New Ways to Use Your Points
#16
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: IAH
Programs: UA 2MM, Hyatt Diamond, SPG Gold
Posts: 2,163
I don't care about the points and cash. I'm actually not sure what people who would. Members who stay at Hyatt usually have enough that P&C doesn't make financial sense (globalist get free parking only on pure point stays). M&S should have enough points either so they don't care about using P&C.
Last edited by skj; Oct 23, 2018 at 7:09 pm
#17
Join Date: Sep 2008
Posts: 7,875
But I do wonder about the cost calculation, because you can buy points easily for 2 cents each, so why is the cash benefit so good? I saw bloggers complaining about the high-end, category 7, 30k points. But points and cash just means buying points at 2 cents each. It is a wash. Of course, at some levels it may make sense, if you buy your points with cash.
#18
formerly a193991
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: Zulu Romeo Hotel
Programs: Hyatt LT Globalist; LX SEN (*A Gold), AA LTG, SBB-CFF-FFS First Class GA
Posts: 4,578
i don't really understand all the noise around the changes.
OK - Cash rate will increase, but to be honest, the P+C rate was generally too good to be true.
I actually like the expansion of P+C to include Suites and even Premium Suites.
So far, WOH has improved again and is getting better and better in my opintion.
And what is the hassle around "early advise time"? any time prior to the effective date is fine in my view.
OK - Cash rate will increase, but to be honest, the P+C rate was generally too good to be true.
I actually like the expansion of P+C to include Suites and even Premium Suites.
So far, WOH has improved again and is getting better and better in my opintion.
And what is the hassle around "early advise time"? any time prior to the effective date is fine in my view.
#19
Join Date: Feb 2009
Programs: AA 1MM, Hyatt GP Platinum, *wood Gold
Posts: 173
I would use that soon. Hotels in Boston proper aren't likely to remain category 4 for much longer given increases other chains have already implemented coupled with generally high cash prices. Plus you never know when you will get the one/no week notice for the 2019 category creeps list.
#20
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: coastal Croatia
Programs: BAEC Gold, M&M Senator
Posts: 2,181
Depending greatly on what each hotel classifies as a standard or premium suite. The terms and conditions now specifically exclude specialty, premier, presidential or diplomatic suites. So there are plenty of categories for hotels to conveniently move suites into to exclude them from award inventory.
#21
formerly a193991
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: Zulu Romeo Hotel
Programs: Hyatt LT Globalist; LX SEN (*A Gold), AA LTG, SBB-CFF-FFS First Class GA
Posts: 4,578
Looking at a few cities (NY, Tokyo, etc.) it seems like right now there is only one suite level per hotel classified as standard and everything else is premium. But the lowest level premium suite isn't much better (and in a few cases was cheaper) than the standard suite. So if only the lowest level current premium suite is available for 100% of the basic room rate and everything else gets reclassified as premier or specialty, then this won't be much of a deal. The hotels I looked at didn't charge 25% more (standard rate) for the cheapest premium suite compared to the standard suite but that's the difference if we pay with points. I guess we'll have to wait until Hyatt releases the details of what classifies as a premium suite to understand if this is really a good deal.
I wonder if this will change again.
Last edited by 59Impala; Oct 24, 2018 at 12:47 pm Reason: typo
#22
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: Homeless
Programs: Hyatt Glob; Hilton Dia; Marriott AMB; Accor Dia; IHG Dia Amb; GHA Tit
Posts: 4,838
So a suite upgrade is 6k pts, and a premium suite upgrade is 9k pts. So can I book a standard room cash, use a Globalist suite upgrade award, and then pay 3k pts for a further upgrade to a premium suite? Sounds like the answer is no but I wonder if some hotels will allow it.
I am interested in premium suites but I am reluctant to pay 9k pts for it especially if I can get a standard suite without paying any points for it.
I am interested in premium suites but I am reluctant to pay 9k pts for it especially if I can get a standard suite without paying any points for it.
