Welcome to the results of the Business Traveller Awards 2008. Once again you, our readers in the UK, voted to reward those companies whose products and services you really value as regular business travellers.
This year’s awards were presented by former England cricket captain David Gower, at a ceremony at the London Hilton on Park Lane.
For the first time at the UK Awards, Singapore Airlines, launch customer of the A380 superjumbo, has won more awards than any other airline, picking up Best Economy Class, Best First Class, Best Cabin Staff, Best Asian Airline and Best Long Haul Airline.
Winner of best Short Haul Airline and Best Business Class is British Airways, which also won Best Frequent Flyer Programme for its Executive Club. Virgin Atlantic continued its dominance in the Best Premium Economy category, winning once again this year.
In the hotel categories, Sheraton won Best Business Hotel Chain Worldwide, while Hilton walked away with Best Business Hotel Chain in the UK and Continental Europe, and Marriott triumphed in the North America category. Shangri-La Singapore was voted Best Business Hotel Worldwide, and Regal Airport Hotel Hong Kong walked away with Best Airport Hotel.
Singapore Changi Airport won Best Airport for an amazing 21st year in a row, while in the car rental categories Avis was voted Best Car Rental Company Worldwide and in Europe.
Our awards are completely independent, and as such are widely recognised as the leading accolades in the business-travel industry. There is no pre-selection by anyone at the magazine, and all the data you provide is analysed by a market-research company to produce a final list of winners. We are grateful for the support of our sponsors, RADIUS and Global Hotel Alliance as well as Gatwick Express.
Below is a full rundown of this year’s results. To view images of the winners in each category, click on the appropriate links below.
AIRLINES
Best Airline
1 Singapore Airlines
2 British Airways
3 Virgin Atlantic
4 Cathay Pacific
Best Short-Haul Carrier
1 British Airways
2 bmi
3 Eurostar
4 Lufthansa
Best Long-Haul Airline
1 Singapore Airlines
2 British Airways
3 Virgin Atlantic
4 Emirates
Best Frequent Flyer Programme
1 British Airways Executive Club
2 United Airlines Mileage Plus
3 bmi Diamond Club
4 Lufthansa Miles & More
Best First Class
1 Singapore Airlines
2 British Airways
3 Cathay Pacific
4 Jet Airways
Best Business Class
1 British Airways
2 Singapore Airlines
3 Virgin Atlantic
4 Qatar Airways
Best Premium Economy Class
1 Virgin Atlantic
2 British Airways
3 EVA Air
4 bmi
Best Economy Class
1 Singapore Airlines
2 British Airways
3 Virgin Atlantic
4 Emirates
Best North American Airline
1 American Airlines
2 United Airlines
3 Air Canada
4 Continental Airlines
Best Eastern European Airline
1 LOT Polish Airlines
2 Malev Hungarian Airlines
3 CSA Czech Airlines
4 Wizz Air
Best Cabin Staff
1 Singapore Airlines
2 Virgin Atlantic
3 British Airways
4 Cathay Pacific
Best Airline Alliance
1 Star Alliance
2 oneworld
3 SkyTeam
Best Low-Cost Airline
1 easyJet
2 Air Berlin
3 Flybe
4 bmibaby
Best Asian Airline
1 Singapore Airlines
2 Cathay Pacific
3 Thai Airways
4 Malaysia Airlines
Best Middle Eastern Airline
1 Emirates
2 Qatar Airways
3 Etihad Airways
4 El Al
Best African Airline
1 South African Airways
2 Kenya Airways
3 Ethiopian Airlines
Best Indian Airline
1 Jet Airways
2 Kingfisher Airlines
3 Air India
