After reviewing hundreds of submissions, the Airport Experience News team is pleased to share the finalists for its 2026 Airport Experience Awards. Once again, the AX Team was overwhelmed with both the number of submissions and the quality of the teams, concepts and companies all vying for recognition as leaders in the dynamic airport concessions world.
The finalist submissions have been turned over the AX Awards Committee for their selections. The committee – newly selected each year – is comprised of 24 industry executives (12 concessions/brand executives and 12 airport executives) who cast their votes for winners from among the finalists.
Winners will be revealed at the 2026 Airport Experience Conference, to be held February 22-25 at the Gaylord Opryland Convention Center in Nashville.
Below are the finalists in each category:
Airport Awards:
Airport With the Best Commercial Team – Large Airports
- Denver International Airport
- Nashville International Airport
- San Diego International Airport
- Chicago Midway International Airport
- Vancouver International Airport
- Dallas Fort Worth International Airport
- Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport
- Toronto Pearson International Airport
- Orlando International Airport
Airport With the Best Commercial Team – Medium/Small Airports
- William P. Hobby Airport
- Palm Springs International Airport
- Kelowna International Airport
- San Jose International Airport
- Calgary International Airport
- Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport
Airport With the Best Community Engagement Initiative – Large Airports
- Nashville International Airport
- Toronto Pearson International Airport
- Dallas Fort Worth International Airport
- John F. Kennedy International Airport
- Orlando International Airport
Airport With the Best Community Engagement Initiative – Medium/Small Airports
- Lakeland Linder International Airport
- Long Beach Airport
- Albuquerque International Sunport
- Ontario International Airport
Airport With The Best Overall Program – Large Airports
- Denver International Airport
- Nashville International Airport
- Chicago Midway International Airport
- Vancouver International Airport
- Dallas Fort Worth International Airport
Airport With The Best Overall Program – Medium/Small Airports
- William P. Hobby Airport
- Lehigh Valley International Airport
- Calgary International Airport
Airport with the Best Program Design
- San Diego International Airport
- Denver International Airport
- Nashville International Airport
Airport With Highest Regard for Customer Service – Large Airports
- Nashville International Airport
- JFKIAT (Operator of Terminal 4 at JFK)
- Dallas Fort Worth International Airport
Airport With Highest Regard for Customer Service – Medium/Small Airports
- William P. Hobby Airport
- John Wayne Airport, Orange County
- Lakeland Linder International Airport
- Cleveland Hopkins International Airport
- Ontario International Airport
OPERATOR AWARDS
Best Overall Restaurateur – Large Operator
- SSP America
- Paradies Lagardère
- HMSHost
- OTG Management
- OHM Concession Group
- Areas
- Jackmont Hospitality
Best Overall Restaurateur – Small Operator
- LaTrelle’s
- Bambuza
- High Flying
- Aero Service
- The Grove
Best Overall Retailer – Large Operator
- Paradies Lagardère
- WHSmith North America
- Hudson/Avolta
- Dufry
Best Overall Retailer– Small Operator
- NewsLink
- ARI North America
- Cediel Concessions Management
Restaurateur With The Highest Regard for Customer Service – Large Operators
- SSP America
- Areas
- Paradies Lagardère
- OTG Management
- HMSHost
- Concessions International
Restaurateur With The Highest Regard for Customer Service – Small Operators
- Latrelle’s
- High Flying Foods
- Mission Yogurt
- Skyport Hospitality
- Grove Bay Crawford JV LLC
- Firkin Hospitality Group
Retailer With The Highest Regard for Customer Service – Large Operators
- Paradies Lagardère
- WHSmith North America
- Hudson/Avolta
- Dufry
Retailer With The Highest Regard for Customer Service – Small Operators
- Johnston & Murphy
