Xiamen Airlines will host the 83rd IATA Annual General Meeting (AGM) and World Air Transport Summit (WATS) in Xiamen, China, from 30 May to 1 June 2027, the International Air Transport Association has announced.
The decision was made at the 82nd IATA AGM in Rio de Janeiro. It will be the third time China has hosted the global gathering of aviation leaders, and the first time the event will be held in Xiamen.
China previously hosted the IATA AGM in Shanghai in 2002 and in Beijing in 2012. Xiamen, located on China’s southeast coast, is a historic port city with longstanding trade links to international markets.
“We are excited to bring the 83rd IATA AGM to China, hosted by Xiamen Airlines,” said Willie Walsh, Director General of IATA. “China is a major player in the aviation industry. China’s airlines are among the top airlines by passenger traffic in the world. And the country is at the forefront of how technology and digitalization can be deployed to improve efficiency.”
Walsh added that hosting the AGM in China would allow global aviation leaders to witness first-hand the development of the Chinese market.
Zhao Dong, Chairman of Xiamen Airlines, said the airline was proud to welcome industry colleagues to its home base. “China is a vast and culturally diverse country, with many dynamic cities and regions beyond its best-known gateways,” he said. “Located on China’s southeast coast, Xiamen is a historical port and interface for commerce between China and the rest of the world.”
Xie Bing, CEO and President of Xiamen Airlines, pointed to the upcoming opening of Xiang’an International Airport as evidence of Xiamen’s growing role as a transportation and business hub. “AGM guests can look forward to discovering the rich culture, warm hospitality, coastal beauty, and a relaxed lifestyle that create the distinctive spirit and vitality of Xiamen,” he said.
The IATA AGM is the premier annual event for the global airline industry, bringing together chief executives, government officials and industry leaders to set priorities and direction for commercial aviation. The World Air Transport Summit, held alongside the AGM, provides a platform for senior figures to address the most pressing challenges and opportunities facing the sector.
China’s aviation market has grown rapidly over the past two decades and is now one of the largest in the world by passenger numbers. Chinese carriers including Air China, China Eastern Airlines and China Southern Airlines rank among the busiest airlines globally, while domestic air travel demand continues to expand alongside rising middle-class incomes and infrastructure investment.
Xiamen itself has developed significantly as an international business destination. The addition of Xiang’an International Airport, expected to open later in 2026, is set to substantially increase the city’s air connectivity and capacity, reinforcing its position as a gateway for both commerce and tourism on China’s southeastern coast.
The 2027 AGM will bring together the heads of the world’s airlines at a city that represents a less prominent but increasingly significant face of Chinese aviation, offering delegates an alternative perspective on the country’s broader transport ambitions beyond its major hub cities.
