Update, 10/20: Peak and off-peak pricing will go into effect at 11am ET on 10/26 for stays starting from 3/1/22.
Update, 10/13: Peak and off-peak pricing has been pushed off several times due to the pandemic, but Hyatt tells me that they will be moving forward with these changes that were last pushed off until “mid-October 2021.” When it goes into effect, hotel stays starting in March 2022 will price at off-peak, standard, or peak pricing.
Book Hyatt award stays now to lock in standard pricing! If the award cost goes down due to off-peak pricing you’ll get an automatic points refund.
While award nights are typically cancellable until close to the stay, always check the cancellation policy before a speculative booking and set a reminder in your calendar for when to cancel it.
Post which hotels you will be booking stays at!
Originally posted on 12/4/19:
Hyatt has the most valuable hotel points, by far. So it’s no surprise that a devaluation was due and now it’s here.
Luckily, standard award pricing won’t change, but they are introducing peak and off-peak award pricing starting on 3/1/20. Hotel awards have the most value when you redeem for nights during peak season when prices are highest. Peak pricing takes away from that value.
Luckily, Hyatt is being more fair than Marriott. Peak pricing will be determined in advance and won’t change dynamically based on close-in pricing.
And they’re also not pulling a Hilton, Delta, or United by eliminating award charts.
Peak pricing will be done geographically, with all hotels in that region sharing the same peak dates. Hyatt will add an award calendar to find award rates over a month-long period.
If you book an award before 3/1/20 and the price goes down Hyatt will automatically credit your account. If the price goes up on an existing booking you won’t have to pay the difference.
Here is what the new award chart will look like, with peak and off-peak pricing:
| Hotel (Click on category for list of hotels) | Standard Room Award | Points+30%-50% of Cash Rate | Standard Suite Night Award | Premium Suite Night Award |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Category 1 | 3.5K Off-peak 5K Standard 6.5K Peak | 1,750 Off-peak 2,500 Standard 3,250 Peak | 6.5K Off-peak 8K Standard 9.5K Peak | 7K Off-peak 10K Standard 13K Peak |
| Category 2 | 6.5K Off-peak 8K Standard 9.5K Peak | 3,250 Off-peak 4,000 Standard 4,750 Peak | 11.5K Off-peak 13K Standard 14.5K Peak | 13K Off-peak 16K Standard 19K Peak |
| Category 3 | 9K Off-peak 12K Standard 15K Peak | 4,500 Off-peak 6,000 Standard 7,500 Peak | 17K Off-peak 20K Standard 23K Peak | 18K Off-peak 24K Standard 30K Peak |
| Category 4 | 12K Off-peak 15K Standard 18K Peak | 6K Off-peak 7.5K Standard 9K Peak | 21K Off-peak 24K Standard 27K Peak | 24K Off-peak 30K Standard 36K Peak |
| Category 5 | 17K Off-peak 20K Standard 23K Peak | 8.5K Off-peak 10K Standard 11.5K Peak | 29K Off-peak 32K Standard 35K Peak | 34K Off-peak 40K Standard 46K Peak |
| Category 6 | 21K Off-peak 25K Standard 29K Peak | 10.5K Off-peak 12.5K Standard 14.5K Peak | 36K Off-peak 40K Standard 44K Peak | 42K Off-peak 50K Standard 58K Peak |
| Category 7 | 25K Off-peak 30K Standard 35K Peak | 12.5K Off-peak 15K Standard 17.5K Peak | 43K Off-peak 48K Standard 53K Peak | 50K Off-peak 60K Standard 70K Peak |
| Category 8 | 35K Off-peak 40K Standard 45K Peak | 17.5K Off-peak 20K Standard 22.5K Peak | 56K Off-peak 61K Standard 66K Peak | 70K Off-peak 80K Standard 90K Peak |
On the plus side, Hyatt is lowering the cost of incidental spending award that previously had no value. Starting on 1/29/20 you can use this award chart for spa, dining, and other spending. For example currently $1,000 of incidentals would cost 120K points, a value of 0.83 cents per point. With the new award chart it will cost 65K points, a value of 1.54 cents per points.
The annual category 1-4 anniversary night that comes with the World of Hyatt credit card actually becomes more valuable as that can now be used at category 4 hotels during peak season.
You can lock in current award pricing by making future reservations before 3/1/20.
Even with these changes, Hyatt points remain much more valuable than other hotel points.
You can transfer points from Chase to Hyatt instantly:
If you, a member in your household, or an authorized user has one of the following Chase cards, you can transfer points into miles:
- Chase Sapphire Preferred has a 60K signup bonus, earns 2.1 points per dollar on travel, 3.1 points per dollar on dining, streaming, and online groceries, has a $50 hotel credit, can transfer all Chase points into miles, and points are worth at least 1.3 cents each for paid travel or pay yourself back categories ($95 annual fee). Read more here.
- Chase Sapphire Reserve has a 50K signup bonus, earns 3 points per dollar on dining/travel, has a $300 travel credit, can transfer all Chase points into miles, and points are worth at least 1.5 cents each for paid travel or pay yourself back categories ($550 annual fee with $300 travel credit). Read more here.
- Chase Ink Preferred has a 100K signup bonus and earns 3 points per dollar on shipping, advertising, and travel, can transfer all Chase points into miles, and points are worth at least 1.25 cents each for paid travel or pay yourself back categories ($95 annual fee). Read more here.
