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Suddenly, my Hyatt free night certificates feel nearly worthless -- book these 24 hotels now
Chris was a reporter at The Points Guy, where he covered the intersection of credit card rewards and travel. At TPG, he wrote a broad array of stories ranging from in-depth features and reports to trending travel news as it related to loyalty, card benefits and consumer behavior.
February 14, 2022 • 8 min read
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Quick summary
Hyatt is updating its award chart in March, resulting in 70 hotels moving up in category, significantly more than previous years.
These changes will make it harder to use free night certificates at many popular properties, with over a dozen hotels moving above the eligibility threshold for Category 1-4 certificates.
Several flagship hotels are also moving to Category 8, making them ineligible for even the highest-tier free night certificates.
Hyatt continues to use a published award chart with peak and off-peak pricing, unlike some competitors shifting to dynamic pricing.
What to consider
The new award chart takes effect March 22, impacting both standard points bookings and certificate redemptions.
Category 1-4 and 1-7 free night certificates will no longer be valid at a number of high-value properties, including several Park Hyatt and Alila hotels.
Standard award nights at properties moving from Category 7 to 8 will see a 25% increase in points required per night.
What you'll miss from the article
A detailed list of affected properties and an in-depth comparison of how Hyatt's approach differs from other major hotel loyalty programs.
Generated by AI with support from our editorial team.
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Devaluations are an inevitable reality in the world of loyalty programs.
But when one program that has long been a standout in terms of value loses some of its luster, it stings just a bit more than usual.
Earlier, we learned of Hyatt's annual award chart update, a rejiggering of the categories to which Hyatt properties are assigned. In early 2021, at the height of the pandemic, Hyatt shifted only 10 properties up in award category.
Therefore, it took me a bit off-guard that this year, we saw a whopping 70 hotels go up in category. But travel demand is returning, omicron is waning and Hyatt is still retaining a published award chart despite one of its major rivals imminently switching to dynamic pricing.
But here's why I'm most frustrated by these changes.
Hyatt's award chart shifts go beyond requiring more points to book a favorite property. More significant is the impact on Hyatt's lauded free night certificates.
Simply put, I won't be able to use Category 1-4 free night certificates anymore at over a dozen existing fan-favorite properties worldwide. And some properties, including six Park Hyatts, two Alilas and one Andaz will no longer be bookable on any Hyatt-issued certificate. Period.
Let's take a closer look at why free night certificates, earned by some of Hyatt's most loyal members like myself, are the biggest loser.
World of Hyatt is chartering a different path
The Park Hyatt Sydney. (Photo courtesy of Hyatt)
World of Hyatt is chartering a path that diverges significantly with the loyalty programs from IHG, Hilton and soon, Marriott.
In recent weeks, IHG and Marriott announced that members who use free night certificates will be able to book higher-tier hotels by "topping off" with points from their accounts. However, this added flexibility is coming at the cost (literally) of potentially more expensive award pricing.
Meanwhile, Hyatt has chosen to stay the course. It's keeping award charts but, for now, you won't have the option to "top off" with additional Hyatt points to stay at more premium properties. And with this 2022 award chart shuffle, it will be harder than ever to use free night certificates at some of my favorite hotels worldwide.
When is this happening?
The IHG and Marriott changes are set to take place sometime in March. Whether it's sheer coincidence or not, Hyatt has announced its slew of award chart updates that are set to take into effect in, yes, March.
Confidante Miami (Photo by Benji Stawski/The Points Guy)
Hyatt issues two forms of free night awards: Category 1-4 certificates and Category 1-7 certificates.
Category 1-4 certificates can be earned from a variety of means, including the World of Hyatt Credit Card. You'll earn an automatic one free Category 1-4 night each year after your cardmember anniversary and another Category 1-4 night when you spend $15,000 on the card per calendar year.
