community have been coming together in exciting countries and cities to discuss and build new air services.
Now we look back on 30 Routes World events across the past 30 years.
1995
September - Cannes, France
A mere 60 delegates attended this, the first event ever to bring airlines and airports together to discuss new routes. They left with one question "why has no one done this before?". The beautiful setting of the Hotel Martinez, Cannes also helped!
1996
October - Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
This event established a level of professionalism and hospitality by which subsequent events would be judged and attracted 50 airlines worldwide. Who could forget the Gala Dinner on the beach by the waters of the Arabian Gulf?
Hosted by Abu Dhabi Airports
1997
November - Oslo, Norway
Routes really took off this year with delegate numbers reaching 250. Delegates were also treated to a preview of the magnificent new airport at Gardermoen. A really memorable event.
Hosted by Oslo Airport
1998
September - London, England
The world's largest airport operator, BAA, hosted Routes this year, partly to help re-launch London's third airport at Stansted. Delegate numbers went through the roof and, subsequently, so did the passenger numbers at Stansted.
Hosted by London Stansted Airport
1999
September - Rome, Italy
This year we went back to the Mediterranean and there is a no more stunning venue than the Eternal City. The fabulous Gala Dinner was in the grounds of the Palazzo Colonna. It was a hot, humid evening with dramatic bolts of lightning illuminating the night sky!
Hosted by Aeroporti di Roma
2000
September - Amsterdam, Netherlands
120 airlines attended the Millennium event. It was hosted by the three global airports of the Schiphol Group and at the time it was the biggest and best Routes event to date. Routes had truly become the choice of airlines and airports worldwide.
Hosted by Amsterdam Airport Schiphol
2001
September - Dublin, Ireland
The event is Dublin was held within a week of a very difficult time for aviation, in September 2001, and was hugely challenging for both our hosts and for the Routes team. The right decision was finally taken and Dublin hosted the event as planned with over 700 delegates attending.
Hosted by Dublin Airport
2002
September - Athens, Greece
Delegates were treated to an event that took place in a resort on the peninsular of Athens and meeting delegates enjoyed a sea view for their meetings and lunches at the event. A freak rainstorm during the Gala Dinner was saved by our forward thinking hosts who had ordered enough umbrellas for all delegates to use.
Hosted by Athens International Airport S.A. - Eleftherios Venizelos
2003
September - Edinburgh, Scotland
Held in the beautiful city of Edinburgh and hosted by BAA Scotland delegates at this event were treated to a Gala Dinner in Holyrood Palace and hosted by HRH Prince Andrew who presented the Airport Marketing Awards on our behalf.
Hosted by Edinburgh Airport
2004
September - Madrid, Spain
Hosted by Spanish airport operator, AENA and held in Madrid, the 2004 event was the 10 year anniversary of the World Routes event and was the first year that the event had ‘High Impact Stands’ which were the larger exhibitions that we know as Hosted Networking Stands at our events today.
Hosted by AENA
2005
September - Copenhagen, Denmark
Hosted by Copenhagen Airports the event attracted a huge number of delegates from all over the world. The concept of the Networking Village was created and the area included many large exhibition stands and refreshment points for delegates to continue their networking in a relaxed and informal environment.
Hosted by Copenhagen Airports A/S (CPH)
2006
September - Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Over 2,000 delegates attended this event which took place at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre. HE Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President of the Department of Aviation and Chairman of the Emirates Group officially opened this record event.
Hosted by Al Maktoum International At Dubai World Central
2007
September - Stockholm, Sweden
We returned to Scandinavia in 2007 and the event saw the addition of the Routes Leaders Forum introducing conference content to World Routes. The event also provided even more opportunities for delegate networking with the addition of the relaxed and informal lunches served in the Networking Village.
Hosted by Swedavia - Stockholm Arlanda Airport
2008
September - Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
The 14th World Route Development Forum was the first World Routes to take place in the Asia Pacific region. Hosts, Malaysia Airports Holdings had already hosted three Routes Asia events and were the first ever host of a Routes regional event.
2009
September - Beijing, China
This year's event saw Routes take place in China for the first time when we travelled to the capital city of Beijing. Routes is one of the very few events that have been allowed to hold its Gala Dinner in the Great Hall of the People on the edge of Tiananmen Square.
2010
September - Vancouver, Canada
We crossed the Atalantic for the first time in 2010 when World Routes was held in Vancouver, also host of the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. The Olympic mascots event paid us a visit in Beijing ahead of this event.
