AAOS 2026
By Buzzbox Media · Last reviewed August 3, 2026
What is AAOS?
Global capital of orthopedic implant and instrument vendors. If you sell to ortho surgeons, you must be here. Cadaver labs and live surgical demos are the differentiator.
What are the key facts about AAOS?
- Host organization: American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons
- Primary specialty: orthopedics
- Scale: mega
- Geography: US National
- International attendance: ~20%
- See all Orthopedic conferences
Which device categories fit AAOS?
Which buyer stages does AAOS fit?
What does AAOS charge for booth space?
Read from the AAOS exhibit prospectus published by American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. The rates are the organizer’s own; the 10×10 totals are our arithmetic on them. View the prospectus ↗
| Booth Type | $/sqft | 10×10 Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Linear inline booth (10x10) | $40.00 | $4,000 | A 10x10 works out to $4,000. AAOS publishes a per-net-square-foot rate, not a 10x10 package price. |
| Linear corner booth (10x10) | $42.00 | $4,200 | The $2/sqft uplift is $200 per open corner on a 10x10. An end cap with two open corners costs more than a flat $42/sqft implies. |
| Island booth space | $40.00 | $4,000 | 20x20 or larger. Same rate as linear inline. |
Planning the AAOS booth itself? Read our guide to medical conference booth design for booth types, union labor rules, and the corner upgrade.
Who attends AAOS?
~60% orthopedic surgeons (residents + attending), ~15% international, ~25% industry/other.
- Purchasing authority: ~50% of attendees
- Effective buyers: ~15,000
- International attendance: ~20%
Where is AAOS held?
- Venue: Orange County Convention Center, Orlando, FL
- Management company: In-house
- Product theater: Available
Who else exhibits at AAOS?
Approximately 500+ exhibitors typically attend AAOS. Your competitors are here.
Is AAOS worth exhibiting?
Why Exhibit
Global capital of orthopedic implant and instrument vendors. If you sell to ortho surgeons, you must be here. Cadaver labs and live surgical demos are the differentiator.
Why Skip
Non-orthopedic devices are wasted here. Competition is brutal. Stryker, Zimmer, DePuy, Smith & Nephew own the floor.
What should exhibitors know before AAOS?
Cadaver lab programming drives booth traffic more than any graphic. Budget for lab time if you have a surgical instrument.
What is the Buzzbox Score for AAOS?
10.0 / 10 (Exceptional)
10.0 out of 10. One of the strongest exhibiting opportunities in our index. Carried by audience quality (10.0: 65% purchasing authority and 60:1 attendee ratio). The lightest dimension is cost efficiency (8.8). Global capital of orthopedic implant and instrument vendors.
How we score
Six weighted factors, each scored on a 0 to 100 rubric then normalized to a 7.0 to 10.0 band. Every show on this list cleared a relevance bar to be included, so 7.0 is the floor; the number tells you how far the leaders pull ahead.
Standout (10.0): 65% purchasing authority, 60:1 attendee ratio, and mega-scale floor (30,000 attendees).
Strong (8.8).
Standout (9.8): booth pricing published, exhibitor prospectus available, and 3 booth options documented.
Standout (10.0): society-run exhibits (in-house), non-union venue (simpler, cheaper move-in), and exhibitor-friendly host city.
Standout (9.0): "who should skip" note included, product-theater opportunity for thought leadership, and innovation / startup pavilion.
Standout (9.7): mega-scale and stable, 500+ exhibitors signals strong demand, and 30,000+ attendees.
When are the AAOS exhibitor deadlines?
| Deadline | Date |
|---|---|
| Housing Opens | 2025-03-10 |
| Prospectus Available | 2025-04-17 |
| Initial Application 50pct Deposit | 2025-07-10 |
| Island Selection Window | 2025-08-05 to 2025-08-29 |
| Booth Confirmations | 2025-09-09 |
| Full Balance Due | 2025-10-30 |
| Final Cancellation | 2025-10-31 |
| Island Floor Plans Due | 2026-01-08 |
| Housing Modifications Close | 2026-02-09 |
| Booth Installation Complete | 2026-03-02T17:00 |
| Exhibit Hall Open | 2026-03-03 to 2026-03-05 |
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a booth cost at AAOS?
AAOS publishes a booth rate we can link to: $4,000 for an entry 10×10 space, computed from the organizer’s own published per-square-foot rate. That is space rental only. We do not publish an all-in estimate for this show, so budget drayage, electrical, labor, and booth display on top, and confirm current pricing with the organizer.
How many people attend AAOS?
AAOS draws approximately 30,000 attendees. ~60% orthopedic surgeons (residents + attending), ~15% international, ~25% industry/other.
When and where is AAOS 2026?
AAOS 2026 takes place March 3-7, 2026 (exhibit hall March 3-5). The venue is Orange County Convention Center, Orlando, FL. American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons hosts the meeting.
How many AAOS attendees have purchasing authority?
About 50% of AAOS attendees hold purchasing authority, which works out to roughly 15,000 effective buyers out of approximately 30,000 attendees. Effective buyers multiplies total attendance by the share of attendees who hold purchasing authority. Both inputs are estimates drawn from organizer reporting and our own exhibitor research, so read the figure as directional rather than exact.
Who exhibits at AAOS?
Approximately 500+ exhibitors typically attend AAOS. The device categories that fit this floor are implants, surgical instruments, capital equipment, and imaging equipment.
How does Buzzbox Media score AAOS?
AAOS carries a Buzzbox Score of 10.0 out of 10 (Exceptional). The score weighs six factors: audience quality, cost efficiency, data transparency, exhibitor experience, editorial value, and growth trajectory. Each factor is scored on a 0 to 100 rubric then normalized to a 7.0 to 10.0 band, and every conference in our index cleared a relevance bar to be listed, so 7.0 is the floor. On this record the highest is audience quality at 10.0 and the lowest is cost efficiency at 8.8.