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Hyatt Award Chart Changes for 2024: What You Need to Know

Travel
February 28, 2025•4 min read

Each year, Hyatt updates its award categories, adjusting the number of points required to book free nights. For 2024, 151 properties will be changing categories, with 113 hotels increasing in price and 33 properties decreasing.

If you have Category 1-4 free night certificates, these changes could impact your ability to use them, as several hotels are moving from Category 4 to 5 and will no longer be eligible. Conversely, some lower-category hotels are shifting from Category 1 to 2, which may affect mattress runs used for elite status qualification.

These changes take effect on March 25, 2024, at 8:00 a.m. CDT.

  • Book before March 25 to secure lower rates for properties going up in price.

  • Existing bookings at hotels decreasing in category will be refunded the difference in points.

  • To see the full list of Hyatt properties changing in category, visit this official Hyatt page.

Here’s what you need to know about the biggest impacts of Hyatt’s 2024 award chart adjustments.

Key Changes: Where You’ll Pay More Points

Hotels Losing Free Night Certificate Eligibility (Category 4 → 5)

If you’ve been using Category 1-4 free night certificates, these hotels will no longer be eligible after March 25:

  • The Bellevue Hotel (Philadelphia, PA) (4 → 5) ❌

  • Hyatt Regency Newport Beach (CA) (4 → 5) ❌

  • Hyatt Regency Orlando International Airport (FL) (4 → 5) ❌

  • Hyatt Regency Boston/Cambridge (MA) (4 → 5) ❌

  • Hyatt House Augusta Downtown (GA) (4 → 5) ❌

  • Hyatt Place Panama City Beach / Beachfront (FL) (4 → 5) ❌

  • Hyatt Regency Houston/Galleria (TX) (4 → 5) ❌

  • Hyatt Regency Washington (D.C.) (4 → 5) ❌

  • Grand Hyatt Washington (D.C.) (4 → 5) ❌

  • Park Hyatt Washington (D.C.) (5 → 6) (previously 5, now even more expensive)

If you want to redeem a Category 1-4 free night certificate at these properties, book before March 25 to lock in availability.

Hotels No Longer Great for Mattress Runs (Category 1 → 2)

Some of the most affordable Category 1 properties are shifting to Category 2, which increases the cost of mattress runs for those trying to earn elite status efficiently.

  • Hyatt Place Flagstaff (AZ) (1 → 2) ⬆️

  • Hyatt Place Kansas City / Overland Park / Convention Center (KS) (1 → 2) ⬆️

  • Hyatt Place Detroit/Auburn Hills (MI) (1 → 2) ⬆️

  • Hyatt Place Fort Worth / Alliance Town Center (TX) (1 → 2) ⬆️

  • Hyatt House Dallas/Frisco (TX) (1 → 2) ⬆️

  • Hyatt Regency Dulles (VA) (1 → 2) ⬆️

These hotels were prime choices for cheap elite nights, but the increase from 5,000 to 8,000 points per night will make them less attractive for status runs.

Luxury Hotels Becoming More Expensive

Hawaii: Premium Properties Getting a Major Increase

  • Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort & Spa (7 → 8) 🏝 Huge devaluation (30,000 → 40,000 points)

  • Hyatt Regency Maui Resort & Spa (7 → 6) Good news! This property is actually decreasing in points, meaning if you already have it booked, Hyatt will automatically reprice it at the lower rate, saving you points!

Hawaii’s Grand Hyatt Kauai is now Category 8, the highest award level in the Hyatt program, requiring up to 40,000 points per night. If you were hoping to redeem points at this resort, book before March 25 to save 10,000 points per night.

Japan: High-End Hotels Climbing in Price

  • Andaz Tokyo Toranomon Hills (7 → 8) 🇯🇵 Now at top-tier pricing (40,000 points)

  • Grand Hyatt Tokyo (7 → 8) 🇯🇵 Massive devaluation

  • Park Hyatt Tokyo (7 → 8) 🇯🇵 Even harder to book on points

  • Hyatt Centric Ginza Tokyo (6 → 7) 🇯🇵

  • Hyatt Regency Kyoto (5 → 6) 🇯🇵

This makes Tokyo’s premium hotels some of the most expensive in the Hyatt portfolio. If you’ve been eyeing a stay at the Park Hyatt Tokyo, booking before March 25 will save you 10,000 points per night.

Bali: Popular Redemptions Are Getting More Expensive

  • Andaz Bali (5 → 6) 🇮🇩

  • Alila Seminyak (5 → 6) 🇮🇩

  • Grand Hyatt Bali (2 → 3) 🇮🇩

  • Hyatt Regency Bali (2 → 3) 🇮🇩

Bali’s top properties are moving up in category, making it more costly to redeem free nights in this tropical paradise.

Thailand: Some Major Resort Changes

  • Hyatt Regency Koh Samui (4 → 5) 🇹🇭 No longer eligible for free night certificates ❌

  • Hyatt Regency Phuket Resort (3 → 4) 🇹🇭

Meet Me in Dallas!

I'll be a featured speaker at Frequent Traveler University in Dallas on May 2-4, 2025! The host hotel, Hyatt Regency DFW, is moving from Category 2 → 3, meaning the cost is increasing from 8,000 to 12,000 points per night. Book now to take advantage of the discounted points before the increase!

🔗 Register for FTU Dallas here: FTU Dallas 2025

Final Thoughts: Plan Ahead for 2024

🔗 View the full list of properties increasing and decreasing in category here: Hyatt Award Chart Updates

🚀 Maximize your points now—before your favorite hotels get more expensive!

Ben's Big Deal is more than just a business—it's a passion project fueled by a decade of travel experience. With top-tier status earned through American Airlines and Hyatt, Ben brings unparalleled expertise to the world of points and miles. His dedication to maximizing benefits and finding exclusive deals has made him a respected figure in the travel community. As a sought-after speaker and avid contributor across various platforms, Ben is committed to sharing his insights and helping others achieve their travel goals.

Ben Komenkul

Ben's Big Deal is more than just a business—it's a passion project fueled by a decade of travel experience. With top-tier status earned through American Airlines and Hyatt, Ben brings unparalleled expertise to the world of points and miles. His dedication to maximizing benefits and finding exclusive deals has made him a respected figure in the travel community. As a sought-after speaker and avid contributor across various platforms, Ben is committed to sharing his insights and helping others achieve their travel goals.

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