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Our site may earn compensation when a customer clicks on a link, when an application is approved, or when an account is opened with our partners, and this may impact how or where these products appear. While we don't cover all available credit cards, our editorial team creates and maintains all of the analysis of these cards, and our content is not influenced nor subject to review by any credit card company, bank or partner prior to (or after) publication. Please view our advertising policy and product review methodology for more information.
Guides
World of Hyatt wish list: 2 TPG Globalists on their dream program changes
Clint Henderson is a managing editor at TPG who has worked in the journalism industry for more than 25 years. He is obsessed with travel and has used points and miles to explore the world.
Andrea M. Rotondo has traveled to 50+ countries using points and miles. She's a luxury, small-ship cruise expert and hotel maven who can share the not-to-be-missed spots in her adopted home state of Florida. She will also talk all day long about her ancestral homeland: Italy.
April 10, 2026 • 11 min read
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Quick summary
World of Hyatt is introducing a new five-tier award night redemption system in May, replacing its previous three-tier chart and making many stays at popular properties more expensive in points.
There is growing discussion among loyalty program enthusiasts about potential further changes, including more ways to earn points and enhancements to free night awards.
Members and experts hope for improvements such as the ability to top off free night certificates, combine multiple Milestone Rewards in one stay and expand suite upgrade options.
Maintaining existing elite perks, such as complimentary breakfast, waived resort fees and free parking, remains a priority for loyal members.
What to consider
The new five-tier award chart will increase the number of points required for many high-demand properties, especially during peak times.
Some popular perks, like suite upgrades and club lounge access, are limited to certain properties and may not be available at all locations.
Proposed changes, such as waiving peak pricing for top-tier elites or allowing certificate top-offs, are not confirmed and remain wishlist items.
What you'll miss from the article
A detailed look at potential program enhancements and expert suggestions for maximizing value under the new World of Hyatt structure.
Generated by AI with support from our editorial team.
Big changes are coming to the World of Hyatt program this year, with many stays at popular Hyatt properties to cost more World of Hyatt points beginning in May. As TPG first reported back in February, the award chart is going to get more complex when Hyatt introduces a new five-tier award night redemption system (with Lowest, Low, Moderate, Upper and Top tiers replacing the existing three-tier system).
There has also been a steady stream of speculation among points and miles enthusiasts that even bigger changes could be afoot after a reported survey was emailed to some World of Hyatt members asking about the program. World of Hyatt doesn't comment on speculation — and we won't do that either.
But in a world where we'd get to pick anything to change about the popular hotel loyalty program, here are some changes that two of Hyatt's biggest fans at TPG would love to see, if and when Hyatt makes more program updates.
View from the Park Hyatt Shanghai. CLINT HENDERSON/THE POINTS GUY
World of Hyatt points are not easy to earn. We'd love to see even more ways to earn them, especially as award prices continue to go up.
You don't earn a ton of points for butt-in-bed stays, and we were sad when World of Hyatt changed its partnership with American Airlines. It had been so nice being able to "double dip" and earn both AAdvantage bonus miles and World of Hyatt points for American flights, and AAdvantage bonus miles as well as your normal Hyatt points for Hyatt hotel stays. Unfortunately, that option was removed in 2025.
We'd love to see some other creative ways to earn World of Hyatt points.
Of course, you can transfer World of Hyatt points via Chase and Bilt, which we love, but you don't earn a ton of points for actual stays.
As a reminder, Chase Ultimate Rewards points transfer to World of Hyatt at a 1:1 ratio — and in most cases, those transfers happen instantly. Another good option is Chase's Shop Through Chase portal — a terrific way to top up your Chase balances.
The same goes for Bilt. If you’re earning points on rent (and more), you can transfer Bilt Points to Hyatt at a 1:1 ratio, and those transfers are typically instantaneous as well.
We'd also love to see a fun promotion that harks back to the days of US Airways' Grand Slam. Who in the house remembers that gem? You could earn valuable points for activities such as everyday shopping, hotel stays, car rentals and more. (Dear Hyatt: TPG can help you plan an awesome promotion like that. Just call us!)
The ability to top off free night awards with points
Hyatt Regency Paris Etoile. CLINT HENDERSON/THE POINTS GUY
One thing that has become a pain point in the World of Hyatt program is the slow depreciation of the value of free night awards you earn or are gifted. Hyatt offers several types of free night awards: the Category 1-4 award, the Category 1-7 award, the Miraval award and the Ultimate free night award.
Over the years, the Category 1-4 and Category 1-7 awards have lost some utility as more and more Hyatts have moved to Category 5 or above, including the Hyatt Regency Paris Etoile, which went from Category 4 to Category 5, and the Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort & Spa, which moved from Category 7 to 8 last year.
It would be amazing if Hyatt would let us "top off" those certificates using cash or points so we could use them at more desirable or high-end properties. Maybe the program could make this a perk of Explorist or higher status? Or even make it a Milestone Reward?
