A vast clinical and technology meeting where the winning plan is selective, not exhaustive.
Press accreditation: RSNA sells in-person, virtual and technical-exhibits packages by professional and membership category. Current listed rates rise by USD 100 on October 2; media use a separate working-press process.
Photo credits:Rartz / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)Rartz / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)Nightryder84 / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)Warren LeMay / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0)Images cropped and resized for display.
RSNA sells in-person, virtual and technical-exhibits packages by professional and membership category. Current listed rates rise by USD 100 on October 2; media use a separate working-press process.
Check official access requirementsCurrent nonmember physician, physicist or scientist in-person-only registration is USD 1,405 through October 1. Other categories range from free Full Access member registration to USD 2,425 nonmember in-person plus virtual access; listed paid rates rise USD 100 on October 2.
Open official ticket informationA very large McCormick Place program spanning education, science, plenaries, North and South exhibit halls and hybrid content.
Choose one clinical or operational question for each day and anchor it with the sessions, exhibitors and people who can answer it. The meeting rewards depth: a protected education block, a mapped exhibit-hall route and prebooked conversations outperform a schedule that tries to sample every subspecialty and technology.
RSNA 2026 brings radiologists, imaging scientists, physicists, trainees, health-system leaders and medical-technology companies to McCormick Place from November 29 to December 3. Technical exhibits run through December 2, while education, scientific sessions, plenaries and selected virtual access extend the meeting beyond the show floor.
The scale is the opportunity and the risk. Clinical subspecialty education, research, AI, workflow, equipment and industry sessions can overlap across a huge campus. Registration categories differ sharply by membership and profession; the guide uses the current USD 1,405 nonmember physician in-person-only rate as a transparent reference, not a universal price.
Use the opening or morning plenary to establish the meeting-level question, then connect it to subspecialty sessions and exhibit-floor evidence rather than treating it as an isolated keynote.
Map three vendors or technologies in the same problem area, use the same clinical and workflow questions, and record limitations as carefully as feature claims.
Combine an evidence-oriented session with the AI Showcase or relevant exhibitors. Separate validation, integration and governance questions from demonstration spectacle.
Apolonia is the close, contemporary option near McCormick Place; HaiSous makes a stronger neighborhood excursion when the group has time for Pilsen and a reservation.
Register only through RSNA.org and select the exact professional and access category. Current paid rates increase USD 100 on October 2. Build the personal agenda in Meeting Central, record building and room, and reserve high-demand courses or meetings as soon as their rules allow.
Official reservation guideMcCormick Place is south of the Loop. The connected Hyatt and Marriott reduce outdoor exposure; CTA Green Line, Metra, rideshare and organizer hotel transport may each solve different trips. Test the correct building entrance and allow indoor walking time between North, South, Lakeside and the Arie Crown Theater.
Official transport guideThe USD 1,405 reference price is for a nonmember physician, physicist or scientist attending in person only. Current categories vary from USD 0 for Full Access members to USD 2,425 for nonmember in-person plus virtual access. Add Chicago hotel tax, meals, winter ground transport and any professional reimbursement rules.
Exhibit openings, midday transitions and major plenaries create the worst movement. Put nearby sessions together, leave 15–25 minutes for building changes and avoid scheduling a critical vendor meeting immediately after a distant course.
RSNA is a professional meeting. The current pricing page classifies accompanying nonprofessional guests under an “Other” registration category rather than providing automatic guest access. Confirm any companion, childcare or dependent need directly before travel.
Official family guidanceMcCormick Place and the connected hotels publish accessibility resources, but the practical route depends on the assigned room and building. Contact RSNA and the venue before travel for mobility, sensory or medical needs and map elevators and indoor connections for the actual agenda.
Official accessibility guideSite rulesCredentials cannot be shared, badges must be used by the registered individual and equipment or media access follows separate rules. A universal final 2026 bag-size rule was not published at review time; carry only professional essentials and recheck the attendee FAQ before departure.Check the official safety guidance
McCormick Place-connected hotels minimize winter exposure and protect early starts, while the Loop offers broader dining and city access at the cost of a daily transfer. Select the base after the program and hall priorities are known, not simply by downtown prestige.
