Hyatt Is Listening – Award Expiration Dates Extended!

When the World of Hyatt program was rolled out, there were many things that caused long-time Hyatt loyalists to reconsider their loyalty to Hyatt. However, Hyatt has made it clear over the last year that they are listening to their members and they have introduced many benefits into (or back into) the program to make it more appealing to their members.

Hyatt Award Expiration Dates Extended!

One of the things that frustrated the most loyal of Hyatt customers was the expiration dates of awards that were given to members upon achieving certain elite levels. To recap, here is what World of Hyatt gives to these elite members upon earning or requalifying for their status:

• Globalists – Globalist members who achieve the night requirement or base point earning requirement earn 4 suite upgrade awards that can be used to confirm suite upgrades at the time of booking for up to 7 nights per award.
• Explorist – Explorist members earn 4 Club Lounge access awards when they earn or renew Explorist status. These can be used at hotels that offer Club Lounges and are valid for up to 7 nights per award.

The Problem With the Old Rules

The problem, before today, was that those awards expired 365 days from the day of issuance. Since they were issued when the member achieved the status, that meant that those who hit the status earlier in the year were issued awards that expired very early into their actual elite year.

Note: If you earn Explorist status this year, it is actually earned for 2019 but is still good for this year. The old rules meant that your awards issued for achieving Globalist status, for example in early March would expire in March of the next year – the actual elite year you qualified for.

Many elites were pretty upset about this, and understandably so. It gave little incentive to qualify too early and it caused many members to book nights with other chains to avoid this problem.

New Rules – Award Expiration Dates Tied to Elite Year

Yes! Hyatt awards extended through the end of the elite year

As of June 1, 2018 World of Hyatt is extending the validity period for suite upgrade awards that members earn when they satisfy tier qualifying night or Base Point earning requirements within a calendar year, as well as for the 4 Club Lounge access awards that Explorists earn per year.

For 2018 and beyond these awards will be valid through the member’s tier expiration date at the time they are earned, as opposed to 365 days. This means members’ awards earned in 2018 will expire February 29, 2020.

For Lifetime Globalists

Upon achieving Lifetime Globalist status, members will receive four suite upgrade awards valid through the remainder of that year plus 14 months. Annually, Lifetime Globalists will receive four suite upgrade awards on or around March 1 valid for the remainder of that year plus 14 months.

In addition, Lifetime Globalists who stay 60 qualifying nights or earn 100,000 Base Points in a calendar year will receive four additional suite upgrade awards that are valid for the remainder of the year they are earned plus 14 months.

Members will be able to see the extended expiration period on their 2018 awards reflected in their World of Hyatt account on June 1, 2018. These changes will also be reflected in the award program terms. Changes to the full program terms and Frequently Asked Questions will be updated shortly.

Hyatt Is Listening!

While the award expiration date extension is great news, for me, the really great news is that Hyatt is listening to their members. This is a change which was really necessary and many people have been complaining about it for a long time. It is nice to see something come from Hyatt every couple of months that shows that they are listening.

I think they kind of went for it all with the new World of Hyatt program and now they are adding things in that they realized are really important to members. It makes sense that they are doing this after many Globalists have been weeded out from the grandfathered year last year.

Now, if only they will listen to me about the Globalist Lite level…