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These are the winners of the 2024 TPG Awards

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Now in its seventh year, the annual TPG Awards celebrate the best in loyalty and travel, highlighting the airlines, hotels, credit cards and rewards programs changing the way we explore the world.

Today, we’re thrilled to release the list of the 2024 TPG Awards winners, with standouts ranging from the best in international first-class travel to the credit cards in our wallets that make dream trips possible.

On it this year, you’ll find everything from Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan and World of Hyatt to the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card and the Amex Centurion Lounge network, plus individual winners like the stunning Waldorf Astoria Seychelles Platte Island and Silversea Cruises, to name a few.

As we celebrate the best in airline, credit card, hotel and loyalty programs for 2024, we not only recognize them for their contributions to travel (and our wallets) but even more so to help you — our community of fellow travelers — make informed choices as you plot out your next trips, lounge visits, award bookings and more for 2025.

Read on for our picks of the best in travel from 2024 and why they made our list.

Related: Best travel rewards credit cards

Best International First Class

japan airlines a350
First class on a Japan Airlines Airbus A350-1000. JAPAN AIRLINES

Earlier this year, Japan Airlines changed the game when it revealed an all-new first-class suite aboard its growing fleet of Airbus A350-1000s. There are just six of these stunners aboard each plane, in a 1-1-1 pattern, so they are ultra-spacious (up to 48 inches wide with 83 inches of pitch!). Not only that, but they have three distinct seating configurations, including a sofa, a double bed, and an upright seat and single bed, making them extra comfortable no matter how you choose to lounge.

Their up-to-the-minute tech includes 43-inch 4K entertainment screens, plus fancy headrests with built-in speakers for headphone-free listening. Of course, passengers can still expect gourmet multicourse Japanese and Western menus, as well as some of the finest wines in the skies.

If you want to see more of this amazing seat in the sky, you can watch a fun and extensive video tour of Japan Airlines’ shiny new A350s and enjoy our four-class video comparison.

Best International Business Class

ERIC ROSEN/THE POINTS GUY

This globe-spanning Middle Eastern carrier continues to dominate this category with its pioneering Qatar Airways Qsuite, which premiered way back in 2017. What makes the Qsuite so great? An expansive footprint, for one, plus sturdy closing doors for privacy. Some center blocks can even be converted into double beds or four-suite configurations for families or colleagues traveling together.

Of course, soft touches like The White Company bedding, Diptyque amenity kits and a dine-on-demand experience with extensive menus featuring Middle Eastern, Western and Asian dishes are added bonuses, as are the excellent wines poured on board.

Even better, you can regularly book long-haul flights in these fantastic suites using miles from partner programs like American Airlines AAdvantage and Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan at reasonable rates. This puts the Qsuite over the top again this year as our favorite international business class winner.

Best International Premium Economy Class

CAROLINE TANNER/THE POINTS GUY

More and more airlines are focusing on (or introducing) premium economy cabins as a popular and relatively affordable alternative to both economy and business class. Emirates introduced its version of premium economy on the Airbus A380 back in 2021, and as you might expect from an airline known for its upscale onboard experience, the new seats and service did not disappoint.

We love the luxe finishes Emirates has incorporated into its version, including stylish seats with 8 inches of recline and plenty of legroom, ergonomic padded calf rests, elegant meal service and 13.3-inch high-definition entertainment screens loaded with the airline’s signature ICE content system.

Best Economy Class (US only)

JORDAN WALLER/THE POINTS GUY

Of course, most of the time, most of us travelers find ourselves in economy on a U.S. carrier, so we have an award category just for this class of service.

JetBlue has again won Best U.S. Economy Cabin this year — the fifth official win in this category for JetBlue, which has been a perennial favorite at the TPG Awards.

In fact, the carrier has won this award every year it has been handed out. Those extra-legroom seats pay serious long-term dividends for the airline when it comes to passengers looking for the best economy experience. To put numbers to it, JetBlue has an industry-leading 32.3 inches of legroom, even in the regular economy seats. Throw in free Wi-Fi and better-than-average snack and meal choices, and we had a clear winner.

Dream Airline Award Redemption

ERIC ROSEN/THE POINTS GUY

This is a very on-brand and fun new category for us. Our first-ever Dream Airline Award Redemption prize goes to the fabulous Etihad A380 Apartment.

These aspirational eye-catchers feature nearly 40 square feet of personal space behind their elegant closing doors and include not just an extra-wide Poltrona Frau leather armchair but also a separate bench that transforms into a single bed (some suites can combine these into a double for traveling companions), 24-inch touchscreen entertainment systems, individual in-seat minibars and vanity areas stocked with Espa products and Giorgio Armani pajamas. Plus, those who sit in these seats receive access to lavatories with onboard showers for prelanding freshening up.

