World of Hyatt Changes Milestone Rewards and Guest of Honor Bookings [2024 Program Update]

When it comes to loyalty program changes, they’re usually associated with 1 word … devaluations.

However, Hyatt fans can take a breather with this latest announcement. Rest assured, Hyatt isn’t exactly overhauling the program, but there are certainly a few notable changes regarding Milestone Rewards and Guest of Honor Awards.

The new program will take effect January 1, 2024, so let’s debrief everything you should know.

A Renewed Focus on Milestone Rewards

It’s no secret that World of Hyatt is one of the most valuable hotel programs thanks to its high rewards value redeemable at excellent properties worldwide. Besides the 3 ranks of elite status — Discoverist, Explorist, and Globalist — the program offers “Milestone Rewards” for members who stay at least 20 nights or earn 35,000 base points in a calendar year.

Currently, Milestone Rewards are available for every 10 qualifying night benchmark you meet, up to 100 nights. With the changes, Hyatt will refresh existing Milestone Rewards and add new tiers — up to 150 nights — incentivizing those who love the brand even further:

Many of the existing options remain the same, but Hyatt says that the new rewards will give members the option to “choose whether to use their award or gift eligible awards to those they care about.”

Closer Look at World of Hyatt’s New Milestone Rewards

Here’s a quick glossary of the new Milestone Rewards that are up for grabs:

• 2K Next Stay: Earn 2,000 bonus points on your next stay at a Hyatt Place, Hyatt House, Caption by Hyatt, or UrCove hotel.
• FIND Experience Credit: This perk will still exist but in $25, $150, or $300 increments depending on the Milestone Reward members achieve, and it can be used for any FIND experience around the globe.
• Guest of Honor Award: Give others Globalist benefits on either award or eligible paid stays, starting at 40 qualifying nights in a year — more on this in the next section.
• Miraval Extra Night: Stay 1 night at a Miraval resort and receive a complimentary second night
• The Ultimate Free Night Award: Book 1 free night in any participating Category 1-8 hotel, Category A-F all-inclusive resort, or participating Miraval resort.

There are several exciting (and not-so-exciting) perks to discuss above. At the 20-night level, the ability to choose a 2K Next Stay Reward can be much more enticing than the other options. Club Access Awards can be difficult to use already, so many World of Hyatt members could opt for a quick hit of 2,000 bonus points by staying at Hyatt’s base-level brands.

However, the Guest of Honor Award changes may raise some eyebrows among loyal members. Next year, Guest of Honor bookings will be limited to those who choose it as a Milestone Reward. But the good news is that they can be booked with an eligible cash reservation, not just a points booking.

Furthermore, the Miraval Free Night and the Ultimate Free Night Award should be exciting new options for ultra-loyalists. The Miraval Free Night is eligible for cash or award stays, making it a good option for those who want to get a BOGO stay. And although it will require staying 150 nights at a Hyatt property, the Ultimate Free Night Award allows you to book Hyatt’s most expensive properties worldwide.

Guest of Honor Program Gets Revamped

Right now, top-tier Globalist members can book award stays for anyone through the Guest of Honor program with no stated limitation. They can “give” their Globalist benefits, including complimentary breakfast, potential room upgrades, and late checkout.

Come the new year, this means that the Guest of Honor program will be gutted for most Globalist members. While Globalist members will start off with 5 Guest of Honor Awards next year, it will then be a Milestone Reward available to members starting at 40 nights or 65,000 base points, with the potential to earn up to 10 awards per year.

In addition, those who earn Globalist status for 2024 will be grandfathered into the legacy program until February 28, 2025 — or February 2026, if you hold Lifetime Globalist status. That means unlimited Guest of Honor bookings once you gift or apply your five complimentary awards in 2024.

As stated above, the new Guest of Honor program is now bookable on paid or award bookings, up to a 7-night maximum. Under the new program, the Globalist member will earn 1 elite night credit toward their status when their Guest of Honor completes their stay.

Finally, if you’ve ever booked a Guest of Honor award, you know that it’s a painstaking, manual process done by email. Hyatt says the award will be able to be booked online, removing much of the legwork.

Changes for Meeting and Event Planners

The final change won’t impact most travelers but is still an update nonetheless.

Business owners who plan events or book reservations for their clients and colleagues will earn a bit differently. Currently, they can earn 1 bonus point per dollar spent (up to 50,000 bonus points) for hosting a qualifying meeting or event at Hyatt. These are redeemable points and do not count toward elite status.

Starting in 2024, meeting and event planners earn 2 elite night credits toward elite status for every $5,000 spent, with a maximum of $150,000 in eligible spending each year on events, Hyatt Privé bookings, or when travel agents book through Hyatt channels with an IATA number.

That equates to a potential of 60 elite nights earned, enough for Globalist status (and many of the Milestone Rewards discussed above).

Final Thoughts

There you have it — World of Hyatt’s 2024 program changes.

Thankfully, they don’t impact (or devalue) how you earn and redeem Hyatt points.

Depending on how often Globalist members previously used Guest of Honor, they may either be indifferent or annoyed by these changes (and at least through the end of 2024, the legacy GoH program will stay in effect). But many new Milestone Rewards appear for those who stay at Hyatt hotels 100 to 150 nights per year, including the ability to get a free night at virtually any property worldwide.