CES 2026 in Las Vegas opened with packed keynotes, AI infrastructure announcements, and standing-room-only crowds. On Day 1 of my coverage, I went from a special Delta Air Lines CES shuttle flight into Harry Reid International Airport straight to the Las Vegas Strip to catch the NVIDIA keynote, followed by a long walk to secure entry to AMD’s keynote later that evening.
This article covers what happened next: navigating the Strip, arriving at the Fontainebleau, missing the keynote by minutes, and exploring NVIDIA’s massive AI-focused exhibit before heading to AMD’s keynote at the Venetian.
Note: I went back to NVIDIA’s exhibit at the Fontainebleau at a later date. More details about the NVIDIA exhibit will be covered in an upcoming article.
You can watch a video overview below.
A Unique Start: Delta Orlando-to-Las Vegas Shuttle Flight
Before the tech even began, my journey to CES 2026 started with an unusual experience: a nonstop Delta Air Lines flight from Orlando to Las Vegas, specifically offered for CES attendees. While I’ve flown Delta before, this route offered a unique opportunity to fly MCO-LAS nonstop.
If you missed my video coverage of this flight, I highly recommend checking it out for:
Scenic views of a foggy takeoff in Orlando.
In-flight views of Delta’s amenities and other aircraft above 30,000 feet.
A clear view of the Las Vegas area as we descended into Harry Reid International Airport.
You can watch the video and read the article on the FlyRadius website here: Delta Air Lines CES 2026 Special Flight.
Pro Tip: If you’re flying to CES in the future, keep an eye out for special shuttle flights, they can save time and offer unique travel experiences.
Rushing to NVIDIA’s Keynote: A Race Against Time
Once I landed, the real challenge began: making it to NVIDIA’s CES 2026 keynote with CEO Jensen Huang in time. The Fontainebleau Las Vegas Hotel, where the event was held, is located at the north end of the Las Vegas Strip, meaning travel time from the airport could be significant, especially when rushing.
Getting Around Las Vegas Efficiently
When traveling between convention properties, I consistently use the Las Vegas Monorail. It remains one of the fastest and most predictable ways to move north–south along the Strip during CES week. On this day, I boarded an empty train, a rare sight, which allowed me to plan my route without crowds.
Above is a photo of the empty interior/cabin of a Las Vegas Monorail Train on January 5, 2026 during CES 2026. Photo by David Aughinbaugh II for CircuitRoute/NavFile.
My Route:
- Boarded the Monorail.
- Got off at the Westgate.
- Walked across the street to the Fontainebleau’s side entrance.
Pro Tip: When attending CES, I recommend purchasing a discounted Monorail pass when you sign up for a CES badge. The discount is the best I’ve seen and it’s tied to your CES badge/pass via its barcode. You can use your CES badge as your Monorail entry ticket. You’ll also save some time by not having to purchase one in Las Vegas.
Above is an image of the Westgate Hotel Resort & Casino on January 5, 2026 during CES 2026. Photo by David Aughinbaugh II for CircuitRoute/NavFile.
Above is an image of a CES 2026 NVIDIA Fontainebleau Electronic Sign on January 5, 2026. Photo by David Aughinbaugh II for CircuitRoute/NavFile.
Missing the NVIDIA Keynote
By the time I reached the Fontainebleau, NVIDIA’s keynote had already ended. I arrived 25 minutes late. I was able to get some photos of the Fontainebleau BleauLive Theater entrance where the keynote was held. While I missed live reactions, I was still able to catch up on the biggest announcements:
- Vera Rubin AI platform – Confirmed in production, promising to revolutionize AI infrastructure.
- DLSS 4.5 – Officially announced, pushing real-time ray tracing and AI upscaling further. This may not have been actually mentioned by Jensen in the keynote; however, it was announced by NVIDIA during CES.
If you missed the keynote, like I did, you can watch it on NVIDIA’s YouTube channel here.
Above is an image of the Fontainebleau BlueLive Theater for NVIDIA's 2026 CES Keynote. Photo by David Aughinbaugh II for CircuitRoute/NavFile.
