ISTAT Americas 2026 Draws 10,000 Aviation Professionals to San Diego

SAN DIEGO — More than 10,000 aviation professionals converged on the Manchester Grand Hyatt San Diego from March 8-10 for the ISTAT Americas 2026 conference, the industry's premier gathering for aircraft leasing, financing and asset management discussions.

The three-day event brought together C-suite executives, directors and investors to address critical topics including aircraft valuation methodologies, financing strategies and market outlooks. ISTAT President Gerry Laderman and Americas Chair Bryson Monteleone opened the proceedings, followed by keynote sessions featuring industry leaders. Panel discussions included insights from Delta Air Lines' Kristen Bojko on the widebody market reset, while CFOs from Air Canada, Southwest Airlines, United Airlines and Porter Airlines participated in financing discussions.

The conference featured specialized networking areas including The Deal Zone and Airline Lounge, designed to facilitate transactions and partnerships. Sessions covered sustainability initiatives, emerging financing solutions and evolving investment strategies across the aircraft lifecycle. Organizers said the structured format allowed attendees to accomplish annual networking goals within the condensed three-day timeframe.