Bummer: Hyatt Globalists can't use social media or chat to book Guest of Honor awards anymore
One unique perk of the World of Hyatt program is the Guest of Honor perk provided to top-tier Globalist elites. Hyatt says this perk allows Globalist elites to "share your in-hotel benefits with your Guest of Honor when gifting an eligible award."
As a World of Hyatt Globalist, you can book Guest of Honor awards for others when you want them to enjoy Globalist benefits. After all, World of Hyatt Globalists typically get perks including club access or daily breakfast, 4 p.m. late checkout and free parking on award stays.
Best of all, you don't need to be traveling with someone for them to get Globalist perks when you book them a Guest of Honor award stay. But, as I recently learned, some of the easiest ways to book Guest of Honor awards are no longer available.
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Booking a Guest of Honor award
I earned Hyatt Globalist status for the first time in 2021 and I'm still getting used to the status's perks, but I didn't notice any instructions on Hyatt's website regarding booking a Guest of Honor award. And experience has shown that you can't book a Hyatt award for someone besides yourself online.
I'd seen multiple articles online note that Globalists can book Guest of Honor awards by messaging @HyattConcierge on Twitter. So, when a friend asked me to book a special Hyatt stay for him as a Guest of Honor award, I direct messaged the Hyatt Concierge to redeem World of Hyatt points for his stay.
However, I got the following response:
Judging by the response, Hyatt removed the ability to book Guest of Honor awards via social media and chat on Oct. 12, 2021.
I'm currently outside the U.S., so I wanted to avoid calling. But I turned on Wi-Fi calling and used Google Fi to call Hyatt. After all, award availability was dwindling, so I was afraid the room type my friend wanted would be gone if I wanted until I returned to the U.S. to book.
After listening to the automated options, I pushed "1" to make a new reservation. Luckily, an agent took my call almost immediately. This agent asked for my Hyatt number, last name and email before taking down all the information for my friend and the award I wanted to book. In total, the call took just 16 minutes.
Note that I did need to know the email address and ZIP code on my friend's Hyatt account, so make sure you have that information on hand. And, even though Guest of Honor stays must be award stays, you'll still need to put down a credit card to reserve the award. The agent said I could use a card in my name or my friend's name — so if you don't want to put down your card for your friend's stay, make sure to have their credit card number and expiration date on hand.
Related: Here's how to quickly stock up on Hyatt points for your next vacation
Bottom line
It's a bummer that Hyatt isn't allowing Globalists to make Guest of Honor reservations via social media or chat anymore. The Hyatt Concierge team noted this change is an "increased privacy protection measure." But if privacy is the concern, I'd rather Hyatt allow me to make Guest of Honor reservations online through my account.
Luckily, my call to Hyatt was relatively quick and simple. So, although this change is negative, the experience won't keep me from booking more Guest of Honor awards when the need arises.
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- Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $4,000 on eligible purchases with your new Card within the first 6 months of Card Membership.
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- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked directly with airlines or on amextravel.com.
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| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® Points at Restaurants, plus takeout and delivery in the U.S. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 per calendar year in purchases, then 1X). |
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Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $4,000 on eligible purchases with your new Card within the first 6 months of Card Membership.60,000 bonus pointsAnnual Fee
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Why We Chose It
There's a lot to love about the Amex Gold card. It's been a fan favorite during the pandemic because of its fantastic rewards rate on restaurants (that includes takeout and delivery in the U.S.!) and U.S. supermarkets. If you're hitting the skies soon, you'll also earn bonus points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders) and up to $120 in annual dining statement credits at eligible partners, there's no reason that the foodie shouldn't add this card to their wallet. Enrollment required.Pros
- 4x on dining at restaurants and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1x)
- 3x on flights booked directly with the airline or with Amex Travel
- Welcome bonus of 60,000 points after spending $4,000 in the first six months
Cons
- Weak on travel outside of flights and everyday spending bonus categories
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber/food credits
- Few travel perks and protections
- Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $4,000 on eligible purchases with your new Card within the first 6 months of Card Membership.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® Points at Restaurants, plus takeout and delivery in the U.S., and earn 4X Membership Rewards® points at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 per calendar year in purchases, then 1X).
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked directly with airlines or on amextravel.com.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and each month automatically get $10 in Uber Cash for Uber Eats orders or Uber rides in the U.S., totaling up to $120 per year.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings and earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, Milk Bar and select Shake Shack locations. Enrollment required.
- Choose the color that suits your style. Gold or Rose Gold.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $250.
- Terms Apply.
- See Rates & Fees