Where I've redeemed Category 1-4 certificates
Some of my best redemptions of these certificates include The Confidante Miami Beach and Park Hyatt Istanbul. These properties typically provided outsized value for certificate users as they require high nightly paid rates that can go for $300 or more.
I have received two or even three cents in value per point, way more than what TPG values a single World of Hyatt point to be worth (1.7 cents apiece). But these two hotels, along with 12 others, are going up from Category 4 to Category 5.
Park Hyatt Istanbul. (Photo by Chris Dong/The Points Guy)
In addition, when the Gild Hall moves to Category 5, there won't be a single Hyatt that falls within Category 1-4 in New York's Manhattan borough. I have frequently recommended readers and friends to use their certificate at this property — and I won't be able to do so after March 22.
And yes, while you can still get a free bed somewhere, there are now very few places that I would want to stay at since they aren't destinations in and of themselves (and again, it's harder to get amazing value).
Category 1-4 certificates will be no longer valid at these properties:
The Confidante Miami Beach
Park Hyatt Istanbul - Macka Palas
Gild Hall, a Thompson Hotel
Hyatt Place Santa Barbara
Hyatt Place Santa Cruz
Hyatt Regency Monterey Hotel and Spa on Del Monte Golf Course
Hyatt Place Portland-Old Port
Hyatt Place State College
Hyatt Residence Club Dorado, Hacienda del Mar
Hyatt Regency Hill Country Resort and Spa
Park Hyatt Zanzibar
Hyatt Regency Chesapeake Bay Golf Resort, Spa and Marina
Park Hyatt Hangzhou
Hyatt Regency Seragaki Island, Okinawa
10 exclusive properties will be out of reach
Alila Ventana Big Sur will no longer be bookable with a free night certificate. (Photo by Zach Griff/The Points Guy)
Come March, Hyatt is not only taking the sledgehammer to the Category 1-4 certificate but also to the harder-to-earn Category 1-7 certificate.
A Category 1-7 free night certificate is much more difficult to attain. It can only be acquired when you pass 60 elite nights as a World of Hyatt Globalist. Long story short: it requires a lot of work (and Hyatt loyalty) to earn this certificate.
The Andaz Maui at Wailea Resort. (Photo courtesy of Hyatt)
So it's particularly noteworthy now that Hyatt is moving a handful of its flagship properties to Category 8, a category that cannot be booked with any certificate. This is a major blow to top-tier elites, such as myself, who stay at Hyatts for 60 nights or more per year.
As a current World of Hyatt Globalist striving to reach 60 nights in 2022, I won't be able to use a Category 1-7 certificate at some stellar hotels worldwide, including six Park Hyatts on four different continents and two California-based Alila properties that are TPG favorites.
Category 1-7 certificates will be no longer valid at these properties:
Alila Napa Valley
Alila Ventana Big Sur
Andaz Maui at Wailea Resort
Park Hyatt New York
Park Hyatt Kyoto
Park Hyatt Niseko Hanazono
Park Hyatt Sydney
Park Hyatt Paris-Vendôme
Park Hyatt Milan
Hôtel Lou Pinet
Even if you're not using a certificate, the price hike from Category 7 to Category 8 is substantial. Standard Category 7 nights cost 30,000 points per night while Category 8 costs 40,000 points per night, which is a huge 25% price increase.
Bottom line
I commend Hyatt for retaining published award charts. After all, we still don't know what exactly to expect from Marriott's dynamic award pricing changes nor do we know much about how IHG intends to change its loyalty program, either
But this is an unmistakable devaluation for some of Hyatt's most popular properties worldwide. Hyatt is making some massive changes to its award chart and to me, the biggest loser appears to be those who earn (or currently have) free night certificates.
I know I'm not alone in saying that Hyatt's free night awards provided the opportunity for incredible, outsized value (way beyond our own valuations). That'll now be harder to come by as Hyatt pulls the plug on some of the best ways to use its certificates.
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.
