Top 9 Hotel Brands for Business Travelers in 2026-2027
U.S. News & World Report has unveiled its inaugural ranking of the top hotel brands catering to business travelers for 2026-2027. The evaluation considered factors such as presence in 20 key business cities, the simplicity of achieving elite status, point redemption options, overall network reach, hotel standards, and credit card benefits. To be eligible, brands were required to have a minimum of 1,000 properties worldwide and a formal loyalty program. Leading the rankings was Marriott, followed by Hilton, IHG, Hyatt, Choice Hotels, Wyndham, Sonesta, Accor, and Best Western. The assessment assigned 35% of the weight to coverage and 20% to the ease of earning status, with data gathered in May and June 2026.
Key facts
- U.S. News & World Report published its first ranking of best hotel brands for business travelers for 2026-2027.
- To qualify, a brand needed at least 1,000 global properties, with at least 50 in the U.S., and a structured loyalty program.
- Only nine brands met the qualification threshold.
- Coverage in 20 major business hubs carries 35% weight in the scoring.
- Marriott topped the ranking due to its size and flexible Bonvoy program.
- Hilton averaged 60 available hotels per destination, with most under $300 per night.
- IHG offers milestone rewards every 10 nights after 20 nights, including upgrade certificates and lounge membership.
- Hyatt provides guaranteed late checkout and premium Wi-Fi after just 10 nights.
- Choice Hotels grants early check-in and late checkout after just five nights.
- Wyndham's points never expire and its award tiers are reasonable.
- Sonesta lacks a co-branded credit card, limiting its score.
- Accor dominates European business hubs with properties in over 100 countries.
- Best Western offers points that never expire and early check-in after seven nights.
- Data collection for the ranking took place in May and June 2026.
Entities
Institutions
- Marriott
- Hilton
- IHG
- Hyatt Hotels
- Choice Hotels
- Wyndham
- Sonesta International
- Accor
- Best Western
- U.S. News & World Report
- Ramp
- Quartz Media, Inc.
Locations
- Atlanta
- Chicago
- London
- Paris
- Vancouver
- Washington, D.C.
- United States
- Europe
- Mexico
- Caribbean
- Canada
Sources
- Quartz —