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After over a decade at the Holiday Inn Elk Grove Village, Chicago Seminars is finally getting an upgrade for 2024. The organizers just announced Chicago Seminars 2024 will be held September 20-22, 2024 at the Hyatt Regency O'Hare Chicago. Early bird tickets are now on sale.
What Is Chicago Seminars?
Chicago Seminars is a volunteer-run, nonprofit points and miles conference held annually in Chicago. Since its founding in 2010, Chicago Seminars has showcased some of the brightest minds in the points and miles world. Topics range from the basics of getting started in points and miles… to advanced earning techniques that can't be published on blogs.
Sessions start Friday evening (September 20) and run through Sunday afternoon (September 22). Outside of keynote presentations, attendees will have a choice between 2-3 presentations each hour from experts in the points and miles world.
The full slate of Chicago Seminars 2024 speakers is still being lined up. (If you're interested in presenting, you can fill out this Call for Presentations.) Chicago Seminars 2023 included over 30 speakers presenting on a wide range of topics. You can see the full Chicago Seminars 2023 schedule here.
Chicago Seminars is a registered nonprofit with all net proceeds going to charity. Organizers and volunteers are unpaid. Chicago Seminars 2023 raised over $15,000 for two worthy charities: Miles for Migrants and Airline Ambassadors International.
AwardWallet is the longest-running sponsor of Chicago Seminars, financially supporting the conference since its founding in 2010. Two members of this year's Chicago Seminars organizing committee are from AwardWallet: Award Travel 101 moderator Jackie Wisniewski and myself.
Chicago Seminars 2024 Tickets Now On Sale
Early bird registration for Chicago Seminars 2024 is now open. From now through May 31, 2024, attendees can register at the early-bird price of $299.
Attendees can also book a VIP afterparty for Saturday night for an additional $30. Tickets are nonrefundable but can be transferred for a $25 fee anytime through September 16, 2024.
Why Move From the Holiday Inn?
Since 2010, Chicago Seminars have been held annually (at least during non-pandemic times) at the Holiday Inn Elk Grove Village. Some years, Chicago Seminars even fully took over the small but quaint airport hotel. Some of the best Chicago Seminars memories were formed (and tips shared) at the on-site Shelby Campbells bar and restaurant.
However, one of the biggest complaints from past years has been the quality of the venue. Chicago Seminars organizers found that an increasingly large number of attendees decided to stay at another hotel and commute to the Holiday Inn Elk Grove Village for the seminars.
And then there's cost. In 2024 contract negotiations, the Holiday Inn Elk Grove Village would not budge from a whopping 60% price increase. That led organizers to reach out to over 60 Chicago hotels to ask for pricing for hosting Chicago Seminars 2024. In the end, the winner was clear. The Hyatt Regency O'Hare Chicago is ORD-adjacent, with a free airport shuttle running every 15 minutes.
Plus, the Hyatt Regency O'Hare Chicago is a Hyatt Category 2 hotel. That means you can currently book the two nights of the conference for 8,000 World of Hyatt points per night — or burn a Hyatt free night award. Hyatt Globalists will enjoy a full hot breakfast at the restaurant.
Final Thoughts
The 14th annual Chicago Seminars was just announced for September 20-22, 2024 at the Hyatt Regency Chicago O'Hare. Whether you're just getting into the hobby or are a points and miles veteran, there's something for you to learn at Chicago Seminars. The AwardWallet team hopes to see you there!
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