What is a Linear Booth?

A linear booth is the most common exhibit layout and the one most frequently used at trade shows.

You may hear it referred to as a linear booth or inline booth. It is a booth space that runs in a straight line and includes a number of booths all in a long row. The booth will only have one of its four sides open to the aisle. Each booth shares its two sides with a booth on either side of it. In addition, another exhibitor may share the back wall of the linear booth or the linear booth may be placed up against a perimeter wall of the expo hall or conference center.

A linear booth set against a perimeter wall is actually referred to as a perimeter wall booth but it is structured similar to a row of linear booths, just without another exhibitor on the other side of the back wall.

What is the size of a linear booth?

The standard size for a linear booth is 10 x 10 ft., or 10 x 20 ft. A linear booth located on either end of the row is referred to as a corner booth and has two sides of the booth open to the aisles. If you are interested in renting a 10 x 20 ft. booth but no booths that size are shown on the exhibitor floor plan, look to see if there are two 10 x 10 ft. booths available next to each other. If so, you can purchase two 10 x 10 ft. booths and turn them into one 10 x 20 ft. booth.

What are the benefits of a linear booth?

A linear booth is the least expensive type of booth space. If this is the first trade show in which you are exhibiting or you are uncertain about the value of a specific show and don’t want to spend a lot of money until you have experienced the event for yourself, a linear booth will enable you to exhibit at a cost-effective price.

What are the most common exhibit types?

There are different types of booth spaces.

• Linear or inline booth: located in a long line of other booths all in a row.

• Perimeter booth: a linear booth placed on the outside edge of the expo hall against the perimeter wall.

• Corner booth: a booth located at the end of a row of linear booths that has the front and one side open to intersecting aisles.

• End-cap booth: located at the end of two rows of linear booths and spans two parallel aisles. The front and two sides are open to three different aisles.

• Peninsula booth: like an end-cap booth but larger in size at 20 x 20 ft. or more.

• Island booth: a stand alone booth which does not touch another booth on any side. It is usually 20 x 20 ft. or larger.

Linear booth in the exhibition hall

Let’s look at a sample exhibition floor plan. This is a good way to envision how a linear booth, corner booth, end-cap booth, peninsula booth, split island booth, and an island booth all fit together in an expo hall.