With 1,400 hotels and resorts in its portfolio, Hyatt’s loyalty program sounds modest compared to other major hotel loyalty programs like Marriott Bonvoy, Hilton Honors, and IHG One Rewards, which cover more than 6,000 properties each. However, World of Hyatt’s smaller size is not indicative of its strength. Because the cash value of Hyatt points is far greater than its competitors, World of Hyatt is the most rewarding hotel loyalty program for points and miles nerds. (Plus, its elite status is the most generous of the bunch.)
When Hyatt hinted at big changes for its loyalty program in 2024, many anticipated news of points devaluation and harder-to-attain elite status. But as it turns out, the World of Hyatt loyalty program will be better than ever in the new year. In addition to keeping current elite status qualifications and redemption amounts the same, Hyatt is offering more chances to earn Milestone Rewards (the hotel brand’s bonus rewards for guest loyalty), and the Guest of Honor program will get a complete makeover. Here’s everything you need to know about what the World of Hyatt loyalty program will look like in 2024.
Maintaining elite thresholds
World of Hyatt has four levels of membership, starting with the basic Member level, which is free to sign up for, plus three elite tiers in ascending order: Discoverist, Explorist, and Globalist. Earning elite tier status requires staying a certain number of nights in Hyatt hotels or accumulating base points (typically five points per dollar spent) in a calendar year. Each tier comes with a variety of benefits like discounted room rates, premium internet, room upgrades, late checkout, Club lounge access, and more. Thankfully, none of the requirements to obtain elite status will change in 2024.
Qualification requirements will remain as follows:
Qualifications to earn World of Hyatt elite status will remain the same in 2024.
Courtesy of Hyatt
A new approach to Milestone Rewards
In addition to granting elite status through qualifying nights or base points, World of Hyatt gives Milestone Rewards—like club access, free night certificates, or suite upgrades, for example—for hitting specific thresholds of nights or points in a calendar year. In 2024, the number of Milestone Rewards that can be earned annually will increase, as will the variety of reward choices. There will also be a new option of keeping the Milestone Rewards for yourself or transferring them to another member.
Here’s how it all works: Milestone Rewards will continue to kick in after members stay 20 qualifying nights or earn 35,000 base points per year. Following that, however, Milestone Rewards can be earned after every additional 10 qualifying nights, up to 150 nights per year.
Some milestones come with a choice of three rewards while others come with a predetermined reward plus a choice among three other rewards. Once a milestone is achieved, you’ll have 90 days to choose your reward. You’ll receive an email notifying you of your achievement and then have the option of choosing your award online, in the World of Hyatt app, or by calling the program’s Global Care Center.
A comprehensive chart best summarizes the new maze of Milestone Rewards:
Milestone Rewards are hard to keep track of, but this chart breaks them down easily.
Courtesy of Hyatt
Reimagining the coveted Guest of Honor benefit
World of Hyatt is unique among loyalty programs in that it has historically allowed its members at the Globalist membership tier to bestow their elite benefits to friends and family when booking award stays from the Globalist’s account (either with points or award night certificates). As a Globalist, this past year I personally loved using this Guest of Honor benefit to book trips for my family to experience the likes of standard suite upgrades, complimentary breakfast, and 4 p.m. checkout at Hyatt Paris Madeleine, Hyatt Centric Fort Lauderdale, and Grand Hyatt Baha Mar in the Bahamas.
Starting January 1, 2024, the Guest of Honor benefit will become a Milestone Award, with the first Guest of Honor Award achieved at 40 nights or 65,000 base points, the second and third at 60 nights or 100,000 base points, the fourth at 70 nights, the fifth at 80 nights, and so on, up to 10 Guest of Honor Awards per year through Milestone Rewards.
While I was disappointed at first to learn that this Guest of Honor benefit would no longer remain unlimited (as it was previously), I was thrilled to find out that the benefit could now apply to paid stays as well as award stays up to seven nights. After all, using this benefit in the past required using my own points for others. Now, once acquired, Guest of Honor awards can be gifted to friends and family when staying on their own dime.
To help ease the transition with the Guest of Honor policy, those who have Globalist status as of December 31, 2023, will receive five complimentary Guest of Honor Awards in their account in January 2024, which expire on February 28, 2025.
Takeaways
Many travel loyalty programs are introducing changes in 2024, but World of Hyatt is one of the few keeping current elite status qualifications and redemption amounts the same. Plus, Hyatt is enhancing its Milestone Rewards and its Guest of Honor programs for the better. Basic membership is free, so it doesn’t hurt to sign up and start earning toward your next free stay.
