ATCA Connect

ATCA Connect

Most recent confirmed edition: 2-4 March 2026 Venue: Charleston Area Convention Center, 5001 Coliseum Drive, North Charleston, SC 29418, United States Organiser: Air Traffic Control Association (ATCA), 225 Reinekers Lane Suite 400, Alexandria, VA Official site: https://www.atcaconnect.org/ (redirects to atca.org)

About the event

ATCA Connect is the flagship annual gathering of the Air Traffic Control Association - a conference plus an exhibit hall for the air traffic management (ATM) industry, drawing FAA, Department of Transportation, Department of Defense, NASA and NATCA leadership alongside integrators and vendors. The 2026 edition marked a milestone: as ATCA put it, "When we gather in March for ATCA Connect, it will mark 70 years since ATCA was founded by a group of air traffic controllers who were committed to progress and safety."

The organiser's own description of the format is deliberately relationship-first rather than trade-show-first: "Creating an environment designed for meaningful dialogue, relationship-building, and networking is our mission at ATCA Connect. It's a valued tradition with a renewed focus." Programming in 2026 centred on "Safety, Strategy, and System Integration" - NAS modernisation (including the Brand New Air Traffic Control System, BNATCS), cyber resilience, airspace integration, artificial intelligence and training.

Next edition

Officially announced as ATCA Connect - Fall 2027, Washington, D.C., but exact dates are not yet published. ATCA's own wording: "We're bringing this event back to Washington, D.C., with a renewed focus on getting industry leaders together to exchange ideas, build connections, and tackle the issues shaping the future of air traffic management. More announcements coming soon about exact dates, speakers, sessions, and sponsorship opportunities."

Third-party directories listing "ATCA Connect 2027" all show Dates: TBD or unverified guesses (one aggregator projects 1 November 2027 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center, another guesses March 2027); neither is an official announcement, so no future date is recorded here.

Note for researchers

The record previously carried no dates because the brand domain atcaconnect.org serves only a JavaScript redirect to atca.org, and the old event path atca.org/ATCA-Connect/home now returns 404 - the live official listing is atca.org/atca-events. The event is distinct from the separate ATCA Tech Symposium (27-29 April 2027, FAA William J. Hughes Technical Center / Caesars, Atlantic City, NJ), which is a different ATCA programme and should not be merged with ATCA Connect.