jmandc

I'm a Hyatt Globalist, was outright given EXP at the end of 2019 with 4 SWUs despite not stepping on an AA plane in at least 5 years. Due to Covid, status was extended through 2021, which then got extended through 2022 when I opened an AA credit card and charged $15,000. I took my first flight as EXP just a few months ago and recently flew a second time, going Flagship First (with FFD at JFK) using points I "earned" from my donation to Conservation International.

Now I spend too much time monitoring ways to earn Loyalty Points -- except for pushing a lot of spending onto the AA card, I'm laying low until March -- and may even segment-run later this year. Despite all this gaming, I suspect I will have been a worthwhile investment for AA.

js1993

I'm a Hyatt loyalist, but I was surprised they didn't extend for all like Hilton, IHG, and Marriott. Hyatt didn't even do a Q4 promo for people who were off the road for most of 2021.

I'd like to see the accounting on that. Seems like AA is way underwater right now. haha

VegasGambler

In fairness they reduced the number of nights required by a factor of 2, and you can earn qualifying nights from their credit card. It's fairly easy to get to 30 nights.

danger

"In fairness", you might be able to earn qualifying nights with the Hyatt credit card but I as a non-US citizen/SSN-holder cannot. I'm sure I'm not he only one in this boat.

js1993

The other chains lowered their thresholds, too, so that wasn't anything special on Hyatt's part.

Interestingly, Hyatt's partner AA also didn't extend status, unlike Delta. Not sure if United did or didn't.

(EDIT: United did extend status, at least for many, in late December.)

VegasGambler

UA offered lots of promotions to get status and then at the very last minute they just gave it away to everyone for free. If you spent a little (or a lot) extra to take advantage of those promotions you might feel a little ripped off.

AS extended status through the end of March (it usually expires at the end if the calendar year). They also offered a challenge to maintain the status during the extension period.

AA status does not expire until the end of March and Hyatt status does not expire until the end of February. People are assuming that statuses won't be extended but who knows? Until they actually expire, anything could happen.

js1993

Sure, but they shouldn’t. United didn’t promise not to grant extensions to others as part of the bargain.

VegasGambler

I didn't do this (I was willing to let my UA status expire since I moved away from SF) but I disagree that someone who did this should not feel ripped off. It's misleading, even if they did not technically lie.

js1993

You made the decision you felt was right for you, people who chose to spend money made the decision they felt was right for them, and United subsequently did the same.

Without a doubt, the people who chose not to spend money were some of United’s best customers, or else United wouldn’t have done what it did. The guy who usually flies J to Singapore for work isn’t going to mileage run to Anchorage.