Chase reached out last week to share news about a change to their Hyatt Credit Card, which will no longer provide new cardholders two free nights at any hotel as part of its promotional sign-up offer. Instead, the offer will include 40,000 bonus points after spending $2,000 in the first three months.
This is potentially a big devaluation since some Hyatt properties charge 35,000 points per night. Instead of two nights at such a hotel, you’ll get only one. Category 6 and 7 properties will both see some limitations under the new model.
For those who still want the original offer, you can continue to apply through June 28, 2017. The new offer will be available starting June 29.
I know some people aren’t all that excited about the new World of Hyatt program compared to the old Hyatt Gold Passport. I agree that Gold Passport was more rewarding at the top end, especially when it came to things like bonus points, breakfast, and welcome amenities.
But I also think World of Hyatt makes more sense for middle-of-the-road travelers. We can all agree that Gold Passport Platinum was pretty worthless, and it was a big jump to Diamond. Meanwhile, my new World of Hyatt Explorist status is easier to obtain and still offers most of the perks that matter to me. I think the credit card change reflects this new approach.
Maybe Not So Bad?
There is a silver lining to this change, which is that anyone who wasn’t able to take advantage of the free nights before their expiration could potentially extend the points indefinitely. Those won’t expire as long as you keep your World of Hyatt account active.
In addition, points can be used more flexibly and combined with other points you already have. Maybe you’d prefer a longer stay at a cheaper property, or you’re happy to pay cash for the room and want to use points for an upgrade. You could also use Points + Cash, which I think offers some of the best value. These things are now possible with the switch to a new credit card bonus model.
