MWC Smart Airports Summit: The Digitally Connected Hub

As airports evolve into digitally connected, data-driven hubs, the telecom industry stands at a critical crossroads – no longer just an enabler, but a strategic partner in aviation’s transformation.

Smart Airports Summit: The Digitally Connected Hub is a focused, half-day summit that brings together leaders from telecom, aviation, and technology to explore how advanced connectivity – from private 5G and IoT to edge computing and application-aware networks – is reshaping airport infrastructure, operations, and customer experience.

Building on the success of the Smart Airports summit at MWC Barcelona 25, this year’s edition will unpack how telcos can unlock new revenue models, support critical airport applications and drive seamless digital journeys for passengers, airlines and operators alike. 

At MWC Barcelona 2026, this summit will help shape the blueprint for the connected airport of the future.

• The Vital Layer: Wireless Connectivity as Aviation's Strategic Foundation, Minneapolis Airport
• The Next Era of Aviation: Innovation Through Technology & Collaboration - Ericsson, United Airlines, Minneapolis Airport, Slalom Inc 
• Delivering on the Promise of the Smart Airport - SITA
• Bringing Physical AI to Airports through Real-Time Motional Digital Twins - Rome Airport & Outsight
• Building Unified Networks for the Modern Airport - Boldyn Networks
• Transforming aviation: The landing of the Aena autonomous airports - Aena Group
• Powering the passenger experience: connectivity that moves with travellers - Manchester Airport Group & BT
• From Infrastructure to Intelligence: Security & Scaling the Digitally Connected Airport - Frankfurt Airport, NTT, PaloAlto Networks
• What’s next for Smart Airports - Aena Group, Rome Airport, Manchester Airport Group