Global Traveler Announces 18th Annual GT Tested Reader Survey Awards

By Carl Norcott.
Updated Dec 1, 2021

YARDLEY, Pa. (PRWEB) December 01, 2021 - The results are in! For the 18th consecutive year, Global Traveler conducted its GT Tested Reader Survey, asking frequent luxury travelers to name the best in a variety of travel-related categories. More than 22,000 people responded. Global Travelers inaugural awards were celebrated in 2004.

The survey honors airlines, hotels, loyalty programs and travel-related products in more than 80 categories. GTs distinguished readers vote for their favorites in the world of travel in an open-ended survey running in the magazine and online. The 2021 survey ran Dec. 14, 2020Sept. 30, 2021. The results of the survey are announced in the December 2021 issue, available now.

As travel begins to return after a particularly challenging time for the industry, its really an extraordinary honor to acknowledge those providers that are the best of the best, and who showed strength and resilience in the face of unprecedented adversity, said Francis X. Gallagher, publisher and CEO, Global Traveler. We also thank our readers who vote yearly in the survey. Our readers resumed travel as soon as they could; for them, its part of their DNA, and they know and voted for the true stars of the travel industry. Heres hoping for an even stronger 2022! Congratulations!

Winners receiving the same award for the fifth consecutive year will also receive Quint Status recognition; those celebrating a 10th consecutive win will enter the Hall of Fame; and honorees receiving a 15th win in a row earn Crystal status.

This year's winners will be feted at a reception Dec. 14, at The Peninsula Beverly Hills. For more information, check out the December 2021 issue of Global Traveler or visit our website: https://www.globaltravelerusa.com/.

A complete list of winners is as follows:

Best Overall Airline in the World Singapore Airlines

Best Airline Alliance oneworld 12th Consecutive Year Best Aircraft Type Boeing 787

Best Airline Website AA.com Fifth Consecutive Year Quint Status

Fastest-Growing Airline, Trans-Pacific United Airlines

Best Airline for International First Class Korean Air

Best Airline for Business Class Turkish Airlines Fifth Consecutive Year Quint Status

Best Airline for Domestic First Class American Airlines Seventh Consecutive Year

Best Airline Lounges Delta Sky Club Third Consecutive Year

Best Airline for Onboard Service Asiana Airlines 18th Consecutive Year

Best Airline for Flight Attendants Asiana Airlines 18th Consecutive Year

Best Airline Cuisine Etihad Airways Second Consecutive Year

Best Flight Attendant Uniforms Emirates

Best Airline for Security Swiss International Air Lines Best Business-Class Seat Design Korean Air

Best First-Class Seat Design All Nippon Airways Second Consecutive Year

Best Corporate Program for Business Travelers Turkish Airlines Corporate Club Fourth Consecutive Year

Best Airline Cabin Cleanliness Air Canada Second Consecutive Year

Best Overall Frequent-Flyer Program United Airlines MileagePlus 18th Consecutive Year

Best Frequent-Flyer Elite-Level Program American Airlines AAdvantage Executive Platinum

Best Frequent-Flyer Bonus Program United MileagePlus Ninth Consecutive Year

Best Frequent-Flyer Award Redemption United MileagePlus

Best Frequent-Flyer Customer Service Delta Air Lines SkyMiles

Best Airline in North America Air Canada Third Consecutive Year

Best Airline to South America LATAM Airlines Group

Best Airline in Mexico Aeromexico 12th Consecutive Year Best Airline in the South Pacific Air Tahiti Nui Fourth Consecutive Year

Best Airline in Europe TAP Air Portugal 11th Consecutive Year

Best Airline in Eastern Europe Aeroflot Second Consecutive Year

Best Airline in Africa Royal Air Maroc

Best Airline in the Middle East Etihad Airways Second Consecutive Year

Best Airline in North Asia China Airlines Ninth Consecutive Year

Best Airline in Central/South Asia & India Air India Eighth Consecutive Year

Best Airline to Japan Japan Airlines

Best Trans-Atlantic Airline TAP Air Portugal Second Consecutive Year

Best Trans-Pacific Airline All Nippon Airways Second Consecutive Year

Best Overall Airport in the World Singapore Changi Airport Sixth Consecutive Year

