What is an Inline Booth?

Inline booth definition and standard sizes.

An inline booth is a trade show booth that is located in a straight line alongside a number of other booths in an aisle. Each individual inline booth in the aisle will have only one side open to the aisle (except for a corner booth) and is generally 10 x 10 ft. or 10 x 20 ft. in size. An inline booth may also be referred to as a linear booth.

An inline booth as it looks in the expo hall.

Here is a sample exhibition floor plan that I created for my book, Trade Show 411. It gives you a high level overview of how an inline booth, corner booth, end-cap booth, peninsula booth, split island booth, and an island booth commonly fit together in an expo hall.

I used the term linear booth rather than inline booth in this example, but they are the same.

Inline booth attributes.

As I mentioned, the most common size of an inline booth is 10 x 10 ft. but you could purchase two 10 x 10 ft. inline booths next to each other to create a larger 10 x 20 ft. booth space. You could even increase the booth size to a 10 x 30 ft. space if you really wanted to.

An inline booth positioned at the end of an aisle is called a corner booth. It has two sides of the booth open to intersecting aisles.

Pros and cons of an inline booth.

Inline booths are often the go-to starting point for exhibitors who want a clean, straightforward setup that won't blow the budget. With one side open to the aisle and neighbors on both sides, they give you just enough visibility to get noticed—without the premium cost of high-exposure spaces.

That said, this format isn't without limits. Traffic flows in from just one direction. That makes capturing attention from across the aisle or down the row harder. Your visuals have to work harder. So does your booth team. Inline booths usually come with stricter height limits, too, which can restrict your build options.

Still, if your messaging is sharp and your staff is on their toes, an inline booth can pull its weight. Many seasoned exhibitors stick with inline layouts year after year simply because they work—and the ROI proves it.

• Inline booth benefit.

  A 10 x 10 ft. inline booth is the least expensive booth space you can purchase.

  If you are new to exhibiting or you’re unsure if a certain exhibition is the right event for your business, an inline booth will enable you to exhibit at a cost-effective price.

  Once the show is over, you can then determine your return on your investment, whether you want to exhibit again next year, if you’d like to spend more money on a larger booth and where in the expo hall you would like to position your booth.

• Inline booth drawbacks.

  As you can see in the image above, an inline booth is positioned in between two other booths - one on either side. That means that these three exhibitors are competing for visitor attention as each attendee walks down the aisle.

  If you can spend a bit more money, a corner booth is a great alternative. It provides the same size space, but your booth is the first one attendees see as they approach your aisle.

  Another drawback is that you cannot hang signs from the ceiling over an inline booth. The maximum height of your booth structure will be limited to 8 ft.

Best practices for inline booth setup.

Want to stand out in a sea of 10 x 10s?

• Focus up. Literally. Your booth's back wall is prime real estate. Use that vertical space to showcase a bold, high-impact visual that tells people who you are and why they should stop. No clutter. No tiny text.

• Lighting matters more than you think. Don't just light the booth. Highlight what you want passers-by to see. Your signage. Your product. What is it about your booth that you want to stand out?

• Keep your most engaging team members at the aisle edge. They'll draw people in. And don't underestimate flooring. Something as simple as a color contrast or a slight elevation can create a visual boundary that makes your space feel more intentional, even if it's small.

Inline vs. perimeter, end-cap, peninsula, and island booths. Booth layouts.

Choosing a booth type comes down to visibility, budget, and your goals for the show. In addition to an inline booth, there are other booth layouts you may want to consider.

• Perimeter booth

  A perimeter booth is an inline booth located at the outer edges of the expo hall. It touches another inline booth on either side but the back of the booth is positioned against the expo hall’s wall.

• End-cap booth

  An end-cap booth is positioned at the end of two rows of inline booths. The end-cap booth itself spans the two parallel aisles.

• Peninsula booth

  A peninsula booth is in the same position on the show floor as an end-cap booth but it is larger than an end-cap booth. Typically 20 x 20 ft. or more.

• Island booth

  As its name implies, an island booth stands on its own. It doesn’t touch another booth on any side. It is typically 20 x 20 ft. or more and has all four sides open to intersecting aisles.

No matter which booth layout you choose, remember these two important facts.

• According to CEIR, the Center for Exhibition Industry Research, eighty-two percent of trade show attendees have buying authority.

• Seventy-four percent of consumers say that engaging with a brand at a trade show or exhibition makes them more likely to buy the products or services being offered at the event.