2023 Freddie Awards: The Year Loyalty Came Roaring Back

The 32nd annual Freddie Awards had a rather appropriate home.

We gathered beneath some of the greatest machines ever to leave the ground at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum’s Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center. Concorde was there. The SR-71 Blackbird was there. Space Shuttle Discovery was there.

And more than nine million Freddie votes were there, figuratively speaking.

After all, even the Space Shuttle never accumulated that many passengers.

The 2023 Freddies produced an interesting mixture of familiar names and programs beginning to write entirely new chapters. Aeroplan had its biggest Freddie night ever. American Airlines continued a streak that was becoming almost ridiculous. Marriott remained very much Marriott. IHG flexed considerable muscle outside the Americas. And a little Norwegian airline reminded everyone that loyalty doesn’t necessarily require a fleet of 1,000 airplanes.

Here are the stories behind the 2023 winners.