Know before you go

  • When: Thursday to Saturday, November 5 to 7, 2026. Sessions start at 9:00 AM each day; see the schedule.
  • Where: Fitzgerald Ballroom D, second floor, the Westin Arlington, 801 N Glebe Road, Arlington, VA 22203.
  • Check in: at the AAAI registration desk outside Fitzgerald Ballroom C, on the same floor.
  • Eat: breakfast and lunch are on your own. Places nearby are listed below.

Getting to our room

All symposium rooms are on the second floor of the Westin. We’re in Fitzgerald Ballroom D.

Westin Arlington second floor Schematic of the second floor. The Fitzgerald ballrooms form a block: A and B on the left, C in the middle, D and E on the right. Our symposium is in Ballroom D, at the upper right. Registration is in the pre-function area just outside Ballroom C. The Hemingway salons and the Louisa May Alcott Boardroom are below the ballrooms. Pre-function Registration · reception A B C Plenary D E Fitzgerald Ballrooms Alcott Boardroom Salon 1 Salon 2 Salon 3 Hemingway Salons Planning for a Better Planet
Second floor, not to scale. We're in Fitzgerald Ballroom D.

Registration

Registration is through AAAI and covers one symposium for all three days, the electronic proceedings, coffee breaks, and Thursday’s opening reception.

Register

  • Fees (late rate, after October 2): $495 for AAAI members, $660 for nonmembers, $325 for student members, and $435 for nonmember students. AAAI also offers registration bundled with membership. See the AAAI symposium page for all options.
  • Desk hours: Thursday 8:00 AM–5:00 PM, Friday 8:30 AM–5:00 PM, Saturday 8:30–11:00 AM, in the second-floor pre-function area outside Fitzgerald Ballroom C.
  • Visa letters: available to registered attendees and accepted authors through the form linked in your AAAI registration confirmation.
  • Questions about registration: fssreg@aaai.org.

Getting there

  • By Metro: the Westin is a short walk from the Ballston-MU station (Orange and Silver lines). From Reagan National Airport (DCA), take the Blue line and change at Rosslyn. From Dulles (IAD), the Silver line runs directly to Ballston-MU.
  • By car: self-parking and valet at the hotel are $40 per day each.
  • Hotel: the AAAI group rate closed on October 21, but rooms at the Westin may still be available at the hotel’s regular rate. Book a room at the Westin.

Food nearby

AAAI provides drinks and light snacks at the coffee breaks, and a reception on Thursday evening. Breakfast and lunch are on your own, and lunch runs 12:30–2:00 on Thursday and Friday.

Lunch together. We’d like lunch to be a chance to meet people, so the organizers plan to announce a spot each day that anyone can join. For sit-down group lunches, AAAI staff suggest Ted’s Bulletin, The Salt Line, or Silver Diner.

Everything below is in Ballston, within roughly a 10-minute walk of the hotel. Hours and menus change, so check before you go, and ask the restaurant directly about allergies.

Breakfast and coffee

  • The Commentary (in the Westin)
    Sit-down breakfast from 6:30 AM on weekdays. There is also a Starbucks in the hotel lobby.
  • Life Alive Organic Cafe (818 N Quincy St)
    Bowls, smoothies and coffee from 7 AM daily; many dishes are marked vegan and gluten-free.
  • Good Company Doughnuts & Café (672 N Glebe Rd)
    Doughnuts, coffee and breakfast.
  • Gallery Cafe (1005 N Glebe Rd)
    Quick breakfast burritos, sandwiches and coffee.
  • Ted's Bulletin (Ballston Quarter, 4238 Wilson Blvd)
    Sit-down American breakfast, served all day.

Quick lunch

  • Immigrant Food (4245 Fairfax Dr, across from the Metro)
    Fast-casual bowls inspired by immigrant cuisines; good vegetarian choices.
  • Hawkers Asian Street Food (Ballston Exchange)
    Shareable Asian street food; handles walk-in groups well.
  • Olive Lebanese Eatery (1100 N Glebe Rd)
    Lebanese; the restaurant describes its menu as certified halal.
  • Mike's Cafe (900 N Stuart St)
    Inexpensive lunch specials.

Sit-down and groups

  • Ted's Bulletin (Ballston Quarter, 4238 Wilson Blvd)
    Large, group-friendly diner-style menu.
  • The Salt Line (4040 Wilson Blvd)
    Seafood and oyster bar with plenty of seating.
  • Silver Diner (4400 Wilson Blvd, at N Glebe Rd)
    Big menu with vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free items marked.
  • True Food Kitchen (Ballston Quarter, 4238 Wilson Blvd)
    Takes group reservations; menu marks vegan and gluten-friendly dishes.
  • Ballston Local (900 N Glebe Rd, across the street)
    Pub fare from 11:30 AM; has private party spaces.

Dietary needs at a glance

  • Vegan and vegetarian: Life Alive, True Food Kitchen, Silver Diner, Immigrant Food.
  • Gluten-free: Life Alive, True Food Kitchen, and Silver Diner mark gluten-free dishes.
  • Halal: Olive Lebanese Eatery.

Code of conduct

All attendees agree to the AAAI Code of Conduct for Conferences and Events.

Questions about the symposium itself: info@plan4planet.org.