APEX

What APEX does

APEX (Airline Passenger Experience Association) is a non-profit international airline association founded in 1980 and headquartered in Washington, D.C., with operational staff in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Asia. It serves a membership of airlines, airports, airline alliances, suppliers, and aircraft lessors, claiming nearly every major global airline and hundreds of key supplier companies as members. APEX monetizes through tiered annual membership subscriptions ($650-$995 base rates, with 3- and 5-year options and a premium Leading Airline tier), event registration, advertising, and customized event sponsorships across its flagship gatherings including APEX FTE EXPO, APEX TECH, APEX Content Market, APEX FTE EMEA, and APEX FTE EXPO Asia.

The association operates an online member directory with more than 5,000 contacts, a member portal (portal.apex.aero), and an upgraded association management system implemented in 2022. Its core product surface consists of industry awards programs — APEX Best™, APEX Five Star™/Four Star™, APEX World Class™ (audited by YATES+), APEX/IFSA Awards, APEX Health Safety (powered by SimpliFlying), and the CEO Lifetime Achievement Award — most of which are powered by passenger ratings aggregated through TripIt® from Concur® across nearly 600 airlines. APEX also runs a Technology Committee producing IFEC and connectivity standards, a Government Affairs advocacy program, the IFSA Foundation scholarship program (over $1.1M awarded to ~250 recipients since 2000), and the APEX Daily Experience Newsletter.

APEX partners strategically with the International Flight Services Association (IFSA) and Future Travel Experience (FTE) to cover the end-to-end passenger journey, and with TripIt from Concur for ratings data. Governance is provided by an elected Board of Directors with representation from United Airlines, Ethiopian Airlines, Turkish Airlines, Saudia, BBC Studios, Warner Bros. Discovery, Viasat, Airbus, SAS, and others, and the organization is led by Group CEO Dr. Joe Leader. APEX reinvests all resources into member services, industry standards, advocacy, and recognition rather than distributing profit.

Name

APEX

Legal name

Airline Passenger Experience Association

Website

https://apex.aero

Company type

Private

Founded year

1980

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

APEX is a non-profit international airline association founded in 1980 that serves airlines, airports, suppliers, and alliances through tiered membership subscriptions, industry events (APEX FTE EXPO, APEX TECH, Content Market), and passenger-driven awards programs backed by TripIt data.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Aviation Industry Association

NAICS

Business Associations (813910), Convention and Trade Show Organizers (56192), Business Associations (81391)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Conferences & Conventions Operations Services (Registration, AV, Logistics) (MPAGAGAM)

akta.pro secondary industries

Professional & Certification Expos Organizers (THAHABAD), Customer/User Conferences & Client Advisory Boards (THAHAMAD)

Keywords

• Airline association membership
• Passenger experience awards
• Aviation industry events
• Inflight entertainment conferences
• Airline industry advocacy

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: Annual membership fees from airlines ($995/year), alliances ($650/year), suppliers ($995/year), and lessors, with multi-year discount options. Single-year, 3-year, and 5-year membership terms available with locked-in rates.
2. Event Sponsorships: Customized sponsorship opportunities at APEX events positioning companies before desired stakeholders and the highly specialized airline passenger experience community.
3. Advertising: Advertising opportunities across APEX's owned platforms including print, digital, podcast, and video content production.
4. Event Registration: Registration fees for APEX events including APEX Global EXPO, APEX TECH, APEX Content Market, and APEX FTE regional events.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

APEX is a non-profit international airline association that delivers tiered membership programs for airlines, alliances, airports, suppliers, and lessors; industry awards programs (APEX Five Star™/Four Star™, APEX Best™, APEX/IFSA Awards, CEO Lifetime Achievement Award, World Class Rating); proprietary conferences and expos (APEX FTE EXPO, APEX TECH, APEX Content Market, APEX FTE EMEA, APEX FTE EXPO Asia); an online member directory of 5,000+ contacts; a daily industry newsletter; and advocacy/thought-leadership programs serving the end-to-end air travel experience.

