What a year 2022 has been for travel! It’s not an understatement to say travel rebounded and surged following the pandemic, and airlines, hotels, travel providers and more are ready and waiting to serve the masses returning to the beautiful art of traveling. As such, we celebrate and award those who do it best as we announce the 2022 winners of the GT Tested Reader Survey awards, our 19th year honoring the best of the best in the world of travel. Our countdown to year No. 20 begins now.

We know where to look for expertise and incredible travel knowledge, and that’s to you, our readers. Intrepid, frequent, luxury travelers yourselves, you know the standouts, and you voted for them, from airlines and airports to hotels and credit cards. Join us on the following pages to find out all the winners in our 19th annual survey and see if your favorites made the cut.

PHOTO: © SINGAPORE AIRLINES

We start with the winners that transport us around this great, big, beautiful globe, starting with Singapore Airlines taking top honors as Best Overall Airline in the World, reclaiming its title for a second consecutive year. It’s lucky No. 13 for Best Airline Alliance winner oneworld, while member airline American Airlines flies home with its sixth win for Best Airline Website (aa.com). The Airbus A350 soared above the rest as Best Aircraft Type.

United Airlines picks up a bevy of awards this year: Fastest-Growing Airline, Trans-Pacific, for the second consecutive year; Best Airline Lounges, for its United Club; and Best Trans-Atlantic Airline. Its United MileagePlus frequent-flyer program is truly a cut above as it earns its Best Frequent-Flyer Program accolade for the 19th consecutive year. MileagePlus also wins Best Frequent-Flyer Elite-Level Program, and Best Frequent-Flyer Bonus Program, 10 years in a row. Winning the same award for 10 consecutive years earns that acknowledgement a spot in our Hall of Fame.

PHOTO: © AIR FRANCE

For Best Airline for International First Class, the winner is Air France, also flying away with Best Flight Attendant Uniforms and Best First-Class Seat Design. Turkish Airlines scores four awards: Best Airline for Business Class, six years in a row; Best Airline Cuisine; Best Airport Staff/ Gate Agents, seven years running; and Best Corporate Program for Business Travelers, for its Turkish Airlines Corporate Club, five consecutive years. With its fifth win in a row, that honor receives our Quint Status nod this year.

Delta Air Lines wins Best Airline for Domestic First Class, while its Delta SkyMile frequent-flyer program takes the Best Frequent-Flyer Award Redemption. And sweeping its categories for every year of the GT Tested Reader Survey awards’ existence is Asiana Airlines, Best Airline for Onboard Service and Best Airline for Flight Attendants, both for the 19th time. Cathay Pacific Airways is the Best Business-Class Seat Design winner. Air Canada takes two awards in this year’s survey: Best Airline Cabin Cleanliness for the third consecutive year and Best Airline in North America for the fourth year in a row.

Alaska Airlines appears twice this year as well, earning nods for Best Frequent-Flyer Customer Service for its Mileage Plan program and Best Airline App.

Let’s circumnavigate the globe and take a look at the best airlines by region, starting with LATAM Airlines Group, Best Airline to South America, two years running. Aeromexico wins Best Airline in Mexico, 13th consecutive year, and Air Tahiti Nui earns Quint Status for its fifth Best Airline in the South Pacific nod. TAP Air Portugal takes its 12th win as Best Airline in Europe, and LOT Polish Airlines is Best Airline in Eastern Europe. Continuing around the world, Ethiopian Airlines is Best Airline in Africa; Etihad Airways takes its third round as Best Airline in the Middle East; China Airlines becomes Best Airline in North Asia for the fourth consecutive year; and Air India is Best Airline in Central/South Asia & India, nine years in a row. For the second year in a row Japan Airlines earns the Best Airline to Japan honor. All Nippon Airways takes the Best Trans- Pacific Airline for the third time. Returning to the survey this year are our Best Airline in China and Best Airline in Australia and New Zealand categories, won by Air China and Qantas, respectively.

On arrival or departure, the airport is undoubtedly one of the most important aspects of travel. Let’s honor those hubs delivering an incredible airport experience. That starts with Best Overall Airport in the World, going to Hamad International Airport, Doha, for the first time. DOH also earns its sixth win as Best Airport in the Middle East.

Taking the award every year of our survey, Chicago O’Hare International Airport is Best Airport in North America, 19 times over! It is also taking its third win as Best Airport Dining. Another U.S. gateway appears on the list: Ontario International Airport in Ontario, California, five- time Fastest-Growing U.S. Airport and now a Quint Status honoree.

Other airport winners include Incheon International Airport, taking its sixth win as Best Airport in Asia and second win as Best Duty-Free Shopping in Asia; Istanbul Grand Airport, first-time winner of Best Airport in Europe, Best Duty-Free Shopping in Europe and Best Airport Shopping; El Dorado International Airport in Bogotá as Best Airport in South America for the fifth year in a row and a Quint Status honoree; O.R. Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg, South Africa, Best Airport in Africa and Best Duty-Free Shopping in Africa; and Dubai Duty Free, 16-time Best Duty-Free Shopping in the World and Best Duty-Free Shopping in the Middle East.

