Hyatt has never been known for having great IT, though I’d say it has gotten less bad in the past couple of years. At least that’s true as a relative matter, especially when you compare it to Marriott’s recent tech issues.
I’ve always felt like the World of Hyatt account page could have been more informative. Well, overnight Hyatt has made some significant improvements to the World of Hyatt account summary page.
These changes aren’t earth-shattering, but I think they will prove useful to members, especially as the program has gotten a bit more complicated lately.
First of all, the World of Hyatt website has a status bar that helps you track your progress towards the various status levels — where are you on your way to Discoverist, Explorist, and Globalist?
You can click any of the icons relating to each status level, and it will show you the requirements to earn that status, as well as the basics of the benefits offered with it.
Even more useful is that there’s now something that lets you track your progress towards each of the Milestone Rewards. This year Hyatt has introduced Milestone Rewards, where you earn various rewards for every 10 elite nights you earn, between 10 and 100. It can be tough to remember exactly what you get at each threshold, so the new chart displays that clearly, which is nice.
You can also click on each interval and see what you get for passing it. For example, at 30 elite nights or 50,000 base points you receive a free night award valid at a Category 1-4 property, as well as two club lounge access awards.
This whole setup is a significant improvement over what they used to have.
One thing I’d still love to see World of Hyatt add is a progress bar towards lifetime status. Hyatt offers lifetime Globalist status when you earn a million base points (the equivalent of $200,000 of spend). That’s of course a very high threshold, but you’d think they’d show you your progress towards that.
Rather only the e-statements show that, or otherwise you have to phone up Hyatt to see your progress. That’s something they should also bring to their website, in my opinion.
What do you make of these changes to the World of Hyatt site?
Explorist now, and the new site shows I earned a reward where I can choose 5000 bonus points, a $100 Hyatt gift card, or save 10,000 points on a FIND experience. But the page gives no way to actually choose one. I wonder if they expect people to call?
Overall the web update seems to be decent, but I have had a few times in the last 2 days when the site was down.
Where do I get e-statements? I want to see my lifetime points. Can't believe they don't show that prominently on the site.
DIdn’t I also read somewhere that they are now allowing online bookings of Ziva resorts, something you previously had to do over the phone via a call? If so, that would be a great convenience.
Ben you are spot-on with this article. Have been mostly a globalist for years, the lack of progression tracker has been annoying and especially agree with lifetime status one is sorely needed. Sounds like I need to send a follow-up note to Amy. ;)
Hyatt- it’s time to step up your game and include suite upgrades on the website. Living in Asia it is painful going through Facebook messenger and waiting hours to get a reply which 80% of the time says a suite is not available. Also as a globalist I think it makes no sense that life time globalists are often treated better than active renewing globalists.
Agreed, but my issue with the Hyatt app is that you can't message the hotel directly through the app like you can with Marriott. I especially like reaching out to hotels a day or so before check-in and find the Marriott app very useful for that (even when they don't reply for a couple hours...).
Sure, the progress bar is pretty and all that, but...
I think what WoH members really need is proper integration of WoH Chase Visa with their online WoH accounts. Even when points & credits earned from the card get posted properly & timely (I've had no issue with timeliness or accuracy, but many people have), there are *ZERO* details when it happens. The Account Activity line items simply say, "Bonus", with no explanation. Even though...
Sure, the progress bar is pretty and all that, but...
I think what WoH members really need is proper integration of WoH Chase Visa with their online WoH accounts. Even when points & credits earned from the card get posted properly & timely (I've had no issue with timeliness or accuracy, but many people have), there are *ZERO* details when it happens. The Account Activity line items simply say, "Bonus", with no explanation. Even though there is clearly button for those line items labeled "Details": when you click it, there is no information. Total Fail.
Would be nice if you could book suite awards on the website or app.
Website "enhancement" would be great only if the website is NOT down as it is now!
While I agree the new app and website are an improvement, it seems that for globalists who qualified last year while one of the posted benefits was only having to stay 55 nights to requalify, it’s displaying 60 nights now. Is this the same for others?
One infuriating aspect of the Hyatt site that I really wish would have been changed is Award night availability. The site shows the points per night needed and it's not until you click on "select room" do you see if award availability is there or not. Unlike many other sites that show you on the main search page whether award nights are available or not. If Hyatt is reading, please change this!
Having very little previous experience with Hyatt, I find their current website and app to be one of the better ones for hotels. I especially like the map on their website that allows to see all of their properties and filter by brand/category. Even though I wasn't personally 'Bonvoyed' in a bad way, their overall handling of the merger and new program has made we want to use Hyatt as my SPG replacement.