Some bullet-point responses:

- I would expect my stays for 2014 to total around 30-35 and 2015 to total 40-50. My HHonors stays would probably drop to ~10 in 2015, not enough to maintain Gold AIB, but would keep it through HHonors Surpass AMEX. HHonors would essentially become my third program.

- Personal spend is 99% covered by Delta Skymiles SunTrust Debit Card (basically same earning as Delta Gold AMEX, but on Debit). The Debit is a big plus because my mortgage and a credit card my wife had before we got married can both be paid by Debit. IF Delta earning through SunTrust goes away (new signups have ceased) then I'll default most of that spend back to the HHonors Surpass AMEX.

- My thinking behind doing true status-matches AFTER earning HHonors Diamond (not a challenge, not sure if it's even an option with Hyatt or SPG) would be increased benefits and bonus earnings for '15 and then dropping to mid-tier in '16. The only way I would be able to maintain top-tier would be in a single-program with only bottom-tier in the other and HHonors Gold through CC. If I have to do challenges, I probably wouldn't be able to meet the top-tier challenge requirements, so it's a moot point.

- I'm not seeing any reports of a Hyatt Platinum Challenge, only a Diamond Challenge (12 nights in 60 days) which I wouldn't be able to meet.

- I'm unclear on if a SPG status match/challenge yields status from 12 months after completion or the full following calendar year after completion.

- I won't be able to get COMPLETELY away from HHonors, but I could probably get MOSTLY away from HHonors. Hyatt Place and Aloft as a whole seem a bit newer/nicer (and maybe a bit trendier, for what it's worth) than the HI/HGI properties I currently frequent for the bulk of my travels.

- I'm sure there's a bit of "grass is greener" involved here, but I'm really doing the analysis based on there now being mid-tier SPG and Hyatt properties in locations where there previously were not last time I re-evaluated my loyalty to HHonors combined with the devaluations involved since then.

- The redemptions from my Hyatt and SPG nights would probably be at Hyatt Place, Hyatt House, Aloft, and Four Points similar to where I'm staying on business. The main issue I see is a lack of low/mid-level all-suites properties (like Homewood Suites) where I can get a lot of space for the money given the boatload of kids (4) we have.

- The earnings from my ~10 nights with HHonors would likely be redeemed with Points + Miles at lower-end properties, meaning ~3-5 nights/year, in rural and interstate HI/HS properties where there isn't an Hyatt/SPG property anywhere in sight.