Although the winners were celebrated at a dinner at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center of the National Air and Space Museum of the Smithsonian last night, Thursday, April 27, 2023, one highlight of the 2023 Freddie Awards in Chantilly in Virginia was that after an absence of several years, Randy Petersen — who founded the event in 1988 — returned to host it.
2023 Freddie Awards: Randy Petersen Returns as Host — To Announce Retirement
Every time Randy Petersen hosted a Freddie Awards, he always wore some outlandish outfit.
Not only did he not disappoint this year; but he actually outdid himself.
Who else enters the stage with a grand entrance wearing a space suit — at the National Air and Space Museum, of course — but none other than Randy Petersen?
As he has a ranch on the outskirts of Colorado Springs, he channeled his inner Steve Miller for a moment and called himself the Space Cowboy.
Winners of the 2023 Freddie Awards
One award category of each of the three regions for airlines and lodging companies is what is known as the 210 Award, which is given to the best scoring frequent travel loyalty program that is ranked by fewer than 10 percent of voters. The 210 award is meant to recognize an up-and-coming frequent travel loyalty program which is delivering value to members that may not yet be on the radar of as many frequent travelers.
Without further ado, the official list of winners of the 32nd Freddie Awards in 2023 includes:
Airline — Middle East and Asia/Oceania
- Program of the Year: Vistara – Club Vistara
- Best Elite Program: Singapore Airlines – KrisFlyer
- Best Promotion: Vistara – Club Vistara – 100 Percent Points Rebate
- Best Customer Service: Garuda Indonesia – GarudaMiles
- Best Redemption Ability: Vistara – Club Vistara
- 210 AWARD: Xiamen Airlines – Egret Miles
Hotel — Middle East and Asia/Oceania
- Program of the Year: IHG – One Rewards
- Best Elite Program: IHG – One Rewards
- Best Promotion: ITC Hotels – Club ITC
- Best Customer Service: Taj Hotels – NeuPass
- Best Redemption Ability: IHG – One Rewards
- 210 AWARD: GHA – GHA Discovery
Credit Card — Middle East and Asia/Oceania
- Best Affinity Credit Card: American Express — Membership Rewards
Airline — Europe and Africa
- Program of the Year: Norwegian – Norwegian Reward
- Best Elite Program: TAP Air Portugal – Miles&Go
- Best Promotion: Norwegian – Norwegian Reward – Advent Calendar
- Best Customer Service: Norwegian – Norwegian Reward
- Best Redemption Ability: TAP Air Portugal – Miles&Go
- 210 AWARD: TAP Air Portugal – Miles&Go
Hotel — Europe and Africa
- Program of the Year: IHG – One Rewards
- Best Elite Program: IHG – One Rewards
- Best Promotion: IHG – One Rewards – Earn Up to 4X
- Best Customer Service: Accor – ALL Accor Live Limitless
- Best Redemption Ability: IHG – One Rewards
- 210 AWARD: GHA – GHA Discovery
Credit Card — Europe and Africa
- Best Affinity Credit Card: TAP Air Portugal – Miles&Go Millennium BCP
Airline — Americas
- Program of the Year: Air Canada – Aeroplan
- Best Elite Program: American Airlines – AAdvantage
- Best Promotion: Air Canada – Aeroplan – 2023 Status Extension Promotion
- Best Customer Service: Southwest Airlines – Rapid Rewards
- Best Redemption Ability: Air Canada – Aeroplan
- 210 AWARD: WestJet Airways – WestJet Rewards
Hotel — Americas
- Program of the Year: Marriott Hotels – Marriott Bonvoy
- Best Elite Program: Hyatt Hotels – World of Hyatt
- Best Promotion: Marriott Hotels – Marriott Bonvoy – Make Every Night Count…Twice
- Best Customer Service: Marriott Hotels – Marriott Bonvoy
- Best Redemption Ability: Marriott Hotels – Marriott Bonvoy
- 210 AWARD: Accor – ALL Accor Live Limitless
Credit Card — Americas
- Best Loyalty Credit Card: Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards — Premier Credit Card
The Space Cowboy Walks Off Into the Sunset
Once the 2023 Freddie Awards officially concluded, Randy Petersen had one more announcement, as he grabbed a chair, brought it to the center of the stage next to the lectern, and sat in it.
Filled with sentiment as tears welled up in his eyes, the usually ebullient Randy Petersen struggled to choke back his emotions — and failed — to say that the 2023 Freddie Awards will officially be his last as a host; and that “you will not see me up here again.”
Dead silence then momentarily filled the room.
Proud of his achievements with the Freddie Awards over the past 32 years from its humble beginnings, he received a standing ovation by the attendees as he walked off the stage for the very last time.
I could not see through the tears in my eyes to notice if there was not a dry eye in the house.
Final Boarding Call
Despite maintaining a low profile in general as I did at the 2022 Freddie Awards last year — which at that time was the first time I attended a Freddie Awards ceremony in person since the event occurred in Atlanta in 2015 — seeing some familiar faces in person again was quite nice.
Of interest to note is that Alaska Airlines, Delta Air Lines, and United Airlines not only did not win an award — they were not even officially mentioned at all throughout the entire evening, with the exception of Delta Air Lines being mentioned a few times.
Then again, I was told by no fewer than two employees of Delta Air Lines prior to the start of the awards ceremony in 2015 that if the airline did win a Freddie Award that they were not doing their job correctly. Nonetheless, a few representatives of Delta Air Lines did attend the event last night.
I did not agree with many of the results — but then again, the votes were tallied by frequent travelers; and compiling the information as accurately as possible while organizing a major event is a monumental task.
I was especially thankful to be invited to attend the awards ceremony and banquet, not realizing that the 2023 Freddie Awards would be the last one ever hosted by Randy Petersen…
…and regardless of who won a Freddie Award that evening, the real winners are those who have known and worked with Randy Petersen during the years leading up to that moment — including me.
Thank you for the good times at all of the Freddie Awards which I have attended over the years with you, Randy. Enjoy your retirement from hosting the Freddie Awards. You deserve it.
All photographs ©2023 by Brian Cohen.
