Jeff Zidell leaving Hyatt
May 11, 2017, 8:38 am
#33
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Between AMS and BRU
Posts: 8,852
May 11, 2017, 9:36 am
#34
FlyerTalk Evangelist, Ambassador: World of Hyatt
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: NJ
Programs: Hyatt Globalist, Fairmont Lifetime Plat, UA Silver, dirt elsewhere
Posts: 46,919
I have zero stays as well. I do have 12 nights upcoming, and I have to do 1 for the promo, but I suspect that's all they're going to get from me this year.
May 11, 2017, 9:41 am
#35
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: NYC
Programs: Hyatt Glob, Marriott Plat Prem, Hilton Diamond, Delta Diamond
Posts: 207
50 night diamond now only 4 paid nights in PH, GH and HR. I started trying out SPG this year and got my 50 nights. I found it really is an awesome program with so many redeeming opportunities with Marriott and SPG, and much cheaper 
will see if I could push to 60 nights in the second half of the year, problem is I gain so little points by staying at HP/HH so it's hard to qualify by just full-service stays.
will see if I could push to 60 nights in the second half of the year, problem is I gain so little points by staying at HP/HH so it's hard to qualify by just full-service stays.
May 11, 2017, 9:46 am
#36
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: NYC
Posts: 204
You are far from alone. I'm an early thirties lawyer at a large New York law firm and was a Diamond for over 5 years. I have zero stays with Hyatt this year, having moved all spend to SPG and Hilton.
May 11, 2017, 9:49 am
#37
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: PHX
Programs: AS 75K; UA 1MM; Hyatt Globalist; Marriott LTP; Hilton Diamond (Aspire)
Posts: 56,448
There was a report a while back that "WoH" was the brainchild of someone in the C suite, and was forced on those below.
May 11, 2017, 9:52 am
#38
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Pacific Northwest
Programs: UA Gold 1MM, AS 75k, AA Plat, Bonvoyed Gold, Honors Dia, Hyatt Explorer, IHG Plat, ...
Posts: 16,839
35 nights last year (alas only qualified me for Plat/exploitist), zero this year. Have a 7 night award stay coming up, though, which likely is my only engagement with WoH this year.
May 11, 2017, 9:54 am
#39
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Location: Minneapolis: DL DM charter 2.3MM
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May 11, 2017, 11:21 am
#42
Suspended
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Watchlisted by the prejudiced, en route to purgatory
Programs: Just Say No to Fleecing and Blacklisting
Posts: 102,095
I'm not sure I'd describe the situation as a significant devaluation over years. Yes, FFN went away and did not return, but it was initiated when the economy was bad and travel was down. It was understandable that HGP couldn't continue to offer the FFN promo. Jeff said as much.
I tolerated all those Hyatt games because the overall picture of being a published top-tier Hyatt customer was good enough for me. However, it got bad enough that Hyatt's struggling to get back my business. Amusingly, the 20-night fast track promo is easier than the 25 stays I had to do earlier at a min. But I'm more of a burn my Hyatt points customer at this point than trying to rack 'em up faster than I can use them. The days of me wanting to maintain six or seven figure Hyatt point balances are over.
Last edited by GUWonder; May 11, 2017 at 11:26 am
May 11, 2017, 12:21 pm
#43
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: PHX
Programs: AS 75K; UA 1MM; Hyatt Globalist; Marriott LTP; Hilton Diamond (Aspire)
Posts: 56,448
May 11, 2017, 12:25 pm
#44
Suspended
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Watchlisted by the prejudiced, en route to purgatory
Programs: Just Say No to Fleecing and Blacklisting
Posts: 102,095
Indeed. While I expect it to get worse with Hyatt, in ways we have already been through major Hyatt points devaluations under Jeff Zidell. The Hyatt award charts changes over the past ten years look rather bad. For how long was Jeff Zidell in charge of Hyatt's loyalty program?
May 11, 2017, 12:27 pm
#45
Join Date: Jun 2011
Programs: Hyatt Glob
Posts: 20
36 nights last year for me, and 1 award stay at an airport HP this year. I admittedly miss the familiarity of Hyatt, but have found being a free agent quite liberating.