Business Traveller Awards 2016

The 2016 Business Traveller Awards were announced at a luncheon at London’s Royal Garden hotel on Monday, October 3, by the publishers of Business Traveller magazine, Panacea Media, and presented by special guest Ben Fogle.

Sponsored by Panasonic, the Business Traveller Awards are voted for by readers of the magazine, with the results authenticated by an independent auditing company, and are widely recognised as the market’s benchmark for excellence. A fixture of the business travel and hospitality calendar for more than 30 years, this year’s hotly contested awards were attended by more than 300 industry leaders.

Singapore Airlines took an impressive five awards, being named Best Airline as well as retaining the four it received last year for Best Long-Haul Airline, Best Asian Airline, Best Cabin Staff and Best Economy Class.

British Airways again took the awards for Best Short-Haul Carrier, Best Frequent Flyer Programme and Best Airport Lounge, for its Concorde Room at London Heathrow T5, while Oneworld was named Best Airline Alliance.

Qatar Airways was again victorious in the Best Business Class and Best Middle Eastern Airline categories, while Emirates was named Best First Class, Virgin Atlantic Best Premium Economy Class, and Easyjet Best Low-Cost Airline.

American Airlines was named Best North American Airline, South African Airways Best African Airline and LOT Polish Airlines Best Eastern European Airline.

For a phenomenal 29th year in a row, Singapore’s Changi airport won the Best Airport in the World award, while Amsterdam Schiphol took the Europe prize, and London Heathrow was named Best Airport for Tax-Free Shopping.

Avis was again named the Best Car Rental Company Worldwide and in Europe, while Hertz took the North America prize. Virgin Trains retained the Best UK Domestic Train Service award.

In the hotel categories, InterContinental Hotels & Resorts, Hilton Hotels & Resorts and Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts each won three prizes. InterContinental added the Best Business Hotel Chain Worldwide award to the two it received last year for Best Business Hotel Chain in Europe and the Best Business Hotel in the UK, for the InterContinental London Park Lane.

Hilton retained its awards for the Best Business Hotel Chain in the UK and the Best Business Hotel in Eastern Europe, for Hilton Prague, and also grabbed the Best Hotel Loyalty Scheme accolade.

Four Seasons retained the Best Luxury Hotel Chain award, while the Four Seasons George V Paris won the Best Business Hotel in Western Europe award, and the Four Seasons New York took the North America prize.

The coveted Best Business Hotel Worldwide award went to Shangri-La Singapore, with the group also being named Best Business Hotel Chain in Asia-Pacific. Jumeirah Hotels & Resorts was also a double winner, being named Best Business Hotel Chain in the Middle East for a 12th year, and with the Jumeirah Emirates Towers in Dubai retaining the Middle East hotel award.

Other winners included Marriott Hotels, Taj Hotels Resorts & Palaces, the Peninsula Hong Kong, Premier Inn, Hotel du Vin, Ascott the Residence and Regal Airport Hotel Hong Kong.

Best Airline

1. Singapore Airlines
2. Emirates
3. British Airways
4. Qatar Airways
5. Cathay Pacific

Best Short-Haul Carrier

1. British Airways
2. Aegean Airlines
3. Swiss
4. easyJet

Best Long-Haul Airline

1. Singapore Airlines
2. Cathay Pacific
3. Qatar Airways
4. Emirates

Best First Class

1. Emirates
2. Singapore Airlines
3. British Airways
4. Etihad Airways

Best Business Class

1. Qatar Airways
2. Singapore Airlines
3. Cathay Pacific
4. Emirates
5. Virgin Atlantic

Best Premium Economy Class

1. Virgin Atlantic
2. Qantas
3. British Airways
4. Air New Zealand

Best Economy Class

1. Singapore Airlines
2. Emirates
3. Japan Airlines
4. Cathay Pacific

Best African Airline

1. South African Airways
2. Ethiopian Airlines
3. Kenya Airways
4. Comair (British Airways)

Best Asian Airline

1. Singapore Airlines
2. Cathay Pacific
3. Japan Airlines
4. Thai Airways

Best Eastern European Airline

1. LOT Polish Airlines
2. Wizz Air
3. Aeroflot
4. Czech Airlines

Best Middle Eastern Airline

1. Qatar Airways
2. Emirates
3. Etihad Airways
4. El Al

Best North American Airline

1. American Airlines
2. Delta Air Lines
3. JetBlue
4. Air Canada

Best Low-Cost Airline

1. easyJet
2. AirAsia
3. Norwegian
4. JetBlue

Best Cabin Staff

1. Singapore Airlines
2. Cathay Pacific
3. Virgin Atlantic
4. British Airways

Best Frequent Flyer Programme

1. British Airways Executive Club
2. Lufthansa Miles & More
3. American Airlines AAdvantage
4. Virgin Atlantic Flying Club

