AwardWallet receives compensation from advertising partners for links on the blog. The opinions expressed here are our own and have not been reviewed, provided, or approved by any bank advertiser. Here's our complete list of Advertisers.
Offers for the The Hyatt Credit Card are not available through this site. Some offers may have expired. Please see our card marketplace for available offers
Hyatt Suite Upgrade Awards are among the most valuable perks you can earn as a
In this post, we’ll dive into how to earn and use Hyatt Suite Upgrade Awards to book a more luxurious experience without spending a fortune.
How To Earn Hyatt Suite Upgrade Awards
There are effectively just three ways of obtaining these coveted Hyatt Suite Upgrade Awards. However, just one of them is realistically achievable for most World of Hyatt members.
Milestone Rewards
World of Hyatt offers its members the ability to earn Milestone Rewards as they ascend the program's elite ranks. The more you stay at Hyatt properties, the more of these upgrade awards you can earn.
You will unlock the ability to earn your first Suite Upgrade Award once you reach 40 qualifying nights or 65,000 base points. That's followed by another two Hyatt Suite Upgrade Awards when you’ve stayed 50 qualifying nights (or accrued 80,000 base points). And you'll automatically earn two more Suite Upgrade Awards when you reach 60 qualifying nights or 100,000 base points. Reaching 60 qualifying nights also earns you Globalist status.
From then on, you'll earn a new Milestone Reward every 10 additional qualifying nights. Each milestone gives you the chance to choose another Suite Upgrade Award or other perks. This continues until you max out at 150 qualifying nights per year.
That means ultra-frequent Hyatt guests have a chance of earning up to 14 Hyatt Suite Upgrade Awards every year. More realistically, those who reach Globalist status can expect to earn up to five. And they can deliver plenty of value when used strategically.
Lifetime Globalist
Those lucky enough to have reached Lifetime Globalist status with Hyatt receive four Suite Upgrade Awards every year around March 1 and still have the chance to earn additional ones through Milestone Rewards, as described above.
Of course, to get to Lifetime Globalist status, you would need to earn a cumulative 1,000,000 base points as a World of Hyatt member. At 5 base points per dollar spent, that translates to a whopping $200,000 spent at Hyatt properties to attain Lifetime Globalist.
Related: The Ultimate Guide to Hyatt Elite Status
As a gift from a friend or family member
Some Milestone Rewards, including Suite Upgrade Awards, can be gifted to other World of Hyatt members. So, if you have generous friends or family members who have earned these awards but don't plan to use them, they can send one your way.
Just remember: the award must be used before it expires. So, make sure your checkout date is on or before the expiration date.
With that said, if any of you out there are feeling particularly generous, you know how to get a hold of me!
How To Use Hyatt Suite Upgrade Awards
Hyatt Suite Upgrade Awards couldn’t be easier to use. Just check that the hotel you’d like to book has a standard suite available for your desired dates and is offering Suite Upgrade Award availability. If so, you can apply your Suite Upgrade Award to confirm the suite right away. There's no need to gamble on a complimentary elite upgrade that might not be available by the time you check in.
Here's a step-by-step guide to redeeming a Hyatt Suite Upgrade Award in the mobile app: Tap on “Account” in the lower right-hand corner, then select the “Awards” tab.
Select the Suite Upgrade Award you’d like to use for your next booking and tap on the “Redeem” button.
You'll be redirected to Hyatt's search screen, where you can choose your hotel and travel dates and book your stay using the Suite Upgrade Award.
One of the best features of Hyatt Suite Upgrade Awards — and what sets them apart from other “upgrade” perks offered by competitors — is that they can be used for stays of up to seven consecutive nights. This makes them especially valuable for leisure trips, when you're more likely to stay longer and at more upscale properties.
Keep in mind that you can only apply Suite Upgrade Awards on reservations for standard or club-level rooms booked directly with Hyatt — whether paid with cash, points, or a points + cash redemption. They cannot be applied to third-party bookings.
Related: How To Use Hyatt Pay My Way and Points + Cash Options
Hyatt Suite Upgrade Award Restrictions
As valuable as these Suite Upgrade Awards are, there are a few important restrictions to keep in mind.
Not all World of Hyatt properties allow suite upgrade redemptions, and unfortunately, Hyatt doesn't publish a full list of ineligible hotels. If you're having trouble applying a Hyatt Suite Upgrade Award, we recommend contacting Hyatt to confirm that the property you want to book participates in this part of the program.
