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.
Back in December 2019, Hyatt announced it would be changing the way award nights are priced. Those plans were temporarily put on hold, due to the Covid-19 pandemic. But as of October 26, 2021, Hyatt implemented these changes for all nights stayed on March 1, 2022 or after.
Here's what you need to know about the new peak and off-peak pricing.
The New Structure
- Off-peak: During off-peak dates, fewer points will be required. Free nights start at as low as 3,500 points per night.
- Standard: For standard-pricing periods, free nights will start at 5,000 points. This chart reflects the pricing currently being used.
- Peak: At peak-pricing periods, the number of points required for a free night start at 6,500 points. Peak award prices cost no more than 5,000 points more than the Standard point requirement.
Key Things to Know
- Hyatt's new peak- and off-peak pricing began on Tuesday, October 26, 2021.
- Peak pricing only affects stays starting March 1, 2022.
- Award stays will continue to price at the Standard rate for nights stayed through February 28, 2022.
- The new structure applies to all award nights, regardless of room type.
- Points + Cash awards will also use the Hyatt off-peak and peak pricing.
- Hotel categories are not changing.
- Free Night Award certificates, which are category-based, are not be affected by these changes.
What if the price of my reservation changes?
- Existing award bookings that change to off-peak on October 26, 2021 will automatically be refunded the difference in points.
- If a booking changes to peak pricing, Hyatt will not charge additional points.
Going forward, Hyatt has stated that it will announce the new rates for award redemptions as soon as nights are available for reservations. Usually, this is around 13 months in advance.
Related Content: World of Hyatt Rewards Program – A Complete Guide
Milestone Rewards Won't Change
Milestone Rewards, which are awards based on how many nights you've stayed, won't change. Neither will the usability of the awards you get from these stays.
A good example here is free night award certificates. Category 1-4 or Category 1-7 free night certificates will remain unchanged. You can earn these certificates by holding the The World of Hyatt Credit Card (Rates & Fees) or by unlocking various achievements through Hyatt Milestone Rewards.
For the entire list of Hyatt's Milestone Rewards, click here.
Final Thoughts
It's always a little nerve-wracking when you hear that an award chart is being changed. It's even more terrifying when these changes come from one of the most beloved hospitality brands out there. Fortunately, Hyatt's implementation of a seasonal award chart with peak- and off-peak pricing isn't all that negative. In some situations, it can even work out better.
What do you think about Hyatt moving to a peak and off-peak model of pricing?
For rates and fees of the cards mentioned in this post, please visit the following links: The World of Hyatt Credit Card (Rates & Fees)
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.