Best Airline Alliance

1. oneworld
2. Star Alliance
3. SkyTeam

Best Business Hotel Chain Worldwide

1. InterContinental Hotels & Resorts
2. Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts
3. Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts
4. Hilton Hotels & Resorts
5. Marriott Hotels

Best Business Hotel Chain in the UK

1. Hilton Hotels & Resorts
2. InterContinental Hotels & Resorts
3. Marriott Hotels
4. Premier Inn

Best Business Hotel Chain in Europe

1. InterContinental Hotels & Resorts
2. Hilton Hotels & Resorts
3. Sofitel
4. Kempinski

Best Business Hotel Chain in the Middle East

1. Jumeirah Hotels & Resorts
2. Rotana Hotels & Resorts
3. InterContinental Hotels & Resorts
4. Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts

Best Business Hotel Chain in Asia-Pacific

1. Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts
2. Mandarin Oriental
3. InterContinental Hotels & Resorts
4. The Peninsula Hotels

Best Business Hotel Chain in India

1. Taj Hotels Resorts & Palaces
2. Oberoi Hotels & Resorts
3. The Leela Palaces, Hotels & Resorts

Best Business Hotel Chain in North America

1. Marriott Hotels
2. Hilton Hotels & Resorts
3. Fairmont Hotels & Resorts
4. Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts

Best Business Hotel Worldwide

1. Shangri-La Singapore
2. The Peninsula Hong Kong
3. Mandarin Oriental Bangkok
4. Shangri-La Bangkok

Best Business Hotel in the UK

1. InterContinental London Park Lane
2. Claridge’s, London
3. The Dorchester, London
4. The Langham, London

Best Business Hotel in Eastern Europe

1. Hilton Prague
2. Four Seasons Gresham Palace Budapest
3. Hilton Budapest
4. Four Seasons Prague

Best Business Hotel in Western Europe

1. Four Seasons George V, Paris
2. InterContinental Paris Le Grand
3. Hotel Adlon Kempinski Berlin
4. Hilton Amsterdam

Best Business Hotel in the Middle East

1. Jumeirah Emirates Towers, Dubai
2. Burj Al Arab Jumeirah, Dubai
3. Grand Hyatt Dubai
4. JW Marriott Marquis Dubai

Best Business Hotel in Asia-Pacific

1. The Peninsula Hong Kong
2. Shangri-La Singapore
3. Mandarin Oriental Hong Kong
4. Shangri-La Bangkok

Best Business Hotel in North America

1. Four Seasons New York
2. The Peninsula Chicago
3. Mandarin Oriental Miami
4. The St Regis New York

Best Luxury Hotel Chain

1. Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts
2. Shangri-La Hotels & Resorts
3. The Peninsula Hotels
4. Mandarin Oriental

Best Budget Hotel Chain

1. Premier Inn
2. ibis
3. Hampton by Hilton
4. Holiday Inn Express

Best Smaller Hotel Chain

1. Hotel du Vin
2. Malmaison
3. The Peninsula Hotels
4. Red Carnation

Best Airport Hotel

1. Regal Airport Hotel Hong Kong
2. Sofitel London Heathrow
3. Novotel Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport
4. Crowne Plaza Changi Airport, Singapore

Best Hotel Loyalty Scheme

1. Hilton HHonors
2. IHG Rewards Club
3. Starwood Preferred Guest
4. Marriott Rewards

Best Serviced Apartment Company

1. Ascott The Residence
2. Citadines Apart’hotel
3. Frasers Hospitality
4. Staybridge Suites

AIRPORTS

Best Airport in the World

1. Singapore Changi Airport
2. London Heathrow Airport
3. Hong Kong International Airport
4. Hamad International Airport, Doha
5. Dubai International Airport

Best Airport in Europe

1. Amsterdam Schiphol Airport
2. London Heathrow Airport
3. Munich Airport
4. Zurich Airport

Best Airport for Tax-Free Shopping

1. London Heathrow Airport
2. Singapore Changi Airport
3. Dubai International Airport
4. Amsterdam Schiphol Airport

Best Airport Lounge

1. British Airways Concorde Room, London Heathrow
2. Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse, London Heathrow
3. Qatar Airways Al Mourjan Business Lounge, Doha
4. Cathay Pacific The Wing First Class, Hong Kong

Best Car Rental Company Worldwide

1. Avis
2. Hertz
3. Sixt
4. Europcar

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. Sixt

Best UK Domestic Train Service    

1. Virgin Trains
2. Virgin Trains East Coast
3. Great Western Railway
4. Heathrow Express