- Be Relax
- NewsLink
Best ACDBE Operator – Food & Beverage
- Olive & Finch
- Mission Yogurt
- M2 Concepts
- E&K Retail Inc
- Aero Service Group
- Nuts on Clark
Best ACDBE Operator – Retail
- Gameway
- Airport Retail Group
- Minute Suites
- Love From USA Group
- CRS Sophisticated Solutions
Best Local Concessions Management Team – Large Airports
- WHSmith North America at LaGuardia Airport
- Villa Restaurant Group at Newark International Airport
- OHM Concession Group at Salt Lake City International Airport
- OTG Management at LaGuardia Airport
- Airport Retail Group at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport
- High Flying Foods at San Diego International Airport
Best Local Concessions Management Team – Medium/Small Airports
- WHSmith at Palm Springs International Airport
- Fresquez Concessions at Albuquerque International Sunport
- Bambuza Hospitality Group at John Wayne Airport, Orange County
- Areas at Houston P. Hobby Airport
- Firkin Hospitality at Halifax Stanfield International Airport
- SSP America at Spokane International Airport
CONCEPT AWARDS
Best Bar Experience – Large Airports
- Williams & Graham by Mission Yogurt at Denver International Airport
- Sammy Hagar’s Beach Bar by HMSHost at Charlotte Douglas International Airport
- The Line Sports Grille by OTG at George Bush Intercontinental Airport
- Gatsby by Jackmont Hospitality at Dulles International Airport
- Peet’s at Night by SSP America at Boston Logan International Airport
- Kona’s by Pacific Cocktail Haven by Paradies Lagardère at San Francisco International Airport
Best Bar Experience – Medium/Small Airports
- Throughgood Bistro & Bar by Areas USA at William P. Hobby Airport
- The Rustic by LaTrelle’s at William P. Hobby Airport
- Teller Bar by Fresquez at Albuquerque International Sunport
- Ashley Cooper Provisions by Delaware North at Charleston International Airport
- Denali Spirits by HMSHost at Anchorage International Airport
- Atlas Brewworks by Master ConcessionAir at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport
Best Casual Dining Concept – Large Airports
- ChoLon Modern Asian by Mission Yogurt at Denver International Airport
- OMB Biergarten by HMSHost at Charlotte Douglas International Airport
- Sunset Loop Bar & Grill by OTG at Denver International Airport
- Sunday’s Best by SSP America at Salt Lake City International Airport
- Ben’s Chili Bowl by MSK at Washington Dulles International Airport
- Rappahannock Oysters by Jackmont Hospitality at Washington Dulles International Airport
Best Casual Dining Concept – Medium/Small Airports
- Crawford’s Genuine by Grove Bay Crawford JV LLC at Raleigh-Durham International Airport
- OEB Kitchen & Bar by ECG Ventures II Ltd. at Edmonton International Airport
- Trio by Paradies Lagardère at Palm Springs International Airport
- Fort Myers Brewing Company by HMSHost at Southwest Florida International Airport
- Chili’s Grill & Bar by Master ConcessionAir at Key West International Airport
- Bengals Bar & Kitchen by SSP America at Cincinnati-Northern Kentucky International Airport
Best Local-Inspired Restaurant – Large Airports
- The Waterman by HMSHost at Charlotte Douglas International Airport
- Zaro’s Family Bakery by Villa Restaurant Group at John F. Kennedy International Airport
- Perry’s by Paradies Lagardère at San Francisco International Airport
- Jacob’s Pickles by SSP America at John F. Kennedy International Airport
- Elixr Coffee by Jackmont Hospitality at Philadelphia International Airport
- La Fabrique de Bagel by Mohammed Chahrour at Montreal Montréal-Trudeau International Airport
- The Annie by SSP America at George Bush Intercontinental Airport
Best Local-Inspired Restaurant – Medium/Small Airports
- 1933 Lounge + HC Tavern by St. Elmo; Huse Culinary and SSP America at Indianapolis International Airport
- The Rustic by LaTrelle’s at William P. Hobby Airport
- Kardea Brown’s Southern Kitchen by Delaware North at Charleston International Airport
- Oven and Shaker by SSP America at Portland International Airport
