Global Traveler Announces 17th Annual GT Tested Reader Survey Awards
Thursday, December 17, 2020
The GT Tested Reader Survey awards name the top in the travel industry
YARDLEY, Pa., Dec. 14, 2020 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- The results are in! For the 17th consecutive year, Global Traveler conducted its GT Tested Reader Survey, asking frequent business and luxury travelers to name the best in a variety of travel-related categories. More than 22,000 people responded. Global Traveler's inaugural awards were celebrated in 2004.
The survey honors airlines, hotels, loyalty programs and travel-related products in more than 80 categories. GT's distinguished readers vote for their favorites in the world of travel in an open-ended survey running in the magazine and online from January to September. The results of the survey are announced in the December 2020 issue, available now.
"This year has certainly tested the travel industry and this list of winners is truly a who's who of the very best in the industry, beyond cabin set-up or room service menu. It's a compilation of those who put traveler safety and security first and foremost," said Francis X. Gallagher, publisher and CEO, Global Traveler. "We also need to thank our readers who vote yearly in the survey. For intrepid travelers, this year has been quite the curveball, and not only do we celebrate our winners, we also celebrate the promise of a return of the travel industry we know and love. Congratulations!"
This year's winners will be feted at a virtual reception Dec. 14, at globaltravelerusa.com. For more information, check out the December 2020 issue of Global Traveler or visit our website.
A complete list of winners is as follows:
Best Overall Airline in the World United Airlines
Best Airline Alliance oneworld 11th Consecutive Year
Best Aircraft Type Airbus A350 Second Consecutive Year
Best Airline Website AA.com Fourth Consecutive Year
Fastest-Growing Airline, Trans-Pacific American Airlines Fourth Consecutive Year
Best Airline for International First Class Cathay Pacific Airways
Best Airline for Business Class Turkish Airlines Fourth Consecutive Year
Best Airline for Domestic First Class American Airlines Fifth Consecutive Year
Best Airline Lounges Delta SkyClubs Second Consecutive Year
Best Airline for Onboard Service Asiana Airlines 17th Consecutive Year
Best Airline for Flight Attendants Asiana Airlines 17th Consecutive Year
Best Airline Cuisine Etihad Airways
Best Flight Attendant Uniforms Cathay Pacific Airways
Best Airline for Security EL AL Israel Airlines 14th Consecutive Year
Best Business-Class Seat Design Singapore Airlines
Best First-Class Seat Design All Nippon Airways
Best Corporate Program for Business Travelers Turkish Airlines Corporate Club Third Consecutive Year
Best Airline Cabin Cleanliness Air Canada
Best Overall Frequent-Flyer Program United Airlines MileagePlus 17th Consecutive Year
Best Frequent-Flyer Elite-Level Program United MileagePlus Premier Executive 1K
Best Frequent-Flyer Bonus Program United MileagePlus Eighth Consecutive Year
Best Frequent-Flyer Award Redemption Air Canada Aeroplan
Best Frequent-Flyer Customer Service American Airlines AAdvantage Third Consecutive Year
Best Airline in North America Air Canada Second Consecutive Year
Best Airline to South America Avianca
Best Airline in Mexico Aeromexico 11th Consecutive Year
Best Airline in the South Pacific Air Tahiti Nui Third Consecutive Year
Best Airline in Europe TAP Air Portugal 10th Consecutive Year
Best Airline in Eastern Europe Aeroflot
Best Airline in Africa Ethiopian Airlines
Best Airline in the Middle East Etihad Airways
Best Airline in North Asia China Airlines Seventh Consecutive Year
Best Airline in China China Airlines
Best Airline in Central/South Asia & India Air India Seventh Consecutive Year
Best Airline to Japan All Nippon Airways
Best Trans-Atlantic Airline TAP Air Portugal
Best Trans-Pacific Airline All Nippon Airways
Best Overall Airport in the World Singapore Changi Airport Fifth Consecutive Year
Best Airport in North America Chicago O'Hare International Airport 17th Consecutive Year
Best Airport in Asia Incheon International Airport Fourth Consecutive Year
Best Airport in Europe Amsterdam Airport Schiphol Third Consecutive Year
Best Airport in the Middle East Hamad International Airport Fourth Consecutive Year
Best Airport in South America El Dorado International Airport, Bogotá Third Consecutive Year
Best Airport Staff/Gate Agents Turkish Airlines Fourth Consecutive Year
Best Airport Dining Chicago O'Hare International Airport
Best Airport Shopping Miami International Airport Second Consecutive Year
Fastest-Growing U.S. Airport Ontario International Airport, Ontario, California Third Consecutive Year
Best Duty-Free Shopping in the World Dubai Duty Free 14th Consecutive Year
Best Duty-Free Shopping in Asia Singapore Changi Airport Fourth Consecutive Year
