The requirements for earning elite status in most tiers of the World of Hyatt frequent guest loyalty program for the year 2021 have been reduced by 50 percent in order to provide more flexibility for members due to the current 2019 Novel Coronavirus pandemic — meaning that members will be able to qualify or requalify for elite status with half the number of qualifying nights or base points which are normally required in a calendar year.
World of Hyatt Elite Status Requirements Reduced by 50 Percent For 2021
This means that with the reduction in requirements by 50 percent — as well as the comparison of benefits between each elite status tier:
- Discoverist requires five Tier-Qualifying Nights or 12,500 base points instead of ten Tier-Qualifying Nights or 25,000 base points
- Explorist requires 15 Tier-Qualifying Nights or 25,000 base points instead of 30 Tier-Qualifying Nights or 50,000 base points
- Globalist requires 30 Tier-Qualifying Nights or 50,000 base points instead of 60 Tier-Qualifying Nights or 100,000 base points
- Lifetime Globalist — The criteria will not change, as 1,000,000 base points are still required over the course of a lifetime to earn this status
| Benefits at a Glance |
Member |
Discoverist |
Explorist |
Globalist |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Points Earning Per Eligible United States Dollar Spent | 5 Base Points |
5 Base Points plus 10 Percent Bonus on eligible purchases |
5 Base Points plus 20 Percent Bonus on eligible purchases |
5 Base Points plus 30 Percent Bonus on eligible purchases |
| Free Nights | √ | √ | √ | √ |
| Member Rates | √ |
√ |
√ |
√ |
| Resort Fees Benefit | Waived on Free Night Awards |
Waived on Free Night Awards |
Waived on Free Night Awards |
Waived on Eligible Rates and Free Night Awards |
| Exhale Benefits Per Eligible United States Dollar Spent | 10 Base Points |
10 Base Points |
10 Base Points plus a Week of Wellbeing |
10 Base Points plus a Week of Wellbeing and complimentary classes when paying an eligible rate at any Hyatt hotel property |
| M life Rewards Elite Status Tier Match | Sapphire |
Pearl |
Gold |
Gold |
| Small Luxury Hotels of the World Benefits | √ |
√ |
√ |
√ |
| Complimetary Premium Internet | √ |
√ |
√ |
|
| Bottled Water Daily |
√ |
√ |
√ |
|
| Room Upgrade — as available when checking in |
Preferred room within type booked based |
Upgraded Room excluding Suites and Rooms with Club lounge access |
Including Standard Suites |
|
| Elite Check-In | √ |
√ |
√ |
|
| Late Checkout — as available in some locations | 2:00 in the afternoon |
2:00 in the afternoon |
4:00 in the afternoon |
|
| American Airlines AAdvantage Bonus |
√ |
√ |
√ |
|
| Guaranteed Availability | 72 hours |
48 hours |
||
| Club Access or Breakfast |
|
|
√ |
|
| Free Parking on Free Nights |
|
|
On Free Night Awards |
|
| Priority Access to Rooms |
|
|
√ | |
| Guest of Honor |
|
|
√ |
You should know that even though you can earn Globalist elite level status with as few as 30 Tier-Qualifying Nights or 50,000 base points; you will still need to stay 60 nights in 2021 to earn the My Hyatt Concierge benefit, according to this article written by Gary Leff of View From The Wing.
Reactions to the Reduction of Requirements to Earn Elite Status
That reactions to this official announcement are mixed is no surprise: Matthew Klint of Live and Let’s Fly and some other members of the World of Hyatt frequent guest loyalty program who are used to earning elite level status the traditional way are have expressed concern that benefits will be diluted by the supposed sheer number of people who will be able to earn elite level status much easier…
…yet Greg Davis-Kean of Frequent Miler and other members are excited about the potential opportunities as a result of this announcement — such as the “ludicrously easy path” to earn Hyatt Globalist top tier elite status for 2 years — especially for members who rarely or never earn elite level status, who can finally potentially achieve it more easily than ever.
Then again, Chris Carley of Renés Points gives several good reasons as to why he does not believe that chasing Globalist elite level status status is worth the effort.