If you are planning to stay at a new property, you'll need to wait until the hotel has officially opened and begun welcoming guests. Even if it's possible to book your stay in advance, you won't be able to apply an award until the hotel is fully operational.
Remember that your checkout date must be on or before the expiration date of your Hyatt Suite Upgrade Award — regardless of how far in advance you book your stay. These awards are valid until the end of the calendar year in which you earn them, plus an additional 14 months.
You can only use these awards to upgrade to standard suites. Premium suites can't be confirmed in advance using the complimentary Suite Upgrade Awards covered in this guide. However, it never hurts to ask for an additional upgrade at check-in.
Lastly, these awards cannot be combined with Free Night Awards earned via the Brand Explorer perk, those earned with a co-branded Hyatt credit card, or any other promotional free nights. They also can't be used with Guest of Honor bookings. Only stays booked using cash, points, or a combination of points + cash are eligible to be upgraded via these awards.
- Earn up to 60,000 Bonus Points. Earn 30,000 Bonus Points after you spend $3,000 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening. Plus, up to 30,000 more Bonus Points by earning 2 Bonus Points total per $1 spent in the first 6 months from account opening on purchases that normally earn 1 Bonus Point, on up to $15,000 spent.
- Enjoy complimentary World of Hyatt Discoverist status for as long as your account is open.
- Get 1 free night each year after your Cardmember anniversary at any Category 1-4 Hyatt hotel or resort
- Receive 5 tier qualifying night credits towards status after account opening, and each year after that for as long as your account is open
- Earn an extra free night at any Category 1-4 Hyatt hotel if you spend $15,000 in a calendar year
- Earn 2 qualifying night credits towards tier status every time you spend $5,000 on your card
- Earn up to 9 points total for Hyatt stays - 4 Bonus Points per $1 spent on qualified purchases at Hyatt hotels & up to 5 Base Points per $1 from Hyatt as a World of Hyatt member
- Earn 2 Bonus Points per $1 spent at restaurants, on airline tickets purchased directly from the airlines, on local transit and commuting and on fitness club and gym memberships
- Member FDIC
- Up to 9X points total per $1 spent at Hyatt - 4X points per $1 when you use your card at Hyatt hotels & 5X points per $1 you can earn as a World of Hyatt member
- 2X points per $1 spent at restaurants, on airlines tickets purchased directly from the airlines, on local transit and commuting and on fitness club and gym memberships
- 1X point per $1 everywhere else
Ineligible World of Hyatt Properties for Suite Upgrade Awards
Unfortunately, there are some properties where you can't use your Hyatt Suite Upgrade Awards. There are several reasons for ineligibility. The most sensible reason is that some properties don't feature suites at all, as is the case with most Hyatt Place and Hyatt Studios hotels. Or, there might only be premium suites available on property, like at certain all-inclusives.
The full list of Hyatt brands where you can't use Suite Upgrade Awards includes:
- Caption by Hyatt hotels or resorts
- Hyatt Place hotels or resorts
- Hyatt Studios hotels
- Hyatt Select hotels
- Me and All Hotels properties
- Mr & Mrs Smith properties
- Any Destination by Hyatt Residences property, except those mentioned in the Destination by Hyatt Residence Award Terms
Finally, Hyatt excludes a growing list of individual properties from Suite Upgrade Award redemptions. For example, the Park Hyatt Sydney blocks Hyatt Suite Upgrade Awards. That's in spite of the fact that the property has suites available that would otherwise be standard suites at other Hyatt properties.