While it’s not always easy to book these suites using frequent flyer miles, it is still possible for the dedicated. Redeeming Etihad Guest miles is your most likely option to find your way into this seat since the program makes more seats available than Etihad’s partners (like American Airlines). The program is a 1:1 transfer partner of American Express Membership Rewards, Capital One miles and Citi ThankYou Rewards.

American Airlines partners with Etihad, so you can also redeem AAdvantage miles for award tickets on Etihad flights, but it’s admittedly not easy to find availability. However, for a “dream” redemption, it might just be worth the effort.

Related: 12 apps and websites that make finding award redemptions easier

Best US Airline Loyalty Program

Flagship Business on an American Airlines Boeing 787 Dreamliner. KATIE GENTER/THE POINTS GUY

American Airlines AAdvantage scored a huge victory again this year. For the second year in a row, it has edged our previous champ, Delta SkyMiles, to take the award for Best U.S. Airline Loyalty Program.

Earning American Airlines Loyalty Points has turned out to be a fun and rewarding activity for many of us thanks to the plethora of ways to boost your balance. And unlike with some other airline programs, you can still find reasonably priced “unicorn” redemptions using AAdvantage miles, such as using 60,000 miles to fly in business class to Japan.

TPG incorporated data-driven components into several of our award picks this year, including this one. We used four equally weighted determining factors:

  • 25% value to an airline’s route network and the airports it serves along with its partners
  • 25% for the ease of earning miles
  • 25% for how good mileage redemptions are with the program
  • 25% based on the benefits of elite status and the ability to earn it via credit card spending

After we crunched the numbers based on those elements, American Airlines was our clear winner.

Best US Airline Elite Status

Alaska Airlines A320
CLINT HENDERSON/THE POINTS GUY

Another new award category for TPG is the Best U.S. Airline Elite Status, which you can earn without getting a special invitation.

In this award’s inaugural year, Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan MVP Gold 100K (now that’s a mouthful!) took the prize.

Not only does this echelon come with top-tier Oneworld Emerald status, but it also offers a decent shot at upgrades on Alaska Airlines flights, as well as Choice Benefits like Alaska Lounge+ membership, free Wi-Fi when you fly the airline and even partner perks like two one-way international upgrade certificates on American Airlines.

Related: Best Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan sweet spot redemptions you can book

Best Premium Airline Credit Card

CLINT HENDERSON/THE POINTS GUY

Now we turned to the cards that help us earn some of the miles and status levels that let us enjoy our travels all the more.

The award for Best Premium Airline Credit Card goes to the Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® (see rates and fees), which offers some incredible perks and earning rates for American Airlines flyers, including:

  • Admirals Club membership
  • The ability to earn 10,000 bonus Loyalty Points upon reaching 50,000 Loyalty Points in a status qualification year and an additional 10,000 bonus Loyalty Points once you hit 90,000 Loyalty Points in the same year
  • Up to $120 back on eligible Grubhub purchases (up to a $10 statement credit on each month’s billing statement)
  • Up to $120 in Lyft credits ($10 Lyft credit each month), but you have to take three eligible rides each month first to receive this credit
  • It also earns 10 miles per dollar spent on eligible car rentals and hotels booked through American’s car rental and hotel booking sites, respectively; 4 miles per dollar spent on eligible American Airlines purchases (jumps to 5 miles per dollar for the remainder of the calendar year once you’ve spent $150,000 on all purchases in a calendar year); and 1 mile per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases

That combination of earning, elite-status boosts and lounge access sealed its position as the winner in this category.

Best Hotel Elite Status

Globalist breakfast at the Park Hyatt Paris-Vendome. SUMMER HULL/THE POINTS GUY

When it comes to the Best Hotel Elite Status, it’s top-tier Hyatt Globalist that takes the big honors this year.

We love the fact that Hyatt still has an award chart with very decent redemption values. We also enjoy the frequency of upgrades for top-tier elite members (including the ability to confirm suites in advance), the Hyatt Ambassador program, the free breakfast benefit for top-tier elite members and the incredible array of benefits that Globalists can choose from as they hit milestones throughout the year, including additional Guest of Honor awards, suite upgrade awards and Category 1-7 free night awards.

Best Hotel Loyalty Program

Marriott Cancun, An All-Inclusive Resort. LYNDSEY MATTHEWS/THE POINTS GUY

Back on top of the pile for the Best Hotel Loyalty Program is Marriott Bonvoy.

This was a data-driven decision this year. The factors we considered were:

  • 25% weighting going to Marriott’s worldwide footprint
  • 25% based on the ability to earn points through a variety of avenues
  • 25% based on the value you get when redeeming points
  • 25% for the program’s elite-status perks and tiers

Marriott’s new Marriott Cancun, An All-Inclusive Resort also took the new prize for Best New All-Inclusive Points Hotel, a quickly burgeoning segment of the travel market that we’ve been keeping a close eye on.

