The results are in! For the 22nd 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 20,000 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. The 2025 survey ran Dec. 12, 2024–Aug. 31, 2025. The results of the survey are announced in the December 2025 issue, available now.
“What an honor it is to present the 22nd GT Tested Reader Survey awards — we celebrate the winners’ excellence and the recognition earned from discerning world travelers. Congratulations to the winning brands in the travel industry,” said Francis X. Gallagher, publisher and CEO, Global Traveler. “Our readers are the heart of this yearly survey; they know the best and they seek out the ultimate in luxury when they travel. The winners’ list is a reflection of their knowledge and expertise.”
This year’s winners will be feted at a reception Dec. 17, at Loews Coral Gables. The event will also honor the 2025 winners of the Wines on the Wing airline survey, previously announced in August 2025. For more information, check out the December 2025 issue of Global Traveler or visit globaltravelerusa.com.
A complete list of winners is as follows:
Best Overall Airline in the World
Emirates
Best Airline Alliance
oneworld
16th Consecutive Year
Best Aircraft Type
Boeing 787
Best Airline Website
delta.com
Second Consecutive Year
Best Airline for International First Class
Etihad Airways
Best Airline for Business Class
Turkish Airlines
Ninth Consecutive Year
Best Airline for Domestic First Class
Delta Air Lines
Second Consecutive Year
Best Airline Lounges
Delta Sky Club®
Third Consecutive Year
Best Airline for Onboard Service
Asiana Airlines
Best Airline for Flight Attendants
Asiana Airlines
22nd Consecutive Year
Best Airline Cuisine
Turkish Airlines
Second Consecutive Year
Best Flight Attendant Uniforms
Condor Airlines
Best Airline for Business-Class Seat Design
Swiss International Air Lines
Best Airline for First-Class Seat Design
Cathay Pacific Airways
Best Corporate Program for Business Travelers
Delta Business Traveler
Best Airline Cabin Cleanliness
Air Canada
Best Overall Frequent-Flyer Program
United MileagePlus®
22nd Consecutive Year
Best Frequent-Flyer Elite-Level Program
United Airlines, MileagePlus® – Premier 1K
Fourth Consecutive Year
Best Frequent-Flyer Bonus Promotion
United MileagePlus®
13th Consecutive Year
Best Frequent-Flyer Award Redemption
Delta SkyMiles®
Best Frequent-Flyer Customer Service
Air Canada Aeroplan
Second Consecutive Year
Best Airline in North America
Delta Air Lines
Best Airline to South & Central America
avianca
Best Airline in Mexico
Aeromexico
16th Consecutive Year
Best Airline in the South Pacific
Air Tahiti Nui
Eighth Consecutive Year
Best Airline in Europe
TAP Air Portugal
15th Consecutive Year
Best Airline in Eastern Europe
Air Serbia
Second Consecutive Year
Best Airline in Africa
Royal Air Maroc
Third Consecutive Year
Best Airline in the Middle East
Etihad Airways
Second Consecutive Year
Best Airline in North Asia (Excluding China)
Cathay Pacific Airways
Best Airline in Central/South Asia & India
Air India
12th Consecutive Year
Best Airline in China
Air China
Second Consecutive Year
Best Airline in Australia and New Zealand
Qantas
Best Airline to Japan
All Nippon Airways
Best Trans-Atlantic Airline
British Airways
Second Consecutive Year
Best Trans-Pacific Airline
Cathay Pacific Airways
Third Consecutive Year
Best Overall Airport in the World
Hamad International Airport, Doha
Second Consecutive Year
Best Airport in North America
Chicago O’Hare International Airport
22nd Consecutive Year
Best Airport in Asia
Incheon International Airport
Ninth Consecutive Year
Best Airport in Europe
iGA Istanbul Airport
Fourth Consecutive Year
Best Airport in the Middle East
Hamad International Airport, Doha
Ninth Consecutive Year
Best Airport in South America
El Dorado International Airport, Bogotá
Eighth Consecutive Year
Best Airport in Africa
O. R. Tambo International Airport, Johannesburg, South Africa
Fourth Consecutive Year
Best Airport Staff/Gate Agents
Turkish Airlines
Ninth Consecutive Year
Best Airport Dining
Chicago O’Hare International Airport
Second Consecutive Year
Best Airport Shopping
iGA Istanbul Airport
Fourth Consecutive Year
Fastest-Growing U.S. Airport
Sarasota–Bradenton International Airport
Best Duty-Free Shopping in the World
Dubai Duty Free
19th Consecutive Year
Best Individual Hotel in the World
