oneworld® alliance members swept the board in a survey to find the best airline loyalty schemes – taking every single top award. American Airlines’ AAdvantage® was judged to be the best rewards programme offered by any airline in the Americas, and also the region’s best for outstanding benefit. British Airways took the equivalent top two awards for airlines based in Europe or Africa, with Cathay Pacific completing the oneworld clean sweep by gaining both accolades for carriers from the Middle East, Asia or Oceania.
The verdicts came in the first yet FlyerTalk Awards, recognising the best loyalty programmes in the airline, hotel and car rental industries in these three geographical regions. Almost 150 loyalty programmes across the globe competed in these debut awards, with voting taking place between 16 January and 16 February this year. FlyerTalk.com is one of the most popular travel loyalty discussion forums, with nearly 400,000 participants worldwide.
Of its voters in the awards, FlyerTalk said: “These are not casual travelers; they are industry influencers. Their favorite programs are truly the best in the world — because they have tried them all.
For more details of the awards, see www.FlyerTalk.com/awards
oneworld is current holder of more international awards for airline alliances than any of its competitors – named the Best Airline Alliance by Global Traveler in its GT Tested Reader Survey 2011 Awards for the second year running, the World’s Leading Airline Alliance in the 2011 World Travel Awards, for the ninth consecutive year, and the Best Airline Alliance 2011 in Australian Business Traveller’s debut awards.
Best Rewards Program
Americas
Airline: American Airlines AAdvantage (7.03)
Aadvantage wins with the second highest vote total in the region (United got the most total votes); Air Canada Aeroplan is a strong 2nd place out of 20, despite only the 8th highest vote total, showing that smaller plans can be highly regarded by FlyerTalkers if they offer exceptional service and value.
Hotel: Starwood Preferred Guest (7.00)
In what will become a real 2-program dogfight across the hotel awards, HHonors (6.60) has more total votes, but SPG notches more first place votes and takes the region. Marriott Rewards is 3rd.
Car Rental: Hertz #1 Club (7.90)
There’s no point in sugar-coating it: Hertz #1 Club is a juggernaut. They take the award here over National Emerald Club (7.11) – and every other category as well! That’s right; this one’s a sweep. Well done, Hertz.
Europe/Africa
Airline: British Airways Executive Club (7.80)
BA Executive Club has both the highest Quality Score and biggest vote total in Europe/Africa, beating out rival Lufthansa. Another smaller program, bmi Diamond Club, finishes a respectable 3rd out of 30 programs in the region.
Hotel: Hilton HHonors (7.11)
HHonors comes back for the win in Europe/Africa, and gets the most votes in first, second and third place, beating out SPG. Priority Club Rewards pulls in right after the leaders.
Car Rental: Hertz #1 Club (7.73)
Hertz over Avis.
Middle East/Asia/Oceania
Airline: Cathay Pacific Asia Miles (7.19)
Cathay Pacific Asia Miles wins, and has the highest vote total. El Al Matmid Club had an even higher quality score (8.07!) but failed to qualify due to a very low turnout, tallying only 1.5% of the total votes cast in this category.
Hotel: Starwood Preferred Guest (6.87)
The see-saw fight swings back to SPG, winning Best Program in the Middle East/Asia/Oceania over HHonors (6.59). Accor A-Club is FlyerTalk’s 3rd choice of the region’s 16 programs.
Car Rental: Hertz #1 Club (8.02)
Hertz over Avis again.
Outstanding Benefit
Americas
Airline: American Airlines Aadvantage – 500-mile and systemwide upgrades (7.80)
Aadvantage 500-Mile and Systemwide Upgrades wins, with Delta’s Medallion Upgrades coming in 2nd (7.71). United again scored the most total votes in the Americas, but was not the first choice of most FlyerTalkers.
Hotel: Starwood Preferred Guest – Suite/room upgrades (7.31)
American FlyerTalkers like the free breakfast benefit at Hilton; but they love their Starwood room upgrades even more!
Car Rental: Hertz #1 Club – Platinum Elite (8.21)
Closest contest of the entire Awards, in any region, industry or category! A single well-placed vote could have swung this one in National’s favor (FlyerTalkers are gaga over their Choice of Car benefit), but they are edged out by Hertz, by just one one-thousandth of a point: 8.206 to 8.205. Wow.
Europe/Africa
Airline: British Airways Executive Club – MFU/UUA/Avios upgrades (8.11)
BA’s MFU/UU/Avios upgrades wins going away. More total voters liked Lufthansa’s “sticky” 2-year elite status, which placed 3rd overall after bmi’s popular Miles & Cash Awards.
Hotel: Hilton HHonors – Complimentary room upgrades (7.46)
Accor A-Club’s Bonus Points Promotion (7.26) has a strong 2nd place showing in Europe/Africa; but HHonors wins the day with their enormously popular complimentary room upgrades.
Car Rental: Hertz #1 Club – Free upgrades
Business as usual for Hertz, taking out Avis (7.61).
Middle East/Asia/Oceania
Airline: Cathay Pacific Asia Miles – Seat guarantees for Marco Polo members (7.28)
Cathay Pacific’s Seat Guarantees for Marco Polo members wins, in a very evenly-spread vote. Emirates’ Lounge Access placed 2nd out of 23 programs in the category.
Hotel: Hilton HHonors – Complimentary room upgrades (6.89)
Hilton Hhonors room upgrades takes the Middle East/Asia/Oceania region over Priority Club’s Bonus Points (6.66).
Car Rental: Hertz #1 Club – Free rental days (9.94)
This one was a real walk in the park; it’s the only instance where FlyerTalkers didn’t bother to even nominate another program’s benefit during the December forum votes. Unsurprisingly, having no competition resulted in the highest quality score of the Awards.