THE WHO’S WHO of the travel industry gathered once again at The Peninsula Beverly Hills to celebrate the Global Traveler 2016 GT Tested Reader Survey awards, Wines on the Wing airline wine competition, the Airline and Hotel of the Year, the Hall of Fame honorees and the Quint Status recipients. It was lucky number 13, as 2016 marked the 13th year for our prestigious awards; it was the also the sixth year the event was held at The Peninsula Beverly Hills.
More than 200 guests enjoyed the award-winning hospitality of the Los Angeles hotel hot spot, while guest of honor Mack Dryden, a comedian and motivational speaker, appeared on behalf of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. The event also served as the kick-off for GT’s annual charity auction benefitting LLS.
Global Traveler’s GT Tested Reader Survey awards are the most respected in the luxury business travel industry. Winners are named based on the results of an open-ended reader survey. Chase Bank Credit Cards, multiple winner and Quint Status honoree, sponsored the night’s festivities, including a Dom Perignon raffle. The lucky winners included David Rezaieh, vice president, airline relations, Downtown Travel; Bernard Siew, vice president, process and system innovation, airport operations management, Changi Airport Group; Gunter Saurwein, vice president, the Americas, Qatar Airways; Jean-Christophe Murat, member, Global Traveler Globility Board; and Chema Alvarado, director, sales, oneworld. China Airlines, Airline of the Year winner, also sponsored the fete.
WINNERS’ CIRCLE
Aeroflot
Best Airline in Eastern Europe
Aeromexico
Best Airline in Mexico
Air Canada
Best Airline in North America
Air India
Best Airline in Central/South Asia & India
Air Tahiti Nui
Best Airline in the South Pacific
Alitalia
Best Airline Cuisine
All Nippon Airways
Best Airline to Japan
American Airlines
Best Airline for Domestic First Class
Best Red Wine International First Class
Best Red Wine International Business Class
Best North American Wines on the Wing
Best North American Sparkling Wine
Best North American White Wine
Best North American Red Wine
American Express
Best Frequent-Stay Affinity Credit Card Promotions
Best Frequent-Stay Affinity Credit Card Benefits
Best Frequent-Flyer Affinity Credit Card Benefits
Asiana Airlines
Best Airline for Onboard Service
Best Airline for Flight Attendants
Avianca
Best Frequent-Flyer Customer Service, Americas
Best Frequent-Flyer Award Redemption
Bank of America
Best Frequent-Flyer Affinity Credit Card (Quint Status)
Boingo Wireless
Best WiFi Service
Briggs & Riley
Best Luggage Brand
British Airways
Best Champagne International First Class
Chase Bank Credit Cards
Best Credit Card (Quint Status)
Best Small-Business Credit Card
Best Credit Card Special Events
Best Credit Card Rewards Program (Quint Status)
Best Frequent-Stay Affinity Credit Card (Quint Status)
Best Frequent-Stay Affinity Credit Card Redemptions
Best Frequent-Flyer Affinity Credit Card Redemptions
Chicago O’Hare International Airport
Best Airport in North America
China Airlines
Airline of the Year
Best Business-Class Seat Design
Best Airline in North Asia (excluding China)
Citibank
Best Frequent-Flyer Affinity Credit Card Promotions
Delta Air Lines
Best Airport Lounges
Dubai Duty Free
Best Duty-Free Shops (Hall of Fame)
EL AL Israel Airlines
Best Airline for Security (Hall of Fame)
Emirates
Best White Wine International First Class
EVA Air
Best Airport Staff/Gate Agents
Grupo Posadas
Best Hotel Chain in Mexico
Hainan Airlines
Fastest-Growing Airline in Asia
Best Airline in China (Quint Status)
Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport
Best Airport Dining
Hawaiian Airlines
Best Frequent-Flyer Elite-Level Program
Hertz
Best Car Rental Company
Hyatt
Best Airport Hotel
Best Lifestyle Hotel
Best Frequent-Stay Customer Service, Americas
IHG Rewards Club
Best Hotel Rewards Program in the World
Ireland
Best Tourism Destination (Quint Status)
JetBlue
Best Airline Website
Jumeirah International
Best Hotel Chain in the Middle East
Best Individual Hotel in the World
LATAM Airlines Group
Best Airline to South America
Lotte Hotel, Seoul
Best Hotel in South Korea (Quint Status)
Best MICE Hotel
Lufthansa
Best Trans-Atlantic Airline
Marriott Rewards
Best Frequent-Stay Award Redemption
Meliá Hotels International
Hotel of the Year
Omni Hotels & Resorts
Best Frequent-Stay Bonus Program
oneworld
Best Airline Alliance
The Peninsula Beverly Hills
Best Hotel in the United States
Qantas Airways
Best Airline to Australia and New Zealand
Qatar Airways
Best Airline for International First Class
Best First-Class Seat Design
Best Airline in the Middle East
The Ritz-Carlton
Best International Hotel Chain
Best Domestic Hotel Chain
Best Hotel Club Floor
Best Hotel Website
Seoul
Best MICE City
Sheraton Hotels & Resorts
Best Hotel Chain in Latin America
Singapore Airlines
Best Overall Airline in the World
Best Airline for Business Class
Best International First Class Wines on the Wing
Best Champagne International First Class
Best International Business Class Wines on the Wing
Best Champagne International Business Class
Singapore Changi Airport
Best Overall Airport in the World
South African Airways
Best Airline in Africa
Tamron
Best Photographic Equipment
TAP Portugal
Best Airline for New Service Launch
Best Airline in Europe
Best White Wine International Business Class
United Airlines
Best Trans-Pacific Airline
Best Overall Frequent-Flyer Program
Best Frequent-Flyer Bonus Program
Verizon Wireless
Best Wireless Service in the World
Volvo
Best Overseas Delivery Program
Read This Next
Silent Auction 2017
March 2017
Mar 1, 2017All Reads on This Topic
Read Them All
Introducing
FX Excursions
FX Excursions offers the chance for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in destinations around the world.
