Feb 17, 2021, 6:13 am
Last edit by: coleslaw
Will my 2021 awards get extended?
All official announcements to date have said that awards issues in 2021 would not be extended. Unofficially, based on anecdotal evidence in this thread, people have been able to get their Cat1-4 and Cat1-7 awards expiring in 2021 extended to end of January 2022. Reports are that this extension can/will only be done on request and during the month of expiration. Some Globalists have reported being able to get their concierge to exchange their expiring awards for points (10k for 1-4 and 20k for 1-7).
Summary of award types and expiration:All official announcements to date have said that awards issues in 2021 would not be extended. Unofficially, based on anecdotal evidence in this thread, people have been able to get their Cat1-4 and Cat1-7 awards expiring in 2021 extended to end of January 2022. Reports are that this extension can/will only be done on request and during the month of expiration. Some Globalists have reported being able to get their concierge to exchange their expiring awards for points (10k for 1-4 and 20k for 1-7).
- New card bonus: 6-month
- Bonus Journeys 2021 Promo: 6-month
- 30 nights (milestone cat 1-4): 6-month
- 60 nights (milestone cat 1-7): 6-month
- Brand Explorer: 12-month
- CC $15k: 12-month
- CC annual FN (cat 1-4): 12-month
- Other CC FN: typically 12-month
Through to the end of 2020, Hyatt had a policy of extending awards issued in 2020 to have an expiration date of 12/31/21. The awards were initially issued with the standard expiration date (see above) and then a batch process ran periodically (roughly every two weeks) to update the expiration dates to 12/31/21. The last batch update ran in the first week of January 2021 to update the expiration dates of awards issued in the last weeks of 2020 (per Hyatt's official expiration date extension policy).
Awards issued in 2021 that were issued before the batch ran to update the 2020 awards were also updated to expire on 12/31/21. This could have been by design (i.e. Hyatt wanted to update the 2021 awards too) or just a byproduct of how the 2020 award update process was set up (i.e. it was easier to update everything that was issued since the previous batch ran rather than try to separate 2020 vs. 2021).
Hyatt may at some point choose to update awards in 2021 to expire on 12/31/21. But they also may not. The unofficial communications so far - i.e. reports from Twitter/Customer Service reps - have been that they will not be updating them. There has been no official announcement either way - but the default assumption should be that awards will not be extended. It's all conjecture until there is an official announcement.
Here is a response to a FlyerTalker's (hoipolloi's) question to Hyatt on whether 2021 awards will be extended:
Originally Posted by Hyatt Consumer Affairs Department
Thank you for taking the time to provide recommendations and feedback regarding our guest loyalty program, World of Hyatt. This feedback allows us to enhance member experiences. I want to thank you on behalf of Amy and let you know we’re continuously monitoring the situation, as it is very fluid. However, at this time, we do not have any extensions for awards earned in 2021, as we are seeing that our members are able to redeem them. Should this change, we will adjust as soon as possible.
Hyatt further extends expiration of awards plus more
Dec 20, 2020, 11:51 am
#61
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Los Angeles, CA; Philadelphia, PA
Programs: OZ Diamond
Posts: 6,139
My understanding of the Peak pricing is that Category Certificates apply only to Category rather than Points Costs.
Meaning a Cat 1-4 is always valid at a Cat 4 property even during Peak Dates where points cost would be 18k per night.
The Same with Category 1-7 Certificates during Peak dates where points cost would be 35k per night.
So whether you book now or later using a certificate you’d have the same results.
Meaning a Cat 1-4 is always valid at a Cat 4 property even during Peak Dates where points cost would be 18k per night.
The Same with Category 1-7 Certificates during Peak dates where points cost would be 35k per night.
So whether you book now or later using a certificate you’d have the same results.
LAX
Dec 20, 2020, 7:43 pm
#62
Join Date: Dec 2018
Posts: 825
My 12/14 issued free night at a category 1 to 4 was reflecting 12/14/21 but has now updated to 12/31/21. Not a huge difference but a nice touch.
Feb 16, 2021, 7:48 pm
#63
Join Date: Feb 2020
Posts: 1,204
Are they ever going to extend the expiration of free night awards earned in 2021 ? My cat 1-7 FNA cert earned in January 2021 has a July 2021 expiration and I doubt I'll be able to use it by then due to travel restrictions.
