What to expect at the 2021 TPG Awards — starting next week

We’re just one week away from the start of the 2021 TPG Awards, and the team is hard at work preparing a variety of content for this year’s set of themed weeks. Like 2020, we’re keeping things virtual this year — but there’s still a lot to come across our site and social media channels as we recognize the travel companies and brands that stood tall this year.

Here’s what you can expect starting Monday, Nov. 1.

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Schedule of themed weeks

As noted above, the awards kick off on Monday, Nov. 1, with the first of our three themed weeks. We’ve shifted things up a bit this year and consolidated some of our content, so here’s what the schedule looks like:

• Airlines Week — Monday, Nov. 1 through Friday, Nov. 5
• Travel Week — Monday, Nov. 8 through Friday, Nov. 12
• Credit Cards Week — Monday, Nov. 15 through Friday, Nov. 19

Our first week will highlight everything related to airlines and airports, while our second week includes hotels, destinations and cruise lines. Then our final week features one of our favorite topics here at TPG — credit cards — just in time for the start of the holiday shopping season.

So … what will you see during each of these weeks?

Readers’ Choice awards

At the beginning of each themed week, we’ll launch details on the 23 Readers’ Choice honors winners as voted by you, our readers. The ballot was open from Sept. 13 through Oct. 15 and saw a ton of engagement. The awards being doled out this year include our usual categories — like recognizing the best airline and hotel loyalty programs along with the top credit cards. However, we added some new ones this year, including:

• Best U.S. National Park
• Best River Cruise Line
• Best Domestic Airport Lounge Network

Speaking of airports, we’re also giving out four brand-new awards to our readers’ favorite spots to catch a flight — one each for the best large, midsized and small airports in the U.S. and then another one for the top international gateway.

And without giving too much away, there are some potential surprises to come, so make sure to tune in for this year’s award winners.

Related: Recap of the 2020 TPG Awards

Editors’ Choice awards

But we’re not limiting the honors to reader-selected ones. Our editorial team has also identified a slate of additional awards for deserving brands. Here’s a run-down of those trophies we’ll be handing out over the next few weeks:

Some of these awards created significant debates among team members, so there may not be obvious winners for each. We’ll announce these throughout each week, so be sure you’re following our site and social media channels for all of the latest updates.

Speaking of which …

Content on site and social media

In addition to recognizing the award winners each week, our editorial and social media teams will launch a variety of content throughout the week. On the site, this will run the gamut from 2021 recaps to look-ahead industry analyses to reader stories with memorable travel experiences from this year.

And our social team has a ton of fun lined up, like Facebook Live roundtables with our editors to discuss our readers’ picks for the awards and walkthroughs of some of our industry favorites.

2021 has had its share of ups and downs for the travel and loyalty industries, but there’s a lot to be excited about as we look forward to 2022 (and beyond).

Live virtual events

Finally, just like last year, we’re working on a slate of virtual events to launch during each themed week. This may include webinars and Instagram Live sessions — along with a repeat of last year’s trivia event during the final week of the awards.

Stay tuned for specific announcements of these events.

Bottom line

There’s a lot to look forward to at this year’s TPG Awards. If you’re not already on our mailing list, be sure to sign up today to stay informed of everything to come. You can also follow The Points Guy on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for up-to-date information on the 2021 awards.

Then, be sure to come back on Monday, Nov. 1 as we kick things off with Airlines Week.

Featured image by The Points Guy.