Quick points: How I got 16,000 Hyatt points with a phone call
TPG’s Points and Miles team has been writing a Quick Points series to help you earn points, redeem miles and maximize your travel with bite-sized tips. Here's how you may quickly be able to pad your World of Hyatt account.
While 2021 was a better year for travel on the whole than most of 2020, many of us still had to cancel trips and spend more time at home than we might have liked.
As a result, some time-sensitive travel goodies, such as upgrade certificates and free night awards, may have gone unused. While some programs extended those awards for another year, the World of Hyatt program took a different approach.
On Dec. 31, 2021, some Hyatt free night awards and lounge access certificates expired.
Personally, I had one Hyatt Category 1 to 4 award and two lounge access awards that expired on that date. While Hyatt would not extend the certificates or offer any compensation for the situation when I called right before the end of 2021, the program was very generous after the calendar flipped to 2022.
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What happened
Whereas programs such as Hilton and Marriott offered yet another extension for some otherwise expiring free night awards into 2022, Hyatt decided the time was up for additional extensions for awards with an expiration date on Dec. 31, 2021.
While I wasn't terribly heartbroken over my Club Access awards expiring (I'd since earned Globalist status which would get me into lounges), I wasn't thrilled to lose a Category 1 to 4 award.
To be honest, it surprised me to see I was losing an award as I had used several in 2021, but this one with a closer-in expiration date remained unredeemed as the new year approached.
As mentioned, a call to Hyatt just before the end of December about any potential extensions or compensation for the expiring awards was met with kindness but no action other than to check back after the first of the new year to see what could be done.
What was offered
As a points-obsessed person, once I poured my Jan. 1 morning coffee, the next order of business was to call the Hyatt Globalist line. This time, the kind woman on the other end of the call was able to offer points for each expiring award and lounge access certificate.
The exact amount offered for each certificate varies a bit from person to person based on criteria we don't have access to. For example, here at TPG, the number of points received from various staffers varied from 500 to 3,000 points per expiring lounge access certificate.
The minimum offer I've heard for things like lounge access passes is 500 points per expired pass.
My Category 1 to 4 award netted a deposit of 10,000 World of Hyatt points. That's not as good of a return as if I was able to redeem it for a Category 4 hotel that could cost up to 18,000 points per night under the new peak- and off-peak chart, but it was a whole lot better than nothing at all.
TPG values 10,000 Hyatt points at $170, making that alone worth the call.
While I (thankfully) didn't have a valuable Category 1 to 7 award expire, a TPG staffer who did was given 20,000 points for that expired certificate when they reached out to Hyatt.
Bottom line
There are no guarantees as to what Hyatt may or may not offer for any individual account — or how this may change in the future.
But our recent experiences indicate it's at least worth a quick phone call to the World of Hyatt team if you've had some awards and certificates recently expire due to trips you weren't able to take in the last year or two.
After all, that one phone call may net you some extra Hyatt points to put toward trips still to come.
Top offers from our partners
How we chose these cards
TPG featured card
Rewards
6X | 6x Marriott Bonvoy Points on each dollar of eligible purchases at hotels participating in the Marriott Bonvoy® program. |
4X | 4x points for purchases made at restaurants worldwide, at U.S. gas stations, on wireless telephone services purchased directly from U.S. service providers and on U.S. purchases for shipping. |
2X | 2x points on all other eligible purchases. |
Intro offer
Annual Fee
Recommended Credit
Why We Chose It
The Marriott Bonvoy Business Amex is a stacked card with a rewards rate that will help you earn bonus points on everyday and business-related purchases. You'll earn 15 elite night credits each calendar year, and receive automatic Gold elite status. Finally, the free night award certificate with a redemption level of 35,000 points or less can get you hundreds of dollars in potential value each year.Pros
- 6 points per dollar on eligible purchases at hotels participating in the Marriott Bonvoy program
- 4 points per dollar at restaurants worldwide, U.S. gas stations, wireless telephone services purchased directly from U.S. service providers and U.S. shipping
- 2 points per dollar on all other eligible purchases
- Earn a free-night award each card renewal month (up to 35,000 points)
- Receive 15 elite night credits to jump-start status
- Transfer Marriott points to 40+ airlines
Cons
- Airline points transfer ratios are poor
- Must spend $60,000 in a year for second free-night award
- Limited Time Offer: Earn 125,000 Bonus Marriott Bonvoy Points after you use your new Card to make $5,000 in purchases within the first 3 months of Card Membership. Offer ends 5/3/23.
