The past year or so we’ve seen several positive changes to the World of Hyatt program, which have been welcome. When World of Hyatt was first introduced early last year, there were a lot of member-unfriendly policies, and many of these have now been reversed.
While this hasn’t yet been officially announced, Richard Kerr shares some changes that are rumored to be coming to World of Hyatt as of November 1, 2018. He quotes a “credible source,” so at this point I think it’s worth sharing, though I wouldn’t necessarily take it as a sure thing just yet, since these kinds of things can always change.
Changes to Points + Cash redemptions
Hyatt lets you redeem part points and part cash towards the cost of an award redemption, which often represents a very good deal. See this post for an analysis on when Points + Cash is and isn’t a good deal.
Rumor has is that as of November 1, 2018, Hyatt will be adjusting how Points + Cash awards work. For context, here’s the current World of Hyatt award chart:
Under the new system, you’ll continue to redeem half the number of points when booking Points + Cash awards, but you’ll also be paying half of whatever the published rate is, rather than a set number of points.
This is of course a hugely negative move, as it eliminates the opportunity to get outsized value from these redemption. I guess I’m not too surprised to see this development, though the truth is that it would mean that in a vast majority of cases I’d just outright redeem for a free night, rather than booking Points + Cash. I
don’t mind that too much, given that nowadays free night awards count as qualifying nights towards status, are eligible for promotions, etc.
Introduction of premium suite upgrade
Right now the best upgrade you can receive at a Hyatt is to a standard suite:
- World of Hyatt Globalist members receive unlimited complimentary upgrades to a standard suite, subject to availability
- World of Hyatt Globalist members receive four confirmed suite upgrades per year, each of which can be used to upgrade to a standard suite for a stay of up to seven nights at the time of booking, subject to availability
- All World of Hyatt members can redeem 6,000 points per night to upgrade to a suite when booking an eligible rate
Apparently as of November 1, 2018, World of Hyatt will introduce a way to upgrade to a premium suite rather than a standard room. Members will be able to redeem:
- Double the number of points of a standard room for a premium suite (right now the cost is usually somewhere around 50% more — see the current chart below)
- Redeem 9,000 points per night for an upgrade to a premium suite (rather than 6,000 points for a standard suite)
On the surface this sounds like a positive development, though I think it all comes down to how hotels define suites. We’ve seen some Hyatts play games with how they categorize a standard suite, so I hope with this we don’t see the current standard suites somehow become premium suites, thereby worsening the standard suites.
Bottom line
I’m sure we’ll find out more about these rumored changes shortly. To me World of Hyatt Globalist status is the most lucrative top tier hotel status.
The change to Points + Cash sounds negative, though personally I don’t mind it too much since I’ll just book more free night awards (and World of Hyatt points are pretty easy to come by thanks to the program being an Ultimate Rewards transfer partner).
On the surface the ability to upgrade to premium suites sounds nice, though we’d have to wait and see how hotels implement this before drawing too many conclusions.
What do you make of these rumored World of Hyatt changes?
@Lucky
"Under the new system, you’ll continue to redeem half the number of points when booking Points + Cash awards, but you’ll also be paying half of whatever the published rate is, rather than a set number of points."
Don't you mean "rather than a set dollar amount?"
James
DCS did you really just repost all of that because it didn't immediately pop up on here? are you that simple and small-minded? you really are a pathetic little thing aren't ya
Not surprised if this happens, considering that the SPG cash+points option went away recently with the Marriott merger.
Too bad for Hyatt, though. Cash+points seemed like an affordable way to stay at some of their better properties. Now that I can use IHG points at Kimpton, I think I’ll be staying less at Hyatt and more with Kimpton. Or take a look at Omni’s Program.
Hear anything about an upcoming challenge/status match opportunity at Hyatt soon?
+1 each, Ryan and John. Hyatt's racing Marriott down for point chasers.
Amazing. They realized they screwed too many goldpassport members Been with them for over 20 years.