- OEB Kitchen & Bar by ECG Ventures II Ltd at Edmonton International Airport
- Mattison’s City Grille by POEB Kitchen & Bar, ECG Ventures II Ltd. at Sarasota Bradenton International Airport
Best Local-Inspired Store – Large Airports
- Jeteri Market by Paradies Lagardere at George Bush Intercontinental Airport
- Corktown Place by Paradies Lagardère at Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport
- Weller Book Works & WHSmith North America at Salt Lake City International Airport
- Motown Greatest Hits Travel Shop & WH Smith North America at Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport
- Tentree by Avolta at Vancouver International Airport
- Natchie by Nadia Ackerman at John F. Kennedy International Airport
Best Local-Inspired Store – Medium/Small Airports
- Little Main St. @ OAK by Hudson at Oakland International Airport
- Oakland Supply Co. by WHSmith at Oakland International Airport
- East Coasters by Hudson at Halifax Stanfield International Airport
- Hello From Portland by Brookwest Ventures LLC and WH Smith North America at Portland International Airport
- Banff Collective by WHSmith North America at Calgary International Airport
Best Quick-Serve Restaurant Concept – Large Airports
- Maria Empanada by Mission Yogurt at Denver International Airport
- Shake Shack by HMSHost at Boston Logan International Airport
- Starbucks by OTG Management at Denver International Airport
- The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf by Bambuza Hospitality Group at Salt Lake City International Airport
- Zeke’s Coffee by Master ConcessionAir at Washington Reagan International Airport
- Half Moon Empanadas by Half Moon Empanadas at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport
- Smoothie King by OdehMickens DFW Concessions at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport
- Poulet Rouge by Poulet Rouge at Montréal-Trudeau International Airport
Best Quick-Serve Restaurant Concept – Medium/Small Airports
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- Stack & Press by SSP America at Calgary International Airport
- Flavor of New Mexico by Fresquez Concessions at El Paso International Airport
- Wheels Up Burgers & BBQ by ECG Ventures II at Edmonton International Airport
- BurgerFi by HMSHost at Jacksonville International Airport
- Bad Egg Breakfast Shack by SSP America at Calgary International Airport
AIRPORT SERVICES AWARDS
Best Lounge Experience
- Capital One Lounge at John F. Kennedy International Airport
- Plaza Premium First at Vancouver International Airport
- The Escape Lounge at Kansas City International Airport
- Chase Sapphire Lounge by The Club at San Diego International Airport
- Aspire/WestJet Garden Louge at Calgary International Airport
- Delta One Lounge at Los Angeles International Airport
Best Passenger Service
- SDF: Fixers & Fillers
- Allways Meet & Assist
- Mobility Cart Tracking Services
- Rogers Xfinity and Passenger Pods
- OraOxygen Wellness Spa
- Be Relax
- Spa Here
PERSONNEL / OTHER AWARDS
Outstanding Woman In Leadership – Airports
- Pam DeChant of Denver International Airport
- Lisa Leyva of Nashville International Airport
- Charlene Reynolds of John Wayne Airport, Orange County
- Deanna Zachrisson of San Diego International Airport
- Tracy Conner-Harris of Orlando International Airport
Outstanding Woman in Leadership – Operator
- Nancy Knipp of Airport Dimensions
- Katherine Lam of Bambuza Hospitality Group
- Jennifer Reynolds of Ideation Design Group
- Brenda Branch of High Places Concessions
DE&I Trailblazer
- Donata Russel Ross of Concessions International
- Gary Gilliard of Albuquerque International Sunport
- Shelby Scales of Avolta
Best Sustainability Initiative
- Geothermal Tech In Terminal At Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport
- Donate, Don’t Discard Initiative At Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority
- OTG Management’s Sustainability Initiative
- Areas USA’s Data-Driven Waste Reduction Initiative At William P. Hobby Airport
- HydroStations At Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport
