AwardWallet receives compensation from advertising partners for links on the blog. Terms Apply to the offers listed on this page. 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.
Back in mid-September, Hyatt announced a new round of elite status matches/challenges for American Airlines AAdvantage elites. This time around, AAdvantage elite members have the opportunity to match to get Explorist elite status in the World of Hyatt program. Then, you can extend that status through February 2025 by completing just ten nights in the first 90 days after registering.
Even better, AAdvantage Platinum Pro and Executive Platinum elites can elevate to top-tier Hyatt Globalist elite status by staying 20 elite nights in the 90-day challenge period.
However, the deadline to register for this year's offer is November 30, 2023. So, this is your last call to take advantage of this year's World of Hyatt elite status match offer for AAdvantage elites.
World of Hyatt-American Airlines AAdvantage Partnership Overview
Hyatt and American Airlines announced their partnership in April 2019. The two-way partnership is designed to mutually benefit elite members of both loyalty programs with several reciprocal perks and offerings. Generally, the partnership consists of:
- World of Hyatt elite members earn 1x bonus World of Hyatt points on qualifying American Airlines flights.
- AAdvantage elite members earn 1x bonus AAdvantage mile at qualifying Hyatt properties.
- Elite members of both programs will get the chance to participate in special status matches/challenges.
- American Airlines Concierge Key members — AA's special invitation-only elite status — receive complimentary top-tier Hyatt Globalist status.
World of Hyatt Status Challenge for American Airlines Elites
American Airlines AAdvantage elites can register to immediately get Explorist status for 90 days. Then, you can challenge for either Hyatt Explorist or Hyatt Globalist depending on your AAdvantage elite status tier.
- You must register for this challenge by November 30, 2023.
- You will have 90 days after registration to complete the challenge.
- Hyatt status earned via challenge will be valid through February 2025.
- All AAdvantage elites can earn Hyatt Explorist by completing 10 elite-qualifying nights during the challenge period.
- Platinum Pro and Executive Platinum elites can earn Hyatt Globalist by completing 20 elite-qualifying nights.
Both of these challenges will let you earn Hyatt elite status in one-third of the number of nights typically required. However, you're only given one-fourth of the year to complete the challenge. Still, the ability for AAdvantage Platinum Pro and Executive Platinum elites to earn top-tier Globalist for just 20 nights is particularly lucrative.
The terms and conditions also mention that eligible rates and award nights will qualify. However, elite-qualifying nights earned through spending on the The World of Hyatt Credit Card will likely not count for this challenge.
- 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 at Hyatt hotels & 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
Another factor worth considering is that Hyatt elite status earned through a challenge is considered “light” status. This is because you won't receive any of the Milestone Rewards you'd normally receive for completing the standard elite-night requirements. These include Free-Night Awards, Suite Upgrade Awards, and Club Lounge Access Awards.
World of Hyatt-AAdvantage Elite Status Match-Challenge History
Hyatt and American have offered four rounds of elite status matches/challenges — one each year. The original status match/challenge ended on October 1, 2019. Hyatt and American offered another match from March through September 2020, another round from July to September 2021, and most recently from August to November 2022.
At first, these status match-challenge offers were reciprocal. Hyatt elites could fast-track to AAdvantage elite status and AAdvantage elites could fast-track to World of Hyatt elite status. However, starting in 2022, AAdvantage started getting stingy about offering status matches to World of Hyatt elites.
Like last year, this status match/challenge is only being offered one way. AAdvantage elite status members can match their status to World of Hyatt and then challenge to keep it through 2025.
However, World of Hyatt elites aren't guaranteed a shortcut to AAdvantage elite status. Instead, AAdvantage members who linked their World of Hyatt and AAdvantage accounts are directed to check the promotions tab of their AAdvantage account for “an exclusive offer.” This is likely going to take the form of an AAdvantage Instant Status Pass offer.
Final Thoughts
When this Hyatt-American Airlines partnership was first announced in 2019, we honestly didn't know how often to expect these “special status-match challenges”. It's great to see that it's turning out to be a once-per-year opportunity.