Product overview

APEX (Airline Passenger Experience Association) is a global non-profit international airline association and network of airlines, airports, suppliers, and related companies committed to elevating the air travel experience. The organization operates primarily as an industry association offering membership services, prestigious awards programs (including APEX Best™ Awards, APEX Five Star™/Four Star™ ratings, APEX/IFSA Awards, and CEO Lifetime Achievement Awards), conferences and events (APEX FTE EXPO, APEX TECH, APEX Content Market), and industry advocacy. APEX reinvests all resources to serving members, advancing thought-leadership, fostering business opportunities, developing global initiatives, and setting key airline standards. The association also publishes the APEX Daily Experience Newsletter and maintains a member portal with an extensive industry directory.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• APEX FTE EXPO: Flagship expo event combining APEX and Future Travel Experience for end-to-end passenger experience.
• APEX TECH
• APEX Global EXPO
• APEX Content Market
• APEX FTE EMEA
• APEX FTE EXPO Asia
• APEX Best Awards
• APEX Five Star and Four Star Airline Awards
• APEX CEO Lifetime Achievement Award
• APEX/IFSA Awards
• APEX World Class Awards
• APEX Health Safety

Products and services

• APEX Airline Membership Tiered annual membership for certified commercial airlines providing access to member directory, complimentary APEX/IFSA/FTE event access, awards program participation, thought leadership speaking opportunities, government advocacy, and scholarship programs. Priced at $995/year with 3-year ($2,685) and 5-year ($4,475) options.
• APEX Alliance Membership Membership for qualified airline alliances that facilitate travel and codeshare connections, providing industry representation and networking. Priced at $650/year with 3-year ($1,650) and 5-year ($2,650) options.
• APEX Supplier Membership Membership for suppliers providing products and services contributing to end-to-end passenger experience, including market access, exhibition opportunities, and industry visibility. Priced at $995/year with 3-year ($2,695) and 5-year ($4,395) options.
• APEX Leading Airline Membership Elite premium membership tier for top airlines providing exclusive benefits such as Competitive Analysis by Porsche Consulting, Premium Recognition, In-Person Expert Consultations, Priority Media Exposure, and Exclusive Airline Reviews.
• APEX Best™ Awards Passenger-rated awards program powered by TripIt® from Concur® that collects flight ratings from millions of travelers, recognizing airlines across Cabin Service, Food & Beverage, Seat Comfort, and Wi-Fi categories across nearly 600 airlines worldwide.
• APEX Five Star™ and APEX Four Star™ Airline Awards Prestigious airline rating program evaluating airlines on overall passenger experience, requiring certified airlines to meet quality standards and demonstrate sustainability commitments to qualify for ratings.
• APEX/IFSA Awards Awards recognizing innovative approaches to business in passenger experience from member airlines and vendors, honoring specific new achievements and innovations successfully implemented in the industry.
• APEX CEO Lifetime Achievement Award Prestigious honor recognizing airline leaders whose careers have advanced passenger experience through long-term vision, dedication, and measurable impact extending beyond their own airline to strengthen the broader industry.
• APEX World Class™ Rating and Lounge Awards Premium recognition program audited by YATES+ that evaluates and certifies airline excellence in passenger experience, with expansion into lounge guest experience through the APEX World Class™ Lounge Awards.
• APEX Health Safety Program Health safety program powered by SimpliFlying that establishes industry standards and protocols for passenger health and safety in air travel.
• APEX FTE EXPO Major industry event combining APEX and Future Travel Experience conferences, featuring exhibitions, keynote sessions, and panel discussions across the end-to-end passenger journey spanning airport operations and inflight experience.
• APEX TECH Technology-focused conference exploring IFEC (Inflight Entertainment & Connectivity) innovations, covering connectivity, content licensing, streaming rights, LEO satellites, and digital ecosystems for the connected cabin.
• APEX Content Market Premier content conference bringing together airline content buyers and global distributors for focused deal-making, discovery, and industry networking in inflight entertainment.
• APEX/IFSA Member Portal Exclusive member platform providing access to the APEX Member Directory (5,000+ contacts across hundreds of companies), event registration, and member-only resources and benefits.
• APEX Member Directory Comprehensive online directory of industry contacts representing airlines, movie/TV studios, connectivity providers, airframers, airports, seating manufacturers, technology firms, and other key market players, with more than 5,000 contacts across hundreds of companies.
• APEX Daily Experience Newsletter Daily curated newsletter delivering top airline passenger experience industry news from international sources, featuring breaking news, contextual insights, and industry analysis.
• IFSA Foundation Scholarship Program Scholarship program that has awarded over $1.1 million to nearly 250 recipients at member companies, their families, and those pursuing professional degrees in onboard services since 2000.
• Government Affairs Program Program representing the aviation industry with regulatory and legislative advocacy, building relationships with government agencies and regulators worldwide through the IFSA Government Affairs and Education Committee (GAEC).

