From the newsroom

April 30, 2026

2026 Freddie Awards: Loyalty Has a Long Memory

One of the pleasures of the Freddie Awards is that there really isn’t such a thing as an overnight success. Programs change names. Airlines merge. Hotels merge. Award charts disappear. New currencies arrive. Old currencies get…

April 30, 2026

Aeroplan isn’t up-and-coming anymore

Program of the YearAirlines · Americas

There was a time not very long ago when Aeroplan qualified as one of our up-and-comers. Consider that notice officially withdrawn. Air Canada Aeroplan is the 2026 Airline Program of the Year in the Americas.

April 30, 2026

LifeMiles: the up-and-comer that refuses to finish coming up

Up and Coming Program of the YearAirlines · Americas

We may eventually need to have a conversation with LifeMiles about the definition of “up-and-coming.” Avianca LifeMiles wins the award for 2026. Again.

April 30, 2026

AAdvantage remains elite

Best Elite ProgramAirlines · Americas

Status isn’t what it used to be. Once upon a time you flew a lot, the airline noticed, handed you a shiny card and occasionally treated you as though you knew what you were doing.

April 30, 2026

Aeroplan remembers the point of points

Best Redemption AbilityAirlines · Americas

Here’s a radical loyalty-program concept: Members should be able to use their miles. Aeroplan wins Best Redemption Ability in the Americas for 2026. Again.

April 30, 2026

Southwest still knows something about people

Best Customer ServiceAirlines · Americas

Airline loyalty programs have spent the last decade becoming increasingly sophisticated technology businesses. Southwest apparently remembered there are humans involved.

April 30, 2026

Aeroplan accelerates its way to another Freddie

Best PromotionAirlines · Americas

The name was almost an instruction. Accelerate Your Way To Status. Aeroplan’s 2026 promotion wins Best Promotion in the Americas. Status promotions occupy a particularly effective corner of loyalty psychology.

April 30, 2026

Hail Caesars — and this time we really mean it

Program of the YearHotels · Americas

In 2022 we wrote that the rise of casino loyalty programs was one of the more interesting stories appearing in the Freddie Awards. Apparently Caesars Rewards read that and decided to finish the story.

April 30, 2026

ALL finds America

Up and Coming Program of the YearHotels · Americas

Calling Accor “up-and-coming” is amusing. Accor is one of the largest hotel companies on Earth. But in the Americas loyalty conversation? Different story.

April 30, 2026

Caesars makes elite status worth the gamble

Best Elite ProgramHotels · Americas

Casino loyalty invented its own version of elite status long before hotels began talking about suite upgrades and late checkout. Casinos knew something fundamental:

April 30, 2026

Caesars points know where the exits are

Best Redemption AbilityHotels · Americas

Points are wonderful. Until you try to use them. Caesars Rewards wins Best Redemption Ability in the Americas for 2026. And here’s where the casino-born nature of the program becomes particularly interesting.

April 30, 2026

Caesars remembers hospitality isn’t a game

Best Customer ServiceHotels · Americas

Here’s where the 2026 Caesars story becomes especially interesting. Best Customer Service. A casino loyalty program beat the traditional hotel giants at one of hospitality’s most fundamental categories.

April 30, 2026

Caesars goes on a Quest

Best PromotionHotels · Americas

Loyalty programs love quests. Members apparently do too. Caesars Rewards’ Quest for Rewards wins Best Promotion in the Americas for 2026. The genius of a quest promotion is that it turns ordinary activity into progress.

April 30, 2026

Citi and AAdvantage keep the card in the family

Best Loyalty Credit CardAmericas

Credit cards have become so central to airline loyalty that sometimes the airplane seems almost optional. The Citi / AAdvantage Platinum Select Card wins Best Loyalty Credit Card in the Americas for 2026.

April 30, 2026

The Maharaja is back

Program of the YearAirlines · Middle East & Asia Pacific

Here’s one for the Freddie history books. Air India Maharaja Club is the 2026 Airline Program of the Year in Middle East & Asia Pacific. Even the name tells part of the story.

April 30, 2026

EVA Air enters the Freddie radar

Up and Coming Program of the YearAirlines · Middle East & Asia Pacific

Infinity MileageLands wins the 2026 Up and Coming Program award. And yes, the name is wonderfully ambitious. Infinity. That’s considerably farther than most award charts go.

April 30, 2026

GarudaMiles is elite again

Best Elite ProgramAirlines · Middle East & Asia Pacific

GarudaMiles wins Best Elite Program in 2026. And this is only the beginning of Garuda’s evening. Elite status ultimately asks one question: Does being loyal actually make the journey better?

April 30, 2026

GarudaMiles remembers miles are meant to fly

Best Redemption AbilityAirlines · Middle East & Asia Pacific

GarudaMiles wins Best Redemption Ability. Another trophy. Redemption is where every loyalty program eventually has to stop talking and produce a seat.

April 30, 2026

Garuda knows its customers

Best Customer ServiceAirlines · Middle East & Asia Pacific

Best Elite Program. Best Redemption Ability. And now Best Customer Service. GarudaMiles is developing a storage problem. The customer-service win is especially fitting for an airline whose brand identity has long been tied to…

April 30, 2026

Happy 26th, GarudaMiles

Best PromotionAirlines · Middle East & Asia Pacific

Most 26th anniversaries do not get much attention. Twenty-five? Absolutely. Fifty? Big party. Twenty-six tends to be celebrated with leftover cake. GarudaMiles had other ideas.

April 30, 2026

GHA Discovery has finished discovering itself

Program of the YearHotels · Middle East & Asia Pacific

In 2022, GHA Discovery won our 210 Award and we wrote that the program had “a fine future ahead.” We would like partial credit for this one. Four years later, GHA Discovery is the 2026 Hotel Program of the Year for Middle East &…

April 30, 2026

Shangri-La enters the Circle

Up and Coming Program of the YearHotels · Middle East & Asia Pacific

Shangri-La Circle wins the 2026 Up and Coming Program award. And this one feels particularly appropriate. Shangri-La has been one of Asia’s great luxury hotel names for decades.

April 30, 2026

GHA discovers elite recognition

Best Elite ProgramHotels · Middle East & Asia Pacific

GHA Discovery also wins Best Elite Program. That matters because alliance-style loyalty creates a particularly difficult challenge. Recognition has to travel.

April 30, 2026

ALL points travel well

Best Redemption AbilityHotels · Middle East & Asia Pacific

ALL wins Best Redemption Ability in Middle East & Asia Pacific. This is the first hint that Accor’s 2026 Freddie haul isn’t confined to Europe. Accor’s great loyalty advantage is breadth.