This promotion offered a generous window to register. However, we are almost at the deadline to take advantage. AAdvantage elites can register for this promotion through November 30, 2023. So, now's your last chance to take advantage of this Hyatt status match.
The comments on this page are not provided, reviewed, or otherwise approved by the bank advertiser. It is not the bank advertiser's responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered.
Hi JT – any advice? I’m already Explorist until Feb 2024. I won’t organically retain it with 30 nights. I could probably get the 10 nights needed with the trail Explorist promo . I’ve checked the T&Cs and I can’t find anything. Do you think I should sign up for the trail or do you think the promo won’t apply to me?
From what I’m reading, the promo should still work for you!
To qualify for this offer, you must be an AAdvantage® Platinum Pro, Executive Platinum, or Concierge Key member who has already successfully linked your AAdvantage® account to your World of Hyatt® account (“Eligible Member”).
I’m not sure where this article is getting the information regarding the ability to stay 20 nights for Globalist as part of this challenge. I’m assuming that it is only available to Executive Platinum and above. After speaking with Hyatt concierge over chat, I was told that only Explorist is available for the tier status challenge. If this is not the case or if there are more nuances to being allowed to participate in the Globalist challenge not mentioned in this article, please feel free to reply.
Jenn: Indeed the Globalist challenge is only open to Executive Platinum members. That wasn’t clear in this article, so we added a couple of sentences to try to clarify.
Platinum Pro is eligible for the Globalist challenge per the terms.
To qualify for this offer, you must be an AAdvantage® Platinum Pro, Executive Platinum, or Concierge Key member who has already successfully linked your AAdvantage® account to your World of Hyatt® account (“Eligible Member”).
Thanks for flagging that change. It seems Hyatt and AA changed that after communicating this promotion to us.
I completely forgot I signed up for this but then again I sign up for everything. And I one trip to Texas back in April and two trips in the last two weeks for work. One of the trips was 4 legs. After I completed 2 of 4 legs I got an email that I received AA Gold status. Went into my account and yep Gold till Jan 2023. At least my return flight home I was upgraded to First Class on 3rd leg and Comfort on 4th. Now this damn variant is raring it’s ugly head when I’m finally Gold from challenge.
Whoops. I activated this too soon. Be careful when you register! I don’t think I can make it in 90 days.
For some reason, after registering my Hyatt account, it took a call (with a long, long wait time) to have a customer service rep work her magic for Explorist to show up as my status within the Hyatt program, noting the status was good through mid-Oct. With a couple Hyatt stays already planned, I will see how it goes.
Buenisima la promo !! Que bueno que se esten agregando diferentes maneras de conseguir millas addvantaje. Ojala pronto aparezcan otros beneficios. Dormir y ganar millas…me encanto. !!
Que bueno para los que acumulamos con advantage
Hyatt already reduced the number of nights needed to upgrade your elite status. In my opinion, you will lose the milestones bonus and the other benefits like suits upgrade and lounge access after registering at this challenge!
What do you think?
That’s what I was thinking, it seems that it would be better to forget the AA part and go for the real Hyatt status and hopefully get offered the AA status.
Status in nice but the diluting effect of the promotions makes having status less valuable.
I wish Hyatt had more flexible Hawaii properties….
This is diluting the worth of each program even more. Have to admit to being amused by the emails from AA offering the opportunity to be an Explorist with Hyatt. Already sitting at 88 nights.
I just hope that this current situation ends soon so that I can make use of all this.
It is certainly nice to see this being offered. Fast track to elite status is always nice. Elite status with Hyatt is one of the more valuable statuses to get. If you are an elite member of American Airlines, you should go for this.
I don’t think even too many platinum elites can complete the required 20 nights by September 30.
Interesting partnership, I would have seen AA more aligned with Marriott, however I guess Delta got in there first
Ah well. The one time I let my elite status drop down from Exec Plat to Gold because I couldn’t see staying loyal to AA. Love Hyatt, but just don’t see myself returning to AA.
