Participate APEX CCA

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I meet the criteria for entry? Who are the judges? When will the winners be announced? Check out the most frequently asked questions around the Seamless Journey Award.

who can enter?

Any corporation, airline, researcher, university, institution or individual natural person related with the civil aviation industry or airports may present an entry and apply for the 2026 Seamless Journey Award.

Who is excluded from participation?

Members of the Crystal Cabin Award Association, experts serving on the CCA Judging Panel, and official APEX representatives, such as Board or Committee members, are not eligible to participate in the competition.
Companies affiliated with or employing individuals who are excluded from participating may nevertheless enter the competition. However, any affiliated judges will be required to abstain from voting on their company’s entry to ensure that the judging process remains fully impartial and free from any potential conflicts of interest.
Moreover, military and defense products are excluded from the contest. Only civil aviation products or concepts are allowed to be entered for the Seamless Journey Award.

What criteria must be met for submissions?

An entry has to fulfil the general criteria of the award category SEAMLESS JOURNEY - see Category Description.

Entries should be viable for implementation within approximately two years, and the concept or product itself should not be older than one year.

How can I participate?

The application requires the following steps:

• Download Seamless Journey Award Application Package
• Fill Application + PR Form
• Prepare Main Document
• Prepare PR Content
• Compile all files into a single ZIP folder and upload it by 9 October 2026, 23:59 CET.

The link to submit your entry is above this FAQ section.

The deadline may be extended at the organizers’ discretion.

We strongly advise you to study the 2026 Seamless Journey Award Competition Guidelines being part of the Application Package. They contain detailed information on the application requirements, the competition process and further topics.

How many categories are there?

The Seamless Journey Award is a stand-alone award with no subcategories. “Seamless Journey” is therefore the sole award category.

It honors products, concepts, services and systems that connect the aircraft cabin with the wider passenger journey, creating a more seamless experience beyond the aircraft itself. They must demonstrate meaningful integration between the cabin and other stages of the passenger journey, unlocking new possibilities for passengers, airlines, airports and their partners.

Entries may include, but are not limited to, digital interfaces and platforms, connected passenger and hospitality services, personalization and loyalty solutions, airport and ground services, baggage and mobility solutions, accessibility and assistance services, or integrated end-to-end journey concepts.

Why should I take part?

Presented in collaboration with APEX, the Airline Passenger Experience Association, the Seamless Journey Award gives innovators the opportunity to demonstrate how their solutions connect different stages of the passenger journey.
For participants, this means:
• A powerful communication platform for PR, brand positioning and business development, provided by two of the most influential international organizations in the aviation and passenger experience industry.
• Visibility among key industry decision-makers, including airlines, airports, suppliers and technology companies.
• International recognition through an established global aviation award.

who are the judges?

The entries will be evaluated by the Crystal Cabin Award judging panel, comprising leading international aviation experts, including engineers, senior industry executives and academics. Around one-third of the jury members are nominated by airlines from across the international aviation industry.

How does the evaluation process work?

After the end of the application deadline, all entries complying with the award regulations will be evaluated online by the Crystal Cabin Award judging panel. The criteria for the evaluation are: degree of innovation (50%), operator benefit (25%), and passenger benefit (25%). The three entries with the highest scores will be announced as finalists.

In the next and final stage, the finalists present their innovations to the judging panel at a virtual Final Viewing on Wednesday, November 4, 2026, 5:00 PM CET. Afterwards the winner is determined by a secret vote of the judges.

who can enter?

Any corporation, airline, scientist, university, institution or individual natural person related with the civil aviation industry or airports may present an entry to participate in the Crystal Cabin Award.

How much does it cost to participate?

The Crystal Cabin Award Association charges a submission fee of EUR 380.00 per entry (plus 19% VAT according to the legislation of the German Government for applicants based in Germany or for applicants based in the EU, who do not provide a VAT number within the application form).
Entries in the University category are free of charge. Student status must be verified by providing a valid student ID from the current year.

What criteria must be met for submissions?

An entry has to fulfil the general criteria of the category to which it has been entered (see category descriptions).
Entries should be viable for implementation within approximately two years, and the concept or product itself should not be older than one year. An exception are the categories University and Breakthrough Start-Ups, where the factor of feasibility plays only a minor role.

