There are about to be a lot of very happy World of Hyatt members, as Hyatt has just announced some generous extensions of status, free night awards, and more. They’ve also extended their change and cancellation waiver.
Continue reading: World of Hyatt Extends Elite Status, Free Nights, And More
Share your questions, experiences, and thoughts below.
Any policy for those currently participating in Hyatt status challenges? I started a 90 day Globalist challenge last month and have not even been able to travel one night since (business travel all on hold).
Kudos to Hyatt with an affirmation to its members in an uncertain world. Hyatt shows loyalty to its members, remembering them at a time when it counts a lot and costs so little.
Some of us are planning and dreaming about traveling again, that includes where we will stay...nice to think that some places will be there with a bigger "Welcome"
Just to confirm: 1) If you earn 60 nights before July 1st, the cat 1-7 certificate will be valid for 18 months. If you earn 60 nights after July 1st, the cat 1-7 certificate will be valid for 6 months only? 2) A current globalist who won’t earn 50 nights before Dec 31 will not have any valid suite upgrades after Feb 2021?
all suite upgrades awards now is existance expire either Feb 2021 or Feb 2022. an extension of suite awards with 2020 expirations is wholly meaningless because no one has any. they are going to need to clean this up.
Same situation as Lucy here. Globalist challenge started March 1 and ends May 31, 2020. I hope the challenge can be reissued once travel resumes. Do you think they will extend or reissue these challenges?
I am currently on a globalist trial (until May 31, 2020). DO you think I get the status till Feb 2022? That would be pretty awesome
Can technically use 3 credit card award nights together in late 2021. One from 2019, one from 2020, and one earned in 20021.
I have always said that Hyatt's is the only frequent traveler program worth going out of your way to qualify for. Nobody else (hotels or airlines) treats their members better. They have just proven that to be the case again.
I have been loyal for years and intend to continue doing so.
Great job Hyatt! You always treat us like we matter!!!!
You have the best loyalty program!
So my award that expires 2/21, stays 2/21, but if it was 12/20, it would go to 12/21??? That just doesn't make sense, just extend them all to the end of 2021.
I think your post is wrong they are not extending all suite night awards. Those that we got this year would not be within the rules. Read the release again. #fakenews
My free cat 1-4 was expiring on 3/30. I contacted WOH around 3/13 and they said they cant extend it, but deposited 10K points to my account as a courtesy but the certificate still was not 'removed'. It did officially expire on 3/30. So, would be intresting to see whether they extend it until 12/21 on 4/20.
This was inevitable, especially after Hilton took the lead, and around mid-year, with the pandemic situation still unresolved, airlines will also be begin adopting similar policies with respect to points expiration and status expiration.
So if I have 20 nights so far in 2020, will those 20 nights carry-over on 2021, towards 2022 status?
Ben - they've also updated awards that were earned in 2020 i.e. if you earned a club upgrade award in February, they now expire in Feb 2022
@ Sean -- No, they don't carry over. They would still count towards Milestone Rewards for this year, but wouldn't help you with qualifying for status next year.
Thanks for extending the status to feb 2022! The part that is confusing is they are extending the club and suite night awards to dec 2021, but the ones we just earned for getting status for until feb 2021 (the same suite and club awards that would expire feb 2022) are not getting any extension??
Suite night and Club access awards expire on the same date your previous year’s status expires — the final day of February. So by definition, World of Hyatt is actually not extending these. There are none scheduled to expire between 3/1 and 12/31, ever. Maybe they’ll update this to coincide with the new status expirations. I certainly hope so, but not too concerned anyway. Members already get at minimum 14 months to use these, and often much more.
For those asking about the status challenge, here's what Hyatt tells me:
"In order for a member to have their elite status extended, they have to actually have the status on 3/31/20. For our current Quick Qualify offer with AA, members who register and activate the offer have 90 days to complete qualifying activity to achieve a higher World of Hyatt tier. If they had yet to complete the qualifying activity by 3/31/20, they did not earn that tier status and therefore would not qualify for this extension."
So if you completed the challenge you're good, while if you didn't, you're not.
Regarding the topic of suite and club upgrades expiring in February, I think there may be an oversight here, and that Hyatt intends to extend those as well. I've followed up with Hyatt on this, and hope to have an answer soon. I would expect these to be extended as well.
Stupid question, but if im a Globalist and have club access awards, what can i do with them? I always have club access right? Can i gift them?
@Ben: Understood we don't get to have the status extended for those on challenge, but can I extend the time frame for my challenge or restart it??
@ Ryan -- Great question, see here:
https://onemileatatime.com/hyatt-club-access-awards-globalist/
In the same boat as @MikeL. Reminds me of the donut hole that IHG created with their free night certificate restrictions/response a couple years ago. That said, I’ve never received anything but exceptional customer service when I call Hyatt (despite mere Discoverist status) so I’m comfortable that it will work out if I can’t find a use by the expiration date.
