The global air cargo industry will return to Miami from 13–15th May 2025 for the CNS Partnership Conference, one of the most important annual gatherings on the North American logistics calendar. Hosted by Cargo Network Services Corporation (CNS), an IATA company, this year’s event will bring together approximately 700 stakeholders from across the airfreight value chain for three days of strategic dialogue, commercial networking, and future-facing insight.
The 2025 conference arrives at a moment when the industry is under intensifying pressure to adapt—facing the combined challenges of geopolitical disruption, economic volatility, sustainability expectations, and a digital transformation that remains uneven across the global supply chain.
Under the theme “Evolution and Resilience: Keys to the Future of US Air Cargo,” the event aims to move the conversation beyond adaptation and into forward action.
As CNS President Alicia Lines noted, preparing for the future of cargo means investing in people and process equally: “The key takeaway is that we need to work on bringing young people into this industry—bring talent, retain it, and upskill the knowledge we already have because people are the ones making the difference in cargo.
Although rooted in the US market, the CNS Partnership Conference draws attendees and speakers from around the world. Scheduled keynotes include Patrick Moebel, President of FedEx Logistics, alongside senior figures like Andrés Bianchi (CEO, LATAM Cargo) and Peter Penseel (President, Delta Cargo), who will headline the Leadership in Air Cargo Panel.
Industry direction
CNS 2025 is set to serve as a vital temperature check for where the sector is heading next. The conference balances strategic reflection with practical solutions, uniting the industry around urgent themes—from digital modernisation to operational resilience and workforce planning.
One of CNS’s defining strengths lies in its ability to foster high-quality connections, whether in structured business sessions or informal settings. In addition to the annual golf tournament on 13 May, this year introduces a networking sailing tour on a catamaran for non-golfers.
A new “Meet and Greet” matchmaking session has also been introduced, giving airlines and forwarders the ability to pre-schedule meetings, exchange contacts, and explore commercial partnerships before the show floor opens.
In the words of Keith Davis, CEO of Sterling Transportation, “If you want to showcase your services, you can do that, you can have private meetings, you can exhibit here at the show” or, as John Engelaan, VP Cargo at SkyTeam, summed up: “All the companies that are important to you—you will meet them there in one to three days.”
