The hotel loyalty program World of Hyatt (formerly Hyatt Gold Passport) is selling points with a 25% discount until June 2, 2023 as long as you purchase at least 5,000 points. If you use the points wisely, you’ll be able to save quite a lot of money!
Many hotel loyalty programs regularly sell their points with a bonus or discount. If those points are used in a clever way, you can often book hotels for much cheaper rates. How about at World of Hyatt?
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25% Discount Starting at 5,000 Points
Until June 2, 2023, you’ll get a 25% bonus when you buy 5,000 points or more. With that 25% discount, a point would cost 1.8 USD cents, i.e. 1.63 EUR cents.
You can purchase a maximum of 55,000 points per calendar year.
Redeeming points at World of Hyatt
Assuming that one doesn’t have any points and wants to save money by buying points: Is this purchase worth it?
World of Hyatt offers various possibilities to redeem points that you’ve earned or bought:
1. Free nights
Just like with (almost) every hotel loyalty program, you can book free nights for certain amounts of points. World of Hyatt has put its hotels into seven categories. You can get a standard room for 3,500 during off-peak times to 45,000 points in peak times:
It is also possible to book club rooms or even suites. It’s just a matter of how much money many points you’re willing to spend.
If you buy the points with the 25% bonus, you’d be paying the following prices during standard times, depending on the hotel category:
- 5,000 points: US$90 (~€84)
- 8,000 points: US$144 (~€134)
- 12,000 points: US$216 (~€201)
- 15,000 points: US$270 (~€252)
- 20,000 points: US$360 (~€335)
- 25,000 points: US$450 (~€419)
- 30,000 points: US$540 (~€503)
- 40,000 points: US$720 (~€671)
This means that you could book a category 1 hotel for US$90 (~€84)! During off-peak times, you could even only pay US$63 (~€59).
If you book during off-peak times, the number of required points decreases by 30%, while it will increase by 30% during peak times.
2. Cash + Points
Instead of paying the entire price in points, you could also pay half the amount of needed points, and half the standard rate:
With the 25% discount, you’d pay the following prices with Cash + Points:
- US$45 (~€42) + 50% of the standard rate
- US$72 (~€67) + 50% of the standard rate
- US$108 (~€101) + 50% of the standard rate
- US$135 (~€126) + 50% of the standard rate
- US$180 (~€168) + 50% of the standard rate
- US$225 (~€210) + 50% of the standard rate
- US$270 (~€252) + 50% of the standard rate
- US$360 (~€335) + 50% of the standard rate
This might be worth it, but doesn’t necessarily have to be. This option, however, is worth checking out, especially for the more expensive hotels. Nevertheless, it is usually better to directly book the entire thing with points.
There is an advantage, though: Even though you’re using points, Cash + Points stays count as qualifying stays, and you’ll get points for the part you paid with money.
3. Upgrades
Another very attractive way of using the points is upgrading a common standard room into a club room (Regency/Grand Club) for 3,000 points or even a suite for 6,000 points per night.
That means that an upgrade to a club room would cost you US$54 (~€50) and an upgrade to a suite would cost US$108 (~€101).
This is definitively a very attractive option, while there also are some exceptions. In a resort, for instance, you’d need to at least book a deluxe room, and some hotels don’t allow upgrades to a suite with points (Andaz Tokyo, Park Hyatt Sydney …).
Other options
It is also possible to redeem your points for a discount at restaurants or for the spa. These options, however, aren’t interesting when purchasing points.
Transferring points between accounts
Upon request, you can transfer points between two World of Hyatt accounts. This, however, is only possible to combine points, so that you can redeem them for an award. This means that if the account is empty, it doesn’t make sense for Hyatt to transfer the points, and the request will probably be denied.
Where should the points be redeemed?
Considering the price, category 1 and 2 hotels are particularly interesting:
You can see a list of all category 1 and 2 hotels here.
There are, however, a few sweet spots in the higher categories:
Park Hyatt New York for $810 instead of $1,375/night
One of these is the Park Hyatt New York (category 8). Prices in peak season are often around $1,200 per night + another $175 in taxes and fees. If you buy 45,000 points and then redeem them, the night would cost you US$810 (~€755), saving you over 40%:
Hyatt Place Chicago/ Downtown- The Loop for $324 instead of $575/night
Another example is Hyatt Place Chicago/ Downtown- The Loop (category 4). Prices in peak season can often reach $490 per night + another $85 in taxes and fees. If you buy 18,000 points and then redeem them, the night would cost you US$324 (~€302), again saving you over 40%:
Hyatt Place Dallas/ Park Central for $63 instead of $125/night
Our last example is the Hyatt Place Dallas/ Park Central (category 1). Prices in the off-season still lie at about $110 per night + another $15 in taxes and fees. If you buy 3,500 points and then redeem them, the night would cost you US$63 (~€59), even saving you around 50%:
Previous Promotions
Here’s an overview of Hyatt’s previous promotions for points purchases:
| Purchase Period | Bonus / Discount | Price per Point |
| February 2023 | 25% bonus | 1.92 USD cents |
| September 2022 | 30% discount | 1.68 USD cents |
| April 2022 | 30% discount | 1.68 USD cents |
| January 2022 | 30% bonus | 1.85 USD cents |
| November 2021 | 30% discount | 1.68 USD cents |
Conclusion & Warning
As we always say at this point: Hyatt can change the terms of their program at any time and devalue the points. It is best to only buy points if you have a specific plan to spend them, and not simply to stockpile them.
Nevertheless, buying points can be worth it. You only need to know where to redeem them!