Best Travel Rewards Credit Card

Chase Sapphire Preferred
THE POINTS GUY

The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card won this year’s award for the Best Travel Rewards Credit Card, an honor it has claimed for seven straight years (including when the category was previously called the Best Mid-Tier Rewards Card).

It’s the only credit card to win its category every single year since the TPG Awards began, which makes sense because it is a perennial favorite that TPG staffers recommend to their own friends and family year after year.

For an annual fee of just $95, cardholders can enjoy benefits like:

  • A statement credit of up to $50 on hotel stays purchased through Chase Travel℠ upon opening the card and on each account anniversary
  • A 10% anniversary points bonus each year
  • At least one year of complimentary DoorDash DashPass membership (activate by Dec. 31, 2027)
  • Excellent travel protections
  • Strong earning rates, including 5 points per dollar spent on travel booked through Chase Travel, Lyft purchases (through March 2025), Peloton equipment and accessory purchases of $150 or more(up to 25,000 total points through Mar. 31, 2025; 3 points per dollar spent on dining, select streaming services, and online grocery store purchases (excludes Target, Walmart and wholesale clubs); 2 points per dollar spent on all travel not booked through the Chase Travel portal; and 1 point per dollar spent on everything else.

The card earns Chase Ultimate Rewards points, which you can transfer to the program’s many airline and hotel partners for maximum value or redeem for travel reservations via Chase Travel at a rate of 1.25 cents apiece for ease.

Best Premium Travel Card

Capital One Venture X card
THE POINTS GUY

The Best Premium Travel Card is one of TPG’s highest-profile awards.

This year, the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card took our top prize for the category thanks to a combination of elements, including its growing network of high-quality lounges, such as its recently opened Capital One Landing concept at Washington, D.C.’s Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA).

Perhaps most significantly, its annual fee of $395 remains far below those of other competitors in this market. But for that fee, cardholders can expect benefits including:

  • An annual travel credit of  $300 for bookings made through Capital One Travel
  • 10,000 bonus miles every account anniversary, starting on your first anniversary (worth $100 toward travel)
  • Complimentary access for cardholders and up to two guests per visit to Capital One Lounges and lounges in Capital One’s partner network
  • Access to the Capital One Premier Collection, which offers a suite of cardholder benefits, like an experience credit, room upgrades, and more (if available), as well as to the lower-tier Lifestyle Collection

Thanks to these rewarding benefits and the robust list of airline and hotel partners to which cardholders can transfer their miles, the Venture X is both a TPG staff and community favorite.

Best Credit Card for Lounge Access

American Express Centurion Lounge Seattle
American Express Centurion Lounge in Seattle. ZACH GRIFF/THE POINTS GUY

Our winner in the category of Best Card for Lounge Access is perpetually popular among TPG staff: The Platinum Card® from American Express, which gets you into Amex’s own branded lounges, plus Priority Pass lounges and even Delta Sky Clubs when flying Delta Air Lines. Enrollment is required.

But the growing wow factor of the Centurion Lounges is also why Amex took the prize for the Best Card Lounge Network with its American Express Centurion Lounges.

American Express has long been a leader in the credit card-branded airport lounge wars, dating back to when it opened the first Centurion Lounge over a decade ago. Incredible new Centurion Lounges in places like Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) and San Francisco International Airport (SFO) are among our favorite lounges in the world, too.

Of course, the Amex Platinum comes with plenty of other perks — travel-related and otherwise — as well that help earn it a spot in many of our team’s and our readers’ wallets.

Best Luxury Cruise Line

MATTEO IMBRIANI/SILVERSEA

Sophisticated Silversea Cruises won the top honors among luxury cruise lines this year.

Thanks to its small-size vessels (the largest carry only up to 728 passengers), each sailing feels like an exclusive experience. The line has also been a forerunner of new and exciting destinations ranging from the Arctic to the Antarctic, the Galapagos, the Mediterranean and everywhere in between.

Finally, Silversea has launched game-changing new ships in recent years, including Silver Nova, which has innovative design elements, including a stunning pool deck and gorgeously decorated public areas.

All those factors made it our cruise experts’ top pick for the Best Luxury Cruise Line of 2024.

Best No-Annual-Fee Credit Card

Finally, the winner of the Best No-Annual-Fee Credit Card category for the second year in a row is the Bilt Mastercard® (see rates and fees).

The Bilt Mastercard is repeating its win again this year, with some highlights being that it helps cardholders accrue points for paying rent, has some exceptional monthly “Rent Day” bonus promotions, has various elite-status offers and features several top-notch transfer partners, including Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan and World of Hyatt.

But those are just a few of the categories and winners from the 2024 TPG Awards. Here is the full list of winners in categories that range from rewards credit cards to luxury cruise ships and well beyond.

Full list of 2024 TPG Award winners

Congratulations to all of these winning brands! We hope to see many of you in top-notch hotels, airline cabins, fabulous destinations and more as we turn the page to a new year with new adventures waiting to be had.

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