Hyatt Status Challenge 2015
For the last several years Hyatt has been generously matching elite status from other hotel chains. Their “Diamond Status Challenge” ended in October and with it went the ability to get instant Diamond Status with the chain.
Many people used that instant Diamond status to secure suite upgrades and free breakfast for their vacations without any actual intent of completing the challenge. Eventually the challenge became overly publicized, and it was just a matter of time before it went away.
Earlier this year I was fortunate enough to participate in the challenge and secure Diamond status through February of next year. I wrote about my experiences several times if you are interested.
The old status challenge went like this:
- Send if proof of recent stays and elite status with another chain.
- Receive instant Diamond status for 60 days.
- Get 4 suite upgrades.
- Receive 1,000 bonus points for each of the first 6 nights during the challenge.
- Get Diamond status extended through February of the following year after completing 12 nights.
Today, Gary at View from the Wing is reporting that Hyatt will be bringing back a status challenge starting on January 1st. There are some good changes to the challenge, but the truth is it is mostly bad.
Here are the details of the new challenge:
- You don’t need to have status with another chain to qualify.
- Sign up and get automatic Platinum status for 60 days.
- Stay 6 nights during that time and keep Platinum through February 2016.
- While doing this offer you’ll receive 1,000 bonus points for the first 6 nights.
- Stay 12 nights during that time and receive Diamond status through February 2016.
As you can see, there are quite a few differences from the old version of the challenge. Now instead of getting instant Diamond status, you are awarded with their modest Platinum status. On the good side, you no longer need status with another chain in order to request the challenge.
Analysis
While I participated and completed the challenge, part of the value proposition for me was having Diamond status during those original 12 qualifying nights. Platinum status isn’t worth much more than free internet and a late checkout in my experience. With the chain soon providing free internet to everyone, Platinum status isn’t very valuable at all.
From a business standpoint Hyatt has designed a challenge that will still appeal to those who will stay in their hotels a lot without creating a way for people to game the system. To be honest, I don’t blame them. I am not sure if I would have done the challenge given the new rules, but I sure do love my Diamond status.
Conclusion
To get this challenge simply call Hyatt on or after January 1st, 2015. While Gary didn’t mention this specifically, Hyatt has generally enforced a limit of one challenge per account, so you may want to choose your timing carefully.
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Hi,
I just spoke with Hyatt customer service. They are saying that this deal does not exist.
I also mentioned that I have Marriott Platinum status, which they do not seem to care about. I said that I have about 3 months of work related travel coming up, starting with a week at the Hyatt Shanghai … again they did not care. I finally said, “so you don’t care if I book 3 months of stays with Marriott in Europe?” … Again, she says, “OK.”
Really mystified here!
Yes. Sometime between this report and now, they decided that it was targeted only. Apparently you now need to be sponsored by someone inside of the organization. The deal does exist, but many people are being denied it. I am still shocked given how much you travel that they wouldn’t consider offering you anything.
I wonder if award nights might now count toward the 12 nights to qualify. Anybody know for sure?
I am 99.9% sure that they don’t, but I have reached out to Hyatt to try and get a definitive answer.
I am 99.9% sure that they don’t, but I have reached out to Hyatt to try and get a definitive answer.
Hi, what about suite upgrades with the new version of the challenge?
You only get the suite upgrades when you reach Diamond status. This means that you would get them only after completing the 12 nights within 60 days.
Thanks for the clarification!
Thanks for this post and you are correct that this was anticipated as Hyatt most likely needs to thin the Diamond ranks after the previous promotion. Platinum status is about the most unappealing offer compared to the perks given by other hotel chains for similar status.