NOMINATED: Domestic

The Alaska Air Group, which now includes Virgin America, flies nearly 1,200 daily flights and serves 118 destinations. In March, Alaska announced that it would do away with the Virgin America brand in 2019. The combined carriers added 44 nonstop markets this year, burgeoning their West Coast network in particular. Alaska also introduced do-it-yourself bag tags this year and announced plans to upgrade its entire mainline fleet with high-speed satellite-based WiFi by the end of 2020.  The company plans to shut down the Virgin America website in April. 

Nominated: Business/First Class, Domestic, Global Network, International, Overall, Sales & Service

American flies to nearly 350 destinations in more than 50 countries. This year, American added 29 domestic routes and eight international routes, including Chicago-Barcelona and Los Angeles-Beijing. In March, American purchased a 2.9% share in China Southern, which led to the launch of 29 codeshare routes in October. Also this year, American debuted its upgraded flagship lounge program, including preflight, full-service dining at New York JFK and Miami. In late November the carrier was set to operate its first scheduled flights with the new Boeing 737 Max.

Nominated: Business/First class, Global network, International

British Airways flies to more than 200 destinations around the world. This year the legacy U.K. carrier launched service between New Orleans and London Heathrow and from both Fort Lauderdale and Oakland, Calif., to London Gatwick. British Airways also announced that it will fly Nashville-London Heathrow beginning in May. At Boston Logan Airport, British Airways opened a new international lounge this spring, expanding on the size of its previous Boston lounge by 30%.

Nominated: Business/First Class, Domestic, Global Network, International, Overall, Sales & Service

During its summer peak this year, Delta flew to 335 destinations in 62 countries. New routes included Portland, Ore.-London Heathrow, Atlanta-Seoul, South Korea, and New York JFK-Lisbon. Delta also focused this year on expanding operations in Seattle and Boston. In May, Delta began joint venture operations with Aeromexico, in June it entered into a joint venture agreement with Korean Air and in July it announced plans to purchase 10% of Air France-KLM and to expand that joint venture by adding Virgin Atlantic. Also this year, Delta put its first Airbus A350s into service and in so doing debuted its new Delta One business-class suites and its Premium Select premium economy cabin.

NOMINATED: Business/First Class, Global Network, International, Overall

Emirates, which serves 156 cities in 84 countries and territories, operates the world's largest fleets of the jumbo Airbus A380 and the Boeing 777. In March, Emirates made Newark its 12th U.S. gateway with the commencement of daily service to Athens and then on to Dubai. Also this year, Emirates entered into an in-depth partnership will fellow Dubai-based carrier Fly Dubai. The move will enable Emirates to marry its long-haul and medium-haul networks with the short-haul network of Fly Dubai. In November, Emirates took delivery of its 100th A380.

NOMINATED: Business/First Class

Singapore Airlines, which serves 62 destinations in 32 countries, launched Airbus A350 service on its Houston-Manchester, England-Singapore service. Singapore also added premium economy on its daily service from San Francisco to Hong Kong and then on to Singapore, meaning that the carrier now offers the premium economy class on all of its U.S. flights. This month, Singapore is set to debut a reconfigured Airbus A380 cabin featuring expanded first-class suites of 60 square feet.

NOMINATED: Domestic, Overall, Sales & Service

Southwest operates more than 4,000 daily departures during peak season and flies to 100 destinations in the U.S. and nine foreign countries. This year Southwest added Cincinnati, Grand Cayman and Turks and Caicos to its route map. In July, Southwest opened a five-gate international concourse in Fort Lauderdale. In October the carrier launched its first nine Boeing 737 Max aircraft, making it the first North American airline to have the new generation narrowbody in the sky.  In October, Southwest announced that it plans to begin servicing Hawaii in 2018. 

NOMINATED: Business/First Class, Domestic, Global Network, International, Overall, Sales & Service

United Airlines flies approximately 4,500 daily flights to 339 destinations around the world. In October, United launched nonstop Los Angeles-Singapore service, the longest route flown by any airline to and from the U.S. The carrier also began service between Newark and Buenos Aires and announced that Denver-London and Houston-Sydney flights are to begin in January. On the tech front, United upgraded its app to enable customers to receive boarding passes when making connections to 19 United partners.

NOMINATED: International, Overall, Sales & Service

Virgin Atlantic launched London-Seattle service this year and announced flights from Manchester, England, to San Francisco, Boston and New York JFK beginning next spring. In July, Virgin Atlantic announced that it would sell a 31% stake in the airline to Air France-KLM as part of deal under which the Delta-Virgin Atlantic joint venture would merge with the Delta-Air France-KLM joint venture to become a three-way arrangement. This summer Virgin Atlantic became the first European carrier to have a fully WiFi-connected fleet. Also over the summer, the carrier refurbished its flagship Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse lounge at London Heathrow.