Hyatt in May will expand redemption levels for its World of Hyatt loyalty program from three to five.
It's a move that will benefit Hyatt, allowing it to fine-tune its pricing strategies without replacing its entire loyalty program structure. For loyalty members, however, the change could make Hyatt's published award chart, the basis of the program, more complex to interpret and could make stays more expensive in the long term.
World of Hyatt differs from other loyalty programs in that it operates with a fixed-point threshold instead of dynamic pricing. All Hyatt properties are categorized on an ascending scale from 1 to 8 -- with 1 applied to moderate upscale properties like the Hyatt Place Raleigh-Durham Airport and 8 applied to luxury properties like the Park Hyatt New York. Each of the eight categories has its own redemption levels.
In May, the redemption levels will change to Lowest, Low, Moderate, Upper and Top, replacing the current levels of Off-Peak, Standard and Peak, introduced in 2021.
The new structure means that, for example, a standard room at a category 8 property that previously cost 45,000 points per night at the Peak level could cost 75,000 points per night at the Top level under the new structure. It also means that a standard room at a category 3 property that previously cost 9,000 points at the Off-Peak level could cost 8,000 points at the Lowest level.
Hyatt said it will implement the changes "thoughtfully," with a limited number of properties moving some nights into the Upper and Top categories this year. Any future bookings made now under the current award chart terms will be honored, even if the stays occur after the May restructuring.
"Our members tell us they value transparency and the ability to plan with confidence," said Laurie Blair, Hyatt's senior vice president of global marketing and loyalty. "We know change can be difficult, especially in a loyalty program our members care deeply about. This update reinforces our commitment to a published award chart with fixed-point thresholds while ensuring World of Hyatt remains strong, sustainable and rewarding for years to come."
The company also announced that members later this year will be able to share World of Hyatt points digitally with other members.
The World of Hyatt loyalty program ended 2025 with more than 63 million members, according to Hyatt's Q4 earnings call, a 19% year-over-year increase. Loyalty members accounted for nearly half of Hyatt's total occupied hotel rooms globally in 2025.
Source: Business Travel News