Above is a photo of a NVIDIA CES 2026 electronic sign at the Fontainebleau BlueLive Theater on January 5, 2026. Photo by David Aughinbaugh II for CircuitRoute/NavFile.
NVIDIA’s CES 2026 Exhibit: A Glimpse of the Future
After the keynote, I headed to NVIDIA’s exhibit space, which spanned the Cobalt Foyer and featured cutting-edge tech. Here’s a quick rundown of what caught my eye:
1. Kyber Rack/Cabinet System (2027 Release)
Purpose: Designed to support the upcoming Vera Rubin VR300 NVL576 AI factory system.
Why It Matters: A major step in AI data center infrastructure, ensuring scalable, high-performance computing.
2. Grace Blackwell GB300 NVL72 AI Factory
Specs: 73 Blackwell GPUs + 36 ARM Grace CPUs.
Impact: The leader for AI training and inference, aimed at enterprises and cloud providers.
Above is a photo of a NVIDIA GB300 NVL72 Switch and Computer Tray on January 5, 2026 at CES 2026. Photo by David Aughinbaugh II for CircuitRoute/NavFile.
3. AGIBOT A2 Ultra
A humanoid robot that can open drinks.
Above is a photo of an AGIBOT A2 Ultra on January 5, 2026 at CES 2026. Photo by David Aughinbaugh II for CircuitRoute/NavFile.
4. Enchanted Tools Mirokaï Robot (Yellow)
What It Is: A humanoid robot designed for interactive demonstrations.
There were plenty of robots on NVIDIA’s exhibit floor. This was one the interesting ones that has been featured before in NVIDIA marketing efforts.
5. Consumer Graphics Cards & Laptops
Highlights: RTX 50-series GPUs on display. RTX 50-series powered laptops.
6. Hugging Face Reachy Mini
What It Is: A compact, programmable robot for AI research and education.
Use Case: Great for developers and educators looking to experiment with AI.
7. NVIDIA Spectrum-X
What It Is: A high-speed networking solution for AI workloads.
Why It Matters: Ensures low-latency communication in large-scale AI training.
8. Caterpillar Digital Twin Display
Caterpillar had a keynote with NVIDIA a few days later. Here they displayed how NVIDIA technology helped the company create a digital twin of one of their factories.
Above is a photo of the Caterpillar NVIDIA digital twin display on January 5, 2026 at CES 2026. Photo by David Aughinbaugh II for CircuitRoute/NavFile.
9. Serve Robotics - Food Delivery Robot
These are interesting wheeled robots that have been around for a while now.
Above is a photo of Serve Robots' Food Delivery Robots on January 5, 2026 at CES 2026. Photo by David Aughinbaugh II for CircuitRoute/NavFile.
(For a full walkthrough, check out my video—where I provide live commentary on each display.)
Above is a photo of the Video Interview Area at NVIDIA exhibit on January 5, 2026 at CES 2026. Photo by David Aughinbaugh II for CircuitRoute/NavFile.
From NVIDIA to AMD: A Quick Dash to the Venetian
After spending time at NVIDIA, I headed to AMD’s keynote at the Venetian Convention Center. The walk from the Fontainebleau to the Strip was straightforward; however, I took a scenic route along Las Vegas Blvd by crossing over to the Las Vegas Convention Center West Hall.
Above is a view of the Fontainebleau NVIDIA Exterior Sign for CES 2026. Photo by David Aughinbaugh II for CircuitRoute/NavFile.
Above is a view of the Fontainebleau Hotel and The Loop LVCC West Station from the Las Vegas Convention Center West Hall for CES 2026. Photo by David Aughinbaugh II for CircuitRoute/NavFile.
AMD’s Keynote: The Last Group In
I arrived at the Venetian just in time to get an entry wristband for AMD’s keynote with CEO Lisa Su.
I’ll be covering the AMD CES 2026 Keynote in another article and video. Stay tuned.