Hyatt Upgrades Loyalty Program

TheGrand Hyatt Shenzhen’s Shui Xiang. Photo: Hyatt/Facebook

Hyatt Hotels Corporation will roll out a new tiered-loyalty program on March 1, rewarding guests for spending on food, drinks and spa treatments, in addition to hotel stays.

The World of Hyatt program offers “a broader range of benefits and more attainable rewards,” specifically targeting high-end travelers. It will replace the Hyatt Gold Passport program, which has 20 million members. It will no longer be possible to qualify using stays at Hyatt properties, but instead the number of nights or the amount of money spent will qualify a member.

The World of Hyatt program will be comprised of three tiers –Discoverist, Explorist and Globalist –based on either qualifying nights or base points within a year. Members will continue to earn five base points for every U.S. dollar spent.

Bonus points can be earned for promotions, qualifying meetings and events through Hyatt’s credit card. However, Jeff Zidell, Hyatt’s senior vice president, told TMR “the process for earning and redeeming points in working with travel agents will remain unchanged in World of Hyatt.  A travel agent can book a member’s free night award using points through the Global Contact Center.”