Best UK Domestic Train Service
1 Virgin Trains
2 National Express
3 Airport Express
4 First Great Western
HOTELS
Best Business Hotel Chain Worldwide
1 Sheraton
2 Hilton
3 Four Seasons
4 Marriott
Best Business Hotel Chain in the UK
1 Hilton
2 Malmaison
3 Marriott
4 Holiday Inn
Best Business Hotel Chain in Continental Europe
1 Hilton
2 Sofitel
3 Sheraton
4 InterContinental
Best Business Hotel Chain in North America
1 Marriott
2 Four Seasons
3 Hilton
4 Westin
Best Business Hotel Chain in the Middle East
1 Jumeirah
2 Hilton
3 InterContinental
4 Sheraton
Best Business Hotel Chain in Asia-Pacific
1 Shangri-La
2 Mandarin Oriental
3 Hyatt
4 InterContinental
Best Business Hotel Chain in India
1 Taj Hotels Resorts & Palaces
2 Oberoi Hotels & Resorts
3 Hilton/Trident Hilton
4 The Leela Palaces Hotels & Resorts
Best Budget Hotel Chain
1 Premier Inn
2 Express by Holiday Inn
3 Ibis
4 Travelodge
Best Luxury Hotel Chain
1 Four Seasons
2 Shangri-La
3 Ritz-Carlton
4 Mandarin Oriental
Best Hotel Loyalty Scheme
1 Starwood Preferred Guest
2 Hilton HHonors
3 InterContinental Priority Club
4 Marriott Rewards
Best Serviced Apartment Company
1 Ascott
2 Marriott
3 Citadines
4 BridgeStreet Worldwide
Best Smaller Hotel Chain
1 Hotel du Vin
2 Malmaison
3 City Inn
4 Jumeirah
Best Business Hotel Worldwide
1 Shangri-La Singapore
2 The Peninsula Hong Kong
3 InterContinental Hong Kong
4 Jumeirah Emirates Towers Dubai
Best New Business Hotel
1 Grosvenor House Dubai
2 St Regis Singapore
3 Four Seasons Hong Kong
4 Hilton London Canary Wharf
Best Business Hotel in Western Europe
1 Four Seasons George V Paris
2 London Hilton on Park Lane Hotel
3 InterContinental London Park Lane
4 Hotel Kamp Helsinki
Best Business Hotel in Eastern Europe
1 Four Seasons Gresham Palace Budapest
2 Warsaw Marriott
3 Hilton Prague
4 Hilton Warsaw/
4 Hyatt Warsaw (joint)
Best Business Hotel in North America
1 Four Seasons Hotel New York
2 The Waldorf Astoria New York
3 St Regis New York
4 Mandarin Oriental New York
Best Business Hotel in the Middle East
1 Jumeirah Emirates Towers Dubai
2 Burj Al Arab Dubai
3 Grosvenor House Dubai
4 Shangri-La Dubai
Best Business Hotel in Asia-Pacific
1 Shangri-La Singapore
2 The Peninsula Hong Kong
3 InterContinental Hong Kong
4 The Peninsula Bangkok
Best Resort Hotel
1 Jumeirah Beach Hotel Dubai
2 Shangri-La’s Barr Al Jissah Muscat
3 Madinat Jumeirah Dubai
4 Shangri-La’s Rasa Sayang Penang
Best Airport Hotel
1 Regal Airport Hotel Hong Kong
2 Hilton London Heathrow Airport
3 Sofitel London Gatwick
4 Hilton Copenhagen Airport
Best Business Hotel in the UK
1 London Hilton on Park Lane Hotel
2 InterContinental London Park Lane
3 Hilton London Canary Wharf
4 Four Seasons Canary Wharf
AIRPORTS
Best Airport in the World
1 Singapore Changi Airport
2 Hong Kong International Airport
3 Dubai International Airport
4 Amsterdam Airport Schiphol
Best Airport for Duty-Free Shopping
1 Singapore Changi Airport
2 Dubai International Airport
3 London Heathrow Airport
4 Hong Kong International Airport
Best Airport in Europe
1 Amsterdam Airport Schiphol
2 Zurich Airport
3 Munich Airport
4 Copenhagen Airport
CAR RENTAL
Best Car Rental Company Worldwide
1 Avis
2 Hertz
3 Europcar
4 Sixt
Best Car Rental Company in Europe
1 Avis
2 Hertz
3 Europcar
4 Sixt
Best Car Rental Company in North America
1 Hertz
2 Avis
3 Alamo
4 Dollar
OTHER
Favourite Luggage Brand
1 Samsonite
2 Tumi
3 Delsey
4 Antler