Address Downtown, Dubai
Best International Hotel Chain
InterContinental Hotels & Resorts
Third Consecutive Year
Best Domestic Hotel Chain
The Ritz-Carlton
Best Lifestyle Hotel
Andaz
Second Consecutive Year
Best MICE Hotel
LOTTE HOTEL SEOUL
Best Hotel Website
hilton.com
Best Hotel Rewards Program in the World
IHG One Rewards
21st Consecutive Year
Best Frequent-Stay Elite-Level Program
IHG One Rewards – Diamond Elite
Third Consecutive Year
Best Frequent-Stay Bonus Promotion
Hilton Honors
Third Consecutive Year
Best Frequent-Stay Award Redemption
Marriott Bonvoy
Sixth Consecutive Year
Best Frequent-Stay Customer Service
IHG One Rewards
Second Consecutive Year
Best Hotel in the United States
The Peninsula Beverly Hills
15th Consecutive Year
Best Hotel in Asia
Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong
Best Hotel in South Korea
LOTTE HOTEL SEOUL
Best Hotel in Japan
Conrad Tokyo
Best Hotel in Singapore
The Fullerton Hotel Singapore
Best Hotel Chain in Asia
The Langham Hotels & Resorts
Best Hotel in Europe
Hotel Vier Jahreszeiten Kempinski Munich
Best Hotel Chain in Europe
The Ritz-Carlton
Best Hotel Chain in Latin America
Fiesta Americana Travelty Collection
Third Consecutive Year
Best Hotel Chain in Mexico
Fiesta Americana Travelty Collection
15th Consecutive Year
Best Hotel Chain in the Middle East
Jumeirah International
Best Hotel in the Middle East
Jumeirah at Etihad Towers Hotel
Best Rental Car Company
Hertz
Fifth Consecutive Year
Best Tourism Destination
Greece
Fifth Consecutive Year
Best MICE City
Seoul
11th Consecutive Year
Best WiFi Service
Starlink
Best Luggage Brand
Briggs & Riley
Third Consecutive Year
Best Hotel App
Marriott Bonvoy
Third Consecutive Year
Best Airline App
Delta Air Lines
Third Consecutive Year
Best Small- to Mid-Sized Business Program
IHG® Business Edge
Seventh Consecutive Year
Best Offshore Business Location
Ireland
Best Travel Insurance Company
UnitedHealthcare Global
Second Consecutive Year
Best Rail Service/Provider
Alaska Railroad
Third Consecutive Year
Best Overall Credit Card
United ClubSM Card from Chase
Sixth Consecutive Year
Best Small-Business Credit Card
Ink Business Preferred® Card from Chase
Second Consecutive Year
Best Credit Card Rewards Program
Capital One Venture Rewards
Best Credit Card Design
Capital One Venture X
Best Frequent-Stay Affinity Credit Card
IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card from Chase
Third Consecutive Year
Best Frequent-Stay Affinity Credit Card Promotions
IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card from Chase
Third Consecutive Year
Best Frequent-Stay Affinity Credit Card Benefits
IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card from Chase
Best Frequent-Stay Affinity Credit Card Redemptions
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
Best Frequent-Flyer Affinity Credit Card
Atmos™ Rewards Ascent Visa Signature®, formerly known as Alaska Airlines® Visa Signature® Card from Bank of America
14th consecutive year
Best Frequent-Flyer Affinity Credit Card Promotions
Delta SkyMiles® American Express Cards
Best Frequent-Flyer Affinity Credit Card Benefits
Atmos™ Rewards Ascent Visa Signature®, formerly known as Alaska Airlines® Visa Signature® Card from Bank of America
Seventh Consecutive Year
Best Frequent-Flyer Affinity Credit Card Redemptions
Atmos™ Rewards Ascent Visa Signature®, formerly known as Alaska Airlines® Visa Signature® Card from Bank of America
Best Cruise Line Affinity Credit Card
Royal Caribbean® Visa Signature® Credit Card from Bank of America
Third Consecutive Year
Special Publisher’s Award: Fastest-Developing MICE City
Gyeonggi Province
Second 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. 12, 2024–Aug. 31, 2025. 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 1.2 million readers, Global Traveler connects brands with U.S.-based frequent, affluent travelers. According to MRI Simmons, GT readers have an average net worth of $3.1 million and 50 percent are CEOs and owners of companies. Our readers average 18 domestic flights per year and 93 percent travel internationally on a regular basis (18 round-trips in the last three years), mostly in first and business class. More than 85 percent stay in 4- and 5-star hotels, at an average of 180 nights per year. Each year, Global Traveler awards the GT Tested Reader Survey awards and the Leisure Lifestyle Awards.