FNA earned in 2020 were extended until December 2021. I'm starting to worry that Hyatt won't extend FNA earned in 2021 so that they don't have too many FNA waiting to be redeemed at one and hurting their cash flow. However that would be unfair to members with FNA earned in the first half of 2021, which would expire before FNA earned in 2020 which were extended
FNA earned in 2020 were extended until December 2021. I'm starting to worry that Hyatt won't extend FNA earned in 2021 so that they don't have too many FNA waiting to be redeemed at one and hurting their cash flow. However that would be unfair to members with FNA earned in the first half of 2021, which would expire before FNA earned in 2020 which were extended
Feb 17, 2021, 6:14 am
#64
Join Date: Sep 2020
Programs: AA EXP, BA Gold, VS Gold, Hyatt Globalist, Marriott Platinum, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 3,947
Are they ever going to extend the expiration of free night awards earned in 2021 ? My cat 1-7 FNA cert earned in January 2021 has a July 2021 expiration and I doubt I'll be able to use it by then due to travel restrictions.
FNA earned in 2020 were extended until December 2021. I'm starting to worry that Hyatt won't extend FNA earned in 2021 so that they don't have too many FNA waiting to be redeemed at one and hurting their cash flow. However that would be unfair to members with FNA earned in the first half of 2021, which would expire before FNA earned in 2020 which were extended
FNA earned in 2020 were extended until December 2021. I'm starting to worry that Hyatt won't extend FNA earned in 2021 so that they don't have too many FNA waiting to be redeemed at one and hurting their cash flow. However that would be unfair to members with FNA earned in the first half of 2021, which would expire before FNA earned in 2020 which were extended
Feb 17, 2021, 8:14 am
#65
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Barcelona, London, on a plane
Programs: BA Silver, TK E+, AA PP, Hyatt Globalist, Marriott LT Plat, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 13,048
Are they ever going to extend the expiration of free night awards earned in 2021 ? My cat 1-7 FNA cert earned in January 2021 has a July 2021 expiration and I doubt I'll be able to use it by then due to travel restrictions.
FNA earned in 2020 were extended until December 2021. I'm starting to worry that Hyatt won't extend FNA earned in 2021 so that they don't have too many FNA waiting to be redeemed at one and hurting their cash flow. However that would be unfair to members with FNA earned in the first half of 2021, which would expire before FNA earned in 2020 which were extended
FNA earned in 2020 were extended until December 2021. I'm starting to worry that Hyatt won't extend FNA earned in 2021 so that they don't have too many FNA waiting to be redeemed at one and hurting their cash flow. However that would be unfair to members with FNA earned in the first half of 2021, which would expire before FNA earned in 2020 which were extended
But it's also fairly reasonable IMO for any hotel chain to assume that, if you've managed to avoid "travel restrictions" to accumulate dozens of hotel nights in early 2021, you are equally as free to spend your certificates within 6 months. There are only a handful of countries that have made their restrictions even tougher since the beginning of the year.
Feb 17, 2021, 9:35 am
#66
Join Date: Feb 2020
Posts: 1,204
Here's a reply I received from Hyatt :
Please write to [email protected] and [email protected] and request that they extend free night awards earned in 2021 so that they remain valid until at least end of December 2021 just like awards earned in 2020
Thank you for taking the time to provide recommendations and feedback regarding our guest loyalty program, World of Hyatt. This feedback allows us to enhance member experiences. I want to thank you on behalf of Amy and let you know we’re continuously monitoring the situation, as it is very fluid. However, at this time, we do not have any extensions for awards earned in 2021, as we are seeing that our members are able to redeem them. Should this change, we will adjust as soon as possible.
Feb 17, 2021, 9:41 am
#67
Join Date: Sep 2020
Programs: AA EXP, BA Gold, VS Gold, Hyatt Globalist, Marriott Platinum, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 3,947
Feb 17, 2021, 11:50 am
#68
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Los Angeles, CA; Philadelphia, PA
Programs: OZ Diamond
Posts: 6,139
Here's a reply I received from Hyatt :
Please write to [email protected] and [email protected] and request that they extend free night awards earned in 2021 so that they remain valid until at least end of December 2021 just like awards earned in 2020
Please write to [email protected] and [email protected] and request that they extend free night awards earned in 2021 so that they remain valid until at least end of December 2021 just like awards earned in 2020
LAX
Feb 19, 2021, 4:32 am
#69
Join Date: Feb 2015
Posts: 407
Any extensions likely to award certificates?
Many thanks for reading this, firstly -- I greatly appreciate it.
I have just managed to hit Globalist and have been given a free night award certificate (any category) and another one for categories 1-4 via the various milestone targets. I notice, however, that each certificate expires in August '21, i.e. a six month window to use both. Given lockdown, etc., this seems pretty stingy.
Would any FTers know whether there is likely to be any movement from Hyatt in terms of extending these certificates?
Many thanks again.
I have just managed to hit Globalist and have been given a free night award certificate (any category) and another one for categories 1-4 via the various milestone targets. I notice, however, that each certificate expires in August '21, i.e. a six month window to use both. Given lockdown, etc., this seems pretty stingy.
Would any FTers know whether there is likely to be any movement from Hyatt in terms of extending these certificates?
Many thanks again.
Feb 19, 2021, 5:48 am
#70
Join Date: Sep 2020
Programs: AA EXP, BA Gold, VS Gold, Hyatt Globalist, Marriott Platinum, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 3,947
Many thanks for reading this, firstly -- I greatly appreciate it.
I have just managed to hit Globalist and have been given a free night award certificate (any category) and another one for categories 1-4 via the various milestone targets. I notice, however, that each certificate expires in August '21, i.e. a six month window to use both. Given lockdown, etc., this seems pretty stingy.
Would any FTers know whether there is likely to be any movement from Hyatt in terms of extending these certificates?
Many thanks again.
I have just managed to hit Globalist and have been given a free night award certificate (any category) and another one for categories 1-4 via the various milestone targets. I notice, however, that each certificate expires in August '21, i.e. a six month window to use both. Given lockdown, etc., this seems pretty stingy.
Would any FTers know whether there is likely to be any movement from Hyatt in terms of extending these certificates?
Many thanks again.
Feb 19, 2021, 7:44 am
#71
Join Date: Feb 2015
Posts: 407
Unfortunately, my two awards were earned in the last couple of weeks and only 2020 awards have been extended whereas any earned in 2021 don't seem to have been. Meaning, annoyingly, that my two awards have less than six months before they expire, which is a bit ridiculous.
Feb 19, 2021, 9:13 am
#72
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Barcelona, London, on a plane
Programs: BA Silver, TK E+, AA PP, Hyatt Globalist, Marriott LT Plat, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 13,048
Unfortunately, my two awards were earned in the last couple of weeks and only 2020 awards have been extended whereas any earned in 2021 don't seem to have been. Meaning, annoyingly, that my two awards have less than six months before they expire, which is a bit ridiculous.
For the rest of us living in places where the Hyatts are closed and/or it is illegal to travel... that's why 2020 awards were extended.
Feb 19, 2021, 9:47 am
#73
Join Date: Jul 2002
Posts: 3,642
Work stays or doing a local or semi-local mattress run is one thing. Having a cert you want to use for "fun", particularly a Cat 7 is not something you would want to restrict to just a local Hyatt. While I agree that blanket extension by Hyatt may not yet be merited, it is not "ridiculous" for someone to wish to make their free nights be as useful as possible. So you are correct in that "Ridiculous isn't really the right word here"... neither for Hyatt's position nor for the OP's desires.
Feb 19, 2021, 9:55 am
#74
Join Date: Feb 2015
Posts: 407
Xooz -- actually, on reflection, I tend to agree with you, so I do appreciate the comment.
Work stays or doing a local or semi-local mattress run is one thing. Having a cert you want to use for "fun", particularly a Cat 7 is not something you would want to restrict to just a local Hyatt. While I agree that blanket extension by Hyatt may not yet be merited, it is not "ridiculous" for someone to wish to make their free nights be as useful as possible. So you are correct in that "Ridiculous isn't really the right word here"... neither for Hyatt's position nor for the OP's desires.
Feb 19, 2021, 11:43 am
#75
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Barcelona, London, on a plane
Programs: BA Silver, TK E+, AA PP, Hyatt Globalist, Marriott LT Plat, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 13,048
Work stays or doing a local or semi-local mattress run is one thing. Having a cert you want to use for "fun", particularly a Cat 7 is not something you would want to restrict to just a local Hyatt. While I agree that blanket extension by Hyatt may not yet be merited, it is not "ridiculous" for someone to wish to make their free nights be as useful as possible. So you are correct in that "Ridiculous isn't really the right word here"... neither for Hyatt's position nor for the OP's desires.
It's just worth reining in the entitlement... pre-COVID many people have used a 1-7 certificate at a Cat. 5 or 6 (or even lower) without feeling like they were ripped off. A summer trip to California, New York or Chicago hardly seems out of order given the generosity of Hyatt's promotion. Even Senators can make it down to an all-inclusive in Mexico for a night...
And of course, even if you don't use the 1-7 you'll probably get 20k points as compensation...