- Receive a 7% discount off standard rates for reservations of standard guest rooms at hotels that participate in the Marriott Bonvoy program when you book directly. Terms and Conditions Apply.
- 6x Marriott Bonvoy Points on each dollar of eligible purchases at hotels participating in the Marriott Bonvoy® program.
- 4x points for purchases made at restaurants worldwide, at U.S. gas stations, on wireless telephone services purchased directly from U.S. service providers and on U.S. purchases for shipping.
- 2x points on all other eligible purchases.
- Receive 1 Free Night Award every year after your Card renewal month. Plus, earn an additional Free Night Award after you spend $60K in purchases on your Card in a calendar year. Awards can be used for one night (redemption level at or under 35,000 Marriott Bonvoy® points) at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy®. Certain hotels have resort fees.
- Enjoy Complimentary Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite Status with your Card.
- Terms apply.
Rewards Rate
6X | 6x Marriott Bonvoy Points on each dollar of eligible purchases at hotels participating in the Marriott Bonvoy® program. |
4X | 4x points for purchases made at restaurants worldwide, at U.S. gas stations, on wireless telephone services purchased directly from U.S. service providers and on U.S. purchases for shipping. |
2X | 2x points on all other eligible purchases. |
Intro Offer
Limited Time Offer: Earn 125,000 Bonus Marriott Bonvoy Points after you use your new Card to make $5,000 in purchases within the first 3 months of Card Membership. Offer ends 5/3/23.Earn 125,000 points75,000 pointsAnnual Fee
$125Recommended Credit
Credit ranges are a variation of FICO© Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.670-850Excellent/Good
Why We Chose It
The Marriott Bonvoy Business Amex is a stacked card with a rewards rate that will help you earn bonus points on everyday and business-related purchases. You'll earn 15 elite night credits each calendar year, and receive automatic Gold elite status. Finally, the free night award certificate with a redemption level of 35,000 points or less can get you hundreds of dollars in potential value each year.Pros
- 6 points per dollar on eligible purchases at hotels participating in the Marriott Bonvoy program
- 4 points per dollar at restaurants worldwide, U.S. gas stations, wireless telephone services purchased directly from U.S. service providers and U.S. shipping
- 2 points per dollar on all other eligible purchases
- Earn a free-night award each card renewal month (up to 35,000 points)
- Receive 15 elite night credits to jump-start status
- Transfer Marriott points to 40+ airlines
Cons
- Airline points transfer ratios are poor
- Must spend $60,000 in a year for second free-night award
- Limited Time Offer: Earn 125,000 Bonus Marriott Bonvoy Points after you use your new Card to make $5,000 in purchases within the first 3 months of Card Membership. Offer ends 5/3/23.
- Receive a 7% discount off standard rates for reservations of standard guest rooms at hotels that participate in the Marriott Bonvoy program when you book directly. Terms and Conditions Apply.
- 6x Marriott Bonvoy Points on each dollar of eligible purchases at hotels participating in the Marriott Bonvoy® program.
- 4x points for purchases made at restaurants worldwide, at U.S. gas stations, on wireless telephone services purchased directly from U.S. service providers and on U.S. purchases for shipping.
- 2x points on all other eligible purchases.
- Receive 1 Free Night Award every year after your Card renewal month. Plus, earn an additional Free Night Award after you spend $60K in purchases on your Card in a calendar year. Awards can be used for one night (redemption level at or under 35,000 Marriott Bonvoy® points) at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy®. Certain hotels have resort fees.
- Enjoy Complimentary Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite Status with your Card.
- Terms apply.