#24
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Denver
Programs: United 1K, Marriott Platinum, Hyatt Diamond
Posts: 90
So a suite upgrade is 6k pts, and a premium suite upgrade is 9k pts. So can I book a standard room cash, use a Globalist suite upgrade award, and then pay 3k pts for a further upgrade to a premium suite? Sounds like the answer is no but I wonder if some hotels will allow it.
I am interested in premium suites but I am reluctant to pay 9k pts for it especially if I can get a standard suite without paying any points for it.
I am interested in premium suites but I am reluctant to pay 9k pts for it especially if I can get a standard suite without paying any points for it.
#25
Join Date: Feb 2010
Programs: MR-Amb, Hyatt-Globalist, AA-EXP
Posts: 1,744
So a suite upgrade is 6k pts, and a premium suite upgrade is 9k pts. So can I book a standard room cash, use a Globalist suite upgrade award, and then pay 3k pts for a further upgrade to a premium suite? Sounds like the answer is no but I wonder if some hotels will allow it.
I am interested in premium suites but I am reluctant to pay 9k pts for it especially if I can get a standard suite without paying any points for it.
I am interested in premium suites but I am reluctant to pay 9k pts for it especially if I can get a standard suite without paying any points for it.
But I think (hope) this would make it easier to call and negotiate cash upgrades to those premium suites, since this should provide the property with another value baseline for quoting upgrades beyond just comparing the cash rates for two room types.
#26
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: On the road, 24/7/365
Posts: 3,467
Based on my personal situation (various travel policies, disinterest in suites, dietary preferences, don't drink) those United Club coupons were about the only real Globalist benefit to me - great when flights were delayed or cancelled. My employers get my points, so that part of recent program changes doesn't excite me.
#27
Join Date: Aug 2017
Location: Stilllwater OK (SWO)
Programs: AAdvantage ExecPlat, World of Hyatt Globalist, plain "member" of Marriott, IHG, enterprise, etc.
Posts: 1,848
I don't care about the points and cash. I'm actually not sure what people who would. Members who stay at Hyatt usually have enough that P&C doesn't make financial sense (globalist get free parking only on pure point stays). M&S should have enough points either so they don't care about using P&C.
I did book one pts+cash stay yesterday for next summer at a Cat2 property.
As for the united passes, I didn't remember getting them this year, but then found them over the weekend in my card-drawer, so I must have just forgotten. There is one airport I go through each year that has a United lounge but not an AA admirals club lounge, so it is minor benefit loss as well.
I have a hard time imagining me giving up 9000 pts for a premium suite per night. All told, I think the changes net negative for me, but not hugely.
#28
Join Date: Sep 2008
Posts: 7,875
I have always burned pts at 2 cents/pt or better. For a Cat 2, the cash plus pts (4000 pts +$55) is a pretty good deal for me because those 4000 pts I save only cost me 1.375 cents per point. So, I think that there is indeed -some- devaluation with this change, though, it is muted by the fact that I usually just don't seem much availability.
I did book one pts+cash stay yesterday for next summer at a Cat2 property.
As for the united passes, I didn't remember getting them this year, but then found them over the weekend in my card-drawer, so I must have just forgotten. There is one airport I go through each year that has a United lounge but not an AA admirals club lounge, so it is minor benefit loss as well.
I have a hard time imagining me giving up 9000 pts for a premium suite per night. All told, I think the changes net negative for me, but not hugely.
I did book one pts+cash stay yesterday for next summer at a Cat2 property.
As for the united passes, I didn't remember getting them this year, but then found them over the weekend in my card-drawer, so I must have just forgotten. There is one airport I go through each year that has a United lounge but not an AA admirals club lounge, so it is minor benefit loss as well.
I have a hard time imagining me giving up 9000 pts for a premium suite per night. All told, I think the changes net negative for me, but not hugely.
And currently Hyatt is selling points with 40% so it is 1.7 cents per point.
And with free parking on point nights for globalist it throws another wrench in, cause parking can be very expensive.