Best Airport in North America Chicago OHare International Airport 18th Consecutive Year

Best Airport in Asia Incheon International Airport Fifth Consecutive Year

Best Airport in Europe Amsterdam Airport Schiphol Fourth Consecutive Year

Best Airport in the Middle East Hamad International Airport Fifth Consecutive Year

Best Airport in South America El Dorado International Airport, Bogot Fourth Consecutive Year

Best Airport Staff/Gate Agents Turkish Airlines Sixth Consecutive Year

Best Airport Dining Chicago OHare International Airport Second Consecutive Year

Best Airport Shopping Miami International Airport Third Consecutive Year

Fastest-Growing U.S. Airport Ontario International Airport, Ontario, California Fourth Consecutive Year

Best Duty-Free Shopping in the World Dubai Duty Free 15th Consecutive Year

Best Duty-Free Shopping in Asia Incheon International Airport

Best International Hotel Chain The Ritz-Carlton Best Domestic Hotel Chain Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts

Best Lifestyle Hotel Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants

Best MICE Hotel LOTTE HOTEL SEOUL Seventh Consecutive Year

Best Hotel Website hilton.com Second Consecutive Year

Best Hotel Rewards Program in the World IHG Rewards Club 17th Consecutive Year

Best Frequent-Stay Elite-Level Program Hilton Honors Diamond

Best Frequent-Stay Bonus Program Hilton Honors Second Consecutive Year

Best Frequent-Stay Award Redemption Marriott Bonvoy Second Consecutive Year

Best Frequent-Stay Customer Service World of Hyatt

Best Hotel in the United States The Peninsula Beverly Hills 11th Consecutive Year

Best Hotel in Asia SIGNIEL SEOUL Second Consecutive Year

Best Hotel in South Korea LOTTE HOTEL SEOUL 10th Consecutive Year Best European Hotel Chain St. Regis Hotels & Resorts Sixth Consecutive Year

Best Hotel Chain in Mexico Fiesta Americana 11th Consecutive Year

Best Hotel Chain in the Middle East Jumeirah Hotels & Resorts Fourth Consecutive Year

Best Hotel in the Middle East Burj Al Arab Jumeirah Fourth Consecutive Year

Best Overseas Delivery Program Volvo Sixth Consecutive Year

Best Rental Car Company Hertz

Best Airport Parking The Parking Spot Third Consecutive Year

Best Tourism Destination Greece

Best MICE City Seoul Seventh Consecutive Year

Best WiFi Service Intelsat (formerly Gogo Commercial Aviation)

Best Luggage Brand Briggs & Riley 12th Consecutive Year

Best Hotel App Hilton Hotels Third Consecutive Year

Best Airline App Delta Air Lines

Best Small- to Mid-Sized Business Program IHG Business Edge Third Consecutive Year

Best Overall Credit Card United Club Infinite Card from Chase Second Consecutive Year

Best Credit Card Special Events United Card Event Second Consecutive Year

Best Small Business Credit Card Capital One Spark Miles for Business Card

Best Credit Card Rewards Programs United Club Infinite Card from Chase Second Consecutive Year

Best Frequent-Stay Affinity Credit Card Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Card from Chase 10th Consecutive Year

Best Frequent-Stay Affinity Credit Card Promotions Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card Third Consecutive Year

Best Frequent-Stay Affinity Credit Card Benefits Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Card from Chase

Best Frequent-Stay Affinity Credit Card Redemptions Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card Second Consecutive Year

Best Frequent-Flyer Affinity Credit Card Alaska Airlines Visa Signature Card from Bank of America 10th Consecutive Year

Best Frequent-Flyer Affinity Credit Card Promotions United Club Infinite Card from Chase Second Consecutive Year

Best Frequent-Flyer Affinity Credit Card Benefits Alaska Airlines Visa Signature Card from Bank of America Third Consecutive Year

Best Frequent-Flyer Affinity Credit Card Redemptions United Explorer Card from Chase Ninth Consecutive Year

Best Cruise Line Affinity Credit Card Princess Cruises Visa Signature Card from Barclays Fourth 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 Dec. 14, 2020Sept. 30, 2021. 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. Three 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 and the Leisure Lifestyle Awards.

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.