It would been nice if they extended last year's status which I know for a fact they did for some Globalists. Anyhow, when this policy will go into effect? My free upgrades still showing 2021 expiration:
Club Access Award
Total Earned 4
1 Redeemed
3 Available
Expiration Date Feb 28, 2021
Terms & Conditions
Ugh. This is all great, but I have 2 free night awards that expire in January 2021--right after the December 31, 2020 cut-off for the expiration extension. Most of this year's planned travel has been called off, so I'm not sure I will be able to actually use the certs, and I'm just outside the period for getting an extension.
When is Marriott going to follow suit with Hyatt and Hilton by extending status and certificates??!!
I'm also curious about TSUs expiring Feb 2021. Please let us know if you get clarification on this, Lucky.
So if your not globalist but want to try to obtain it this year they are doing nothing to incentivize people staying with Hyatt? They really should cut the requirements in half or do a double elite night promo.
@ Troy -- I imagine they'll still offer some sort of expedited status opportunities, but I would give them time, since we're not yet at the point where people should be traveling.
I am one of the people in Asia that has already been extended, let me share with you what has happened. I am a globalist.
As at Feb 29 2020.....I had:
(1) 4 club access 9 (exp Feb 28 2021)
(2) 2 remaining suite upgrade exp (Feb 29 2020)
(3) 4 suite upgrades (exp feb 28 2021)
(4) Globalist status exp Feb 28 2021.
On March 12 my status was extended and I the following happened:
(1) My 4 club access NO CHANGE - ie still exp Feb 28 2021
(2) 2 suites that expired on Feb 29 2020 disappeared all together
(3) my suite upgrades still exp Feb 2021 ie NO CHANGE
(4) Status extended to Feb 28 2022.
As at today (Sat 4th April)
1,3, 4 above remain the same. Point 2 ie the 2 remaining suite upgrades that expired on Feb 29 2020, have come back and have an expiration date of Dec 31 2021.
For me, by now I would usually have retained globalist and received additional free nights etc and additional suite upgrades.
It means I now have 6 suite upgrades to use by Feb 2021 - highly unlikely I will do this given the current environment. Also means unlikely to have any in Feb 2022.
I never used the Club Access so not fussed.
Nerd that I am, I have been taking regular screen shots of my account at regular intervals.
Hope this helps.
@MikeL. Like you I wonder if it’s intentional or a mistake. Seems sort of irrational to create the donut hole but it took IHG a long time to backtrack when they did it. The language to do it right seems pretty simple: All unused free night certificates expiring by their terms on or after March 1, 2020 and prior to Dec 31, 2021, will be extended to expire on December 31, 2021.
What about changing reservations for stays which have changed tiers? I booked a hotel in Budapest when it was 10,000 points per night. Now its 25,000 points. I still want to go, but would they honor the original point cost? This is not clear.
Any help in answering this would be great! Thanks!
Wow people started status challenge in early March? That’s not very smart. Did y’all think CoViD was fake news?
Why is Hyatt ignoring new elite members?
After a lot of planning, I was able to earn Globalist status on March 11 (last month) just before the lockdown happened, meaning the status is valid until Feb 2022.
Of course, I am completely unable to use the status until, likely, at least July. Who knows?
Anyone knows why Hyatt is not extending the status for new elite members, like myself, whereas we are unable to use our benefits like everybody else (and while everyone else gets an extra year)? Is it an oversight or on purpose? Feels a bit unfair.
@Kate according to TPG, you cannot. Once you converted the certificate for 10,000 Hyatt points, it will be considered used.
@Lucky very good news if they would also soon extend the club access awards for a year for those expiring in February 2021. I look forward to your follow up post. @Lucky any updated news with IHG in terms of the Chase Anniversary free nights as well as those with Ambassador Membership?
@MDA that would be great. had 3 club upgrades (29FEB20) which disappeared. Would be great if they will come back. Explorist so really could use those ! 🙂 we will wait and see. If not still happy with Hyatt, but will make a difference in my travel if things open up again.
Hyatt seems to be the leader in all this madness.
We will get out of this soon- I hope.
@Lucky.... thank you for this great coverage and communication.
Lucky,
As a globalist I’m very happy for this customer friendly move by Hyatt. I wish Bonvoy followed suit.
Was hoping you could offer some advice . I had locked in JW Maldives at the old rate for 5 nights at 280k. JW Maldives cancels the Rez because of corona. I FB messaged Bonvoy and they refuse to let me rebook to new dates keeping the old rate. And when I brought up the notion that the entire concept of locking in old rate goes out the window if hotels can just cancel these old rate rezzies this was their response “ Hello Al, Thank you for sharing your feedback we will share this with leadership. Thank you.”
Do you have any advice for me? Thanks.
As a promised update, Hyatt has clarified that they don't plan on extending the expiration of suite upgrade awards and club upgrade awards that expire as of February 2021. As Hyatt explains it, "the lengthy validity period for these milestone awards does not require an extension at this time under our standard practices."
Ben, regarding that last comment (from Hyatt), that’s a total load. If we can’t reasonably stay in hotels in 2020, how are we supposed to use Suite upgrade certificates? Especially since they can’t be scheduled past 2/28/21?
I have a Tokyo stay in March 2021, which is a postponed trip from March 2020. Guess I’ll stay in Four Seasons.