Business Traveller Awards 2021

The 2021 Business Traveller Awards were announced on Thursday, November 25, 2021 by the publishers of Business Traveller magazine, Panacea Media.

The awards celebrate the achievements of airlines, airports, hotels, rail operators and car hire companies and are voted for by readers of the magazine, with the results produced by an independent research company. The awards are widely recognised as the market’s benchmark for excellence.

Voting took place between June and September and this year we asked our readers to reflect not just on the last 12 months but on the last 24 months.

We asked them to consider not just their travel experiences before Covid and for the more limited time they travelled during this period but also a wider range of factors. For example:

• Were communications effective and timely by travel companies?
• Were effective Covid measures put in place and communicated?
• Did they feel safe?
• How were they treated as part of a loyalty programme?
• Were re-bookings, refunds and cancellations done sensitively and efficiently?
• Did they experience hotels differently through staycations, eating out etc?

Once again, we have not been able to hold an awards lunch ceremony due to continuing uncertainty over Covid for many guests who fly in from abroad, but Business Traveller editorial director Tom Otley, Panacea Media’s managing director, Julian Gregory, and group publisher, Rania Apthorpe, presented most recipients with their trophies in November.

British Airways took six awards for Best Short-Haul Carrier, Best Frequent Flyer Programme, Best Airport Lounge (for its Concorde Room at London Heathrow T5), Best New Seat (for the Club Suite), Best Travel App, and Best Credit Card Or Payment Card For Travel (for the British Airways American Express Premium Plus Card).

Meanwhile Singapore Airlines and Qatar Airways both won four awards each. Singapore Airlines was named Best Airline, as well as winning in the Best First Class, Best Cabin Staff and Best Asian Airline categories. Qatar Airways took Best Long-Haul Carrier, Best Business Class, Best Middle Eastern Airline and Best Inflight Food and Beverage.

Oneworld was named Best Airline Alliance. Emirates was named Best Economy Class and Best In-Flight Entertainment, Virgin Atlantic won Best Premium Economy Class, and Easyjet Best Low-Cost Airline.

Delta Air Lines was named Best North American Airline, Ethiopian Airlines Best African Airline and Aeroflot Best Eastern European Airline.

Singapore’s Changi Airport won the Best Airport Worldwide 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 LNER took the Best UK Domestic Train Service award.

In the hotel categories Hilton Hotels and Resorts won Best Business Hotel Brand Worldwide, in the UK and also in Europe, as well as Best Hotel Loyalty Scheme for Hilton Honors.

Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts was named the Best Business Hotel Brand in Asia-Pacific, Rotana Hotels and Resorts Best Business Hotel Brand in the Middle East, Marriott Hotels Best Business Hotel Brand in North America, and Taj Hotels Best Business Hotel Brand in India.

Best Business Hotel in the UK was the Intercontinental London Park Lane, while other winners included Ascott The Residence, Langham Hotels and Resorts, Premier Inn, Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts, and Sofitel London Heathrow.

Commenting on the results Tom Otley, Editorial Director of Business Traveller said:

“It’s been another difficult year for both travellers and the travel industry, but it’s a good reason to celebrate those companies that performed the best at the most challenging times. I’d like to thank all of those involved in the awards, and thank our readers for their voting.

“Now that we are finally looking forward to brighter skies in 2022, I hope travel bounces back in a new, more sustainable way, and with a continued emphasis on both safety and security, and easing as many of the new barriers that have been put in place as is possible.”

Completely independent, the awards have been running for more than three decades and are widely seen as the leading accolades in the business travel industry.

There is no pre-selection by the Business Traveller team and all of the data provided by voters is analysed by a market research company to ascertain the winners.

For information on the Business Traveller Awards, and details of past winners, visit businesstravellerawards.co.uk.

