LONDON, April 30 — Frequent fliers have spoken and voted Marriott, Southwest and Air France/KLM among the best travel brands for their loyalty programmes at this year's edition of the Freddie Awards.
Winners of the awards were announced out of Las Vegas Thursday and are based on the results of three million ballots that are cast annually.
For the 26th edition, Air France/KLM and Le Club Accorhotels emerged as the big winners, taking home five Freddie Awards each for Europe and Africa.
Awards are divided by regions — Americas; Europe and Africa; and Middle East, Asia and Oceania.
This year, Southwest broke American Airlines' four-year winning streak, taking the award for Programme of the Year for the Americas.
Marriott took the title of loyalty programme of the year for the ninth consecutive year.
The awards are named after Sir Freddie Laker, who was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in 1978 for his contribution to commercial aviation and the British economy.
Laker's long list of accomplishments includes the founding of Britain's first all-jet air carrier Laker Airways Ltd. in 1966, which eventually became the largest individually and privately owned airline in the world.
He is also credited with founding the world's first no-frills transatlantic service dubbed "Skytrain," which flew between London and New York in the late 1970s.
Here is the full list of winners:
Americas
Airlines
Programme of the Year: Southwest Airlines – Rapid Rewards
Best Elite Programme: American Airlines – AAdvantage
Best Promotion: Avianca – LifeMiles
Best Customer Service: Southwest Airlines – Rapid Rewards
Best Redemption Ability: Avianca – LifeMiles
210 AWARD: Avianca – LifeMiles
Hotels
Programme of the Year: Marriott Hotels – Marriott Rewards
Best Elite Programme: Hyatt – Gold Passport
Best Promotion: MGM – M life
Best Customer Service: Marriott Hotels – Marriott Rewards
Best Redemption Ability: Marriott Hotels – Marriott Rewards
210 AWARD: MGM – M life
Europe & Africa
Airlines
Programme of the Year: Air France/KLM – Flying Blue
Best Elite Programmw: Lufthansa – Miles & More
Best Promotion: Air France/KLM – Flying Blue
Best Customer Service: Air France/KLM – Flying Blue
Best Redemption Ability: Air France/KLM – Flying Blue
210 AWARD (which honors an up-and-coming program among smaller operators): Norwegian Air – Norwegian Reward
Hotels
Programme of the Year: Accor Hotels – Le Club Accorhotels
Best Elite Programme: Starwood – Starwood Preferred Guest
Best Promotion: Accor Hotels – Le Club Accorhotels
Best Customer Service: Accor Hotels – Le Club Accorhotels
Best Redemption Ability: IHG – IHG Rewards Club
210 AWARD: IHG – IHG Rewards Club
Middle East & Oceania
Airlines
Programme of the Year: Virgin Australia – Velocity
Best Elite Programme: El Al – Matmid Club
Best Promotion: El Al – Matmid Club
Best Customer Service: Virgin Australia – Velocity
Best Redemption Ability: Virgin Australia – Velocity
210 AWARD: Jet Airways – JetPrivilege
Hotel
Programme of the Year: Accor Hotels – Le Club Accorhotels
Best Elite Programme: Hyatt – Gold Passport
Best Promotion: Accor Hotels – Le Club Accorhotels
Best Customer Service: IHG – IHG Rewards Club
Best Redemption Ability: IHG – IHG Rewards Club
210 AWARD: ITC Hotels – Club ITC — AFP-Relaxnews