About globaltravelerusa.com
With more than 5.1 million page views monthly, globaltravelerusa.com offers unique daily content catering to the lifestyle and travel interests of premium travelers who fly all over the world for business and pleasure. A host of positions, including banners, sponsored content and specialty takeovers, are available. Other digital editorial enewsletters include eFlyer, Global Traveler slideshow, GT Week in Review and Issue Preview. Custom e-newsletters, such as Publisher’s Picks, GT on the Go and Premium eDeal, are available for advertisers.
About FXExpress Publications, Inc.
FXExpress Publications, Inc., based in Yardley, Pa., is a privately held company publishing Global Traveler, globaltravelerusa.com, FX Excursions, eFlyer and several annuals. WhereverFamily LLC publishes whereverfamily.com and its related brands, and Trazee Travel, LLC publishes trazeetravel.com. FXExpress Publications, Inc., awards the annual Industry Leader Awards.
Read This Next
Introducing
FX Excursions
FX Excursions offers the chance for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in destinations around the world.
#globility
Insta FeedDaily
Apr 10, 2026Corinthia Hotels Expands Italian Portfolio with Borgo di Perolla
Corinthia Hotels recently announced a new development in Italy by signing an agreement to develop, lease and operate a luxury resort, Borgo di Perolla, Tuscany, in the heart of the Tuscan countryside. Corinthia Borgo di Perolla will transform a collection of vintage, historic buildings into a luxury resort, surrounded by rolling landscapes and within easy reach of the medieval town of Massa Marittima, the coast, the beaches of Castiglione della Pescaia and Punta Ala, and the region’s hot springs.
Sponsored Content
Explora Journeys: A New Chapter In Luxury Ocean Travel
Sail Unique Explora Journeys continues to shape a new rhythm for luxury ocean travel, one guided by space, intention and a profound connection to the sea. Designed as a European luxury lifestyle experience, each journey feels less like a traditional cruise and more like time spent aboard a refined floating resort or superyacht whose home is the ocean.
April 2026
Apr 10, 2026Global Travelers Optimize Their Time to Balance Business and Leisure
For today’s global executives, time is the ultimate luxury. As such, they increasingly design business trips to make the most of their time away. Bleisure travel, once a fringe perk embraced by the savviest travelers, evolved into a strategic consideration for today’s business travelers. With schedules busier than ever and work/life balance top of mind, business travelers intentionally blend productivity with restoration — and companies are taking note.
Daily
Apr 10, 2026Immersive Tequila Experience Opens in Miami
Newly opened in Miami, through May 5, Tequila Town is a 25,000-square-foot immersive experience that dives into the vibrant history, rich culture and fascinating stories that reveal the tale of this beloved distilled spirit.
Sponsored Content
SAIL UNIQUE: A New Chapter in Luxury Ocean Travel
Imagine a place where European elegance meets the rhythm of the sea, where time slows and every detail is designed to inspire connection, discovery and a deeper sense of ease. This is Explora Journeys, the European luxury lifestyle ocean brand redefining how the world is explored by sea.
Daily
Apr 10, 2026A Bucket List Guidebook to Must‑Play Courses
According to the National Golf Foundation, more than 12 million Americans have traveled to play golf each year since 2022. The golf travel trend continues to grow as the sport expands and gains popularity. Certain courses have become bucket-list destinations in themselves.
New Reasons to Visit Scotland This Year
Daily
Apr 9, 2026April 2026
Apr 8, 2026Don’t Overlook the Cosmopolitan Allure of Papeete
The gateway to the South Pacific, Papeete offers the promise of adventure to further tropical locales teeming with white-sand beaches, coconut palms and fiery sunsets. The capital of Tahiti and French Polynesia, Papeete is the primary hub for travelers seeking the atolls and archipelagos of the South Pacific — from the blackened shores of Samoa to the turquoise waters of Tonga.
Sponsored Content
Meliá Hotels International: Redefining Luxury Travel with Unforgettable Experiences
As discerning travelers seek authentic stays, Meliá’s luxury offerings in the Americas — Gran Meliá Hotels & Resorts, The Meliá Collection, ME by Meliá and Paradisus by Meliá — stand ready to captivate across key destinations in the Americas and the world, Meliá offers unique stays that elevate every journey.
eFlyer News
Apr 8, 2026The Standard Hotels Coming to Texas in 2027
The Standard Hotels brand is to debut its first Texas property with The Standard, Austin, slated to open spring 2027 as a bold reimagining of beloved South Congress Hotel. The new hotel will mark the brand’s first U.S. opening in more than a decade.
ShareThis