About ILA Berlin
ILA Berlin is Germany's major aerospace show, held every two years in June at the Berlin ExpoCenter Airport on the southern edge of BER. It combines trade halls, a static aircraft display and flying demonstrations.
Where exactly is ILA held?
Unlike the fairs under the Funkturm, ILA takes place at the Berlin ExpoCenter Airport in Selchow, part of Schönefeld, right on the southern boundary of BER. Aircraft on static display stand on the apron beside the halls, and the flying display uses the airport's airspace. The main visitor entrance is the east entrance. If you land at BER for ILA, you are already a few kilometres from your stand; do not book a car to the Messe in Charlottenburg by mistake, which is 35 km away. Other fairs are listed in the trade fair calendar.
How long does the taxi from the terminal to ILA take?
The site is close as the crow flies, but the car has to go round the southern runway. On trade days, with traffic management in place, plan 15 to 30 minutes from Terminal 1 or 2. On public days the approach roads from the A113 and the A10 fill up with visitors heading for the car parks, and that time can double around opening at 10:00. Your driver meets you at the meeting point at BER and takes the official access route for drop-offs.
Trade days and public days
ILA is held every two years in June, in even-numbered years, over five days. The first three, Wednesday to Friday, are reserved for trade visitors, delegations and media; the weekend is open to the public. For exhibitors and buyers, the trade days are the time to use a taxi: roads are manageable and you can be dropped close to the east entrance. On Saturday and Sunday public transport is recommended by the organisers, with a shuttle from S-Bahn Schönefeld; if you still take a taxi, travel early in the morning or after midday.
Sleeping near the site or in the city?
The hotels at BER airport are the obvious base, a short ride from the halls. Many international teams prefer the city and commute: from Mitte or Potsdamer Platz allow 40 to 60 minutes each way in rush hour. Towns south of Berlin such as Königs Wusterhausen or Zossen are another option, see BER to Berlin's surrounding towns.
Getting back after the flying display
The halls close at 18:00, and on the busiest days everybody leaves within the same hour. Book your pickup for a fixed time at the east entrance, or 30 minutes after closing to let the first wave clear. Flying out the same evening? Because the site is so close to the terminals, an hour is usually enough, but check the closures announced for ILA weekends, when S-Bahn lines are sometimes replaced by buses.
What to tell your driver
- "ILA, Berlin ExpoCenter Airport, east entrance" rather than "Messe"
- Your flight number and terminal
- Hall number, if you have demo cases or display models
- Group size: delegations fit a minibus
- Exhibitor information on the ILA website ↗
