Hyatt offers 10,000 points to guests who cancel nonrefundable rates

The World of Hyatt loyalty program is making a goodwill gesture to travelers skittish about the COVID-19 virus (coronavirus).

Any guest who booked a nonrefundable, prepaid rate on or before March 8 will get 10,000 World of Hyatt points if they choose to cancel their trip. The offer is good for travel through the end of June and only for bookings made directly through Hyatt.

"The idea is that there is new news that many folks might not have taken into consideration when booking this type of nonrefundable rate," Amy Weinberg, Senior Vice President of the loyalty program told TPG in a phone interview Monday afternoon.

However, Hyatt will not refund guests for these bookings. Like other big hotel chains, Hyatt doesn't actually own most of its 900+ global properties. As of Dec. 31, only 38 hotels out of 924 global Hyatt properties are owned by Hyatt. So Hyatt needs to balance keeping its guests and owners happy.

The 10,000-point bonus is the same, regardless of the the length or cost of a stay, Weinberg told TPG. But if somebody has multiple nonrefundable stays booked, they could get a bonus for each of those stays.

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According to TPG's most recent valuations, 10,000 Hyatt points are worth about $170. With 10,000 Hyatt points, you can currently book two Category 1 (5,000 points) nights or one Category 2 (8,000 points) night, although keep in mind Hyatt is introducing peak and off-peak pricing starting March 22.

Related: Maximizing redemptions with World of Hyatt

This promotion is open to any guest, whether or not they are World of Hyatt members. Nonmembers can join when requesting the points. Cancellations — and the request for the points – must be made 48 hours in advance of a stay; Explorist and Globalist elite members can cancel within 24 hours. To make a cancellation and receive the points, you can call Hyatt at 800-323-7249 or email worldofhyatt@hyatt.com.

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In order to qualify for the points, you must have booked your advance purchase, nonrefundable rate directly with Hyatt. Reservations made through a third-party site or OTA aren't eligible.

This is separate from Hyatt's prior announcement to waive cancellation fees for stays through March 31, 2020 for:

• Guests residing in Greater China, South Korea, Japan and Italy with reservations at Hyatt hotels globally.
• Guests with reservations at Hyatt hotels in Greater China, South Korea, Japan and Italy.

World of Hyatt previously announced that it would be extending elite statuses and benefits for all those in the Asia-Pacific region. Those whose status would have originally expired in 2020 will now see an extension to 2021, and those whose status would have expired in 2021 will have until 2022. This goes for both elite status and benefits associated with the status, such as Suite Upgrade Awards.

Be sure to check out TPG's coronavirus page for the most current updates for travelers.