2023 WINNERS OF THE SIXTH-ANNUAL POINTS GUY AWARDS ANNOUNCED AT GALA IN NEW YORK

The Points Guy Unveils the Top Credit Cards, Airlines, Hotels, Cruises and Loyalty Programs for the Upcoming Year

NEW YORK, Nov. 7, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Last night, The Points Guy, the trusted media platform focused on maximizing travel experiences while minimizing spending, announced the winners of the 2023 TPG Awards at a ceremony in New York City. In its sixth year, the awards recognized 22 award recipients for their commitment to innovation across five key industries: credit cards, airlines, hotels, cruises and general travel.

For the first time, The Points Guy combined the voices of TPG readers, TPG editors and added an external panel of travel experts into one formula to determine the list of winners. To commemorate this monumental year for travel, four new awards were introduced to the show rotation for 2023, including "Best Destination in a TV Show/Film," which was given to Sicily, Italy, for its appearance in "The White Lotus"; and "Best New Travel Service" which was given to Roame, a travel reward search tool.

"In a year marked by a robust return to travel, we're delighted to acknowledge excellence in travel credit cards and loyalty programs," shared Brian Kelly, founder of The Points Guy. "These companies and their exceptional services play a pivotal role in making travel experiences possible. Through the TPG Awards, we express our gratitude on behalf of consumers worldwide for transforming travel dreams into tangible, unforgettable adventures."

The Points Guy also celebrated the impact travel has on the world with its Changemaker Category that features four distinct awards. José Andrés' World Central Kitchen was honored with the "Hero Award presented by Capital One. World Central Kitchen continuously supports countries facing disasters. Recognized for bringing to life the travel dreams of children experiencing a critical illness, the Make-a-Wish Foundation was given the "Impact Award" presented by Wells Fargo. To celebrate the individuals that inspire change, Jeff Jenkins — known for his new show "Never Say Never," which embraces body positivity in travel — won the "Travel Influencer of the Year" award and Vivian Tu was given the "Next Gen Influencer of the Year" award for teaching financial literacy in a fun, easy-to-understand way.

The Chase Sapphire Preferred Card received the "Best Travel Rewards Credit Card" award for the sixth year in a row. In the airlines category, American Airlines AAdvantage received the "Best US Airline Loyalty Program" award. For the first year, World of Hyatt was honored as the "Best Hotel Loyalty Program" and was also recognized as having the "Best Hotel Elite Status" for its top-tier Globalist status.

The Points Guy Awards included a musical performance from Gayle, the "abcdefu" singer who is fresh off The Eras Tour with Taylor Swift and in the midst of her own Scared but Trying Tour. She performed hit songs "butterflies", "snow angels" and a cover of "I Love Rock 'n' Roll."

The event also featured interactive lounges, photo booths and immersive activations for guests sponsored by American Express, Expedia Group, Capital One, Uber, Wells Fargo, Marriott Bonvoy, Lonely Planet, the Croatian National Tourist Board and Tuscany Tourism Promotion. Since 2018, The Points Guy has recognized the best in airlines, travel, credit cards and loyalty programs through the annual TPG Awards.

A full list of 2023 award winners can be found below:

• Credit Cards
  • Best Travel Rewards Credit Card: Chase Sapphire Preferred Card
  • Best Premium Credit Card: Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
  • Best Business Credit Card: American Express Business Gold Card
  • Best No-Annual-Fee Credit Card: Bilt Mastercard
  • Best Airline Co-Branded Credit Card: Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card
  • Best Hotel Co-Branded Credit Card: Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card
• Airlines
  • Best US Airline Loyalty Program: American Airlines AAdvantage
  • Best First Class: Emirates — Boeing 777 Game Changer
  • Best Business Class: Qatar Airways Qsuite
  • Best Premium Economy Class: Emirates
  • Best Economy Class (US Only): JetBlue
• Hotels
  • Best Hotel Loyalty Program: World of Hyatt
  • Best Hotel Elite Status: Hyatt Globalist
  • Best Luxury Hotel Brand: Four Seasons
  • Best Affordable Hotel Brand: Moxy
• Cruises
  • Best New Cruise Ship: Oceania Cruises' Vista
  • Best Luxury Cruise Line: Silversea Cruises
  • Best Family Cruise Line: Disney Cruise Line
  • Best Cruise Line For Adults: Virgin Voyages
• General Travel
  • Best New Travel Service: Roame
  • Best Travel Power Couple: Global Entry + TSA PreCheck/Clear Plus
  • Best Destination In A TV Show/Film: "The White Lotus" — Sicily
  • Best Airport Rideshare Experience, Presented by Uber: LaGuardia Airport
• Changemakers
  • Hero Award, Presented by Capital One: World Central Kitchen
  • Impact Award, Presented by Wells Fargo: Make-A-Wish
  • Next Gen Influencer Of The Year: Vivian Tu
  • Travel Influencer Of The Year: Jeff Jenkins
• Spotlight Moments
  • Airport Transformation – Kansas City International
  • Consumer-Focused Collaboration: Bilt Rewards Rent Day collaboration
  • Cruise line that's reinventing the industry: Virgin Voyages
  • Going all-in on all-inclusives
  • Historical Preservation: Notre Dame Cathedral — Paris
  • Simplicity in Loyalty – Expedia One Key, sponsored by Expedia
  • Tech Making Travel Better – Apple

Please visit https://thepointsguy.com/awards/ to learn more.

About The Points Guy
The Points Guy (TPG) is a trusted travel media platform that focuses on maximizing travel experiences while minimizing spending. Through an informative, clever point of view, TPG has become the leading online site for all things points, miles and resourceful travel experiences. The site's editorial content, newsletter and app consists of firsthand flight, hotel and airplane reviews, curated travel guides and immersive video components, as well as global event activations. Since its launch in 2010, founder Brian Kelly has expanded the team to include a distinguished editorial staff and extensive network of freelancers around the globe. Today, TPG reaches 11 million unique monthly visitors and more than 4.4 million followers across social media platforms (Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and TikTok).

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SOURCE The Points Guy