Hosted by Vancouver International Airport
2011
October - Berlin, Germany
Over 2,600 delegates attended the event this year which was held at the Messe Berlin. More meeting opportuntities were provided with the addition of strategic meetings on Hosted Networking Stands and the Networking Evening was held at the construction site of the new Berlin Brandenburg Airport.
Hosted by Berlin Brandenburg Airport
2012
September - Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
This year we returned to a previous Host destination for the first time. In contrast to 1996 the 2012 event saw representation from 240 airlines and attracted 3,000 delegates. The Networking Evening took place on the Helipad of the Yas Marina F1 Circuit.
Hosted by Abu Dhabi Airports
2013
October - Las Vegas, USA
World Routes took place in the US for the first time in 2013 when the event headed to Las Vegas! there were a number of spectacular events laid on for attendees such as the Beach Party themed Welcome Reception which included our very own 'splash mob' and the glamorous Network Evening hosted by Caesars Entertainment at the Garden of the Gods in the unique Caesars Palace Hotel.
Hosted by Las Vegas Harry Reid International Airport and Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority
2014
September - Chicago, USA
We will return to the US for second year in a row for the 20th anniversary of the World Route Development Forum. With the most diverse economy in the United States, and home to several of the aviation industry’s leading companies, Chicago makes the perfect home for World Routes 2014.
Hosted by Chicago Department of Aviation
2015
September - Durban, South Africa
This year we took World Routes to Africa for the first time, to the vibrant city of Durban. The thriving tourist destination and aviation hub offered the perfect location to bring our community to the far southern hemisphere for the first time.
Hosted by KwaZulu-Natal Province (KZN)
2016
September - Chengdu, China
For World Routes in 2016, there was a lot to celebrate in our community. We introduced the Best Stand Award, won by Avinor. The Saturday Reception was hosted by Amsterdam Airport Schipol, to celebrate their 100th birthday. And the New Century Global Center hosted the Networking Evening, which is large enough to hold 20 Sydney Opera Houses!
Hosted by Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport
2017
September - Barcelona, Catalonia
World Routes 2017 was a record breaking year for us, with over 2,500 delegates and over 260 airlines. Our community headed to the capital of Catalonia, one of the largest metropolises in Europe, 10th most visited city in the world and 3rd most in Europe!
Hosted by Government of Catalonia
2018
September - Guangzhou, China
Heading back to China in 2015, World Routes took us to Guangzhou. Our delegates were supportive as ever when the first business day saw meeting rescheduled and moved to hotels due to adverse weather conditions. But thanks to a brilliant team, the exhibition hall reopened on the second day and the event was back on course.
Hosted by Guangdong Airport Authority
2019
September - Adelaide, Australia
In 2019 we celebrated our 25th World Routes down under in Adelaide. For this we had Festival 25, a chance to recognise and celebrate to dedication of our community. Also as part of this, the Welcome Reception was introduced and the first day Exhibitor Networking.
Hosted by South Australian Tourism Commission, Tourism Australia and Adelaide Airport Limited
2021
October - Milan, Italy
Following a year break due to COVID-19, we headed to Milan for an in-person and virtual World Routes. Our hosts SEA Milan welcomed many of our community back following a dificult year, ready to rebuild the world's air services.
Hosted by Milan Airports - SEA
2022
October - Las Vegas, USA
9 years later, we headed back to Las Vegas for our first event as Routes World (formally World Routes). As always in Las Vegas, our delegates were treated to a spectacular show for our networking evenings including a camal appearance at the Welcome Reception. We co-hosted the event with TakeOff North America.
2023
October - Istanbul, Türkiye
This year was a record breaking Routes World. We saw over 3,300 delegates from over 115 countries head to Istanbul. As the city is a mega hub at the intersection of 4 continents (and one of the most visited in the world, its no surprise we saw so many of our community there.
Hosted by iGA - Istanbul Airport
2024
October - Kingdom of Bahrain
For Routes World 2024, we headed back to the Middle East to Bahrain. The country's strategic location, business-friendly environment and world-class attractions, served it as the perfect destination. There were some spectacular locations for the networking events including the Bahrain International Circuit.
Hosted by Bahrain International Airport
2025
September - Hong Kong
This year, in Hong Kong, we are celebrating 30 years of Routes World. With half of the world's population within a 5-hour flight, the city is a hub of vibrant culture, cuisine and community and an ideal location to welcome our community for a momentous year.
Hosted by Hong Kong International Airport