New Survey Picks Best for Business Travel

After 20 years working in the travel industry, and 15 years writing about it, Tim Winship knows a thing or two about travel. Follow him on Twitter @twinship.

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The best airlines and hotels for business travel?

Travel+Leisure and Fortune teamed up to query business travelers with nine or more trips per year on their preferences, and their gripes, in the first “Best in Business Travel” survey.

Here’s a summary of the findings, with rankings ordered from best to worst:

Best Domestic Airlines

Virgin America
Alaska Airlines
JetBlue
Delta
Southwest
AirTran
American
United
Frontier
US Airways

Best International Airlines

Singapore
Virgin Atlantic
Emirates
Qantas
Cathay Pacific
Korean
Air New Zealand
Swiss
Lufthansa
Turkish

Best Hotel Chains

Ritz-Carlton
Luxury Collection
Kimpton
Waldorf Astoria
Fairmont
Four Seasons
Grand Hyatt
JW Marriott
Omni
InterContinental

Best Hotel Loyalty Programs

Marriott Rewards
Starwood Preferred Guest
Hilton Honors
InterContinental Priority Rewards
Hyatt Gold Passport

Best U.S. Airline Loyalty Programs

Alaska Airlines
Virgin America
Southwest
American
United
AirTran
JetBlue
Delta
Frontier
US Airways

And finally…

Flying Gripes

Cramped legroom/seat comfort (51%)
Delays/cancellations (42%)
Poor customer service (26%)
Inefficient boarding process (23%)
Lack of space for carry-on baggage (20%)
Annoying fellow passengers (19%)
Airport security (16%)
Hidden fees (12%)
Lack of good food options (12%)
Limited seat availability (12%)
Restrictive loyalty programs (11%)
Lost/delayed luggage (10%)
Limited connectivity (e.g. Wi-Fi, cell service, etc.) (6%)
Immigration/passport control (5%)

Reader Reality Check

Any surprises? (I was particularly struck by the low-cost carriers’ top rankings among business travelers, a group that has historically favored the full-service airlines.)

This article originally appeared on FrequentFlier.com.

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