We’re pleased to report that four programs finished with a value vote rating of 8.X or higher. We’re not pleased to report that only one of the legacy programs is among those four. But then we are pleased to report that the legacy program of Marriott Bonvoy claims the total redemption title. Serving millions of members annually with a desire to use their hotel points when and where they like is an almost unachievable goal … Hotel properties also exist for paying guests and investments for property owners. Say what you will but it does not appear members are Bonvoyed in their redemption quests. The following also deserve our applause: Caesars Rewards, ALL, and MGM Rewards. Don’t see your fave program listed in the top four? Let them know—more redemption availability, please.
TRIVIA: Marriott Bonvoy has won this category nine of the past ten years—the single exception being 2015 when Starwood SPG won. SPG of course is now part of the Marriott mix of brands and loyalty.
ALL won four Freddie Awards this year and this is also the fourth time they have won this specific award, years 2020, 2018, and 2017 being the other years. And as the champion of award redemption, it is good to know that they rated in the 9.X range to claim this award, signifying that they really are delivering great value to their members. They finish a point ahead of Marriott Bonvoy which claimed second and a full two points ahead of #5 IHG. Mentioning Marriott, when they acquired Starwood a few years back, they also acquired the Starwood Preferred Guest record of ten Best Redemption Freddie Awards. They have not won the award since acquiring Starwood. #justsayin. MeliáRewards and Hilton Honors are in the middle of this sandwich with #3 and #4 finishes respectively. The surprise? Seeing World of Hyatt in the #10 spot. This is their lowest finish of any category in 2022 and it does not look good on them. And for that number four of ALL (Accor), one other program has won this category four times—IHG Rewards (2014, 2015, 2016, and 2019).
Full Voting Results
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Best Redemption Ability – Hotels (Europe & Africa)
This is one of four Freddie Award wins that Club ITC has taken home this year and won with a rating of 8.97 which is the second-highest category rating across all the regions. It is also their second consecutive award in this category having also won in in 2020. There are three programs with ratings in the 8.X range in this category which is good news for members. The Accor ALL and Marriott Bonvoy programs were rated #2 and #3 respectively. Anything beyond an 8.X rating deserves more effort by those programs. Remember people—these are earn & redeem loyalty programs. This is also one of the four categories (Program of the Year, Elite, and Promotion) in which the three top highest-rated programs are the same in each category. That is consistency. But let’s go straight to the bottom shall we: World of Hyatt in the #9 slot is simply out of character with a program that seems to have so much more going for it. But since members matter, Hyatt should look at this report card and address what seems to be a weakness in their program. As for Best Western in the #10 rating, well, you have to start somewhere though the somewhere shouldn’t be a bottom rating.
Full Voting Results
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Best Redemption Ability – Hotels (Middle East & Asia/Oceania)
This category matters equally to all when you ask most frequent flyers. And for good reason. If you can’t use your loyalty points, then what is the reason to collect them? In yet another category rating of 9.X, KrisFlyer proves consistency among all the categories it won a Freddie Award this year. They have consistently been near the top but unable to break through and maybe it did make a change in the industry (Covid+) for them to reset the expectations of their members. But they aren’t alone at the top. Right behind then in yet another very promising rating is the Vistara Club Vistara program rating in the high 8.X and again Garuda shows its promise with yet another top-three finish. Interesting that two Oceania programs—Air New Zealand and Qantas are side by side in numbers four and five while the former #1, Virgin Australia Velocity settled into the number eight spot. And as with other categories, the disappointment of no Chinese program in the top ten and the first Middle East-based program in this category, Emirates Skywards, could garner only a #10 finish for the highest rating.
Full Voting Results
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Best Redemption Ability – Airlines (Middle East & Asia/Oceania)
This is a category in which there seems to not be any competition. TAP Miles&Go easily wins this Freddie Award with almost a whole point and a half rating higher than Air France KLM Flying Blue in the #2 spot followed by Lufthansa Mies & More in the #3 spot. Neither of these two programs are strangers to top finishes in this category. Flying Blue won it in 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, and most recently in 2020, while Lufthansa won in 2012. 2018 and 2019 Freddie Awards in this category were won by Aeroflot who likely was hampered by world events this year. But the distance between Miles&Go and Flying Blue this year is certainly attention-getting. Very rare for any program to win a category by that margin.
Full Voting Results
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Best Redemption Ability – Airlines (Europe & Africa)
We would not argue with any member of these programs if you stated that this category is the most important. After all, what good are all the miles in the world if you can’t use them in a reasonable way for your travel goals? Looking at how close the top three ranked programs are, there’s more competition than what most members might assume in who has the seats. Avianca is right there as is Southwest, both known for availability in high numbers. But Aeroplan certainly earned this title considering they also are fulfilling redemption against other Star Alliance partners. But let’s also turn our attention down to #4—American AAdvantage, the (by far) highest ranked legacy carrier.
