Big Unbelievable World Of Hyatt Changes: Everything You Need To Know

When the new year arrives so will a revamped Hyatt loyalty program, World of Hyatt 2.0. World of Hyatt changes include reduced elite night requirements for a milestone reward, the ability to earn a Category 1 to 8 free night certificate, and huge changes to the Guest of Honor program. Here’s the good, the bad, and the ugly World of Hyatt changes and everything you need to know.

These changes start on January 1, 2024.

The crux of the program isn’t changing. There aren’t any category changes or elite requirement changes.

If you struggle every year to earn Globalist, these changes give you some Globalist perks that don’t require you to stay 60 nights a year.

You can use a free night award at The Lodget at Kukuiula in 2024

Why is World of Hyatt Changing

The changes are to enhance the best hotel loyalty program which has “quadrupled” according to Mark Vondraske, chief commerical officer, Hyatt.

Some of the changes dilute Globalist benefits while others enhance the program for Explorist members. At the same time, reducing fraud within the program.

With additional perks for members with over 100 nights, the changes help foster loyalty.

Milestone Rewards

Miiestone Rewards will offer perks for staying up to 150 nights

The biggest changes occur within the Milestone Rewards which will include perks for up to 150 nights. The current World of Hyatt program offers eight Milestone Rewards levels.

Under World of Hyatt 2.0, there are 14 levels. Not only are there additional levels you also have more award choices. You can choose the award that works best for you.

Milestone rewards are earned yearly based on nights or base points.

You can earn tier qualifying nights from hotel stays (paid cash rates, redeeming points for award nights, or free night certificates) or through spending from the World of Hyatt card and World of Hyatt business Card.

Base points are earned through qualified spend at a World of Hyatt

20 Night Milestone Reward

The first Milestone Reward begins when you’ve earned 20 nights or earned 35,000 base points. There’s no guaranteed perk but you can choose to get a 2,000 point bonus on your next stay (2K Next Stay), 2 Club Access Awards (CAAs), or a $25 FIND experience credit. Currently, you don’t have a choice and get the CAAs.

For most, especially if you have World of Hyatt Globalist elite status, on first glance the 2K bonus seems like the best value. However, it’s not a blanket bonus.

You only get the 2K Next Stay bonus after your next stay at a Hyatt Place, Hyatt House, Caption by Hyatt, or UrCove Hotel. If you don’t stay at any of those brands, it’s a wasted choice. I’m waiting to hear back from Hyatt to find out about any additional restrictions on the bonus. I’ll update this post when I know more.

Personally, I’d rather have a generic 2K Next Stay bonus where you’d get 2,000 points after a stay at any World of Hyatt. As that would almost cover one night at an off peak Category 1 hotel.

If you don’t stay at Hyatt often and want free breakfast, for a future stay where you’d have to pay for breakfast, the 2 Club Access Awards could be a better choice.

30 Night Milestone Reward

After earning 30 nights or 50,000 base points you’ll receive a Category 1 to 4 Free Night Award and a choice of a 2,000 point bonus on your next stay, 2 Club Access Awards, or a $25 FIND experience credit. Currently, at 30 nights you get the Category 1 to 4 certificate and 2 Club Access Awards.

For this award, as with the 20 night award, the 2,000 point bonus is the best value.

If you regularly book multiple rooms and the Club Access Awards would be a better option.

The $25 FIND credit could be a decent pick IF there’s a FIND experience near you or at a hotel where you have a future stay. Waiting to hear back from Hyatt about a question regarding the FIND credit and will update this post.

40 Night Milestone Reward

You can use your 40 Night Milestone Reward Suite Upgrade Award at Alila Ventana Big Sur

There is a significant change to the 40 Night Milestone Reward under World of Hyatt 2.0. Some good, some bad.

When you’ve earned 40 nights or 65,000 base points you’ll get the ability to book a Guest of Honor reservation and a choice of 5,000 bonus points, a Suite Upgrade Award, or a $150 FIND experience credit.

Starting January 2024, as an Explorist with 40 nights you can make a Guest of Honor (GOH) reservation for yourself or someone else and enjoy Globalist perks. You can also book a GOH on a cash rate, not just on a points stay as is the current GOH policy.

But you are limited to one GOH booking until you earn the ability to make another. Additionally, the Guest of Honor booking is valid for an up to 7 night reservation. Be sure to read this post about the new changes to Guest of Honor bookings and what it means to you.

Unfortunately, you no longer have an option of the $100 Hyatt gift card. This was a great choice for US based members but some hotels had redemption troubles.

Instead you can choose a Suite Upgrade Award (SUA). This allows 40 night Explorist to enjoy the suite life vs just getting upgraded to a higher category of room.

Previously, the obvious choice at 40 nights was the 5,000 point bonus. But now that a Suite Upgrade Award is an option, it might tip the scales. Points never expire. A guarantee suite for a 7 day stay where you need the extra room is also a solid choice. But a SUA expires in a year.

You have to do the math and consider your future Hyatt stays to decide which is the best choice for you.

Pro-tip: You’ll earn one elite qualifying night when you make a GOH for another member. But you will not earn one for making the booking for yourself.

Instead, make it for your partner so you can double dip: enjoy Globalist perks and earn an elite night credit.

50 Night Milestone Reward

Another casualty of the World of Hyatt changes is the 50 night Milestone Reward. Gone are the guaranteed two Suite Upgrade Awards. Unlike the 30, 40, 60, 70, 80, 90, 100, 110, 120, 130, 140, and 150 night rewards, there is no guaranteed perk. It’s almost as if someone made a mistake and the perk was accidentally deleted.

