I also think that’s what’s going to affect most members too. I’d typically pay cash under 2cpp and use points over. Frankly the past year I’ve had some great redemptions but many fell at 1.4-1.7 where I used cash instead. Which is why the devaluation is so painful as many stays are at category 4-5 hotels. If this area was only 10% it would’ve been a little bit more palatable even if the higher end ones still sting. It’s a hatchet across the board though since it hurts regular redemption in 2-5 and really destroys the aspirational stays too.

I’ll still stay at Hyatt from time to time but I Am done with them being my first choice.

When do These changes take affect?

The more I think about this, the more frustrated I get. Hyatt should have done what Chase did - already earned points can be redeemed at a certain value or announced these changes would take place in 6 months rather than so soon so that we had time to spend.

I haven't been able to redeems basically any points in last months or so because there were no redemption availabilities. So I am going to be stuck with nearly 800,000 points.

See the Hyatt website links in the first post

"That's why we're letting you know that changes are coming to our award chart in May, along with corresponding annual Category shifts. Reservations made under the current award chart will be honored until changes take effect.

[...]

In April, we'll share more information about the exact timing of these changes."

and

"Beginning in May, World of Hyatt will expand from three to five redemption levels [...]"

Agree.To a point I agree money is a small price to pay if you have it.
My relatives do the 2000 a night luxury haunts and higher not I.They rarely do Hyatt
As someone who has traveled for decades on frequency more than premium pricing
I typically stay between 150 and 300 dollars maximum
My 800 dollars a night properties very rarely and the 300 to 500 is my typical max upper range
Early on I see myself moving more away from Hyatt only to return occasionally.to aspirational properties and
avoiding the rest of the common properties and especially the penny pinching ones or other subpar ones with
mediocre breakfasts.Frequency may likely be a thing of the past for myself.

Sure glad we lived through the glory years
particularly 1999 on.Wow Hyatt was an extraordinary company you could trust in all regards with
integrity,quality and outstanding food and beverage and exceptional value.
Today Hyatt is more of a wanna be Marriott with a slightly better or a superior breakfast in a PARK abroad.
With far less choices and footprint than Marriott
Hyatt Place House close to once every few years in the right situation and as you state what’s the point
The experience and quality lacks vastly.

Imagine if Banks did this with your currency.
Dear customer in 30 to 45 days your account balance will be worth
37 to 60% less but don’t worry there will be days when you withdraw where you may get more of your previous balance back
Thank you for your loyalty and keep on depositing and spending we appreciate your business

Yes, there are several countries with hyperinflation...

So I made some point advance reservations. Seems like that they would honor the current points even after the devaluation if you don't change or cancel!

Yeah, I went ahead and booked two nights at the Hyatt Regency Rome Central for September (one with points, one with an award). I feel like they could move it up from category 4 at any moment.

This is correct - existing reservations won’t be changed unless you change them (the points have already been paid).

I’ve got 3 nights booked on points at the Alila Ventana Big Sur in September - I’ve always wanted to drive the full length of CA-1 through Big Sur, so I book this every year as soon as it’s available in case the road gets reopened, and then cancel if it doesn’t. Hopefully this is the year I get to go since I can’t reasonably afford it under the new award chart.

Your Cat 2 hotels would cost 10k per night in the "Moderate" tier in the new award chart. Let's say you would have earned 2k (or its cash equivalent from a referral site) for a paid night, the total real cost should be around 12k. If you've getting 3.12˘/pt for you stays, that translates into $374.40 per night? Is that still a good deal? It may be for some Cat 2 Hyatt, but not generally, IMO.

As for lower category redeemers - that is mostly me. I pay cash or points on leisure trips purely based on points vs cash rates ( with points valued at 2 cents per point). Since 2018, I have redeemed 90% of my points at cat 1s-4s because I find on the upper end, hotels are either just too stupid expensive for my tastes, or the points are so high compared to cash that I just pay cash. I love full service hyatts and most of my stays and redemptions are at lower category HRs and GHs in secondary US markets, but I don't really have dreams of aspirational properties. It's overall worked out well from a value perspective.

I would have an easier time to swallow this pill if it hasn't been for the fact that nearly all of the hotels I have usually redeemed at have gone up at least 1 category in the last few years, and are showing a lot more 'peak' rates and lot less 'off peak' rates over the last year. Hotels I was able to redeem at 5K are now very often cat2/9.5K, and now will be up to 15K. Those that were cat3/12K points are now cat4/15-18K points will soon be up to 25K points. That is a doubling to tripling of points over a few years, and these hotels are still often just $100-150 (for the cat 2s) and $150-250 (for the cat 4s) a night usually when I am looking to stay.

Like I have mentioned early in the thread, my points balances have been creeping up because even before this change I have been having a harder time finding >2 cents per point valuations in my normal travel habits. I am doing a hard reset at my point valuations to no more than 1.5 cents per point when it comes to evaluating earning via CCs, (I am wondering if that is too gracious based on my normal travel patterns) which means I am pulling back most all of my CC spend towards my 2% cash back Citi card unless I need to get some AA miles.

I drained my balance for a week long November stay at a cat6 (which used to be a cat 4) at a nominal 2.5 cents per mile valuation. I was thinking of doing it before the changes anyways, just was relunctant due to the costs of the points (or cash) but it sort feels like it's either now or never.

I was thinking the same, and I do also feel that they may go up from cat.4 especially other nearby hotels are pretty high like the Thomson will be 8!?


I did the same - booked Alila Ventana using the point advance since the dates booked didn’t have SUA upgradable suites. I need enough points to be able to use a SUA…

Applying a SUA on a point advance reprices the reservation, at least on category changes. (I’m guessing true as well for May changes).I know from experience.

So apply SUA before changes.

I agree opportunity cost matters when deciding whether cash or points is the better deal. But I was describing “cash saved” vs the rate I would otherwise pay, not an all-in net value after foregone points and any rebates. And opportunity cost applies under the current chart too, so it doesn’t materially change a “today vs new chart” comparison unless Hyatt changes earning rates.

Also, the $/night implied by your math depends entirely on which tier ends up being used on those dates. Assuming “Moderate” (10k) as the default for Cat 2 - or assuming most desirable properties will sit at the top tiers most of the year - is still speculation.

More broadly, my example was also meant as a response to the idea that “real-world redemptions” are basically only Cat 7/8 at the highest tiers. Many members redeem in lower/mid categories because availability is broader and value can be repeatable. And opportunity cost applies to those top-end Cat 7/8 redemptions as well - you’re still forgoing the points you’d earn on a paid stay either way.

As a real-world data point, only 1 of my 10 award bookings this year was at peak pricing; the other 9 weren’t, even though those properties could have priced them as peak under the current chart.