Summary
As usual, I find myself in the middle of both extremes: if the opportunity presents itself, I might consider once again earning some form of elite level status in the World of Hyatt frequent guest loyalty program — I have achieved this multiple times in the past — but I do not believe that the reduction of the qualifications will significantly flood the program with too many members who have earned elite level status.
Hyatt Hotels Corporation has arguably been generously proactively leading the lodging industry with continuously extending expiration policies and increasing flexibility due to the current 2019 Novel Coronavirus pandemic — as well as offering no fewer than six promotions are currently in effect through which you can earn bonus World of Hyatt points or save money:
- Bonus Journeys Promotion: Receive triple World of Hyatt points for all eligible paid stays with the Bonus Journeys global promotion through Sunday, February 28, 2021 — but you must register for this promotion by Friday, January 15, 2021 prior to checking in for your first stay; and the maximum number of points you can earn through this promotion is 150,000 bonus World of Hyatt points in addition to any bonus points you may earn as a member who has earned elite level status in the World of Hyatt frequent guest loyalty program. You can earn those bonus points at all hotel and resort properties within the brand portfolio of Hyatt Corporation, participating MGM Resorts destinations in Las Vegas, Small Luxury Hotels of the World hotel properties, and even Lindblad Expeditions — all of which are included in this promotion — and you can choose to earn either World of Hyatt base points, travel partner miles, or M life credits for each qualifying stay in order to earn bonus World of Hyatt points in conjunction with this promotion.
- Free Nights On Sale: Redeem your World of Hyatt points on award stays, Points + Cash stays, dining and spa services, Exhale classes, spa therapies, FIND experiences, Lindblad excursions, and towards room upgrades through Sunday, February 28, 2021 and have 15 percent of them automatically returned to your membership account as bonus points; plus enjoy complimentary parking when it can be charged to the hotel or resort property during those award stays — but you must register for this promotion by Friday, January 15, 2021; and you must be a member of the World of Hyatt frequent guest loyalty program. If you are a Hyatt Credit Cardmember or World of Hyatt Credit Cardmember, you will earn an extra ten percent — meaning that you will have 25 percent World of Hyatt points automatically returned to your membership account as bonus points. To qualify, your credit card account must be open at the time of fulfillment. Bonus World of Hyatt points will post directly to your World of Hyatt membership account and will not appear on your credit card statement.
- Work from Hyatt Promotion: Transform your routine of working from home into a memorable working vacation in North America and the Caribbean at your choice of 51 participating hotel and resort properties and another eight Hyatt Ziva and Hyatt Zilara resort properties instead of being cooped up at home day after day and night after night — but you must book your reservation by Thursday, December 31, 2020 and stay a minimum of seven nights when purchasing Work from Hyatt packages, which are available for stays through Wednesday, March 31, 2021.
- 500 Bonus Points at New Hotel and Resort Properties: You can earn 500 bonus World of Hyatt points per qualifying night for staying at 98 new hotel and resort properties around the world for a limited time — and this offer can apparently be “stacked” with other offers.
- Dine Local and Earn Triple Points: Earn triple World of Hyatt points on eligible charges for purchases of food and beverages at participating restaurants at 401 Hyatt hotel and resort properties worldwide through Sunday, February 28, 2021 — even though you are not staying as a guest at the hotel or resort property for the night — when you choose the options of dining in, delivery, or takeout. You must provide your World of Hyatt membership number at the time of purchase; and you are limited to earn the maximum amount of 100,000 bonus World of Hyatt points per transaction through this promotion — in addition to any bonus World of Hyatt points you may earn as a member who has earned elite level status.
- Headspace Meditation and Mindfulness Trial Offer With World of Hyatt: As a World of Hyatt member, two choices are now available to you through the new collaboration with Headspace:
- Complimentary, curated mindfulness and sleep exercises are available by accessing content on Headspace through the latest version of the World of Hyatt mobile software application program.
- Subscribe for a trial subscription of 30 days to Headspace Plus. Download the Headspace mobile software application program and visit Headspace to subscribe using promotion code HYATT. This offer is valid through Thursday, December 31, 2020.
Photograph ©2015 by Brian Cohen.
