Last week, a rather convincing post suddenly appeared on Reddit claiming that Hyatt would soon introduce many sorts of complicated changes. Although there was no source, many people believed it, and quite a few blogs even reposted it. Not long afterwards, the original poster came forward to clarify that it was all AI-generated content for a course project. It was rather amusing.
Perhaps “inspired” by the incident, Hyatt then turned around and officially announced the upcoming changes to World of Hyatt. The most significant one is that starting in May, the award pricing structure for hotels will expand from the current three levels (Off-Peak, Standard, Peak) to five levels (Lowest, Low, Moderate, Upper, and Top). The category structure itself will remain unchanged, all hotels ranging from Category 1 to Category 8.
| Lowest | Low | Moderate | Upper | Top | |
| 1 | 3,000 | 4,500 | 6,000 | 7,500 | 9,000 |
| 2 | 6,000 | 7,500 | 10,000 | 12,000 | 15,000 |
| 3 | 8,000 | 12,000 | 15,000 | 17,500 | 20,000 |
| 4 | 12,000 | 15,000 | 20,000 | 22,500 | 25,000 |
| 5 | 15,000 | 20,000 | 25,000 | 30,000 | 35,000 |
| 6 | 20,000 | 25,000 | 30,000 | 35,000 | 40,000 |
| 7 | 25,000 | 30,000 | 35,000 | 45,000 | 55,000 |
| 8 | 35,000 | 45,000 | 55,000 | 65,000 | 75,000 |
Interesting how the two higher levels are named Upper and Top instead of High and Highest. If we align Off-Peak with Lowest, Standard with Moderate, and Peak with Top, the before-and-after comparison and percentage changes by category are as follows:
| Off-peak | Lowest | % | Standard | Moderate | % | Peak | Top | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3,500 | 3,000 | -14% | 5,000 | 6,000 | +20% | 6,500 | 9,000 | +38% |
| 2 | 6,500 | 6,000 | -8% | 8,000 | 10,000 | +25% | 9,500 | 15,000 | +58% |
| 3 | 9,000 | 8,000 | -11% | 12,000 | 15,000 | +25% | 15,000 | 20,000 | +33% |
| 4 | 12,000 | 12,000 | 0% | 15,000 | 20,000 | +33% | 18,000 | 25,000 | +39% |
| 5 | 17,000 | 15,000 | -12% | 20,000 | 25,000 | +25% | 23,000 | 35,000 | +52% |
| 6 | 21,000 | 20,000 | -5% | 25,000 | 30,000 | +20% | 29,000 | 40,000 | +38% |
| 7 | 25,000 | 25,000 | 0% | 30,000 | 35,000 | +17% | 35,000 | 55,000 | +57% |
| 8 | 35,000 | 35,000 | 0% | 40,000 | 55,000 | +38% | 45,000 | 75,000 | +67% |
In other words, the overall trend is that Off-Peak pricing decreases slightly, while all other levels increase, with Peak pricing rising dramatically. All-inclusive & Miraval resorts have their own award charts, but the pattern of changes is similar. Honestly, it’s hard to understand why Hyatt is so determined to avoid fully dynamic pricing – introducing five award levels feels rather excessive and more confusing.
In addition, this year’s category adjustments are also due. They will be announced in April and take effect in May. However, the following seven hotels have already had their category changes implemented immediately:
- The Barnett, part of JdV by Hyatt, will move from Category 5 to Category 4
- Grand Hyatt Grand Cayman Resort & Spa will move from Category 6 to Category 8
- Hyatt Place San Antonio-Northwest/Medical Center will move from Category 1 to Category 2
- Andaz Pattaya Jomtien Beach will move from Category 4 to Category 5
- Grand Hyatt Incheon will move from Category 3 to Category 4
- Hyatt Centric Malta will move from Category 2 to Category 3
- Hyatt Regency Kotor Bay Resort will move from Category 4 to Category 5
Points + Cash redemption rates will also be adjusted accordingly. If there is any good news, there are two items worth noting:
- Point transfer between accounts will be possible
- Explorists, Globalists, Lifetime Globalists, and World of Hyatt Cardmembers will be able to view and book award nights in advance of all other members
More details will be revealed in April. What I believe is, Hyatt didn’t intend to announce things this early, and the unexpectedly wide reach of last week’s rumour likely played a role.
Since I’m not heavily invested in Hyatt myself, I don’t feel particularly shaken by the news. What do you think?
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