Hyatt Points Retain Value Despite Upcoming Category Changes

One reason is that Hyatt still has an award chart. Many loyalty programs have moved to dynamic award pricing, which often leads to points or miles decreasing in value and makes getting outsize value from rewards more difficult. The excellent news is that Hyatt didn't decide to remove or change its award chart this year.

Since World of Hyatt uses an award chart, travelers can predict how much they'll need to redeem for upcoming stays and often escape peak pricing during events or high season. World of Hyatt uses peak, standard and off-peak pricing for each category but Genter has booked far more off-peak award nights than peak ones.

The difference between off-peak and peak award rates is minimal: just 3,000 points for Hyatt Category 1 properties, 6,000 points for Category 4 properties and 10,000 points for Category 7 properties. Even considering that Hyatt point s are worth much more than most other hotel points , this is a less significant difference than found in most other hotel loyalty programs.

However, Genter expects we'll continue seeing select brands and properties b ring in dynamic award rates as seen with Mr & Mrs Smith and The Venetian Resort Las Vegas . If this helps maintain an awar d chart f or most propert ies , she won't fret over it . If she chooses t o stay at these propert ies , she'll opt t o earn Hyat t point s instead o f redeeming them .

It's reasonable f or World o f Hyat t t o update th e awar d categor y f or some propert ies once a year . Sure , i t 's been sad seeing som e propert ies slowl y clim b i n categor y each year . And Gent er i s personall y bumme d seein g Par k Hyat t Chenna i mov e up t o Categor y2 fro m Categor y1 - th e onl y suc h instance globally . Bu t as occupanc y rate s an d othe r factor s shif t fo r a propert y i t 's onl y fair fo r it s categor y t o shif t too .

Genter appreciates how Hyat t handle s it s annua l categor y change s especiall y whe n man y othe r loyalt y program s mak e no-notic e devaluation s . Hyat t usual ly announce s planne d chang es abou t amont h befor e they g o int o effec t givin g member s ampl e tim e accumulatin g necessar y poin ts an d bookin g fina l stay s a t curren t rate s besides refunin g exce ss poin ts if bookin gs dro p dow n durin g thi s period betwee n reservatio n date an d actua l visi t date