FlyerTalk Forums - View Single Post - No extension for free night awards that expire in 2021?

Sep 1, 2020 | 10:12 pm

#18

Matt4200

Join Date: Sep 2019

Location: Los Angeles

Programs: Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Diamond

Posts: 5,899

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fly Me To The Moon

Just want to check here is anyone else has experienced this situation, and what, if anything, can be done.

In June of this year, I reached the 30-night threshold, and was awarded a Cat 1-4 Free Night. Because this award has a validity of 180 days, the expiry date would be in Dec 2020, so this award was automatically extended by one year, to 31 Dec 2021. This was per Hyatt's extension policy announced before.

On 01 Sep of this year, I reached the 60-night threshold, and was awarded a Cat 1-7 Free Night. This award has a validity of 180 days, putting the expiry to 28 Feb 2021. Because any award with an expiry of 2021 would not be extended (per Hyatt policy), I actually now have one award (the Cat 1-7) which I earned later but expires earlier than the other award (the Cat 1-4).

Of course, Hyatt has not done anything wrong, but the system seems a bit counter-intuitive to me.

I did not even think to recheck the T&C about the extension policy.

I was planning to use the Cat 1-7 free night award for Park Hyatt Tokyo on 03 Mar, but that would be 4 days past the award's expiry date.

I'm just wondering whether I can forfeit the last stay which put me to the 60-night threshold, and be "downgraded" back to 57 stays (it was a 3-night stay). Then, just stay for another 3 nights some time in this or next month to put me back to 60 nights again, and then get the Cat 1-7 free night award with a later expiry date. Am I too hopeful in thinking this?

It’s sad and can be counter intuitive but yep that’s basically how it is right now. I’d say it’s 80/20 that they do any further extensions (80% sticking with the current plan).

I had 2 Cat 1-4 Certs with a January 3rd and January 7th 2021 expiration. I asked if anything could be done and they basically said no, and there’s not much chance. Luckily for me though the 180 day expiry of the Cat 1-7’s worked to my benefit. I now have one expiring December 2021.

If you’re a Globalist (of course you are), your Concierge should be able to swap it out for 20k points close to or after the expiration. On the lighter side with the Off Peak pricing happening next year it’ll likely be off peak so a Category 7 property would be 25k points.

On top of that I’m sure you’ll have a lot of people messaging you asking to swap 25k points for you to book them using the Cat 1-7 Award (I know I did when I’ve mentioned mine expiring in the past).

Good Luck!

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