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Food and drinks can get expensive when traveling, but Hyatt Club Access Awards can help you save by covering breakfast and offering snacks throughout the day. While not all Hyatt hotels have a club lounge, if you’re staying at one that does, using a Club Access Award is an easy way to elevate your stay.
Here’s how these awards work and how to make the most of them.
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What Is a Hyatt Club Access Award?
Club Access Awards are among the many Hyatt Milestone Rewards members can earn on their journey to elite status. The more nights you stay at Hyatt properties, the more rewards you unlock. Club Access Awards let you upgrade eligible reservations with access to the hotel’s club lounge — a private space with food, drinks, and seating.
Guests with lounge access can enjoy breakfast (for up to two adults and two children on the reservation), a selection of hot and cold beverages throughout the day, plus evening snacks and hors d’oeuvres.
Not all Hyatt hotels have a lounge, and even those that do may not be fully operational at the time of your stay. Some clubs close on weekends, or holidays, so do make sure to check your specific hotel. Generally, if the club is closed during your stay, and you have access to the club via your status or because you used a Club Access Award, you will still enjoy breakfast at the hotel's restaurant.
Hotels that typically offer club lounges include Park Hyatt, Hyatt Regency, and Grand Hyatt, though you may find lounges at other properties, too. And the experience varies widely by location. Lounges in Europe and Asia tend to offer superb food and service, while U.S. lounges are often more limited.
Related: The Ultimate Guide to Hyatt Elite Status
How to Earn Hyatt Club Access Awards
There's only one way to earn these Club Access Awards, and that's through Milestone Rewards. These awards fall into the “selectable” category, meaning you choose them from a list of options once you hit certain night thresholds.
Your first opportunity to pick Club Access Awards comes at 20 qualifying nights, followed by another at 30 nights. Each milestone gives you two awards, which can be used for future stays — either for yourself or someone else.
You’ll notice Club Access Awards are only offered early on in the Milestone Rewards journey, and that’s by design. Once you reach Globalist status (60 qualifying nights), lounge access is included on all eligible stays, so there’s not much sense in rewarding members with additional Club Access Awards.
Need a Hyatt elite night credit boost? Cardholders of The World of Hyatt Credit Card get a five-night boost each year just for carrying the card. Plus, earn two additional elite night credits for every $5,000 spent on the card in a calendar year.
- 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
- Rates & Fees
- 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
How to Use a Hyatt Club Access Award
There are two primary ways to use a Hyatt Club Access Award: on Hyatt's website or in the app.
On the Hyatt website
On Hyatt's website, just make a reservation like you normally would — searching your preferred location and desired dates and going through all of the normal reservation screens. Once you get to the Room Rates screen, you will notice an ‘Eligible Awards' section where the awards that you can apply to your reservation will be displayed.
All you have to do is choose that award and then follow the steps to finish your reservation. Once applied, you will enjoy Hyatt Club access for the duration of your stay — up to seven nights.
In the Hyatt mobile app
Open the Hyatt app, go to your ‘Account,’ and tap the ‘Awards’ tab. All of your available awards will show along with expiration dates. Tap on the one you want to use, then tap ‘Redeem.’ You’ll be taken to a booking screen where you can enter your destination and dates.
Alternatively, go to the ‘Book’ tab, select your destination and dates, and proceed through room selection. If awards are available for that stay, you’ll see them under the ‘Available Awards’ section. Just select the one you want to use and complete your booking.
Maximizing Value From Club Access Awards
If you're not a Hyatt Globalist
Club Access Awards are most useful if you’re not a Hyatt Globalist or don’t expect to earn Globalist status soon. If you already have Globalist status, the best use is to gift them to friends or family to give them lounge access and breakfast on their stay.
Keep in mind that Globalists can also gift Guest of Honor awards — which provide the full set of elite perks, including club access.
In higher-end hotels
Club Access Awards go furthest at higher-end hotels — especially outside the U.S. If you have a limited number of awards and multiple reservations, use them where the lounge experience is best.
You can find some information about each hotel lounge on the property's website or by reaching out to the hotel if that helps you make an informed decision.
Related: AwardWallet's Favorite Hyatt Sweet Spot Redemptions
On longer reservations
These awards can be applied to stays of up to seven nights, so you’ll get the most value on longer trips. Daily breakfast and snacks for two adults and two children can really add up over a multi-night stay.
Related: How to Get Free Breakfast on Hyatt Stays
How to Gift Club Access Awards
If you’ve earned Club Access Awards but don’t plan to use them — or if you’re a Globalist and don’t need them — they’re easy to gift to someone else. You can send them to friends or family through either the Hyatt app or website.
In the Hyatt mobile app
You'll find all of your awards on the World of Hyatt app by going to your ‘Account’ on the ‘Awards’ tab. Scroll down until you find the Club Access Awards, and choose the one you’d like to give away. You'll see them ordered by expiration date to help you use them before you lose them.
Tap on the ‘Gift’ button, and you'll get a new screen where you can enter the recipient’s World of Hyatt membership number and last name, then tap ‘Gift Now.’ Your friend or family member will receive an email letting them know of your generous gift, and once they open their Hyatt app, they'll be able to both see the award and use them for their future stays.
On the Hyatt website
Similarly to the above steps, just head to Hyatt's website and log in. On the upper right-hand side of your screen, click on your name, and then under ‘Membership,' click on ‘My Awards.'
You will see all of your earned awards, including your Club Access Awards. Once you have found the one you want to gift, click on the three dots on the right and click on ‘Gift Your Award,' then enter your recipient's membership number and name and gift.
They'll be notified of your gift and can use it almost immediately.
Related: Hotel Programs That Allow You to Gift an Award Stay
Bottom Line
Club Access awards are a way to experience a bit of luxury on select Hyatt stays. By having access to food and drinks throughout the day, along with a quiet place to relax and refresh, you can turn any vacation into an elevated experience. Access awards can be gifted between members and Globalist members will always have access included on all eligible reservations.
For rates and fees of the cards mentioned in this post, please visit the following links: The World of Hyatt Credit Card (Rates & Fees)
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