Best International Hotel Chain InterContinental Hotels & Resorts
Best Domestic Hotel Chain The Ritz-Carlton Sixth Consecutive Year
Best Lifestyle Hotel Andaz
Best MICE Hotel Lotte Hotel Seoul Sixth Consecutive Year
Best Hotel Website hilton.com
Best Hotel Rewards Program in the World InterContinental Hotels Group IHG® Rewards Club 16th Consecutive Year
Best Frequent-Stay Elite-Level Program Marriott Bonvoy Platinum Elite Second Consecutive Year
Best Frequent-Stay Bonus Program Hilton Honors
Best Frequent-Stay Award Redemption Marriott Bonvoy
Best Frequent-Stay Customer Service Marriott Bonvoy Second Consecutive Year
Best Hotel in the United States The Peninsula Beverly Hills 10th Consecutive Year
Best Hotel in Asia SIGNIEL Seoul, Lotte Tower
Best Hotel in South Korea Lotte Hotel Seoul Ninth Consecutive Year
Best European Hotel Chain St. Regis Fifth Consecutive Year
Best Hotel Chain in Mexico Fiesta Americana 10th Consecutive Year
Best Hotel Chain in the Middle East Jumeirah Hotels & Resorts Third Consecutive Year
Best Hotel in the Middle East Burj Al Arab Jumeirah Third Consecutive Year
Best Overseas Delivery Program Volvo Fifth Consecutive Year
Best Rental Car Company Enterprise
Best Airport Parking The Parking Spot Second Consecutive Year
Best Tourism Destination Spain
Best MICE City Seoul Sixth Consecutive Year
Best WiFi Service Boingo Wireless 10th Consecutive Year
Best Luggage Brand Briggs & Riley 11th Consecutive Year
Best Hotel App Hilton Hotels Second Consecutive Year
Best Airline App American Airlines Third Consecutive Year
Best Small- to Mid-Sized Business Program IHG Business Edge Second Consecutive Year
Best Overall Credit Card Chase United Club Infinite Card
Best Credit Card Rewards Programs Chase United Club Infinite Card
Best Frequent-Stay Affinity Credit Card Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Card from Chase Ninth Consecutive Year
Best Frequent-Stay Affinity Credit Card Promotions Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card Second Consecutive Year
Best Frequent-Stay Affinity Credit Card Benefits Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card Second Consecutive Year
Best Frequent-Stay Affinity Credit Card Redemptions Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card
Best Credit Card Special Events Inside Access from Chase
Best Small Business Credit Card American Airlines Aviator Barclays
Best Frequent-Flyer Affinity Credit Card Alaska Airlines Visa Signature® Card from Bank of America Ninth Consecutive Year
Best Frequent-Flyer Affinity Credit Card Promotions Chase United Club Infinite Card
Best Frequent-Flyer Affinity Credit Card Benefits Alaska Airlines Visa Signature® Card from Bank of America Second Consecutive Year
Best Frequent-Flyer Affinity Credit Card Redemptions United Explorer Card from Chase Eighth Consecutive Year
Best Cruise Line Affinity Credit Card Princess Cruises Visa Signature Card from Barclays Third Consecutive Year
About the Survey Global Traveler conducted an open-ended survey of its readers to determine the best in more than 80 travel-related categories. The survey was conducted from Jan. 1-Sept. 30, 2020. Questionnaires were available in subscriber copies of the magazine, online at globaltravelerusa.com/gt-tested-awards-ballot and through direct mail and email. Only questionnaires with more than 50 percent of the questions answered were considered. An outside accounting firm, Citrin Cooperman LLP, tabulated the results. Employees of the magazine and members of the travel industry were barred from participation.
About Global Traveler With nearly 550,000 readers, Global Traveler connects brands with U.S.-based frequent, affluent travelers. According to MediaMark Research (Gfk MRI), GT readers have an average net worth of $2 million and 50 percent are CEOs and owners of companies. Our readers average nine domestic flights per year and 93 percent travel internationally on a regular basis (11 round-trips in the last three years), mostly in first and business class. More than 55 percent stay in 4- and 5-star hotels, at an average 60 nights per year. Special editions -- Leisure Lifestyle Edition, Global City Guidebook and Class Act Guide -- complement monthly issues. Each year, Global Traveler awards the GT Tested Reader Survey awards, the Leisure Lifestyle Awards and the Wines on the Wing awards (business- and first-class wine survey).
About FXExpress Publications, Inc. FXExpress Publications, Inc., based in Yardley, Pa., is a privately held company publishing Global Traveler, globaltravelerusa.com, FX Excursions, eFlyer USA and several annuals. WhereverFamily LLC publishes whereverfamily.com and its related brands, and Trazee Travel, LLC publishes trazeetravel.com.
Media Contact
Kimberly Krol Inlander, Global Traveler, 2673645811202, kim@globaltravelerusa.com
SOURCE Global Traveler
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