PHOTO: © THE ST. REGIS SINGAPORE

A traveler’s home away from home is important, and you can’t go wrong with these award-winning hotels. To start, The St. Regis Singapore wins Best Individual Hotel in the World. The St. Regis brand takes its seventh win as Best European Hotel Chain.

Best International Hotel Chain honors go to The Ritz- Carlton for the second consecutive year. The brand also picks up the Best Domestic Hotel Chain award. Aloft reclaims its Best Lifestyle Hotel title this year. LOTTE HOTEL SEOUL takes its eighth Best MICE Hotel honor and its 11th Best Hotel in South Korea nod.

InterContinental Hotels Group becomes a multihyphenate this year with wins for Best Hotel Website, ihg.com, and an 18th win for Best Hotel Rewards Program in the World for its recently revamped IHG One Rewards. Its IHG Business Edge program wins its fourth straight Best Small- to Mid-Sized Business Program award. Marriott Bonvoy also secures a bundle of awards: Best Frequent-Stay Elite-Level Program, for Marriott Bonvoy Platinum Elite; a third consecutive Best Frequent-Stay Award Redemption; and Best Frequent-Stay Customer Service. Hilton earns its fourth win as Best Hotel App.

The Peninsula Beverly Hills earned its 12th nod as Best Hotel in the United States, and its counterpart in Thailand, The Peninsula Bangkok, wins Best Hotel in Asia. Also in Asia, Tokyo Station Hotel is Best Hotel in Japan, The Fullerton Hotel is Best Hotel in Singapore, and Oberoi Hotels is Best Hotel Chain in Asia.

We wrap up our hotel winners with this impressive list of names: Four Seasons Istanbul at the Bosphorus, Best Hotel in Europe; Sheraton Hotels & Resorts, Best Hotel Chain in Latin America; Sonesta Travel Pass, Best Frequent-Stay Bonus Program; Fiesta Americana, 12-time Best Hotel Chain in Mexico; Jumeirah Hotels & Resorts, a Quint Status inductee with its fifth win as Best Hotel Chain in the Middle East; and Burj Al Arab Jumeirah, also on the Quint Status list for winning Best Hotel in the Middle East five years in a row.

Here’s a look at the winning brands that ensure the rest of the journey is seamless. For the seventh year in a row, Volvo is driving away with the Best Overseas Delivery Program win. Also in the automotive sector, Hertz wins the prize of Best Rental Car Company, two years running, and The Parking Spot takes its fourth consecutive Best Airport Parking nod.

Greece makes a repeat appearance as Best Tourism Destination for the second year in a row, and Seoul becomes Best MICE City for the eighth year in a row. Intelsat (Gogo Commercial Aviation) takes its second Best WiFi Service nod, while Tumi upset a long-time favorite for its first Best Luggage Brand win.

New categories to the survey this year include Best Offshore Business Location, U.S. Virgin Islands; Best Travel Insurance Company, Allianz; and Best Rail Service/Travel Provider, Rocky Mountaineer.

Co-branded credit cards ensure everyday purchases help achieve travel dreams. These are the very best to get you where you want to go: United Club Infinite Card from Chase, winning Best Overall Credit Card, Best Credit Card Rewards Program and Best Frequent-Flyer Affinity Credit Card Promotions, all for the third time. The United Explorer Card from Chase celebrates its 10th Best Frequent-Flyer Affinity Credit Card Redemptions win, entering it into our Hall of Fame. United Card Event is Best Credit Card Special Events, three years in a row.

Best Small Business Credit Card goes to Capital One Spark Miles Business Card, a second-time nod. Two new credit card categories include Capital One Venture X winning for both Best Credit Card Design and Best New Credit Card Launch.

Two Marriott Bonvoy cards continue to earn top nods: Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Card from Chase wins Best Frequent-Stay Affinity Credit Card for the 11th time as well as Best Frequent-Stay Affinity Credit Card Benefits for the second year in a row; while the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card is Best Frequent-Stay Affinity Credit Card Promotions, four years running, and Best Frequent-Stay Affinity Credit Card Redemptions, three years in a row.

Alaska Airlines Visa Signature Card from Bank of America takes its 11th win as Best Frequent-Flyer Affinity Credit Card and fourth win for Best Frequent- Flyer Affinity Credit Card Benefits; and Princess Cruises Visa Signature Card from Barclays rounds out our illustrious list of winners with its Quint Status induction for Best Cruise Line Affinity Credit Card, five years and counting.

We commend this year’s winners for their accomplishments and for the bright future ahead for the world of travel. Congratulations to all the winners!

THE VOTING PROCESS

Open-ended ballots ran in subscriber copies of Global Traveler and online at globaltrav elerusa.com/gt-tested-awards-ballot from Dec. 14, 2021, to Sept. 30, 2022. Ballots were distributed via direct mail and email during the same period. Ballots returned with less than 50 percent of the fields completed were disqualified. Employees of FXExpress Publications, Inc., and affiliated members of the travel industry were not allowed to participate.