Wyndham Rewards and the Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan have taken first place for the 2023-2024 U.S. News Best Travel Rewards Programs. Alaska Airlines has now won this award for nine years in a row.
U.S. News analyzed travel rewards programs with factors in membership benefits, network coverage, the ease of earning and redeeming points or miles, hotel property diversity and airline quality rating scores, with expert and editor analysis. This year, the methodology includes an additional tier for flights to provide credit to those airlines offering more choice to its members. For hotel rewards, supplemental tiers were added for the number of hotels in the network category.
Wyndham Rewards
Wyndham Rewards has stepped into the number one spot on the Best Hotel Rewards Programs ranking for 2023-2024. The Wyndham Rewards program became a standout because loyalty program members only need to stay eight nights before earning enough points for a free overnight stay. Wyndham’s 8,000+ properties range from budget to upscale, offering reward members plenty of choices on where to stay. Choice Privileges was awarded second place, Marriott Bonvoy stayed in third, World of Hyatt has moved to fourth place with IHG One Rewards ranking in fifth.
Alaska Airlines
Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan holds on to the number one spot for the ninth consecutive year in the Best Airline Rewards Programs ranking. US News states, “the rewards program consistently outperforms others with its high earning power, and offers elite status members benefits like lounge access, upgrades and same-day confirmed flight changes.” Delta SkyMiles has maintained second place with United MileagePlus still holding third. American Airlines AAdvantage is now ranked in fourth place with JetBlue TrueBlue in fifth.
“In a competitive market, frequent and leisure travelers will choose brands that provide memorable experiences that go beyond the standard stay or flight. A growing number of hotel reward programs have reintroduced experiences, tours and activities as additional ways to earn and use points,” says Elizabeth Von Tersch, U.S. News’ senior travel editor. “We also see that more programs are allowing elite status members to customize their benefits, so members can choose what’s best for them. Ultimately, everyday travelers are looking to effortlessly earn points and use them for free flights or hotel stays. The programs that make this easy come out on top in our rankings.”
Use those flight rewards to visit all new and totally unique places, like MoonPass Lookouts. This fully-funded Indiegogo project will make fire lookout towers into places of serene escape.