Left last year
They should make the resort fee half when booking P&C. Would be nice if all room charges earned points.
P&C is all I do with Hyatt. Without P&C this is just another (very random) points currency without any point in going for it.
A lot of times - at least in Asia - P&C is not available as it can only be used on standard rooms. This switch could open up more rooms for P&C if you can pay half of a slightly higher rate. Also I have often not been able to get a suite upgrade as standard suite was not available, so this may open a way to get it for a few more points.
@Joe - Many try to hide behind that mindset, but I have news for you: even an opinion can be wrong...
G'day.
I've gotten some pretty amazing upgrades with Hyatt, so I feel like this is a great opportunity. The Park Hyatt Shanghai once even upgraded me to their $2k/night Chairman suite using a suite upgrade certificate. I'd love the opportunity to get a premier suite since the standard suites do sometimes feel like bigger standard rooms (although sometimes that's not a bad thing).
"the statement about the Globalist status being “most lucrative” would be true if by “most lucrative” one means “most expensive""
So I guess for all your academia you didn't comprehend "to me"? Because all the academics in the world can't trump what is admitted to be a personal opinion.
Except in your world, I guess.
G'day and goodbye.
So they come out with the new WOH credit card, get many of us to put spend on it for the 60K bonus and then devalue P + C? Total snake move by Hyatt.
The biggest issue nobody has touched on? You can use a suite upgrade award on p+c bookings but not on full award stays. I get some seriously outsized value 4 times a year this way. If they go through with this plan it eliminates a huge part of the value I get from my 100+ hyatt nights a year.
"...by far ..."
WoH had (has) by the far the most valuable C+P deals, usually yielding outsized value at their just-below top end hotels that have high cash rates (e.g., Park Hyatt Siem Reap), but do not require a huge number of points because of the categories they are in. Thus, the rumored change may be a massive devaluation depending on how it is implemented, assuming it will even be,
"To me World of Hyatt Globalist status is the most lucrative top tier hotel status."
Attaining the WoH Globalist status is a prime example of a 'Pyrrhic victory': the 'win' comes at a cost that many have found to be prohibitive. Therefore, the statement about the Globalist status being "most lucrative" would be true if by "most lucrative" one means "most expensive - an anathema considering that the whole point of the game is to...
"To me World of Hyatt Globalist status is the most lucrative top tier hotel status."
Attaining the WoH Globalist status is a prime example of a 'Pyrrhic victory': the 'win' comes at a cost that many have found to be prohibitive. Therefore, the statement about the Globalist status being "most lucrative" would be true if by "most lucrative" one means "most expensive - an anathema considering that the whole point of the game is to make affordable leisure travel that would otherwise be tough to afford :-)
As for the rumored changes, one is a small step toward the revenue system and a clear devaluation, and the other is a loser because it will simply mean coughing up more points for a standard suite that's been designated as "premium" by a property, as we've seen many Hilton properties do.
Probably linked to their recent acquisitions. Think about it. They're not going to allow a low-valuation points+cash redemption on the new Two Roads options, and they also need a way to integrate their high-end suites into their portfolio.
It terms of the proposal, it's almost like eliminating points and cash for all stays with even number of nights. You could just book one night on points and one on cash and come up with the same deal as a two night cash and points
This is a real devaluation. I stopped trying to use UR points for airfare because it was much easier to transfer to Hyatt for Points + Cash stays, find availability if you kept trying and you could regularly get $.03 to $.04 per point.
Saying the elimination of P&C isn’t a big deal for you may be true, but it’s a little like “let them eat cake”
I stay a few weeks each year on vacation. In most hotels, that’s 140k points. How many folks earn 420k Hyatt or UR points per year?
Hmmm...
Test to see why a comment I just posted simply disappeared...
"To me World of Hyatt Globalist status is the most lucrative top tier hotel status."