#globility
Insta FeedFebruary 2024
Mar 1, 2024Down to Earth: Find Your Element for the Ultimate Customized Spa Experience at Chuan Spa
After a stressful pre-holiday season and a busy work schedule, there was no better time for a relaxing spa experience than during my recent trip to Pasadena with the FXExpress Publications, Inc. team. We headed to The Langham Huntington, Pasadena for the 20th anniversary of the GT Tested Reader Survey awards, which meant a jam-packed trip, but I managed to carve a little time out of our busy schedule to visit Chuan Spa at the hotel.
Sponsored Content
Share Your Travel Preferences with Global Traveler in a Short Survey & Win
Learning more about our readers’ travel habits and preferences ensures Global Traveler delivers the content you desire. As the travel industry has adapted and changed over the last few years, it’s more important than ever to connect. To best meet your short- and long-term travel content needs, please help us!
Daily
Feb 26, 2024Fukui: A Culture Hub in Rural Japan Worth the Detour
In many cases, less can be more in terms of what smaller cities and small-scale museums have to offer. This is true for Fukui Prefecture, located on the west coast of the main island and best known for its coastline, terrain and quiet towns. While major cities are awash with large-scale museums, bucolic Fukui Prefecture is worth a visit for its assemblage of institutions offering a deeper dive into Japanese life, history and culture.
Daily
Feb 26, 2024Ennismore Unveils Flagship Hotel and Restaurant Openings in 2024
This year marks an exciting time for Ennismore, the world’s fastest growing lifestyle and leisure hospitality company. With plans to open new properties and restaurants across the world, Ennismore shows no signs of stopping any time soon.
Sponsored Content
Hit the High Notes in Nashville
Nashville’s once-modest skyline continues to evolve as its luxury market grows. Lavish hotel properties are added to the landscape while acclaimed chefs stake claim in the robust culinary scene and premier cultural offerings round out the city’s repertoire.
February 2024
Feb 26, 2024Unearth the Enduring Heritage and History of the Island Nation
Valletta, capital of Malta, was built to keep us out. The old city is protected by formidable limestone walls and crammed onto a peninsula flanked by two natural harbors.
Hôtel Norman Opens Near the Top of Champs Elysées
Daily
Feb 23, 2024Take a Peek Inside Regent “Seven Seas Grandeur”
Daily
Feb 22, 2024Daily
Feb 22, 2024Europe by Rail Never Felt So Luxe
Two of 2024’s top travel trends are sustainable travel and slow travel. Rocco Forte Hotel combined both with the Rocco Forte by Rail offer, allowing customers to fully immerse themselves in multiple destinations while traveling scenic routes.
Sponsored Content
The Argosaronic Islands Are Calling
The Saronic or Argo Saronic Islands of Greece call travelers to explore its seven small islands and islets brimming with history, natural sites and more. With most easily accessible by boat, the islands’ proximity to ports of Athens make the Saronic Islands an ideal destination for those preferring shorter boat rides. In fact, trips from Athens ports to the islands take only between 10 minutes and two hours, depending on the island you choose, making them perfect for day or weekend trips. From Piraeus port, you can access Hydra, Spetses, Aegina and Poros directly. Come explore these stunning islands with us and find the inspiration to plan your next trip to these islands. Hydra Hydra town curves around a slope overlooking the Argosaronic Gulf like an amphitheater and is considered one of the most romantic destinations in Greece. Most unique to the island is its lack of vehicles. People on the island get around on mules and donkeys as well as water taxis, making for a peaceful and laid-back day. Hydra lies a two-hour ferry ride from Piraeus port in Athens.
Come Face-to-Face with Mountain Gorillas on a Trek in Uganda
Not a word was spoken as I settled into a cozy spot on the outdoor terrace just outside the main lodge at Volcanoes Bwindi Lodge in Uganda. The air was so still the ice in my single malt seemed to echo off the forest in the distance as it clanked against the glass. I sat among a handful of fellow adventurers, each sitting silently beneath the night sky for one collective goal. Moments earlier, we learned a troop of mountain gorillas had made their way down the mountain near our lodge, and we left our meals to instead sit in eager anticipation of hearing the guttural grunts of the primates below. The chills on my arms never left me that night, even as I made my way up a stone pathway to my personal banda (guestroom). Thankfully, sleep came quickly for me that night as I drifted into dreams of what my next day would bring.
ShareThis