The full list of excluded World of Hyatt properties from Hyatt's Terms & Conditions is:
| Property | Brand |
|---|---|
| Ventana Campground | Alila |
| Alila Manggis | Alila |
| Alila Villas Uluwatu | Alila |
| Alila Taihu Suzhou | Alila |
| Alila Ubud | Alila |
| Alila Kothaifaru Maldives | Alila |
| Alila Napa Valley | Alila |
| AluaSoul Menorca | Alua |
| AluaSun Far Menorca | Alua |
| AluaSun Mediterráneo | Alua |
| AluaSun Cala Antena | Alua |
| AluaSun Lago Park | Alua |
| AluaSun Doblemar | Alua |
| Alua Leo | Alua |
| Alua Boccaccio | Alua |
| Andaz Tokyo Toranomon Hills | Andaz |
| Andaz Lisbon | Andaz |
| Andaz Amsterdam Prinsengracht | Andaz |
| All Bahia Principe hotels and resorts | Bahia Principe hotels and resorts |
| Austin Motel | Bunkhouse |
| Hotel San Cristobal | Bunkhouse |
| Hotel San Jose | Bunkhouse |
| The Carpenter Hotel | Bunkhouse |
| Hotel San Fernando | Bunkhouse |
| All Caption by Hyatt hotels or resorts | Caption by Hyatt hotels or resorts |
| Cheyenne Mountain Resort | Destination by Hyatt |
| Dreams Aventuras | Dreams |
| Dreams Royal Beach | Dreams |
| Grand Hyatt Kuwait Residences | Grand Hyatt |
| Grand Hyatt Grand Cayman | Grand Hyatt |
| Hyatt Paris Madeleine | Hyatt |
| Hyatt Herald Square New York | Hyatt |
| Hyatt Key West Resort and Spa | Hyatt |
| Hyatt City of Dreams Manila | Hyatt |
| Hyatt Rosemont | Hyatt |
| Hyatt Raipur | Hyatt |
| Hyatt Centric South Beach Miami | Hyatt Centric |
| Hyatt Centric Midtown 5th Ave New York | Hyatt Centric |
| Hyatt Centric Old Town Alexandria | Hyatt Centric |
| Hyatt Centric Brickell Miami | Hyatt Centric |
| Hyatt Centric The Pike Long Beach | Hyatt Centric |
| Hyatt Centric MG Road Bangalore | Hyatt Centric |
| Hyatt Centric Chicago O'Hare | Hyatt Centric |
| Hyatt Centric Montreal | Hyatt Centric |
| Hyatt Centric San Isidro Lima | Hyatt Centric |
| All Hyatt Place hotels or resorts | Hyatt Place hotels or resorts |
| Hyatt Regency Kyoto | Hyatt Regency |
| Hyatt Regency Suites Atlanta Northwest | Hyatt Regency |
| Hyatt Regency Lisle near Naperville | Hyatt Regency |
| Hyatt Regency Newport Beach West | Hyatt Regency |
| Hyatt Regency London Albert Embankment | Hyatt Regency |
| Hyatt Regency Madrid Residences | Hyatt Regency |
| Hyatt Regency Morristown | Hyatt Regency |
| Hyatt Regency Manchester | Hyatt Regency |
| Hyatt Regency Mazagan | Hyatt Regency |
| Hyatt Regency Anchorage | Hyatt Regency |
| Most Hyatt Residences | Hyatt Residences |
| All Hyatt Select hotels | Hyatt Select hotels |
| All Hyatt Studios hotels | Hyatt Studios hotels |
| Park South | JdV by Hyatt |
| The Laurel Inn | JdV by Hyatt |
| Hotel Kabuki | JdV by Hyatt |
| Episode Hsinchu | JdV by Hyatt |
| EPISODE Daan Taipei | JdV by Hyatt |
| The Mindaro | JdV by Hyatt |
| Ronil Goa | JdV by Hyatt |
| Lindner Hotel Frankfurt Hochst | Lindner |
| Lindner Hotel Dusseldorf Seestern | Lindner |
| Lindner Hotel Frankfurt Sportpark | Lindner |
| Lindner Hotel City Plaza Cologne | Lindner |
| Lindner Hotel Nurburgring Ferienpark | Lindner |
| Lindner Hotel Nurburgring Motorsport | Lindner |
| Lindner Hotel Nurburgring Congress | Lindner |
| Lindner Hotel Bratislava | Lindner |
| Hotel Leipzig | Me and All Hotels |
| All Me and All Hotels | Me and All Hotels |
| Park Hyatt Maldives Hadahaa | Park Hyatt |
| Park Hyatt Sydney | Park Hyatt |
| Park Hyatt Beaver Creek Resort and Spa | Park Hyatt |
| Park Hyatt Johannesburg | Park Hyatt |
| Park Hyatt Mendoza | Park Hyatt |
| Sunscape Sabor Cozumel | Sunscape |
| The Standard, Singapore | The Standard |
| The Standard, Hua Hin | The Standard |
| The Standard, London | The Standard |
| The Standard, High Line | The Standard |
| The Standard, East Village | The Standard |
| The Standard, Maldives | The Standard |
| The Standard, Ibiza | The Standard |
| The Standard, Lisbon | The Standard |
| The StandardX, Melbourne | The StandardX |
| StandardX Bangkok Riverfront (The StandardX, Bangkok Phra Arthit) | The StandardX |
| Spirit Ridge at NK’MIP Resort | The Unbound Collection by Hyatt |
| Numu Boutique Hotel San Miguel de Allende | The Unbound Collection by Hyatt |
| Chicago Athletic Association | The Unbound Collection by Hyatt |
| Hôtel du Louvre | The Unbound Collection by Hyatt |
| Brunfels Hotel | The Unbound Collection by Hyatt |
| Mar Monte Hotel | The Unbound Collection by Hyatt |
| Thompson Seattle | Thompson |
| Thompson Hollywood | Thompson |
How To Maximize Your Hyatt Suite Upgrade Awards
As a general rule, the longer your stay and the nicer the hotel, the more value you’d get from these awards. Since each award can be applied to a stay of up to seven consecutive nights, shorter stays won't unlock the perk's full potential. If you apply your award to a one-night stay, that certificate doesn't retain any value from the six additional nights you didn't upgrade.
