Women in Aviation International holds its annual conference at the Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center in Nashville in 2028. It’s one of the friendliest events in the aviation year and attracts pilots, engineers, air traffic controllers, maintenance technicians and students, and not only women. The education sessions and workshops cover careers, leadership and technical skills, and the exhibit hall is full of airlines, manufacturers, flight schools and the armed forces, many of them recruiting on the spot. Scholarships worth a large sum in total are usually awarded during the conference, which is a big draw for students and early-career aviators. The venue itself is a huge resort with indoor gardens, so you can stay under one roof for the whole event. Registration opens through WAI, with discounted rates for members.

Dates: Thursday 24 to Saturday 26 February 2028, Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center, Nashville.

Official website: https://www.wai.org/conference

Where to stay

The conference hotel books up early, so it’s worth looking at other options near Opryland and in downtown Nashville too: