In arguably a close finish category, Bonvoy bested Rewards (Marriott’s old name for their loyalty program was Rewards but this time it’s Caesars), to take yet another of many honors for Program of the Year with a 3/100’s margin over Caesars Rewards (8.67 vs. 8.64 ) which itself was just ahead of MGM Rewards. Like others, we’ve enjoyed watching the rise of loyalty programs originally more closely associated with the gambling powerhouses of Las Vegas and the Freddie Awards tracks this rise better than any other loyalty awards honor. They (Caesars/MGM) are the #realdeal. We like/love competition and there are no easy wins here—congrats to Marriott because we all know that repeating this honor in this category will never be easy but they have made it look easy for an unprecedented 14th consecutive time. All three top places finished with ratings in the “8.X” range. Following up in fourth place was Wyndham Rewards which is not just known for its commercials featuring that bearded Rewards wizard but as a program in the mix of the best. And since you asked about Hilton, Hyatt, and IHG, you’ll be pleased to know that they finished in a row—fifth, sixth, and seventh in that order.
TRIVIA: Three of the top four finishers in this category call their loyalty program “Rewards.” And five of the top ten finishers in this category call their loyalty program … Rewards. Apparently, five programs didn’t get the email.
Full Voting Results
| Rank | Program of the Year – Hotels (Americas) | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Marriott Bonvoy | 8.67 |
| 2 | Caesars Rewards | 8.61 |
| 3 | MGM Rewards | 8.29 |
| 4 | Wyndham Rewards | 7.38 |
| 5 | Hilton Honors | 7.24 |
| 6 | World of Hyatt | 6.80 |
| 7 | IHG Rewards | 6.55 |
| 8 | Choice Privileges | 6.38 |
| 9 | Best Western Rewards | 6.31 |
| 10 | La Quinta Returns | 6.16 |
| 11 | Radisson Rewards | 5.97 |
| 12 | Omni Select Guest | 5.61 |
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