From 2027 onwards, the Onboard Hospitality Awards will be rebranded as the Onboard Awards, marking a step forward in how excellence in the onboard experience is defined, recognised and communicated across the global travel industry.
Over the past decade, the awards have evolved from an industry-led recognition programme into a widely trusted benchmark for onboard hospitality. As airline engagement has grown, so too has their influence beyond the judging room – with award recognition now increasingly visible in passenger-facing communications and onboard touchpoints. This shift reflects a clear industry direction: the awards are no longer just a measure of peer recognition, but a practical standard used to signal quality directly to travellers.
This rebrand formalises that evolution. The Onboard Awards will stand as an independently judged, industry-endorsed seal of excellence, increasingly adopted by airlines and onboard operators as a visible mark of quality across the passenger experience – and firmly established as the category standard.
Airlines are already using the Onboard Awards identity across menus and communications. The new structure expands and formalises this role, strengthening its position as both a benchmark for the industry and a trusted signal for passengers.
More recognition
Under the new format, entries will be assessed against clearer criteria using a transparent scoring system. Judges will anonymously score submissions to determine shortlisted finalists, who will then progress to physical sample evaluation. Each category will recognise both an overall winner and a wider group of notable entries that will be awarded an Onboard Awards Mark of Excellence, ensuring greater visibility of excellence across the industry.
The awards will also expand and diversify categories to reflect the full onboard ecosystem, including food and beverage innovation, service design, sustainability, equipment, crew innovation and strategic partnerships.
Driving credibility
A refreshed judging panel will be introduced each year, supported by enhanced transparency measures including formal conflict-of-interest declarations and a published code of conduct. This year’s panel will be announced mid-September.
The established readership vote will remain, but instead of readers now choosing the finalists, the result of the vote will be considered as one of many factors by judges when awarding winners. The votes will also inform a new Reader’s Choice award, introduced to reflect broader industry and audience perspectives.
Enhanced value
Alongside the awards programme, the Onboard Awards will increase its focus on year-round insight and storytelling, strengthening its role as a global curator of best practice in onboard experience, in partnership with Onboard Hospitality Magazine.
The Onboard Awards will continue to recognise the most innovative and impactful developments in onboard hospitality, but now with a clearer purpose: to serve as an industry-endorsed, passenger-facing mark of excellence across the global travel experience.
Entries for 2027 will open September 1 2026. Register your interest to be the first to hear updates at onboardawards.com.
Any questions? Contact sue.williams@onboardhospitality.com or craig.mcquinn@onboardhospitality.com