Upon reaching 50 nights or 80,000 base points, you can choose from 5,000 points, 2 Suite Upgrade Awards, or a $150 FIND experience credit.

The best choice for you depends on your future travel. The SUAs are a good choice if you stay at hotels that offer suites and can use them before they expire.

Choosing the $150 FIND experience credit offsets the cost of your “tour” or experience. If you used points for your stay and miles for your flight, your trip could almost be free.

60 Night Milestone Reward

The 60 Night Milestone Reward also gets gutted with the new World of Hyatt changes. This award is reached at 60 nights or 100,000 base points.

Instead of receiving a Category 1 to 7 Free Night Award, 2 Suite Upgrade Awards, and assigned to a My Hyatt Concierge (MHC), now you have to choose between those perks.

But you get the ability to book 2 Guest of Honor bookings. Great news for folks who book a lot of GOH for friends and family. Aside from the one tier qualifying night for booking a GOH for someone else, there’s no real perk for the majority of Globalists.

The 60 night reward choice is the hardest one. A Category 1 to 7 Free Night Award is valuable but with so many aspirational hotels now a Category 8, it’s not as lucrative. It’s a decent option if you’re flexible. But this award expires in six months.

On the other hand, two Suite Upgrade Awards can be quite valuable. Now that you can earn a SUA at 40 nights and Explorists can book a GOH, this could increase competition for limited number of suites. SUAs expire after a year.

It’s hard to quantify the value of a My Hyatt Concierge (MHC). There are some ocassions when their assistance is invaluable. That said, if you don’t have an existing MHC or have never had an MHC, this probably isn’t the best option for you.

70, 80, 90 Night Milestone Rewards

The 70, 80, and 90 Night Milestone Rewards on paper appear improved. In reality, depending on how you look at it, perhaps not so much.

The guaranteed perk at 70, 80, and 90 nights is the ability to make one Guest of Honor reservation. At that many nights, there shouldn’t be a limit to how many GOH reservations you can make.

You can choose from 10,000 bonus points, a Suite Upgrade Award (SUA), or a $300 FIND experience credit.

If most of your stays are single nights and you usually checkin late afternoon, the $300 FIND credit isn’t a good choice. But if you stay multiple nights and have time during the day to explore or experience the location, you could get value from the FIND credit.

Under the current Milestone Rewards chart, most people choose the 10,000 points. That’s because we get 2 SUAs at 50 nights and 2 SUAs at 60 nights. But now with having to choose between a Suite Upgrade Award and another award, the math has changed.

You should select points if you stay at higher Category hotels or travel during peak season where it costs more points. Or if you’ve already picked or don’t have much use for a SUA.

100 Night Milestone Reward

You earn a Category 1 to 7 Free Night Award as part of the 100 Night Milestone Reward. You also get a choice of 10,000 bonus points, a Suite Upgrade Award (SUA), or a Miraval Extra Night.

The Miraval Extra Night gives you a free night when you stay one night. This is a good value if you stay at Miraval and don’t travel with children. But if you travel with family, this wouldn’t be the best choice. I’m waiting to hear back from Hyatt to find out if this is limited to one night or if it’s a BOGO.

Similar to other Milestone Rewards where you have to choose between points or a Suite Upgrade Award, you have to take into your travel plans and needs to determine which is the best option.

110, 120, 130, 140 Night Milestone Rewards

New for 2024, you earn milestone rewards for 110, 120, 130, and 140 nights. This is a great perk if you stay more than 100 nights a year at Hyatt hotels.

It’s a smart move by WOH to incentivize their top customers to stay loyal instead of switching to another hotel program after earning Globalist.

At 110, 120, 130, and 140 nights, you can make one Guest of Honor reservation and get to select from 10,000 bonus points, a Suite Upgrade Award (SUA), or a Miraval Extra Night.

The Miraval Extra Night is valuable if you stay at Miraval.

If you stay for several days at the same hotel and can use the Suite Upgrade Award before it expires, you should choose the SUA.

But if most of your stays are single nights, it could make more sense to select the 10,000 points.

150 Night Milestone Reward

You can use an Ultimate Free Night Award at the Park Hyatt Milan

Upon reaching 150 nights in a calendar year, you earn an Ultimate Free Night Award and a choice of 10,000 bonus points, a Suite Upgrade Award (SUA), or a Miraval Extra Night.

You can use the Ultimate Free Night Award (UFNA) at any participating Category 1 to 8 hotel, at a Category A to F all inclusive resort, or at a participating Miraval resort.

This is a tremendous value of up to 42,000 points because you can use it at any World of Hyatt hotel. As you could with a Category 1 to 7 Free Night Award before the introduction of Category 8 and the A to F all-inclusive chart.

At 150 nights, you’d know best which choice award gives you the most value.

Conclusion

On January 1, 2024, the World of Hyatt Milestone Rewards and the Guest of Honor program will change.

You’ll now be able to earn additional awards after 100 and up to 150 nights. And you can earn an Ultimate Free Night Award that you can redeem at almost any World of Hyatt hotel worldwide.

While I like some of the additional Milestone Rewards options, I’m not sure I’m a fan of the new changes. I don’t like the removal of perks like the two guaranteed Suite Upgrade Awards at 50 and 60 nights and being able to make unlimited GOH bookings.

Are you happy about the upcoming changes?