Airline winners in the 2020 TPG Awards Readers' Choice categories
Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.
As we announced this morning, today kicks off Airlines Week at the 2020 TPG Awards — and we have a ton of content and events across our site and other platforms ready to launch. To get things started, we're announcing the winners of our first two Readers' Choice honors. Tens of thousands of TPG readers weighed in this year, giving insight into which airline loyalty program and airline credit card were most popular.
Read on for who took home these awards this year.
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Best US Airline Loyalty Program
Over the first two years of the TPG Awards, the same carrier took home the award for Best U.S. Airline Loyalty Program.
Well, ladies and gentlemen ... we have a new victor in 2020.
Winner: Southwest Rapid Rewards
Southwest as an airline has a lot to like — from its fee-free changes and cancellations to the pair of free checked bags given to every passenger. However, its Rapid Rewards program is a fan favorite of many travelers, and there are some key features that likely pushed it to the top this year:
- Companion Pass: The Southwest Companion Pass is one of the most coveted (and lucrative) perks in the frequent flyer world, allowing holders to bring along a designated travel companion on all Southwest-operated flights by just paying the companion's taxes and fees. While the qualification requirements are steep, members can utilize the carrier's credit cards to reach them (more to come on that shortly).
- No blackout dates: When you need to use your Rapid Rewards points, you can do it on any Southwest flight with availability. If there's a seat, it's available using points. While it is a revenue-based program, which removes the ability to get out-sized value from your award tickets, it's still a straight-forward redemption scheme that requires little advance knowledge to utilize.
- Points never expire: Southwest removed point expiration in 2019, so you'll never have to worry about your Rapid Rewards points disappearing.
Southwest also made some adjustments to its elite status tiers in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic — including the option to convert existing travel funds to Rapid Rewards points. These likely helped propel the carrier to the top of the ballot, securing its first-ever TPG award.
READ MORE: Your complete guide to maximizing Southwest Rapid Rewards
Best Airline Cobranded Credit Card
And the "luv" continued in the Best Airline Cobranded Credit Card category — as we once again saw a first-timer take the top spot.
Winner: Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card
Southwest offers three personal credit cards through Chase, and its middle offering — the Southwest Premier Card — took home honors as the best airline credit card of 2020, according to TPG readers. While many of the carrier's loyal flyers likely get a ton of value from the Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Credit Card, voters clearly preferred the lower out-of-pocket cost of the Premier card ($99 compared to $149 for the Priority).
And that's not to say the Premier card isn't worth it, as it still packs a punch in terms of benefits:
- 3 points per dollar spent on Southwest purchases, 2 points per dollar on Rapid Rewards hotel and car partners, 2 points per dollar on local transit and commuting (including rideshare), 2 points per dollar on internet, cable, phone services and select streaming, then 1 point per dollar on everything else.
- 6,000 points on your cardmember anniversary (worth $90 based on TPG's most recent valuations)
- No foreign transaction fees
However, the most appealing aspect of this card (and really all Southwest cards) is the ability to earn the carrier's venerable Companion Pass. All points on Southwest cards — including welcome bonuses — count toward qualification, and if you time things carefully, you could enjoy a Companion Pass for nearly two years.
READ MORE: Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier credit card review
Bottom line
Both of our airline awards for 2020 went to Southwest Airlines, as its Rapid Rewards program took home honors for Best U.S. Airline Loyalty Program, while the Southwest Premier card was voted as the Best Airline Cobranded Credit Card. While both are first-time award winners, they clearly deliver value to members, which took them to the top of the ballot.
We'll have additional Editors' Choice awards to hand out later this week — so stay tuned for additional announcements.
A big thank you to the tens of thousands of readers who voted this year, and we'll have the other Readers' Choice award winners to come in future weeks.
Voting for the 2020 TPG Awards Readers’ Choice categories ran from Oct. 1, 2020 at 9 a.m. Eastern Time through Oct. 30, 2020 at 11:59:59 p.m. Eastern Time. It was promoted on our site and across all of our social media channels. In addition, some individual brands promoted voting through their own channels — which included their social media accounts, display banners on their sites and direct email campaigns. The voting was conducted via SurveyMonkey, and it was set up where readers could only vote one time.
Top offers from our partners
How we chose these cards
TPG featured card
Rewards
| 3X | Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases and purchases made directly with hotels. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Miles at restaurants worldwide, including takeout and delivery in the U.S. and at U.S. supermarkets. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Miles on all other eligible purchases. |
Intro offer
Annual Fee
Recommended Credit
Why We Chose It
Build your loyalty to Delta by applying for the carrier's mid-tier card option, the Delta SkyMiles Platinum card. The annual fee is quickly recouped by the card's travel perks, such as an application credit to Global Entry or TSA Precheck, annual companion certificate and so much more. Plus you can fast-track to elite status simply through card spend.Pros
- Earn bonus Medallion® Qualification Miles (MQMs) and an Medallion Qualifying Dollar (MQD) waiver when you hit specific spending thresholds with your card within a calendar year
- Receive a Domestic Main Cabin round-trip companion certificate each year
- Statement credit for TSA PreCheck/Global Entry fee (up to $100)
- First checked bag free
Cons
- Doesn't make sense if you don't fly Delta
- SkyMiles aren't the most valuable airline currency
- Earn 90,000 bonus miles after you spend $4,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months.