I received this status challenge to Explorist. Nice, but since I’m already a Globalist due to my travel this year, it doesn’t do me much good!
I love Hyatt. Unfortunately their footprint is just way to small to be a viable option for me. 🙁
Too bad the Hyatt to AA rules arent made public, I dont want to start the 90 day timer before I know the rules.
AA should offer a mileage expiration holiday indeed.
Any news on deferred expiry of current elite status?
The offer is good but in these times is difficult to plan a trip
I love that this is back, but question the timetable – with all that is going, I except that most people will not be able to even start thinking about new travel until July earliest – and we need to wait if the places we want to go / fly to even are back open again. So very likely the best option will be to only book flights you can rebook / cancel for a fee (and make that a bet you are willing to take) and book the hotel only on rates that can be cancelled – and to bookmark an overview like this to revisit in a few months 🙁
Great news, i pray that the covid-19 is resolved as soon as possible and can travel.
AA even makes “social distancing” arrangements onboard right now.
Yes, they’re actually blocking off half of all middle seats. And, customers, not surprisingly, have more flexibility to move to other seats, subject to weight and balance concerns.. Policy currently applies thru 5/31.
nice offer but things will have to settle down before it makes sense to take it.
Excellent news, hopefully the covid-19 will be resolved as soon as possible.
Very much needed once we are over this period and will help us get back in the air and into hotel rooms!
I’m in the wait and see camp to see when the stay in place orders are lifted.
I had all my flights lined up before COVID-19 shut everything down. Now I won’t be traveling at all. Challenges are only good if you can travel. Hope they come up with an alternative that is feasible (since most international flights and various hotel locations are closed off)
Unfortunately with COVID-19, my traveling for work has stopped and will not start up again for the foreseeable future.
This looks splendid. With 60,000 points, that alone could ALMOST put me where I want to be in terms of affording an internal flight. External flights are on hold right now anyway.
The only “Sensible” post is from Ron Vaughan
Anyone else experiencing a slowing in points posting to your account? AA, in particular, seems to take forever. I know they’ve got a lot of issues on their hands, but I thought this sort of thing was automated.
Thanks for confirming. I’m glad I’m not the only one. I still come here daily to read the articles and make comments but getting five miles is always much appreciated. It definitely makes me happy to generate ad revenue for you. 🙂
Side note, please just always continue to keep the ads classy and don’t go down the roads of popups, autoplaying videos, etc. I love you guys!
Hay alguna aerolinea que planee extender el vencimiento de las millas por el covid-19?
Given current travel uncertainties, it seems unwise to register now because it will be so difficult to meet the challenge in the next 90 days. How about doing a repost when travel starts to normalize so I can remember to register then.
I already have am an Explorist and a Platinum Pro from my travel so this doesn’t help me at all. I will say that I am very happy to earn the additional points from the other program each time I fly American or stay with Hyatt so I still can take advantage of the benefits of this partnership even though the challenge doesn’t do anything for me. Due to the decreased travel, these challenges might be useful in the future so it is definitely a good thing they do this periodically.
This is great news! but Do you know if, due covid-19, American Airlines and Hyatt will change it rules to avoid expiring miles ?
The promotion should be extended. It is wrong to NOT to.
Me sumo al desafio!
Sigh,
I was supposed to be in Argentina right now, and earning AA status from the flights. luckily I hadn’t activated yet, so if travel gets back to normal, i still have a chance.
I doubt anyone want to travel or stay at hotels due to covid.
el tema de corona virus hace muy dificil planear viajes este año ,ojala esto pase lo mas pronto posible y podamos utilizar todos estos beneficios
This is great news! I’m going to join the challenge.
Yeah? You’re still traveling right now, enough to hot whatever hurdles are required???
Do you know if, due covid-19, American Airlines will change it rules to avoid expiring miles ?
American should definitely make some accommodation in light of the crisis.
It’s likely that you will see some accommodations (airlines are going to want your loyalty after this ends), but keep in mind you can easily keep your points active spending $1 on their shopping portal.