The Hyatt portfolio ranges from high-end brands like Andaz, Thompson, and Park Hyatt to budget-conscious options like Hyatt Place and Hyatt House. Although some of these lower-cost hotels do have standard suites, they aren't all that exciting. Top-tier properties, on the other hand, offer luxurious suites that tend to be far more differentiated from a standard room at the same property.
What to think about before applying a Hyatt Suite Upgrade Award
Another way to think about the value of upgrading to a standard suite is to compare the cost (in points or cash) to the cost of a standard room.
For example, a standard room at a Category 1 property will set you back 3,000 points per night at the lowest price point, while a standard suite starts at 6,000 points on the lowest end. That 3,000-point difference per night adds up to 21,000 points over a seven-night stay.
Now consider the difference at a property like the Palacio Duhau – Park Hyatt Buenos Aires, a Category 7 hotel. Here, a standard room costs 25,000 points per night at the lowest level, and a standard suite starts at 43,000 per night at their lowest. By applying your Hyatt Suite Upgrade Award to a seven-night stay, you’d be saving 126,000 points for the duration of your stay.
It's also important to remember that Hyatt Suite Upgrade Awards only upgrade you from a standard room to a standard suite. They do not cover the cost of the stay itself. So, if you're booking a top-tier property, you’ll still need to pay the full rate in cash or points for that standard room. At times, this can be pretty significant.
For many travelers, the sweet spot is a four-to-six-night stay at a high-end (but not top-tier) property. Rather than fixating on the price difference between a room and a suite, look for properties that offer meaningful differentiation between the two categories. If you have some points to burn, here are some of the best Hyatt hotels in the world.
How To Gift Suite Upgrade Awards
Gifting away a Hyatt award is super simple. You'll follow the same process we outlined above to redeem an award. However, in this case you'll need to tap the “Gift” button. Then, a new screen will ask for your recipient’s World of Hyatt membership number and last name. Tap “Gift Now” and give yourself a nice pat on the back.
Keep in mind that World of Hyatt members can receive a maximum of 10 transferred awards per calendar year, although there's no limit on the number of eligible awards you can gift to others. Once transferred, an award can't be transferred again.
Your lucky friend will receive an email alerting them of your generosity. Once they open their Hyatt app, they’ll see this award for themselves. And they can then upgrade a future stay to a standard suite.
Bottom Line
The Hyatt Suite Upgrade Award is among the most flexible and valuable in the hotel industry. And it's no surprise they're a favorite among Hyatt loyalists. Even the occasional Hyatt guest — with the right friends — can benefit from this amazing perk. That's a pretty great strategy for converting casual customers into Hyatt fanatics.
For those who invest serious resources with Hyatt, Lifetime Globalist brings the promise of four Suite Upgrade Awards annually. For everyone else, there are ample opportunities to claim these awards as you earn elite status and unlock Milestone Rewards.
Whether you're celebrating something special or just want more space, these awards can elevate your stay. With a little strategy, luxury doesn’t have to be out of reach.
For rates and fees of the cards mentioned in this post, please visit the following links: The World of Hyatt Credit Card (Rates & Fees)
