Update, 3/24/21: Don’t forget to make award bookings at hotels going up in category, like the Mar Monte, Park Hyatt Aviara, and Andaz Scottsdale before 9am EDT tomorrow!
Update, 3/12/21: The category changes announced last fall will go into effect on 3/25 at 9am EDT. You can lock in lower pricing on future bookings before that time, but changes made afterward will be at the higher rate. The list of 11 hotels changing categories has been updated below. Unfortunately only 1 hotel is going down in price.
Update, 11/1/20: You can now book the hotels listed below at their new lower rates. For example the Stonebridge Inn can now be booked with World of Hyatt card anniversary nights. For example a stay on April 19th is $835 but is just 15K points or 1 anniversary night!
Originally posted on 10/6/20:
Hyatt has been a leader during the COVID-19 pandemic, extending awards, extending elite status, suspending category changes, allowing free cancellations, and having excellent promotions.
Their current Q4 promotions are ridiculously generous, with up to quadruple points, rebates on awards, elite qualifying nights that count for 2020 and 2021 status, free parking, and more.
Hyatt has now announced the following extensions:
- The freeze on points expiration has been extended from 12/31/20 to 6/30/21. Points normally expire after 24 months of inactivity.
- Suite night awards and club lounge awards that currently expire on 2/28/21 will be extended through 12/31/21.
- All free night awards are now valid through 12/31/21.
Program changes:
- Off-peak and peak point redemption that was supposed to go into effect on 3/22/20 will be postponed until July 2021.
- Hyatt previously suspended its March 2020 category changes. Hyatt will also suspend its March 2021 category changes, with the following exceptions that will take place in mid-March 2021:
- Hyatt Place Houston Downtown decreases from category 3 to 2
- Hyatt Place Delano, CA increases from category 1 to 2
- Hyatt Place Palm Bay/Melbourne, FL increases from category 1 to 2
- Hyatt Place Fair Lawn/Paramus, NJ increases from category 1 to 2
- Hyatt Regency John Wayne Airport, CA increases from category 2 to 3
- Hyatt Regency Dharamshala Resort, India, increases from category 2 to 3
- Hyatt Regency Grand Reserve Puerto Rico increases from category 3 to 4
- Hyatt House Nashville / Downtown – SoBro, TN increases from category 4 to 5
- Mar Monte Hotel Unbound Collection, Santa Barbara, CA increases from category 4 to 5
- Park Hyatt Aviara, Carlsbad, CA increases from category 5 to 6
- Andaz Scottsdale Resort & Bungalows, AZ increases from category 5 to 6
- Hyatt will decrease award rates at 14 hotels on 10/29/20:
- Parker New York from category 6 to 5
- Grand Hyatt Vail from category 7 to 6
- Stonebridge Inn, A Destination Hotel from category 5 to 4
- Wailea Grand Champions Villas, A Destination Residence from category 6 to 5
- Wailea Ekolu Village, A Destination Residence from category 6 to 5
- Wailea Ekahi Village, A Destination Residence from category 6 to 5
- Lichenhearth, A Destination Residence from category 6 to 5
- Mauna Lani Point, A Destination Residence from category 7 to 6
- Wailea Elua Village, A Destination Residence from category 8 to 7
- Kaanapali Alii, A Destination Residence from category 8 to 7
- Vail Residences at Cascade Village, A Destination Residence from category 8 to 7
- The Lodge at Spruce Peak, A Destination Hotel from category 8 to 7
The award extensions and the postponement of peak pricing are great news. I would have liked to see award category changes in March 2021 to see award pricing more accurately reflect decreased hotel room rates, but it’s still nice that there won’t be painful category increases. Award category changes try to reflect predicted room rates for the upcoming year, and obviously that’s difficult to do in the midst of a pandemic.
What do you make of today’s announcement?
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26 Comments On "[Update: Category Changes Coming Tomorrow!] Hyatt Extends Points And Awards Validity, Changes Award Categories On Select Hotels And Postpones Program Changes"
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Thoughts on the Hawaii properties that dropped for a family? Looking for place to stay if/when I go.
