I’ve gyrated between a spectrum of emotions when it comes the announcement from Hyatt yesterday that it would reduce the thresholds to earn elite status in 2021. But I’ve come to peace with it…what else am I going to do?
Hyatt Makes It Easier To Earn Elite Status In 2021
In a nutshell, Hyatt is going to halve the number of nights required to earn elite status next year (status earned in 2021 and good through February 28, 2023):
- Discoverist – Stay five Tier-Qualifying Nights or earn 12,500 Base Points
- Explorist – Stay 15 Tier-Qualifying Nights or earn 25,000 Base Points
- Globalist – Stay 30 Tier-Qualifying Nights or earn 50,000 Base Points
Throw in the World of Hyatt Credit Card from Chase and you’re looking at a path to earn top-tier status with a mix of credit card spending and only 10-15 nights actually spent in a Hyatt hotel room (if you apply for the card no later than December 31, 2020, you’ll even earn 10 elite nights for both 2020 and 2021).
Confirmed Suite Upgrades Must Be Earned
Although Globalist status, which includes space-available standard suite upgrades, free breakfast, and late checkout, can be earned for hitting 30 nights, you won’t receive any confirmed suite upgrades for surpassing that threshold. Instead, you’ll still need to surpass the 50-night mark in order to earn a pair of confirmed suite upgrades.
My Thoughts On This
Initially, I grimaced when I heard the news. After all, it’s a great time to be a Hyatt Globalist. Suite upgrades are frequent and don’t require the use of a confirmed voucher…I’m certainly not pleased with the idea of thousands of newly-minted Globalists competing for a finite number of suites. Yes, the confirmed suite upgrades are available, but only four…and I’m not pleased about the prospects of only receiving a suite upgrade when I use a confirmed upgrade instrument.
But the more I thought about it, the more I say laissez le bon temps rouler. After all, Hyatt extended my status for a whole extra year and I’ve only stayed 28 nights this year. In the end, the breakfast benefit and late checkout are most important and cannot be compromised by more elite competition.
I’m just thankful that World of Hyatt continues to provide value and I do not see that changing at least into 2023.
CONCLUSION
Looks like I’ll have Globalist status in the bag through at least the end of February in 2023. With Hyatt’s current promotion of counting nights this quarter for elite status in both 2020 and 2021, I’ll be off to a nice start already. Yes, I am worried that I will end up receiving less suite upgrades. But I’m just going to roll with it and say THANK YOU Hyatt for taking out the pressure of seeking unnecessary stays in 2020 and 2021 just to keep my status.
Are you happy, sad, or indifferent about Hyatt’s decision to make it much easier to earn elite status in 2021?
There won’t be “thousands of newly-minted Globalists.” Most people have other things on their minds now rather than chasing hotel status. Such as having a job, paying bills, schooling kids, restarting a business, etc. Suite Upgrades are not a high priority at the moment and won’t be for a very long time.
Thousands out of 330 million? I think so…
Hyatt should throw a bone to us that are actually staying in their hotels. A great way to do so would be to extend Milestone Rewards beyond 100 nights. I’ll make 100 nights this and next year. I also have Marriott Titanium this year. I wasn’t planning to go for it next year, but now, b/c of this news, I think I will.
Curious as to how this will effect our Globalist Concierges. Some months ago they furloughed a number of them and consolidated a lot of us to those they kept. (Thank god mine was spared!) Add in even more and what has always been amazing service could potentially make it more of a window dressing like the Marriott Ambassador program.
I mentioned these changes to my Concierge and she actually responded to me right away in that those who get Globalist under the lowered requirements will not be receiving Concierge services. There had been concern about this given the strain on resources right now and were assured by corporate.
So, basically, the 30 nights promotion is more like Globalist Lite.
There’s no one like QL!
Q rocks, plain and simple, I hope Hyatt knows how good she is as her efforts are directly related to my choices in where to stay.
Am thankful since business travel is dead and likely will be for Q1 and maybe Q2 next year.
Remember Hyatt likely over-indexes with business travelers (similar to legacy Starwood), different from Marriott and it’s army of limited service properties that cater to leisure travelers.
TSUs are nice, but as you note, will be plenty happy with all the other on-property benefits even if I don’t get upgraded.
Expecting to be over 160 nights for Hyatt this year, although 13 are from the CC. The byproduct of living in hotels for 6+ years, I also end up over 100 for Hilton & Marriott often too. It’s not so much that I dislike the lower bar for other travelers since very few can travel as I do. But it would be nice if there was a special tier for people who stay 100+ nights every year.
Few things annoy me more than finding all the upgrades “unavailable” at check in. Hyatt has been by far the best at showing me love over the years, so long as that doesn’t change they’ll continue to see 150 nights a year from me. But I’m realistic enough to understand they’d rather have 30 new people chase 30 nights than 1 of me at 100+.
I previously advocated for them to reduce thresholds for this year, instead of extending status. It would have encouraged stays when they really needed it. When things hopefully open up in early 2021 when the vaccine is widely available, people who have been cooped up for a year won’t need extra incentive to travel. Doing it in conjunction with double elite nights is just too easy. Globalist for only a 12 night stay? OK Hyatt, I’m in.
And no, it’s not Globalist lite. Concierge access was always a milestone award. And tbh who cares about concierge access? I’d rather just search and book on the app, and when I do have to call in I’ve never had to wait more than 30s to talk to a human.
The concierge program, if you have a good one (I do), is invaluable and fantastic. She always contacts the hotel ahead of time and to make sure they have upgrades, has wine and cards sent to the room, arranges complicated award stays for me combining points, free night certificates, suite upgrades etc. She just did this with the Park Hyatt St. Kitts for later in the winter.
In Vienna this summer I needed to stay for two weeks for work. She arranged with the hotel a unique extended stay rate that was the equivalent to the smallest room with a confirmed upgrade to the Diplomat Suite (not available for suite upgrades normally) that everyone covets.
So, I care, and my concierge has done unbelievable things that my clicking around would never get me. With that said, I do know some that have one that seem to do little and never respond. Hit and miss.
What I love about Hyatt is that the hotels actually seem to appreciate Globalist members, unlike how Hilton feels for diamonds or Marriott Titaniums. I hope that doesn’t go away when everyone suddenly becomes a Globalist.
Hey, probably a typo; “I’m just thankful that World of Hyatt continues to provide value and I do not see that changing into 2032.”
Until 2032? 🙂
Yep. Thanks!
I’m excited and will push for this but I doubt I’ll use it much. Last week I closed my Hyatt credit card (old) and picked up the WOH card. With that plus the promos plus a couple other easy nights I’ll only have to come up with 8 nights. So yeah, this’ll push me back up to Globalist, though I’ve been Explorist the past years anyway.
Hi Matthew,
I realize every coin has 2 sides but as former Globalist who could no longer qualify after WOH introduction in 2017, this Halving is greatly appreciated. Do you know, for credit card applications after Jan 1st, would a person earn 10 elite nights for 2021 OR 5 elite nights OR something else OR is that unknown at this time?
Thank you.
Would be 10 nights for 2021.
Understood, thank you.