2020 Flyertalk Awards
About Winners Process

Thank you everyone for your votes! The winners will be announced this Spring!

It’s been a decade since FlyerTalkers first cast ballots to determine the community’s favorite travel affinity programs.

FlyertTalkers are the most rewarded group in the history of travel affinity programs, and the FlyerTalk forums are a community of over three quarters of a million business and leisure travelers dedicated to finding and sharing elite-level knowledge of air, hotel, and car rental programs. Not your casual travelers, these are industry leaders and influencers. Their favorite programs can truly be called the best in the world, because FlyerTalkers have tried them all.

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Best Rewards Program Americas Airline Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan
How the Winners are Chosen

Best Rewards Program

Americas

Best Airline Rewards Program
Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan
Best Hotel Rewards Program
Hilton Honors
Best Car Rental Rewards Program
Hertz Gold Plus Rewards

Europe/Africa

Best Airline Rewards Program
British Airways Executive Club
Best Hotel Rewards Program
Hilton Honors
Best Car Rental Rewards Program
Hertz Gold Plus Rewards

Middle East/Asia/Oceania

Best Airline Rewards Program
Qatar Airways Privilege Club
Best Hotel Rewards Program
Hilton Honors
Best Car Rental Rewards Program
Hertz Gold Plus Rewards

Outstanding Benefit

Americas

Best Airline Outstanding Benefit
Delta Air Lines SkyMiles Rollover Medallion Qualification Miles
Best Hotel Outstanding Benefit
Hilton Honors Free Breakfast
Best Car Rental Outstanding Benefit
Hertz Gold Plus Rewards Ultimate Choice

Europe/Africa

Best Airline Outstanding Benefit
British Airways Executive Club Lounge Access
Best Hotel Outstanding Benefit
Hilton Honors Free Breakfast
Best Car Rental Outstanding Benefit
Hertz Gold Plus Rewards Five Star & President's Circle

Middle East/Asia/Oceania

Best Airline Outstanding Benefit
Asiana Airlines Asiana Club 2-Year Qualification Period
Best Hotel Outstanding Benefit
Hilton Honors Free Breakfast
Best Car Rental Outstanding Benefit
Avis Preferred Skip the Lines and Paperwork and Go Straight to Your Car

Best Rewards Program

Americas

Best Airline Rewards Program
United
Best Hotel Rewards Program
Hilton
Best Car Rental Rewards Program
Hertz

Europe/Africa

Best Airline Rewards Program
British Airways
Best Hotel Rewards Program
Hilton
Best Car Rental Rewards Program
Hertz

Middle East/Asia/Oceania

Best Airline Rewards Program
Singapore Airlines
Best Hotel Rewards Program
Hilton
Best Car Rental Rewards Program
Hertz

Outstanding Benefit

Americas

Best Airline Outstanding Benefit
United Complimentary access to Economy Plus for all Premier members
Best Hotel Outstanding Benefit
Hilton Free Breakfast
Best Car Rental Outstanding Benefit
Hertz Ultimate Choice

Europe/Africa

Best Airline Outstanding Benefit
British Airways Lounge Access
Best Hotel Outstanding Benefit
Hilton Free Breakfast
Best Car Rental Outstanding Benefit
Hertz Five Star & President's Circle

Middle East/Asia/Oceania

Best Airline Outstanding Benefit
Cathay Pacific Lounge Access
Best Hotel Outstanding Benefit
Hilton Room Upgrades
Best Car Rental Outstanding Benefit
Hertz Platinum Elite

Best Rewards Program

Americas

Best Airline Rewards Program
Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan
Best Hotel Rewards Program
Starwood Preferred Guest
Best Car Rental Rewards Program
Hertz Gold Plus Rewards

Europe/Africa

Best Airline Rewards Program
British Airways Executive Club
Best Hotel Rewards Program
Hilton Honors
Best Car Rental Rewards Program
Hertz Gold Plus Rewards

Middle East/Asia/Oceania

Best Airline Rewards Program
Qatar Airways Privilege Club
Best Hotel Rewards Program
Starwood Preferred Guest
Best Car Rental Rewards Program
Hertz Gold Plus Rewards

Outstanding Benefit

Americas

Best Airline Outstanding Benefit
American Oneworld Lounge Access on International Flights
Best Hotel Outstanding Benefit
Marriott Rewards Concierge Lounge access and breakfast for 2
Best Car Rental Outstanding Benefit
Hertz Gold Plus Rewards Ultimate Choice

Europe/Africa

Best Airline Outstanding Benefit
British Airways Executive Club Reward Flight Saver
Best Hotel Outstanding Benefit
Hilton Honors Free Breakfast
Best Car Rental Outstanding Benefit
Hertz Gold Plus Rewards Free Upgrades

