Prestigious Forbes Travel Guide (FTG) has announced the winners of its first Verified Air Travel Awards. The 2024 luxury awards spotlight the best experiences in air travel, including airlines, airports and private jet services and highlight a range of 22 winners across multiple travel categories. They include five-time winner Emirates and four-time winner Delta Air Lines.
The Verified Air Travel Awards were decided by an invitation-only survey of 5,000 of the most well-travelled people in the hospitality industry, including highly qualified luxury travel advisors, FTG incognito inspectors, and FTG’s Learning & Development experts.
FTG, known for the integrity of its 66-year-old Star Ratings system for hospitality, validated the results.
“Too many travel industry awards are the result of a somewhat suspect popularity contest. The Verified Air Travel awards are important because the metrics are based on real-world experience and real-world accountability,” said Peter Greenberg, Emmy Award-winning travel journalist and host of “Eye on Travel” on CBS Radio. “In a world experiencing an explosion of luxury brands, it’s not about pretty pictures or mission statements, but the unbiased opinions of veteran travellers coupled with reliable facts that lead to a credible and relevant definition of excellence.”
Here’s the full list of winners (and reasons why):
Best International Airline – Emirates: Boasting prime perks like the most legroom in all cabins and a chauffeur to drive guests to and from the airport, Emirates makes flying luxurious.
Best U.S. Airline – Delta Air Lines: The Atlanta-based airline maintains a strong reputation for its consistency, loyalty program and customer service as it approaches its 100th anniversary in 2025.
Best Small Airline – La Compagnie: Founded in 2013, La Compagnie offers all-business-class flights between New York and Paris, Milan or Nice, France.
Best Jet – NetJets: The more than 60-year-old company gives several options to fly private: a shared ownership program, leasing or an all-inclusive jet card.
Best International Airport – Singapore Changi Airport: Offering unique touches like a butterfly garden, a rooftop swimming pool and Jacuzzi, and a free 24-hour movie theater, Singapore Changi re-envisions the airport experience.
Best US Airport – LaGuardia Airport: After a recent $8-billion overhaul, the Queens, New York, airport impresses with bright, airy spaces; more check-in kiosks and security lanes; and NYC foodie favourites like H&H Bagels and Junior’s.
Best First Class – Emirates: A first-class ticket grants a luxurious fully enclosed private suite, dine-whenever-you-desire service – including unlimited caviar and Dom Pérignon – special moisturizing pajamas to prevent dehydrated skin, chauffeured airport transfers, and more.
Best International Business Class – Qatar Airways: Available as a single, twin, double or quad suite, the coveted Qsuite comes with a door for privacy, mood lighting, a lie-flat bed and a Diptyque amenity kit.
Best Domestic Business Class – Delta Air Lines: Flying Delta One – the all-suite business class – gives access to the new Delta One lounges, Missoni amenity kits with Grown Alchemist products, and a suite with a door and a 180-degree flatbed seat.
Best Independent Airport Lounge – Louis Vuitton Lounge by Yannick Alléno, Hamad International Airport: Louis Vuitton’s first airport lounge is a vibrant and verdant culinary destination. Prominent chef Yannick Alléno features French cooking techniques and Qatari ingredients in his à la carte and tasting menus.
Best US Airline Lounge – Delta One, John F. Kennedy International Airport: The first lounge dedicated to Delta One passengers debuted in June with an expansive space that includes a year-round terrace, nine relaxation pods, eight shower suites, and a full-service brasserie.
Best International Airline Lounge – Emirates First Class Lounge, Dubai: This sprawling 24-hour lounge nearly runs the length of the terminal and offers everything one could need: delicious buffets and à la carte menus, a Moët & Chandon bar, a cigar lounge, fully stocked shower suites and a direct boarding point so you don’t have to run to your faraway gate.
Best Airport Dining – Dubai International Airport: An array of dining options include Italian (Florentine sandwich shop All’antico Vinaio), Lebanese (Comptoir Libanais) and international (The Kitchen by Wolfgang Puck). Finish with something sweet from the region’s first Nutella Café or upscale éclair shop L’Éclair de Génie.
Best Wine List – Air France: Air France’s impressive wine list spotlights top French regions and vineyards. It’s overseen by new head sommelier Xavier Thuizat, who also curates the cellar at Five-Star Hôtel de Crillon, A Rosewood Hotel in Paris.
Best Culinary Program – Emirates: The changing menus at Emirates might include steak and eggs with truffle hollandaise for breakfast, prawn machbous for dinner and vegan options, like the chickpea crepe stuffed with carrot, peppers, mushroom and tomato concasse – the airline recently added 300 plant-based meals to its vast recipe database.
Innovation of the Year – Transportation Security Administration’s facial recognition technology
TSA’s rollout of facial recognition at major US airports helps make ID checks more efficient for travelers while still ensuring effective security measures.
Best Airport Design – Singapore Changi Airport: Abundant green spaces (from a hedge maze to the famous Rain Vortex waterfall) and bountiful art (from large-scale sculptures to murals) lend Singapore Changi an inviting look and feel.
Best Loyalty Program – Delta Air Lines SkyMiles: The complimentary SkyMiles program gives members free Wi-Fi on most domestic flights (and soon international ones), miles without expiration dates and the ability to earn miles with more than 20 partners.
Best In-Flight Cocktail Lounge – Emirates: Go to the plane’s U-shaped bar and order the Breakfast Martini, a signature gin cocktail that gets a morning makeover with marmalade, Cointreau and orange and lemon juices.
Best Private Airport Experience – Heathrow VIP: At Britain’s busiest airport, skip the long lines at immigration and customs with this VIP service, where an agent helps you go seamlessly from jet bridge to chauffeur or curbside to boarding.
Best Airport Wellness Experience – Jewel Changi Airport: Get immersed in nature without leaving the airport amid the lush Shiseido Forest Valley’s 900 trees and 60,000 shrubs and the showstopping Rain Vortex, the world’s tallest indoor waterfall at seven storeys high.
Best Airline App – Delta Air Lines: The user-friendly app allows you to upgrade your seat, receive the latest gate and flight changes, track your bags, navigate airports, locate Sky Club lounges and more.
“In today’s travel landscape, travellers have high expectations,” said Hermann Elger, CEO of Forbes Travel Guide. “They don’t want to wait until they arrive at a luxury hotel to experience exceptional dining, cocktails, comfort and, most especially, world-class service. The Verified Air Travel Awards help guide these discerning travellers to the best experiences.”
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