World of Hyatt has revealed major alterations to its award pricing, which will take effect in May 2026. This update represents the first substantial change to the award chart since 2021. Although the total number of award categories will stay the same, the redemption tiers will increase from three to five. Currently, hotels operate with off-peak, standard, and peak pricing; however, the new system will categorize them into lowest, low, moderate, upper, and top pricing.
The revised award chart for standard room redemptions illustrates a variety of adjustments across categories. For instance, properties in Category 1 will cost between 3,000 to 9,000 points per night, while those in Category 8 will range from 35,000 to 75,000 points per night. This indicates increases of up to 67% in certain instances. Additionally, suite and club redemptions, along with Miraval and all-inclusive properties, will also be impacted.
Notwithstanding these changes, free night awards will still be applicable for stays at properties within each tier, provided that a standard room is available. Hyatt intends to persist with annual shifts in hotel categories, and the broadened redemption levels are designed to minimize the necessity for larger shifts.
The introduction of five-tier pricing seeks to more accurately reflect hotel demand, lessening the need for sweeping increases or significant category adjustments in the future. At first, only a select group of hotels and nights will transition to the upper and top categories, with wider adoption anticipated over time.
Although these modifications might appear overwhelming, Hyatt reaffirms its dedication to ensuring transparency and predictability with publicly available award charts. However, the likelihood of increased costs is considerable, with some award prices increasing by 33-67%.
In summary, while Hyatt’s dedication to maintaining award charts is commendable, the alterations might result in elevated expenses for members, especially as the program adapts to the new pricing model. The effects of these changes will become more apparent as they are rolled out.