Middle East/Asia/Oceania

Best Airline Outstanding Benefit
Cathay Pacific Marco Polo Club Lounge Access
Best Hotel Outstanding Benefit
Marriott Rewards Concierge Lounge access and breakfast for 2
Best Car Rental Outstanding Benefit
Hertz Gold Plus Rewards Gold Service

Best Rewards Program

Americas

Best Airline Rewards Program
Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan
Best Hotel Rewards Program
Starwood Preferred Guest
Best Car Rental Rewards Program
Hertz Gold Plus Rewards

Europe/Africa

Best Airline Rewards Program
British Airways Executive Club
Best Hotel Rewards Program
Hilton HHonors
Best Car Rental Rewards Program
Hertz Gold Plus Rewards

Middle East/Asia/Oceania

Best Airline Rewards Program
Qatar Airways Privilege Club
Best Hotel Rewards Program
Starwood Preferred Guest
Best Car Rental Rewards Program
Hertz Gold Plus Rewards

Outstanding Benefit

Americas

Best Airline Outstanding Benefit
United Airlines Mileage Plus Complimentary access to Economy Plus for all Premier members
Best Hotel Outstanding Benefit
Hilton HHonors Breakfast
Best Car Rental Outstanding Benefit
National Emerald Club Choice of car/bypassing rental counter

Europe/Africa

Best Airline Outstanding Benefit
British Airways Executive Club Lounge Access
Best Hotel Outstanding Benefit
Hilton HHonors Breakfast
Best Car Rental Outstanding Benefit
Hertz Gold Plus Rewards Five Star & President's Circle

Middle East/Asia/Oceania

Best Airline Outstanding Benefit
Qatar Airways Privilege Club Qcredits
Best Hotel Outstanding Benefit
Hilton HHonors Free Breakfast
Best Car Rental Outstanding Benefit
Hertz Gold Plus Rewards Five Star & President's Circle

Best Rewards Program

Americas

Best Airline Rewards Program
American Airlines AAdvantage
Best Hotel Rewards Program
Starwood Preferred Guest
Best Car Rental Rewards Program
Hertz Gold Plus Rewards

Europe/Africa

Best Airline Rewards Program
British Airways Executive Club
Best Hotel Rewards Program
Hilton HHonors
Best Car Rental Rewards Program
Hertz Gold Plus Rewards

Middle East/Asia/Oceania

Best Airline Rewards Program
Cathay Pacific Asia Miles
Best Hotel Rewards Program
Starwood Preferred Guest
Best Car Rental Rewards Program
Hertz Gold Plus Rewards

Outstanding Benefit

Americas

Best Airline Outstanding Benefit
American Airlines AAdvantage EXP Systemwide Upgrades
Best Hotel Outstanding Benefit
Hilton HHonors Free breakfast
Best Car Rental Outstanding Benefit
Hertz Gold Plus Rewards Free upgrades

Europe/Africa

Best Airline Outstanding Benefit
British Airways Executive Club Lounge access
Best Hotel Outstanding Benefit
Hilton HHonors Executive Lounge access
Best Car Rental Outstanding Benefit
Hertz Gold Plus Rewards Gold Service

Middle East/Asia/Oceania

Best Airline Outstanding Benefit
Cathay Pacific Marco Polo Lounge access
Best Hotel Outstanding Benefit
Hilton HHonors Executive Lounge access
Best Car Rental Outstanding Benefit
Hertz Gold Plus Rewards Gold Service

How the Winners are Tabulated

In December, FlyerTalk places over 130 polls in its online forums, asking its community of experts to nominate the single most Outstanding Benefit of each of the world’s travel affinity programs. The chosen benefit is then placed on the official ballot for that program in January.

In January and February each year, qualified voters are sent to this page and asked to submit a six-part online ballot, ranking their top four programs in each award category. There are two awards (Best Rewards Program, Outstanding Benefit) in three geographical regions (Americas, Europe and Africa, and Asia/Middle East/Oceania), creating the opportunity for up to 18 total FlyerTalk Awards per year.

Ballots are audited, and tabulated using a single-winner voting method (a modified Borda count) with a proprietary weighting system, awarding each a unique Quality Score. This ensures that small programs, meeting a modest minimum qualifying percentage of votes cast, have the same chance of winning as the largest players in their industry; high program participation does not necessarily equate to a high Quality Score. A perfect Quality Score, receiving nothing but first-place votes, is 10.

In early March, FlyerTalk announces the winners of the FlyerTalk Awards. This announcement is picked up by multiple worldwide news services, and the winning programs proudly display their trophies — digital as well as physical — for 12 months, until the slate is wiped clean, and the next year’s voting begins. Trophies are shipped to the winners’ PR departments, or picked up at FlyerTalk headquarters in Southern California – or even proudly hand-delivered by that program’s FlyerTalk moderator team!