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World of Hyatt has become my primary hotel loyalty program (with Marriott Bonvoy® shifting into second). I find that I’m consistently treated well as a top-tier Globalist and enjoy the upgrades, redemptions, and benefits that the status brings. It seems like every loyalty program devalues a little bit each year, but I’m pleased to report that World of Hyatt is not following suit and is actually simply tweaking its Milestone Rewards and Guest of Honor benefit. Both of these changes are positive in my eyes with the Milestone Rewards being a big win.
Hyatt Guest of Honor
I’ve actually never used this benefit, but it offers World of Hyatt Globalists to redeem award stays for family and friends to use. The bonus is that they also get the Globalists benefits while staying. Currently, Globalists can apply this benefit to as many people and as many reservations as they want. Next year, it will be amended as follows:
- One Guest of Honor booking is earned at 40 elite nights or 65,000 base points
- Two Guest of Honor bookings are earned at 60 elite nights or 100,000 base points
- One additional Guest of Honor booking is earned at 70, 80, and 90 elite nights
- One additional Guest of Honor booking can also be earned at 110, 120, 130, and 140 elite nights
If you stay 60 nights, you’ll earn three. This can be maxed out at 10 for 140 nights stayed. Guest of Honor awards will be valid for the membership year in which they’re earned (plus an additional 14 months) Anyone who is a Globalist member at the end of 2023, will receive five Guest of Honor awards in their account, which will be valid through February 2025. This is generous on Hyatt’s part.
The really positive news (and what might actually make me use these next year) is that these will now be able to be applied to paid (cash) stays and that members can earn up to one bonus elite night per qualifying Guest of Honor stay. Currently, members do not earn elite-qualifying nights on Guest of Honor bookings.
The Guest of Honor benefit will also not just be for Globalists as anyone staying 40 nights next year (Explorists) can also earn one Guest of Honor award. This means that Explorist members will be able to test drive Globalist status perks for one stay per year (up to seven nights). This might also motivate some of them to push for Globalist. Finally, Guest of Honor bookings will be able to be made online.
World of Hyatt Milestone Rewards
Currently, members earn a Milestone Reward for the first 20 nights stayed and then an additional reward for each 10 nights stayed after up to 100 nights. This is capped at 100 nights, but in 2024 it will increase to 150 nights (meaning five more Milestone Awards).
Hyatt currently awards Club Access Awards at 20 and 30 nights. I’m Globalist and get access to lounges automatically, so these are wasted every year. In 2024, I can choose not to receive these and instead opt for:
- 2K Next Stay Award: two thousand (2,000) World of Hyatt Bonus Points upon completion of the Member’s next eligible stay at a Hyatt House, Hyatt Place, Caption by Hyatt, or UrCove hotel.
- $25 FIND Credit: A code redeemable for a credit of $25 USD towards a FIND experience booked through hyatt.com/find.
At 30 nights, members also receive a Category 1-4 Free Night Award (in addition to the selections above).
At 40 nights, members can currently choose from 5,000 bonus points, a $100 Hyatt gift card, or a $150 FIND experience credit. Next year, the gift card option goes away, but I can choose one Suite Upgrade Award in its place. These are each valid for stays of up to seven nights and have netted me some great suites.
At 50 nights, members can currently get two Suite Upgrade Awards. This becomes a choice next year with 5,000 bonus points or a $150 FIND experience credit as other options. Take the Suite Upgrade Awards!
60 nights brings Globalist status as it does now, and the perks of two Suite Upgrade Awards, access to My Hyatt Concierge, and a Category 1-7 Free Night Award remain the same.
70, 80, and 90 nights currently offer one additional Suite Upgrade Award or 10,000 bonus points. These choices remain, but a $300 FIND experience credit is added as a possible selection.
100 nights currently offers the same choices you receive for 70, 80, and 90 nights. Next year, you can also select these and receive a Category 1-7 Free Night Award or a Miraval Extra Night Award. These are redeemable for an additional (consecutive) night’s free accommodations at a Miraval property when Member pays an Eligible Rate or redeems any Free Night Award(s) or Points + Cash Awards for a night on the same stay.
110, 120, 130, and 140 nights each offer the same choices as at 100 nights stayed.
At 150 nights, Hyatt includes the same selections plus you receive an Ultimate Free Night Award, which is redeemable at a category 1-8 hotel or resort, an all-inclusive hotel or resort classified as category A-F in Hyatt’s award chart for all-inclusive properties, or a Miraval resort. This means any Hyatt property!
Milestone Awards will be giftable to others. A member can gift Suite Upgrade Awards, Club Access Awards, Free Night Awards, Miraval Extra Night Awards, and FIND credits. This is extremely generous.
Anthony’s Take: There are some gems in these changes. I love that I’ll be able to earn five Suite Upgrade Awards at 60 nights and will push for more stays as the benefits are generous. The Guest of Honor changes may be negative for some that were using it too often, but Hyatt gets kudos for making the program even more generous.
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4 comments
The restriction to one Guest of Honor booking at 40 nights is a big downgrade as I use these frequently. That said, Marriott is a train wreck ( “bonvoyed”) so not many options.
I see ZERO added benefits…nice Click bait!!
I think an additional Suite Upgrade Award and the ability to earn more plus the Ultimate Free Night are pretty sweet.
I’m not seeing much good from this personally. I’m a 70 night Globalist who makes around 6-10 GOH bookings a year for family and friends. Now I’ll be stuck with 4 times annually so the people I care about get shorted. The very small plusses are I get a single elite qualifying night for an entire GOH stay and 2,000 points instead of lounge access. That’s a very small good but doesn’t offset the negatives. These changes may not be Bonvoying us top tier elites but I won’t pretend there’s not more bad than good in my case.