Best for: Indoor connections and the most reliable early-session routine
Tradeoff: Convention pricing and limited late-night neighborhood choice
Best for: A short ride or walk with more independent restaurants and residential texture
Tradeoff: Weather and exact address determine whether the commute is truly easy
Best for: Broader city access, business hotels and post-meeting options
Tradeoff: Daily transit or road exposure and less schedule resilience
McCormick Place / South Loop
Direct convention-center connection makes this the most forgiving choice for early sessions, equipment demonstrations and Chicago winter weather. It is optimized for attendees who prioritize meeting logistics over a downtown neighborhood experience.
Know before booking: Convention demand can raise rates, food choices immediately outside the complex are limited, and review scores are solid rather than exceptional. Confirm destination charges, the assigned tower and the indoor route to the relevant hall.
McCormick Square / South Loop
A large modern convention hotel connected by skybridge to McCormick Place and Wintrust Arena. It suits teams that need substantial meeting space, skyline views and an indoor route while remaining a little more residential in feel than the convention center itself.
Know before booking: Rates can be high, the surrounding late-night restaurant supply is thin and some recent reviews note inconsistent room details. Verify the exact skybridge route, Wi-Fi terms and any destination fee before booking.
Hotel ratings move over time. We check at least two independent sources and include a drawback, but you should still read recent reviews before paying.
McCormick Place lies south of downtown beside Lake Michigan. The connected convention district is operationally strongest; the South Loop adds restaurants and neighborhood life; the Loop offers the classic city base. Late November can bring cold, wind, rain or snow, so indoor connections and the correct hall entrance have real value.
The Field Museum, Shedd Aquarium and lakefront are close enough for a protected half-day, but weather and early winter darkness should shape the plan.
A short ride south opens far more group-dining choice than the immediate convention campus; reserve for large teams and allow the return trip.
If this is a first Chicago trip, protect a river or Loop architecture block rather than trying to improvise sightseeing between distant McCormick sessions.
Apolonia is directly useful for McCormick Place and has current official and venue recognition. HaiSous in nearby Pilsen is a MICHELIN Bib Gourmand with a defined Vietnamese identity and works for a more memorable small-group dinner.
Cermak Road / McCormick Place · Contemporary Mediterranean
A close, polished restaurant with a wood-fired menu and current official site; McCormick Place itself identifies it among the nearby dining options.
Know before booking: Proximity drives demand during major conventions, and the lively open room is better for a relationship dinner than confidential negotiations. Reserve rather than relying on a walk-in.
Pilsen · Vietnamese
A current MICHELIN Bib Gourmand with a strong regional Vietnamese menu and enough character to justify the short ride from McCormick Place for a small professional group.
Know before booking: It is not walkable from every convention hotel, service days are limited and parking can be difficult. Confirm current hours and reserve before building the evening around it.
Restaurant details and hours can change. Reconfirm the operating day and reserve directly before relying on a recommendation.
The annual meeting runs November 29 through December 3, 2026. Technical exhibits run November 29 through December 2.
Rates depend on membership and professional category. The current nonmember physician, physicist or scientist in-person-only rate is USD 1,405; the complete official table ranges from free Full Access member registration to USD 2,425 for nonmember in-person plus virtual access.
RSNA states that listed paid rates increase by USD 100 on October 2, 2026.
It is a specialized professional meeting with defined registration categories. A nonprofessional accompanying guest falls under the published Other category and does not receive automatic access.
No. The 2026 meeting has not occurred; the guide clearly uses authentic prior-edition RSNA photographs and a verified 2023 venue image.
Dates, access, prices and material planning claims use current organizer, governing-body, venue or recognized independent sources checked on August 12, 2026. Hotel evidence was checked on Booking.com and Tripadvisor. Dining choices require a live official page and recognized independent evidence. Every photograph has exact reuse evidence, credit and a verified file hash.
Affiliate disclosure: World Event Guide applies the same editorial standards regardless of commercial relationships. Some links may be affiliate links, and we may earn a commission from qualifying bookings or purchases. Affiliate relationships may affect which booking options are displayed, but not whether an event, hotel or restaurant meets our editorial criteria.
