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U.S. News & World Report has released its 2026–2027 Best Travel Rewards Programs rankings, and this year's results bring a rare shake-up.

American Airlines AAdvantage took the top spot among airline loyalty programs, ending Alaska's 11-year winning streak. Meanwhile, Wyndham Rewards climbed to first place among hotel programs. U.S. News also debuted two new rankings specifically for business travelers.

Here's a look at the winners and what went into U.S. News & World Report's decision.

Best Airline Rewards Program: American Airlines AAdvantage

U.S. News evaluated eight U.S. airline loyalty programs for its 2026–2027 rankings. American Airlines AAdvantage finished first for the first time, followed by Atmos Rewards and United MileagePlus.

The complete ranking is:

  1. American Airlines AAdvantage
  2. Atmos Rewards
  3. United MileagePlus
  4. JetBlue TrueBlue
  5. Delta SkyMiles
  6. Southwest Rapid Rewards
  7. FRONTIER Miles
  8. Allegiant Air Allways Rewards

Changes from last year

AAdvantage climbed two places to take the top spot, unseating Alaska's loyalty program after 11 consecutive years at #1. Atmos Rewards dropped to second place following the combination of the Alaska and Hawaiian Airlines loyalty programs this past year.

United MileagePlus slipped from second to third, while JetBlue TrueBlue and Delta SkyMiles traded places. Southwest remained sixth, and FRONTIER Miles and Allegiant Allways Rewards each moved up one spot solely due to Free Spirit shutting down this year.

How the airline programs were ranked

U.S. News considers six factors when ranking airline loyalty programs:

  • Ease of earning a free round-trip flight (40%): This measures both how quickly members can earn enough miles and how many miles they need to redeem across high-traffic routes and several distance bands.
  • Additional member benefits (25%): Programs receive credit for benefits such as free checked bags, favorable expiration policies, elite perks, co-branded credit cards, and additional ways to earn and redeem miles.
  • Network coverage (10%): This considers where an airline flies, its presence in major travel regions, and the reach provided by alliance and other airline partners.
  • Number of daily flights (10%): Airlines with larger domestic schedules receive higher scores.
  • Award flight availability (10%): This measures whether members can find award seats at reasonably low redemption rates.
  • Airline quality rating (5%): U.S. News incorporates operational data, including on-time performance.

For the 2026–2027 rankings, U.S. News expanded how it scores additional member benefits and increased the frequency of its airline and hotel data collection.

Our take

AAdvantage taking the top spot isn't unreasonable. American offers a massive route network, an extensive collection of AAdvantage airline partners, and plenty of ways to earn miles and Loyalty Points toward elite status. And while American uses dynamic award pricing on its own flights, its award rates are still reasonable, and the airline still publishes award charts for partner-operated awards.

Despite falling to second place, Atmos points remain particularly valuable for premium-cabin partner awards, and members can redeem points across the Oneworld alliance and a broad collection of other airline partners. But after several award chart changes and the transition from Mileage Plan to Atmos Rewards, its 11-year run at the top has now ended.

Best Hotel Rewards Program: Wyndham Rewards

U.S. News evaluated 13 hotel loyalty programs this year. Wyndham Rewards climbed to first place, followed by Marriott Bonvoy and World of Hyatt.

The complete ranking is:

  1. Wyndham Rewards
  2. Marriott Bonvoy
  3. World of Hyatt
  4. Choice Privileges
  5. Sonesta Travel Pass
  6. IHG One Rewards
  7. Best Western Rewards
  8. Leaders Club
  9. SLH Club
  10. Hilton Honors
  11. I Prefer Hotel Rewards
  12. ALL – Accor Live Limitless
  13. Omni Select Guest

Changes from last year

Wyndham rose one place to reclaim the top spot, while Marriott made the biggest move near the top by jumping from fourth to second. World of Hyatt remained third.

Last year's winner, Choice Privileges, fell three places to fourth. Sonesta moved up to fifth, trading places with IHG. Leaders Club overtook SLH Club, while Hilton moved ahead of I Prefer Hotel Rewards.

How the hotel programs were ranked

U.S. News scored hotel programs using the following criteria:

  • Ease of earning a free night (45%): Programs are evaluated based on how quickly members can earn enough points for a free night across a selection of leisure and business destinations.
  • Additional member benefits (25%): This includes points expiration policies, elite benefits, room upgrades, late checkout, complimentary breakfast, co-branded credit cards, and ways to earn or use points beyond hotel stays.
  • Geographic coverage (15%): Programs receive credit for offering hotels near major leisure and business destinations in the U.S. and abroad.
  • Number of hotels in the network (10%): Larger hotel networks earn higher scores.
  • Property diversity (5%): This considers whether a program offers properties across different destinations, price points, and hotel categories.

Our take

Wyndham's rise makes sense within U.S. News' methodology. The program combines a massive global footprint with relatively straightforward award pricing, making free nights attainable even for travelers who don't regularly stay at upscale hotels.

Meanwhile, Marriott's jump from fourth to second reflects the strength of its enormous portfolio, extensive credit card lineup, and numerous ways to earn and redeem Bonvoy points.

U.S. News Debuts Business Traveler Rankings

For the first time, U.S. News also ranked hotel companies and U.S. airlines specifically for business travelers. These rankings consider factors including network strength, availability, reliability, loyalty benefits, overall value, and the travel experience.

Marriott International took the top spot among hotel companies, which U.S. News attributed to its extensive network, business-friendly benefits, and strong credit card portfolio. The top five hotel companies were:

  1. Marriott International
  2. Hilton Worldwide
  3. IHG Hotels & Resorts
  4. Hyatt Hotels
  5. Choice Hotels

United Airlines ranked first among U.S. airlines for business travelers, standing out for its flight availability, elite benefits, and overall traveler experience. The complete airline ranking was:

  1. United Airlines
  2. Delta Air Lines
  3. American Airlines
  4. Alaska Airlines
  5. Southwest Airlines

Bottom Line

U.S. News' rankings provide a useful starting point, but no overall score can identify the best program for every traveler. Which airlines serve your home airport, where you travel, the hotels you prefer, and how you earn and redeem rewards matter far more than a #1 ranking.

AAdvantage and Wyndham may be this year's winners, but that doesn't automatically make them the right programs for you. Use these rankings as one data point and focus your loyalty where it offers the most value for your own travel patterns.

Do you agree with the U.S. News rankings? Let us know your favorite airline and hotel programs in the comments below.

Tip of The Day
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