+1
none of the above are worth it IMO for a family unless you have a ton of HYatt points to unload.
Not very meaningful changes – it would have been nice if they lowered the award levels at more of their hotels that aren’t seeing much traffic. Of course, through Jan. 4 ALL hotels have lower rates (25% off if you have a Hyatt card) but award discounts are still usually better at competing chains for off-peak days. For instance, I’m seeing lots of very low Hilton Honors award prices. Hilton lowers award prices when room rates are low and for some inexplicable reason, they’re now giving you more value on these lower room rates in many cities. Like my Honors points are now suddenly worth more than half a cent: a few months ago, they were often worth less than 4/10ths of a cent. IHG also has good award sales now on many properties. This is why it doesn’t pay to be too loyal to any hotel chain. Get the best status you can via credit card sign-up and play the field.
Mar monte in Santa Barbara is an incredible property, as a cat 4 or 15k points a night before 25% rebate, it’s one of the best Hyatt deals.
I want to go back to California specifically to stay there again
I was thinking this as well. This news makes me want to break out my Hyatt credit card.
Love Hyatt, but right now holding so many club lounge awards that are virtually worthless. Can’t find properties that will exchange for daily food voucher since all clubs are closed. Wish they had another use.
I totally agree with you
Still impossible to book Kaanapali Alii (& likely others) with points even months in advance.
A bit frustrated. We have 2 free anniversary nights that are set to expire 1/1/2021. When I called Hyatt I was told that they are only extending awards that expire in 2020, not in 2021, even though they expire 1/1/2021! Any ideas on what I can do? Thanks
On DDF
It will be extended to 12/31/21 automatically.
When will it be extended automatically? The day of?
Is there any way to get rewards nights if they don’t show online?
3 hotels in Socal moving up in March.
Oucch!
Where did you get info on award increases excepttion for March 2021?
The official list is much shorter and can be found here: https://www.hyatt.com/en-US/info/coronavirus-statement?icamp=hy_cvstatement_jan2020_alertbanner_en#woh-member
Hyatt media relations.
Well, Hyatt Newsroom did not issue an official update on that matter (https://newsroom.hyatt.com/). So did they hide it until end of month?
Current info shows only 4 properties increase in Mid-March.
Certainly odd, but the rep confirmed the list of 11 is accurate.
Thanks for confirming. Few other bloggers also posted about it without mentioning the source. I tried to find it under Hyatt news info, and so far – none. Did not want to call them. Wonder if people after March 25 send them a screen shot of news release from March 11 (only 4 properties up in price) – will they honor the current award levels on the properties that don’t mentioned there?
I chatted and talk on the phone with 2 reps about March 25 changes and Hyatt Peak Awards date – both has absolutely no awareness of these. They said to have no clue about any of those coming soon.
And I still did not find any official Hyatt recognition of the changes posted here and on other blogs…
Can you include the statement that you received from Hyatt, please?
Extra DP:
Emailed Hyatt CS – received a reply DENYING any changes other than listed on the official website! (https://www.hyatt.com/en-US/info/coronavirus-statement?icamp=hy_cvstatement_jan2020_alertbanner_en)
“There are four Hyatt Hotels that will be changing categories this month, to view the list of these hotels please visit the link provided below and scroll to the bottom of the section titled “Extending World of Hyatt Loyalty Program Benefits”.
Furthermore, we do not have an exact date to share at this point as of when our Peak and off-peak award chart changes will go into effect other than this will happen in July 2021.”
Here you go:
https://i.dansdeals.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/23153958/hyatt.png
We just locked in our category-4 free-night certificates for two nights at the Mar Monte in July. Cash price on rooms is $500/night. Not bad for a $75 annual fee.
Nice!
An email from Hyatt :
From April 1 through June 30, 2021, you’ll earn 5 total Bonus Points for every $1 you spend on up to $1,500 on purchases with your World of Hyatt Credit Card.* Activate this special offer by June 30, 2021.