The TPG Awards are again. For the eighth yr, we’re thrilled to acknowledge the very best of the very best throughout the journey {industry} — together with bank cards, loyalty packages, airways, accommodations and cruise traces.
This yr, we have organized the awards into 4 classes overlaying the totally different phases and locales on your journey: planning (“In Your Pockets”), flying (“Within the Air”), staying (“On the Floor”) and cruising (“On the Water”). The record consists of mainstays just like the Journey Rewards Credit score Card of the Yr, together with new entrants comparable to a pair of innovation awards and a brand new Finest On a regular basis Rewards Program honor.
In whole, we’re handing out 38 trophies this yr, together with six awards based mostly on data-driven methodologies (view our full strategy to deciding on winners on this page).
Learn on for the complete record of 2026 TPG Award recipients.
In Your Pockets
It is no shock that we love our bank cards right here at TPG, so for our first class, we’re going into our wallets. This consists of not solely the very best card merchandise but in addition the options, partnerships and card launches from the earlier yr that stood out.
This is a full record of the award winners:
There are some acquainted names on this record, just like the Chase Sapphire Preferred, which took residence the honour as the highest journey rewards card for the eighth straight yr. Our staff additionally tapped the Amex Platinum as the highest premium card of the yr, simply edging out the Chase Sapphire Reserve® (see rates and fees) — although you’ll be able to assessment our full evaluation in this story.
The Amex Platinum was additionally acknowledged as the very best card for lounge entry, considered one of our data-driven awards this yr. The cardboard’s intensive lounge footprint, particularly domestically, gave it the nod over different premium playing cards available in the market for the second straight yr.
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Learn extra: A guide to lounge access with the Amex Platinum and Business Platinum
Final yr additionally noticed many new developments within the playing cards house, together with the launch of Alaska Airways’ Atmos Rewards Summit Visa and Chase’s Sapphire Reserve for Business, which each earned trophies as the very best new playing cards (and, by the way, additionally earned spots in my pockets). In the meantime, the launch of 1:1 transfers between Citi ThankYou Rewards and American Airways AAdvantage was honored as the very best new switch partnership as Citi gears as much as grow to be the exclusive issuer of American’s cobranded cards someday this yr.
We even had a first-time winner on this group, as Wells Fargo’s Autograph Card gained the award as the highest no-annual-fee card, due to an array of advantages like no switch minimums, stable bonus classes, cellphone safety and waived overseas transaction charges.
For a whole breakdown of the winners on this class, take a look at our full evaluation here.
Within the Air
Our subsequent class goes into the very best choices for taking to the skies, together with the highest premium airport experiences, the very best inflight merchandise and probably the most rewarding loyalty packages. We’re additionally recognizing two carriers for his or her improvements that stood out during the last yr.
Listed here are the winners:
There’s rather a lot to like on this record, together with a pair of unbelievable, new lounges that opened their doorways final yr. Moreover, we noticed Chase Sapphire Lounge by The Membership take the nod for the very best bank card lounge community, one other data-driven award. Chase’s rising community of lounges, plus terrific facilities and beneficiant visitor insurance policies, edged out the American Categorical Centurion Lounge by simply seven hundredths of some extent.
In the meantime, American swept the 2 data-driven airline loyalty awards, profitable honors as the highest airline loyalty program and greatest elite standing amongst U.S. carriers. For starters, American Airways AAdvantage is among the few packages that also makes use of revealed award charts for companion flights, and it persistently ranks as probably the most invaluable home airline forex in our month-to-month valuations. Moreover, AAdvantage Government Platinum stays a (small) step forward of different carriers’ respective prime standing tiers, primarily resulting from luxurious advantages like confirmable upgrades and entry to first-class lounges on Oneworld carriers.
Lastly, it is price noting the 2 recipients of this yr’s innovation awards. United Airways has lengthy been identified for its distinctive route technique, however this previous yr hit new heights, because the provider launched flights to Mongolia, Nuuk, Greenland, and even Adelaide, Australia, incomes it our innovation award in route technique. And Alaska Airways takes residence the innovation award in airline loyalty with the launch of its Atmos Rewards program, which included a brand-new premium card and the flexibility to decide on your individual pathway to elite standing qualification.
For extra particulars on these winners, take a look at the next analyses:
On the Floor
When you arrive at your vacation spot, there are a number of loyalty packages and lodging to go well with nearly any traveler’s wants — together with some brand-new or utterly renovated lodging choices.
This is the entire record of winners:
In contrast to airways, our two data-driven lodge awards have been cut up between two totally different packages. Marriott Bonvoy took residence honors as the highest lodge loyalty program for the second straight yr, with an enormous international footprint, a rewarding assortment of cobranded cards and a comparatively straightforward pathway to qualifying for standing. Nonetheless, it was World of Hyatt Globalist that got here out on prime amongst lodge elite statuses, due to an industry-leading confirmed upgrade program, implausible breakfast advantages (for as much as two adults and two kids) and assured 4 p.m. checkout, amongst different advantages.
We’re additionally recognizing one other program on this class, Bilt Rewards, as the highest on a regular basis rewards program due to its array of partnerships for Lyft rides, neighborhood parking, Walgreens purchases and extra. However this coming yr may make this system even extra rewarding, because it has introduced three new credit cards and can quickly enable members to earn factors on mortgages.
For extra data, take a look at the breakdown of those winners in this story.
On the Water
Our fourth class is dedicated to the cruise {industry}, which continues to see important demand and innovation, not solely with new ships but in addition thrilling new itineraries and expedition choices.
Listed here are the cruise winners this yr:
The launch of MSC World America made a splash within the cruise world and got here out on prime for our Finest New Ocean Ship award. The 20-deck behemoth grew to become the most important non-Royal Caribbean ship on the earth when it hit the waters in April, and TPG was on board to expertise it firsthand. With a capability of practically 9,000 passengers and crew members, the megaship is split into seven distinct districts and options 19 eating venues, a System One simulator and even an overwater swing.
On the different finish of the dimensions spectrum is AmaMagdalena, a 60-passenger vessel from AmaWaterways that started crusing Colombia’s Magdalena River in March 2025 and is our decide because the Finest New River Ship.
You may take a look at the complete breakdown of our cruise-related award winners in this story.
Backside line
The TPG Awards are again, as we hand out 38 honors to the highest journey and loyalty suppliers that persistently ship outsize worth and luxurious to TPG’s viewers. The final yr noticed an array of recent product launches and thrilling developments throughout the journey {industry}, whereas a number of longtime favorites continued to shine.
Congrats to all of the winners this yr — and this is hoping that 2026 will probably be one other banner yr for our viewers to leverage these manufacturers (and others) to unlock unforgettable journeys.
Yearly, the TPG Awards honor excellence in bank cards, loyalty packages and journey. Please click on here to learn extra about our winner-selection course of and methodology for the 2026 TPG Awards.
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