Hyatt just announced some extremely generous extensions to their program due to COVID-19 travel restrictions. Instead of taking away or restricting benefits, they are instead bending over backwards to ensure their loyalists continue to stay with the program. If you are a Hyatt person, be prepared to be quite happy with these changes.
Free nights, suite upgrades and club lounge access awards extended
If you were getting concerned that your certificates were going to expire without being able to use them, do not fear — they have all been extended.
All unused Suite Upgrade and Club Lounge Access awards with a February 28, 2021 expiration date will be extended to December 31, 2021.
Additionally, all free night awards that were earned in 2021 with a 2021 expiration date will be extended till December 31, 2021. This is in addition to all awards being extended that originally had a March 1 through December 31, 2020 expiration date.
And don’t forget, status and benefits has also been extended as well — without having to re-qualify. Whatever your status was as of March 31, 2020 will stay through February 28, 2022 — unless you reach a higher tier status.
Related: 10 Tips to Hyatt Certificates — Club Lounge Access, Suite Upgrades, and Free Night
Points expiration extended
World of Hyatt points will now not expire until June 30, 2021. While points do not typically expire within the program, if there is no activity within a 24-month timeframe, they will. As long as you earn or redeem one point though between now and then, you are good to go.
Related: Hyatt status match for corporate travelers
Annual hotel award chart changes being put on hold
Back in March, Hyatt announced their annual award chart changes and unfortunately, they weren’t good. More hotels were going up in category then down, but they put off the changes due to COVID-19. Originally it was thought that those changes would just take place in March 2021. But, with this new announcement, Hyatt is stating that they will not make these changes for most property.
Instead, they are actually lowering the award category for 12 properties on October 29, 2020. And in March 2021, they are increasing the categories for just 4 properties. Properties going down include:
- Stonebridge Inn, A Destination Hotel — going from a category 5 to 4
- Wailea Grand Champions Villas, A Destination Residence — going from a category 6 to 5
- Wailea Ekolu Village, A Destination Residence — going from category 6 to 5
- Wailea Ekahi Village, A Destination Residence — going from category 6 to 5
- Lichenhearth, A Destination Residence — going from category 6 to 5
- Parker New York — going from category 6 to 5
- Grand Hyatt Vail — going from category 7 to 6
- Mauna Lani Point, A Destination Residence — going from category 7 to 6
- Wailea Elua Village, A Destination Residence — going from category 8 to 7
- Kaanapali Alii, A Destination Residence — going from category 8 to 7
- Vail Residences at Cascade Village, A Destination Residence — going from category 8 to 7
- The Lodge at Spruce Peak, A Destination Hotel — going from category 8 to 7
Properties moving up include:
- Hyatt Regency John Wayne Airport — going from category 2 to 3
- Hyatt House Nashville/Downtown-SoBro — going from category 4 to 5
- Mar Monte Hotel part of The Unbound Collection by Hyatt — going from category 4 to 5
- Park Hyatt Aviara — going from category 5 to 6
Off-peak and peak point redemptions postponed
With its category changes last year, Hyatt was also going to implement off-peak and peak point redemptions. Due to COVID-19 it was also put on hold at the time, but it is not being further postponed until July 2021. That means you’ll have ample time to book peak reservations well in advance for 2021 and into 2022.
Overall…
I am quite pleased that Hyatt is taking this approach. They have been my families hotel of choice over the past many years and it is quite obvious why. They truly care about their members which is shown by extending benefits and postponing award chart changes.
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