Suite at the Andaz Tokyo Toranomon Hills. CLINT HENDERSON/THE POINTS GUY
We'd also love to see Hyatt allow multiple Milestone Rewards to be combined in a single stay. Members earn Milestone Rewards as they accrue nights or base points, beginning at just 20 nights or 35,000 base points within a calendar year. Among the options you can choose are suite upgrade awards, Guest of Honor awards and free night awards. As it stands, you can't use multiple awards on the same stay — you can't combine a suite upgrade reward with a free night award, for example. That's a limitation we'd like to see lifted.
It would also be great to be able to use suite upgrade awards at more Hyatt properties. Currently, you can't use them at Hyatt Vacation Club, Caption by Hyatt, Hyatt Place, Hyatt House, Hyatt Studios, Mr & Mrs Smith and Miraval properties. Some individual aspirational hotels, such as the Andaz Tokyo Toranomon Hills and the Park Hyatt in Sydney, are also known for not allowing suite upgrade awards, which can be frustrating.
Finally, it would be really cool to be able to book into a premium-category suite. Currently, suite upgrade awards only enable an upgrade to a standard suite. That means if standard suites are sold out, you can't use your suite upgrade award.
Giving members the ability to “upgrade an upgrade” — or at least access premium suites — would be a meaningful win.
The ability to waive the new peak pricing award rates
A suite at the Category 8 Park Hyatt Zurich. ANDREA M. ROTONDO/THE POINTS GUY
Here's the perk we would love to see materialize: a mechanism to waive World of Hyatt's forthcoming peak pricing award rates for dedicated members. Previously, Hyatt had a three-tiered award chart: off-peak, standard and peak. Starting in May 2026, the chart expands to five tiers: Lowest, Low, Moderate, Upper and Top.
This change hurts. For example, a standard room at a Category 8 hotel such as the Park Hyatt Milan currently costs 45,000 World of Hyatt points per night on peak dates. After May, that same room may cost 75,000 points — a 67% increase.
Maybe Globalists could receive a Milestone Reward option to waive this new increased pricing on one, two or three reservations per year, as a gesture of goodwill from Hyatt to its most loyal patrons.
There are many perks that make World of Hyatt unique among hotel programs, and we would be devastated to lose them — one of our favorites is the complimentary breakfast perk for Globalists.
Unlimited waived resort fees are another perk that Hyatt fans love. It can save an elite member hundreds of dollars a year. All members get waived resort fees on points bookings (or when using a free night award), but World of Hyatt Globalists get waived resort fees on all bookings. That perk is one of the reasons we push so hard every year to earn top-tier Globalist status.
Waived resort fees at hotels like the Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort & Spa can save hundreds. CLINT HENDERSON/THE POINTS GUY
Free parking is another huge perk that can save a ton of money on some stays. Hyatt offers top-tier Globalists free parking on award stays. That can save hundreds of dollars — and it would be nice if that perk were extended to paid stays.
Keep and grow the lounge network
Grand Hyatt Atlanta in Buckhead lounge. CLINT HENDERSON/THE POINTS GUY
Another thing Hyatt could do to further ingratiate itself with elite members is grow the network of club lounges at its hotels. Many U.S. lounges were victims of the COVID-19 pandemic and haven't come back. Club lounges are supposed to be a staple of the Grand Hyatt and Hyatt Regency hotels, but they have been cut way back in some cases, with missing meal service, or, in some cases, closed altogether.
The gorgeous club at the Grand Hyatt San Francisco shut down last year with no plans to reopen, according to the hotel.
Grand Hyatt San Francisco. CLINT HENDERSON/THE POINTS GUY
The club at the Hyatt Regency Aruba Resort Spa and Casino also shut down last summer. Other clubs have dramatically cut back on food and beverage offerings.
That's why we were very happy on a recent stay to see that Hyatt reopened a really nice Grand Club at the Grand Hyatt Atlanta in Buckhead after a major renovation.
The Hyatt Regency Seattle club lounge is fabulous, but has few food options. CLINT HENDERSON/THE POINTS GUY.
The lounges in international locations have fared better, but it's an important benefit for Globalists — even here in the U.S.
Bottom line
Park Hyatt Paris-Vendome. CLINT HENDERSON/THE POINTS GUY
The World of Hyatt program has so much going for it already — many of us at TPG believe it is the most lucrative hotel program in the world, and we wouldn't want to see Hyatt lose that special glow. As Hyatt has steadily raised redemption rates over the years, with 2026 seeing the award chart become even more dynamic, more drastic changes could be a blow to the program. But we certainly appreciate what World of Hyatt has focused on improving, like its app and booking options, and we hope the program continues that theme in 2026.
Bonus wish list item: We hope to see some valuable promotions launch this year. Fingers crossed!
By commenting, you agree to our Community Guidelines to help create a positive space for conversation. The responses below are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser, our partners, or The Points Guy (“TPG”). They have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any of these parties. All responses are submitted by individual contributors, and neither the bank advertiser, our partners, nor TPG are responsible for ensuring that all posts and/or questions are answered.