- Receive a Domestic Main Cabin round-trip companion certificate each year upon renewal of your Card. Payment of the government imposed taxes and fees of no more than $80 for roundtrip domestic flights (for itineraries with up to four flight segments) is required. Baggage charges and other restrictions apply. See terms and conditions for details.
- Enjoy your first checked bag free on Delta flights. Plus enjoy Main Cabin 1 Priority Boarding and settle into your seat sooner.
- New: Card Members get 15% off when using miles to book Award Travel on Delta flights through delta.com and the Fly Delta app. Discount not applicable to partner-operated flights or to taxes and fees.
- Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases and purchases made directly with hotels.
- Earn 2X Miles at restaurants worldwide including takeout and delivery in the U.S., and at U.S. supermarkets.
- Earn 1X Mile on all other eligible purchases.
- Enjoy a per-visit rate of $50 per person for Card Members and up to two guests to enter the Delta Sky Club when traveling on a Delta flight.
- Fee Credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck® after you apply through any Authorized Enrollment Provider. If approved for Global Entry, at no additional charge, you will receive access to TSA PreCheck.
- Earn up to 20,000 Medallion® Qualification Miles (MQMs) with Status Boost® per year. After you spend $25,000 in purchases on your Card in a calendar year, you can earn 10,000 MQMs up to two times per year, getting you closer to Medallion® Status. MQMs are used to determine Medallion® Status and are different than miles you earn toward flights.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- $250 Annual Fee.
- Terms Apply.
- See Rates & Fees
Rewards Rate
| 3X | Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases and purchases made directly with hotels. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Miles at restaurants worldwide, including takeout and delivery in the U.S. and at U.S. supermarkets. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Miles on all other eligible purchases. |
Intro Offer
Earn 90,000 bonus miles after you spend $4,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months.Earn 90,000 Bonus Miles50,000 Bonus MilesAnnual Fee
$250Recommended Credit
Credit ranges are a variation of FICO© Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.670-850Excellent/Good
Why We Chose It
Build your loyalty to Delta by applying for the carrier's mid-tier card option, the Delta SkyMiles Platinum card. The annual fee is quickly recouped by the card's travel perks, such as an application credit to Global Entry or TSA Precheck, annual companion certificate and so much more. Plus you can fast-track to elite status simply through card spend.Pros
- Earn bonus Medallion® Qualification Miles (MQMs) and an Medallion Qualifying Dollar (MQD) waiver when you hit specific spending thresholds with your card within a calendar year
- Receive a Domestic Main Cabin round-trip companion certificate each year
- Statement credit for TSA PreCheck/Global Entry fee (up to $100)
- First checked bag free
Cons
- Doesn't make sense if you don't fly Delta
- SkyMiles aren't the most valuable airline currency
- Earn 90,000 bonus miles after you spend $4,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months.
- Receive a Domestic Main Cabin round-trip companion certificate each year upon renewal of your Card. Payment of the government imposed taxes and fees of no more than $80 for roundtrip domestic flights (for itineraries with up to four flight segments) is required. Baggage charges and other restrictions apply. See terms and conditions for details.
- Enjoy your first checked bag free on Delta flights. Plus enjoy Main Cabin 1 Priority Boarding and settle into your seat sooner.
- New: Card Members get 15% off when using miles to book Award Travel on Delta flights through delta.com and the Fly Delta app. Discount not applicable to partner-operated flights or to taxes and fees.
- Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases and purchases made directly with hotels.
- Earn 2X Miles at restaurants worldwide including takeout and delivery in the U.S., and at U.S. supermarkets.
- Earn 1X Mile on all other eligible purchases.
- Enjoy a per-visit rate of $50 per person for Card Members and up to two guests to enter the Delta Sky Club when traveling on a Delta flight.
- Fee Credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck® after you apply through any Authorized Enrollment Provider. If approved for Global Entry, at no additional charge, you will receive access to TSA PreCheck.
- Earn up to 20,000 Medallion® Qualification Miles (MQMs) with Status Boost® per year. After you spend $25,000 in purchases on your Card in a calendar year, you can earn 10,000 MQMs up to two times per year, getting you closer to Medallion® Status. MQMs are used to determine Medallion® Status and are different than miles you earn toward flights.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- $250 Annual Fee.
- Terms Apply.
- See Rates & Fees