Chase no-annual fee cards that are fantastic for earning points, but require one of the cards above for points transfers include:
- Chase Ink Cash has a record high 75K signup bonus and earns 5 points per dollar on cable, TV, telecom, cellular, office supply stores, and gift cards from office supply stores, plus 2 points per dollar on dining and gas ($0 annual fee). Read more here.
- Chase Ink Unlimited has a record high 75K signup bonus and earns 1.5 points per dollar everywhere ($0 annual fee). Read more here.
- Chase Freedom Flex has a 20K signup bonus, plus earn 5 points per dollar on up to $12K in groceries for 1 year, plus 5 points on rotating categories, 5 points per dollar on travel purchased through the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal, and 3 points per dollar on dining and drugstores ($0 annual fee). Read more here.
- Chase Freedom Unlimited has a 20K signup bonus, plus earn 5 points per dollar on up to $12K in groceries for 1 year, at least 1.5 points per dollar everywhere, 5 points per dollar on travel purchased through the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal, and 3 points per dollar on dining and drugstores ($0 annual fee). Read more here.
What do you make of the Hyatt changes?
Will you be able to use a FNC for a off peak category 5?
Those are category based, not point based like Marriott or IHG.
I’d assume those will be valid at category 4 peak, meaning they will actually become more valuable.
Hyatt confirmed to me that free nights will be able to be used on category 4 peak pricing
Not more valuable. Same value as today. Up to category 4. Same hotels are eligible.
Today it can save you up to 15K points.
In March it can save you up to 18K points.
the rebbis vision, I like that
I Don’t agree.
If lets say Hyatt pulls a #Bonvoy and multiplies earning and redemption by x3, Will you say that the certificate is now worth 3x more than before?
So your Hyatt points or UR points are being devalued because you need more of them to get the same hotel room.
Your Hyatt certificate gets you the same room it gets you today, hence it’s value does not change. A certificate can be used for a hotel night; it cannot be converted to Hyatt points. The hotel night stays the same. And so does the value of your certificate.
We could agree to disagree on this. It’s not that important how anyone interprets this. Thanks for sharing the news with us.
Positive for me, I always travel off peak:) Worth the trade off. Even on peak is still a great deal compared to other hotels (even off peak rates at other chains are higher than on peak at Hyatt)
Off-peak you’re probably better using UR points, no?
It’s true that even peak Hyatt is a bargain. But it will be less of a bargain now.
For a hyatt house near phili? No way. Esp bc when you pay you have to add in the 13% tax…
For cat 2, 6.5k off peak is worth 90$ the old 8k worth $120. You cant find that with tax for those hotels. Not in my experience at least
For the cat 5+ categories then maybe youre right that UR is better
Points are becoming worthless. All airlines, and hotels will copy delta sky pesos. As long as us consumers are suckers and keep spending, the worse they will get.
For all inclusive resorts it’s more worthed to use Hyatt points as it covers 2 people in the room where as if you pay chase points or cash the second person will make the price go up.
Not true, all inclusive prices are for 2 guests with chase points too and sometimes cheaper than Hyatt award redemption. I’m going to the Zilara in Jamaica, originally I booked 3 nights for 75k Hyatt points for 2 people for regular guest room. I looked on Chase travel portal and they had the same dates for 72k Chase points for a SWIM-UP Junior Suite. So always good to compare both options
buddy the chase points are worth more the hyatt points? worth like 10 or 20 percent more then hyatt points so more liek you paid 72k chase instead of 75k hyatt but 72k chase is worth 80-85k hyatt so you paid more but then again you wanted a suite
Is this true? if I see a hyat room for 15000 and chase has it for 13000 it isn’t alway better to go through chase? isn’t it a 1:1 transfer rate anyways
sorry i’m lost, how’s 72k chase worth 80-85k hyatt? They transfer 1:1, please explain. But yes i could have redeemed about 11k chase for the same non suite room.
post on some nice off-peak options ?
Agree with that ouch!!
What category is the Zilara Cancun? I thought the all inclusive weren’t part of a category?
As you noted was in the making, but gold compared to other airline/hotel devaluations
Please explain:
Chase sapphire reserve
“ 50% bonus value on using points for paid travel redemptions”
https://www.dansdeals.com/credit-cards/credit-cards-points-start-need-know-best-credit-cards/
https://www.dansdeals.com/credit-cards/chase-ultimate-rewards-premium-hybrid-card/
It use to bother me that chase closed my accounts,.after this news I can say that I don’t care anymore
Originally posted on 12/4/19.
Wow! they delayed this almost 2 years from the original announcement.
What about AI’s that are 20/25k as of now. How will they price?
https://world.hyatt.com/content/gp/en/rewards/redemption-updates.html
TY!
Hi Dan, what happens if you book now and change the date later? Will the change trigger new award pricing?
Thanks Barak
Yes, changing the booking dates will trigger the new pricing — if this works the way it has before when Hyatt changed hotel and category award pricing/assignment.
For those who’ve used the combine points form to transfer points between Hyatt members be advised it is taking a whole lot longer than it has in the past. I’m used to 3-5 days but am now told up to 30 days, also have been told 28 days and 14 days by different reps… clearly something is different and Hyatt reps are not aligned on the expected processing time.