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A national ranking of the best airline rewards programs has a new No. 1 − the airline with Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport's largest flight capacity.
American Airlines' AAdvantage loyalty program topped U.S. News & World Report's 2026-27 ranking of the airlines with the best travel rewards programs.
AAdvantage, which was No. 3 in 2025, took the lead in the 2026 survey from Atmos Rewards, the loyalty program of Alaska and Hawaiian airlines, ending its 11-year streak at the top.
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There was also a new No. 1 hotel reward program in the U.S. News survey. Wyndham Rewards was named the best hotel rewards program for 2026; last year's winner, Choice Hotels' Choice Privileges, was No. 4.
How U.S. News ranks the best travel rewards programs
U.S. News & World Report ranks travel rewards programs based on the ease of earning rewards, additional perks (such as free checked bags with an airline and room upgrades with a hotel) and the diversity of their program offerings.
It considers all the ways that people can earn loyalty points, including co-branded credit cards and point transfer partnerships, and whether points on flights can be earned with basic economy tickets.
As the cost of travel increases, the rankings aim to highlight which airline and hotel brands deliver consumers the most value, with emphasis on how quickly it takes for travelers to earn a free flight or a free night in a hotel, said Elizabeth Von Tersch, senior travel editor with U.S. News & World Report.
Is the AAdvantage worth it?
AAdvantage was the highest ranked of eight airline rewards programs that U.S. News & World Report evaluated for its 2026 travel rewards survey.
"We analyzed 24 popular flight routes for each airline, and American has the best selection and availability for redeeming award flights," Von Tersch said.
This year marks the first time American topped the ranking, she said.
"The airline offers a huge network, and members can earn perks even before reaching status, so it's a very well-rounded program overall," Von Tersch said.
Redeeming points for reward flights "remained reasonable" through American's AAdvantage program at a time when U.S. News noticed many airline loyalty programs "quietly inflating their award costs," Von Tersch said.
She cited Southwest Airlines' Rapid Rewards program as an example, observing that AAdvantage offered better point redemption value despite Southwest's position as a low-cost carrier. Southwest came in at No. 6 for 2026.
2026 marks the first time in 11 years that Alaska Airlines did not come in at No. 1 in the U.S. News ranking, with its Atmos Rewards program coming in at No. 2. Its loyalty program was known as Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan until its 2024 merger with Hawaiian Airlines; Alaska and Hawaiian airlines' loyalty programs merged into Atmos in October 2025.
American Airlines tops another loyalty program ranking
U.S. News & World Report's best travel rewards program list is not the only ranking that gave high praise to American Airlines AAdvantage.
It was also named the best airline loyalty program of 2026 by travel website The Points Guy. The website's team highlighted how AAdvantage "consistently ranks as the most valuable domestic airline currency" in its valuations.
American is also ahead of other carriers in elite status perks, partly because of confirmable upgrades and access to first-class lounges with airlines in the Oneworld alliance, which American is part of, according to The Points Guy.
Wyndham, Marriott, Hyatt gain ahead of Choice in hotel rewards ranking
In the best hotel rewards ranking, Wyndham Rewards ranked No. 1 after placing second to Choice Privileges in 2025.
Choice slipped three spots to No. 4, with Marriott Bonvoy (up from No. 4 to No. 2) and World of Hyatt (remaining at its No. 3 rank from 2025) making gains.
U.S. News & World Report Best Airline Rewards Programs of 2026
- American Airlines AAdvantage
- Atmos Rewards
- United MileagePlus
- JetBlue TrueBlue
- Delta SkyMiles
- Southwest Rapid Rewards
- Frontier Miles
- Allegiant Allways Rewards
U.S. News & World Report Best Hotel Rewards Programs of 2026
- Wyndham Rewards
- Marriott Bonvoy
- World of Hyatt
- Choice Privileges
- Sonesta Travel Pass
- IHG One Rewards
- Best Western Rewards
- Leaders Club
- SLH Club
- Hilton Honors
- I Prefer Hotel Rewards
- ALL - Accor Live Limitless
- Omni Select Guest
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Michael Salerno is an award-winning journalist who’s covered travel and tourism since 2014. His work as The Arizona Republic’s consumer travel reporter aims to help readers navigate the stresses of traveling and get the best value for their money on their vacations. He can be reached at [email protected].
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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Phoenix airport's biggest airline has top travel rewards, ranking says
