【2016/1】Hyatt has announced that Diamond Suite Upgrades (DSUs) can only be used for hotel stays completed before their expiration date, effective starting in 2017. Since last week, in response to news of the Marriott-Starwood merger, Hyatt has been offering a fairly generous status match to attract elite members from other hotel groups. As long as you have mid-tier or top-tier elite status with a hotel group and at least one stay, you can be matched to Hyatt Gold Passport elite status. I had SPG Gold (SPG’s lowest elite tier) and Hilton Gold (Hilton’s mid-tier elite level), both of which I got from the same credit card (AMEX Platinum), and I used this promotion to get Hyatt Gold Passport Diamond (Hyatt’s top elite tier) through the end of February 2017.
If you are one of those people, you may be wondering: now that you have Hyatt elite status, how should you make the most of it? Today we’ll go over the Hyatt Gold Passport program and how to use its elite benefits.
Hyatt Gold Passport Elite Tiers
For each calendar year (from January 1 to December 31), elite status is determined by your Eligible Stays and Eligible Nights at Hyatt hotels. Only stays booked through Hyatt’s own official channels count as eligible. Some travel agencies that book through the GDS system also count as official channels for these purposes (for example, bookings made through Citi Prestige’s CWT or AMEX Fine Hotels & Resorts are eligible), but bookings through most online travel agencies such as Priceline, Orbitz, Travelocity, or Expedia almost certainly do not count, regardless of whether the price matches Hyatt’s official website. So we recommend booking through the hotel whenever possible to avoid losing out on points. Gold Passport has two elite tiers:
Hyatt Gold Passport
Gold Passport is Hyatt’s basic membership level. You get it simply by registering on the Gold Passport website. Members at this level earn 5 points per dollar spent at Hyatt.
Hyatt Platinum
Hyatt Platinum is Hyatt’s lower elite tier. You can qualify by staying 5 Eligible Stays or 15 Eligible Nights. In addition, Chase Hyatt cardholders are automatically upgraded to Hyatt Platinum. Platinum members receive:
- A better room within the same category (for example, a higher floor or a better view)
- Complimentary premium Internet
- An extra 15% Gold Passport points
- Priority check-in
- 2pm check-out
- Guaranteed room availability when booking at least 72 hours before arrival
Hyatt Diamond
Hyatt’s highest elite tier requires 25 Eligible Stays or 50 Eligible Nights within a year. Benefits include:
- Upgrade at check-in to the best available room at that time, excluding suites
- Complimentary premium Internet
- An extra 30% Gold Passport points
- Complimentary Regency Club or Grand Club Lounge access (with breakfast and evening snacks); at hotels without a Club, you can get free breakfast in the hotel restaurant
- 4 suite upgrade certificates per year, which can be used to confirm an upgrade at the time of booking
- 2 United Club passes per year
- A welcome amenity at check-in: bonus points or food and beverage
- Confirmed bed type at booking
- Priority check-in
- 4pm check-out
- Guest of Honor: use your own points to book a hotel stay for someone else
Gold Passport Benefits
Here are the benefits I think are especially important:
Bonus points
Platinum members earn an extra 15% Gold Passport points on stays, while Diamond members earn an extra 30%. More points are always better.
Upgrade at check-in
Even if you do not have a suite upgrade certificate to use, Platinum members can be upgraded at check-in to the best room within the same category, while Diamond members can get the best available room at the time other than a suite. In general, these upgraded rooms are quite nice. If you are lucky, you may even get a great surprise. Don’t forget to ask when you check in.
Diamond members: bonus points or food and beverage
At check-in, Diamond elites can choose either bonus Gold Passport points (1,000 points; at Hyatt Place, Hyatt House, or Hyatt Residence Resort, it is 500 points) or some food and beverages. Personally, I would choose the points, because Hyatt points are quite valuable, and 1,000 points are worth much more than a small snack.
Diamond members: free breakfast
Free breakfast may be one of the most important benefits for Diamond members. At hotels with a Club Lounge, you can have breakfast in the Club for free. If the hotel does not have a Club, you can enjoy a full breakfast in the hotel restaurant. At some higher-end resorts, this benefit can save you a lot of money. Note that these restaurants may impose a dollar limit on breakfast, though it is usually fairly generous. It can be used for up to 4 people staying in the same room. Even better, the tip is included too, so you do not need to leave one yourself.
Diamond members: Diamond Suite Upgrade
Suite upgrade certificates can be used after you book a hotel to immediately request an upgrade to a suite, if one is available. Those who successfully completed the status match can receive 4 upgrade certificates valid through February 28, 2016. In addition, on March 1, 2016, they can get another set of 4 upgrade certificates valid through February 28, 2017. In other words, you can get a total of 8 upgrade certificates! One thing to note is that the certificates only need to be applied and attached to a reservation before they expire; you do not need to complete the stay before the expiration date. In other words, for a hotel booked before February 28, 2016, you could still use a certificate expiring on February 28, 2016 for a stay after that date. Starting in 2017, however, suite upgrade certificates must be fully used before their expiration date, meaning your checkout date must be on or before February 28. Also note that some hotels do not allow these certificates to be used, so it is best to check before trying to apply one.
MGM M Life
Hyatt and M Life (MGM’s hotel program) have a partnership. Hyatt Diamond members can automatically become M Life Platinum, while Hyatt Platinum members can automatically become M Life Gold. If you are heading to Las Vegas, it may be worth taking advantage of M Life elite benefits, since MGM has many hotel brands there, including MGM Grand, ARIA, Monte Carlo, New York-New York, and Luxor. M Life Gold and Platinum members both get priority check-in, room upgrades (such as a higher floor or corner room, but not to a suite), and various priority reservation services at the hotel such as the spa and pool. And because Las Vegas buffets are famous for their long lines, Gold and Platinum members can use priority lines at buffets and coffee shops. You may also get priority access and better seating for shows.