AIRLINES

BEST AIRLINE

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

BEST SHORT-HAUL CARRIER

1 British Airways
2 Aegean
3 Swiss
4 Easyjet

BEST LONG-HAUL CARRIER

1 Qatar Airways
2 Singapore Airlines
3 Emirates
4 Cathay Pacific

BEST FIRST CLASS

1 Singapore Airlines
2 Emirates
3 British Airways
4 Etihad

BEST BUSINESS CLASS

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

BEST PREMIUM ECONOMY CLASS

1 Virgin Atlantic
2 Singapore Airlines
3 British Airways
4 Air New Zealand
= Qantas

BEST ECONOMY CLASS

1 Emirates
2 Singapore Airlines
3 Qatar Airways
4 Etihad

BEST NORTH AMERICAN AIRLINE

1 Delta
2 American Airlines
3 United Airlines
4 Air Canada

BEST EASTERN EUROPEAN AIRLINE

1 Aeroflot
2 LOT Polish Airlines
3 Wizz Air
4 Air Baltic

BEST CABIN STAFF

1 Singapore Airlines
2 Qatar Airways
3 British Airways
4 Virgin Atlantic

BEST LOW-COST AIRLINE

1 Easyjet
2 Jet 2
3 Air Asia
4 Southwest Airlines

BEST ASIAN AIRLINE

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

BEST MIDDLE EASTERN AIRLINE

1 Qatar Airways
2 Emirates
3 Etihad Airways
4 Oman Air

BEST AFRICAN AIRLINE

1 Ethiopian Airlines
2 South African Airways
3 Kenya Airways
4 Royal Air Maroc

BEST FREQUENT FLYER PROGRAMME

1 British Airways Executive Club
2 Virgin Atlantic Flying Club
3 Lufthansa Miles and More
4 Qantas

BEST IN-FLIGHT FOOD AND BEVERAGE

1 Qatar Airways
2 Singapore Airlines
3 Oman Air
4 Virgin Atlantic

BEST IN-FLIGHT ENTERTAINMENT

1 Emirates
2 Qatar Airways
3 Singapore Airlines
4 Virgin Atlantic

BEST NEW SEAT

1 BA Business Club Suite
2 Virgin Upper Class
3 Emirates Premium Economy

BEST AIRLINE ALLIANCE

1 Oneworld
2 Star Alliance
3 Skyteam

HOTELS

BEST BUSINESS HOTEL BRAND WORLDWIDE

1 Hilton Hotels and Resorts
2 Intercontinental Hotels and Resorts
3 Marriott Hotels
4 Park Hyatt
5 Fairmont

BEST BUSINESS HOTEL BRAND IN THE UK

1 Hilton Hotels and Resorts
2 Premier Inn
3 Marriott Hotels
4 Intercontinental Hotels and Resorts

BEST BUSINESS HOTEL BRAND IN EUROPE

1 Hilton Hotels and Resorts
2 Marriott Hotels
3 Intercontinental Hotels and Resorts
4 NH Hotels

BEST BUSINESS HOTEL BRAND IN NORTH AMERICA

1 Marriott Hotels
2 Hilton Hotels and Resorts
3 Fairmont
4 JW Marriott

BEST BUSINESS HOTEL BRAND IN THE MIDDLE EAST

1 Rotana Hotels and Resorts
2 Jumeirah Hotels and Resorts
3 Waldorf Astoria Hotels and Resorts
4 Hilton Hotels and Resorts

BEST BUSINESS HOTEL BRAND IN ASIA-PACIFIC

1 Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts
2 The Peninsula Hotels
3 Intercontinental Hotels and Resorts
4 Mandarin Oriental

BEST BUSINESS HOTEL BRAND IN INDIA

1 Taj Hotels
2 Oberoi Hotels and Resorts
3 JW Marriott
4 The Leela

BEST BUSINESS HOTEL IN THE UK

1 Intercontinental London Park Lane
2 Claridges, London
3 The Langham, London
4 The Savoy, A Fairmont Managed Hotel, London

BEST BUDGET HOTEL BRAND

1 Premier Inn
2 Holiday Inn Express
3 Ibis
4 Travelodge

BEST LUXURY HOTEL BRAND

1 Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts
2 Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts
3 Rosewood Hotels and Resorts
4 Mandarin Oriental

BEST HOTEL LOYALTY SCHEME

1 Hilton Honors
2 Marriott Bonvoy
3 IHG Rewards
4 ALL – Accor Live Limitless

BEST SERVICED APARTMENT COMPANY

1 Ascott The Residence
2 Residence Inn
3 Staybridge Suites
4 Frasers Hospitality

BEST SMALLER HOTEL BRAND

1 Langham Hotels and Resorts
2 Belmond
3 Firmdale Hotels
4 The Doyle Collection

BEST AIRPORT HOTEL

1 Sofitel London Heathrow
2 Crowne Plaza Changi Airport, Singapore
3 Regal Airport Hotel, Hong Kong
4 Hilton London Heathrow Airport

AIRPORTS

BEST AIRPORT IN THE WORLD

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

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

BEST AIRPORT LOUNGE

1 British Airways Concorde Room, London Heathrow T5
2 Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse, London Heathrow
3 Qatar Airways, Al Mourjan Business Class Lounge, Doha
4 Cathay Pacific The Pier, First Class, Hong Kong

SERVICE TRAVEL

BEST UK DOMESTIC TRAIN SERVICE

1 LNER
2 Avanti West Coast
3 Great Western Railway
4 South Western Railway

BEST CAR RENTAL COMPANY WORLDWIDE

1 Avis
2 Hertz
3 Sixt
4 Enterprise

BEST CAR RENTAL COMPANY IN EUROPE

1 Avis
2 Hertz
3 Sixt
4 Europcar

OTHER

BEST CREDIT OR PAYMENT CARD FOR TRAVEL

1 British Airways American Express Premium Plus
2 The Platinum Card by American Express
3 Halifax Clarity
4 Revolut

BEST TRAVEL APP

1 British Airways
2 Tripadvisor
3 Tripit
4 Skyscanner