Chicago Tops Condé Nast Traveler’s US Big-City Ranking for 10th Year
Chicago extended its decade-long run atop Condé Nast Traveler’s reader-ranked list of large U.S. cities, underscoring the durability of its appeal to leisure travelers.
The Lead
Chicago was named Condé Nast Traveler’s Best Big City in the United States for a 10th consecutive year in the publication’s 2026 Readers’ Choice Awards, extending a record run based on reader preferences.
Key Facts
- Condé Nast Traveler published its 2026 Readers’ Choice Awards on October 6.
- The publication recorded 798,867 votes across its 39th annual awards survey; that total covers multiple travel categories, not votes for Chicago alone.
- Chicago has held the Best Big City in the U.S. title each year since 2017.
Article Body
Condé Nast Traveler released the ranking on October 6 as part of an awards program spanning cities, hotels, resorts, cruises, airports and other travel experiences. The publication said readers cast 798,867 votes across the survey.
In a Bloomberg Television interview, Condé Nast Traveler senior features editor Megan Spurrell cited affordability, food, hospitality and changing local cultures as factors shaping travelers’ choices. She also pointed to growing interest in less-traveled destinations, including Phnom Penh, alongside continued support for established favorites.
Chicago’s result gives its tourism industry a prominent marketing credential, but the award should be read as a measure of participating readers’ preferences rather than an objective comparison of prices, visitor volumes or destination quality. The city’s tourism organization, Choose Chicago, said the 2026 result made Chicago the first and only city to win the U.S. big-city category for 10 consecutive years.
The next consequential question is whether that reader loyalty translates into sustained visits and spending as travelers weigh affordability against rising accommodation and transportation costs.
What to Watch
The consequential signal is Chicago’s repeat performance: a decade at the top suggests sustained reader loyalty rather than a single year’s surge in attention.