Attaining the WoH Globalist status is a prime example of a 'Pyrrhic victory': the 'win' comes at a cost that many have found to be prohibitive. Therefore, the statement about the Globalist status being "most lucrative" would be true if by "most lucrative" one means "most expensive - an anathema considering that the whole point of the game is to...
"To me World of Hyatt Globalist status is the most lucrative top tier hotel status."
Attaining the WoH Globalist status is a prime example of a 'Pyrrhic victory': the 'win' comes at a cost that many have found to be prohibitive. Therefore, the statement about the Globalist status being "most lucrative" would be true if by "most lucrative" one means "most expensive - an anathema considering that the whole point of the game is to make affordable leisure travel that would otherwise be tough to afford :-)
As for the rumored changes, one is a small step toward the revenue system and a clear devaluation, and the other is a sucker because it will simply mean coughing up more points for a standard suite that's been designated as "premium" by a property, as we've seen many Hilton properties do.
Wow. How badly are things going at Hyatt that they have to do this?
I book dozens of P+C nights in a year. It's pretty much the only reason left to stay with Hyatt. With this change, how do the mucky-mucks at Hyatt think they are competitive?
Oh, and another thing. This is another change that devalues Chase UR points.
As a knock-on effect, this move would further devalue Chase Ultimate Rewards, as Hyatt is one of the better remaining transfer partners. The newly improved AmEx Gold card is seriously encroaching on the territory where both Chase Sapphire cards once singularly dominated. Now if Citi would just add a ThankYou transfer partner such as American Airlines or a decent hotel chain with good transfer ratio, the competition from both sides would force Chase's hand to...
As a knock-on effect, this move would further devalue Chase Ultimate Rewards, as Hyatt is one of the better remaining transfer partners. The newly improved AmEx Gold card is seriously encroaching on the territory where both Chase Sapphire cards once singularly dominated. Now if Citi would just add a ThankYou transfer partner such as American Airlines or a decent hotel chain with good transfer ratio, the competition from both sides would force Chase's hand to step up its game or lose out.
yeah this is definitely a negative situation. unless you have millions of points burning a hole in the account, cash and point value is better than using full point in almost all cases except cat 7 redemption. I am a globalist so I get resort fee waved either way but unless there is a huge parking fee involved... which can be waved for globalists on full point stay only, I choose point and cash booking...
yeah this is definitely a negative situation. unless you have millions of points burning a hole in the account, cash and point value is better than using full point in almost all cases except cat 7 redemption. I am a globalist so I get resort fee waved either way but unless there is a huge parking fee involved... which can be waved for globalists on full point stay only, I choose point and cash booking when ever it's available. Of course I choose cash booking if redemption value is lower than 1.8 c or so regardless. so it seems if the rumor becomes true... I guess P&C booking is option is gone for me. God hope they don't go dynamic on full points booking...
@ Ben -- Sad. Just when I was liking Hyatt again...
I'd be quite excited to see what currently classifies as premium become available for points. ...then again, most hotels with premium suites have several varieties, (PH St. Kitts as an example: Sea View Suite, Nevis Peak, Park Exec, Penthouse, Villa) and the difference between the lowest premium suite and the standard suite might be somewhat negligible. I'd be curious how it is ultimately implemented.
P+C devaluation is a big deal for those of us who don’t have an unlimited amount of points.
Currently the math works out to where in some categories booking P+C is even cheaper than booking points, not to mention it let people stretch their point balances.
Upgrades to premium suites sounds good in theory but how often do people book into suites with points or upgrade to suites with points?
Perhaps, if...
P+C devaluation is a big deal for those of us who don’t have an unlimited amount of points.
Currently the math works out to where in some categories booking P+C is even cheaper than booking points, not to mention it let people stretch their point balances.
Upgrades to premium suites sounds good in theory but how often do people book into suites with points or upgrade to suites with points?
Perhaps, if Hyatt finally eliminated no-suite-upgrades policy for some of their hotel, it’d been useful.
Don't do it, Hyatt