Quantifiable outcome

• Nearly 600 airlines rated through awards program with millions of passenger ratings collected via TripIt®
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• YATES+coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 September 2024APEX partnered with YATES+, an aviation guest experience transformation consultancy, to launch the APEX World Class™ Lounge Awards audited by YATES+. This pioneering program is the world's first dedicated audit and recognition initiative specifically designed to elevate lounge guest experience, expanding the World Class rating program beyond airlines.
• International Flight Services Association (IFSA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAPEX operates in conjunction with IFSA to serve the full spectrum of the end-to-end travel experience. IFSA focuses on flight services and onboard services while APEX covers the broader passenger experience. The organizations share events, awards programs (APEX/IFSA Awards), government affairs initiatives, and the IFSA Foundation scholarship program which has awarded more than $1.1 million in scholarships to nearly 250 recipients since 2000.
• Future Travel Experience (FTE)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAPEX partners with Future Travel Experience (FTE) to co-host events including APEX FTE EMEA and APEX FTE EXPO Asia. FTE focuses on airport operations and the wider passenger journey while APEX focuses on inflight experience. The partnership creates the world's largest end-to-end passenger experience events combining APEX Premium Conference focusing on connected cabin with FTE Premium Conference focusing on airport operations.
• TripIt® from Concur®coreTechnology or IntegrationAPEX awards programs are powered by passenger feedback collected through TripIt® from Concur®, the world's top-rated travel organizing app. Millions of travelers anonymously rate their flights on a five-star scale, providing the data foundation for APEX Best Awards and APEX Five Star/Four Star ratings across nearly 600 airlines worldwide.
• PCIAW® (Professional Clothing Industry Association Worldwide)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerExclusive partnership for professional clothing representation at APEX/IFSA Global EXPO with FTE Global. PCIAW® brings its members to exhibit at the exhibition, complementing the Inflight Services zone made up of IFSA members.
• RedCabinminorGTM or Marketing PartnerRedCabin, a leading aviation summit pioneer, co-hosts webinars with APEX on aircraft cabin innovation and certification topics.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• International Air Transport Association (IATA): IATA is the largest global airline trade association, covering policy, safety, operations, security and standards across the airline industry. It is APEX's most direct strategic counterpart at a much larger scale and broader mandate, competing for airline member mindshare.
• International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO): ICAO is the UN specialized agency setting international civil aviation standards and SARPs. While not a direct membership competitor, it shapes the regulatory and standards environment in which APEX's Technology Committee Working Groups (e.g., LMT, Connectivity) operate.

Direct peers

• Airports Council International (ACI): ACI is the global trade association of airports, operating with a similar membership, advocacy and standards model as APEX. It is explicitly named by APEX as a parallel organization whose airport-side scope complements APEX's inflight focus, with overlapping member airlines and suppliers.
• International Flight Services Association (IFSA): IFSA is APEX's strategic partner association focused on onboard services, sharing events, awards (APEX/IFSA Awards), government affairs and scholarship programs with APEX. It is effectively a sister organization with closely aligned member base and revenue model.
• Future Travel Experience (FTE): FTE is APEX's co-host partner for flagship events including APEX FTE EMEA and APEX FTE EXPO Asia. It focuses on airport operations and end-to-end passenger journey while APEX focuses on inflight, giving it a directly overlapping audience, sponsor base and events business.

Regional players

• Airlines for America (A4A): A4A is the US airline industry trade association representing major North American carriers on policy, advocacy and operational matters. It competes with APEX for attention and dues from the same major US airlines, though with a primarily domestic policy focus.
• Arab Air Carriers Organization (AACO): AACO represents Arab-region airlines with a membership and advocacy model comparable to APEX, but focused on Middle East and North Africa. Several Middle East carriers (e.g., Saudia, Emirates) overlap with APEX's membership base.
• European Regions Airline Association (ERA): ERA is the trade association for European regional airlines, with a similar membership, events and advocacy model as APEX. It competes for attention from regional European carriers that are also part of APEX's global airline network.

Others

• Star Alliance: Star Alliance is one of the world's major airline alliances and a paying Alliance-tier member of APEX. It is not a direct competitor but represents the kind of alliance-level stakeholder that APEX serves through its Alliance Membership tier.
• SimpliFlying: SimpliFlying is an aviation marketing and guest experience consultancy that powers APEX's Health Safety program. It is an enabling ecosystem partner rather than a direct competitor, but its advisory role overlaps with parts of APEX's value proposition to airlines.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/theapexassoc
• Facebookfacebook.com/apex.aero
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/APEX-Airline-Passenger-Experience-Association-3886588
• Instagraminstagram.com/theapexassoc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles20 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about APEX