How many categories are there?

For the 2027 Crystal Cabin Award season, ending with the award ceremony on April 6, 2027, the following eight categories have been determined: Accessibility, Breakthrough Start-Ups, Cabin Concepts, Cabin Technologies, IFEC & Digital Systems, Passenger Comfort, Sustainable Cabin and University. We reserve the right to adjust the categories and move submissions to a different category until the shortlist is announced.

Who is not allowed to participate?

Members of the Crystal Cabin Award Association and experts from the Judging Panel may not participate in the competition. Companies associated with members of the Judging Panel may participate in the competition. However, their associate will not be allowed to vote for their product, to make sure the scoring is completely neutral and unaffected by company loyalties.
Moreover, military and defense products are excluded from the contest. Only civil aviation products or concepts are allowed to be entered for the Crystal Cabin Award.

Why should I take part?

The Crystal Cabin Award is the first and only international accolade dedicated exclusively to excellence in aircraft interior innovation. Founded in 2007 by the cluster agency Hamburg Aviation as a non-profit initiative, it has since gained international recognition.
The competition provides companies and institutions with the opportunity to showcase their innovative products and concepts to the global aviation industry, while also fostering valuable connections with decision-makers across the entire supply chain. Winners are granted the right to use the Award’s logo and title for promotional and marketing purposes.

who are the judges?

The Judging Panel consists of international aviation experts, including engineers, high-ranking corporate executives and scientists. About one third of the panel members are nominated from the international airline industry. The judges remain neutral and independent.

How does the evaluation process work?

The evaluation process consists of three stages.
In the first stage, all entries are reviewed by the Crystal Cabin Awards Association pre-selection committee. Submissions that do not comply with the Award rules will be excluded. The committee will then compile a shortlist of all valid entries.
During the second stage, the judging panel evaluates each entry solely based on three criteria: degree of innovation (50%), operator benefit (25%), and passenger benefit (25%). For each award category, the three entries with the highest scores will be announced as finalists.
In the final stage, the finalists present their innovations to the judging panel at the Final Viewing in Hamburg on April 5, 2027, the day before the Aircraft Interiors Expo. Winners are determined by a secret vote of the judges following the presentations.

When and where will the ceremony be held?

In 2027, the award ceremony will take place at the Hamburg Chamber of Commerce on Tuesday, April 6, alongside the Aircraft Interiors Expo.

What happens if I am successful?

The winners of each category are announced live at the Crystal Cabin Award ceremony at the Hamburg Chamber of Commerce on Tuesday, April 6, 2027. All winners get a certificate and the coveted Crystal Cabin Award Trophy.
Moreover, they will be featured in a multi-channel media campaign, including LinkedIn posts, an entry in the printed finalist folder (being distributed at the AIX), a display at our AIX exhibition booth, a dedicated slot to present their innovation at Cabin Space Live at the AIX, and various mentions by our external media partners.

Submit your product to the crystal cabin award

When and where will the winner be announced?

The Seamless Journey Award will be presented at the APEX FTE Awards Ceremony on Thursday, 19 November 2026, 19:00 – 22:00, at the
Swissôtel The Stamford in Singapore.

All finalists will be invited to attend in person and receive two complementary tickets for the award ceremony.

Who is organizing the 2026 Seamless Journey Award?

The 2026 Seamless Journey Award is a joint initiative of the long-standing association partners CCA (the Crystal Cabin Award Association), based in Hamburg, Germany, and APEX (the Airline Passenger Experience Association), based in Washington, D.C., USA.

Both associations are equal partners in the initiative. The Crystal Cabin Award Association is responsible for organizing and executing the competition, including the entry process, judging and award administration.

APEX contributes its extensive expertise and global network in airline passenger experience, while CCA brings its longstanding experience in managing and delivering the Crystal Cabin Award. Together, the two associations combine their complementary perspectives to recognize outstanding innovation that connects the aircraft cabin with the wider passenger journey.

introducing

The
seamless
journey award

Let Your Ideas Take ofF

Seamless journey: A new award

Timeline

Frequently Asked Questions

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introducing

Theseamless journey award

Let Your Ideas Take ofF

Seamless journey: A new award

Timeline

Frequently Asked Questions

Sponsors

The community

Follow us

Contact us

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The
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journey award