Loyalty Lobby speculated on Hyatt’s promotion yesterday but I’ve gotten it confirmed: Hyatt Gold Passport’s spring promotion will be 3000 points every 3 nights, up to a maximum of 45,000 points, between March 1 and May 31.
In addition to earlier speculation, Hyatt Visa cardholders will earn an additional 20% bonus on top of that (meaning each set of 3 nights will earn them 3600 bonus points).
Registration for the promotion will begin February 15. The link for this is not yet available.
Club Carlson is offering triple points. Starwood is giving 2000 points every four nights. Hilton is double points or miles.
I’d say that Marriott’s MegaBonus which offers a free night after two stays (capped at category 4) is probably the richest current promotion, with Hyatt’s second. Although for my purposes — I don’t like expiring free nights, and I prefer to redeem for aspirational stays rather than mid-tier properties — I’ll take the points and prefer Hyatt’s offering. (It doesn’t hurt in that regard that I have a Hyatt Visa.)
Hyatt’s spring promotion is no Faster Free Nights, but it’s one of the best promotions in a relatively modest field thus far in 2013.
I have 13 nights currently booked during the promotion period, and will probably wind up with 15 or more pretty easily and will pick up an extra free night at a strong property in addition to usual points earning. That’s hardly mind-blowing for that many nights, but I’m pleased.
Meh. Like you pointed out, 15 booked nights = 1 free night. If I requalified for Diamond status all at once that would almost be two free nights.
AAAARRRGGGHHH! 10 nights planned for February!!!!
Several questions and thoughts:
1) Do you need to pay with a Hyatt CC to get the bonus? Because I still want to use OPEN to pay for Hyatt stays
2) If you can get to 20 nights, SPG’s bonus is 900 points per night, which in my opinion is better than 1200 Hyatt per night
3) Still think Hilton is better if aspirational is what you’re after. Assuming HH Gold and Hyatt Platinum (which is where most of us fall into based on CC granted status), a $150 hotel night gets 5400 HH points or 2500 Hyatt. Slight edge to Hilton in my opinion (assuming you have an AXON card)
@RQ (1) No, (2) a situation applicable to far fewer people, and debatable but a defensible position, (3) not obvious to me at all that the Hilton points are worth more in your scenario, though Hilton Gold is definitely better than Hyatt Platinum (and better than Starwood Gold and Priority Club Platinum as well)
If the goal is purely aspirational? I think Hilton at a better than 2:1 ratio wins. Hyatt gets the edge on have more of the “uber-uber-aspirational”, but Hilton gets the edge on having aspirational properties in more locations, and the ability to redeem them for as little as 1.64X as much as the 22K it costs for Hyatt
Gary, any idea why Hyatt promos are getting worse? Hyatt used to be a outstanding program because of the bonus points and of course the now dead Faster Free Nights. It is really starting to be that instead of being loyal to Hyatt it is starting to make more sense to being loyal to savings programs like Priceline / Hotwire and corporate discounts.
As a diamond I have had it with Hyatt. Sure I am not a big spender (probabaly average $250 a night with Hyatt) but switching over to priceline I can pay $75 taxes in. That is much more then the bonus points and loyalty gives me in a rebate.
Do you think this will be the best that Hyatt will roll out this year. I tend to think that.
@Greg — first quarter promos are generally weak. Hyatt’s promo isn’t great but it’s better than Starwood’s and Hilton’s in my view. Hotels are running full so they don’t need to entice us as much.
Do you have to use the Hyatt card to get the bonus?
Pricline, Hotwire, SPG, Marriott, and Hilton are all a better deal in dollar terms than Hyatt. Compare the Hyatt averaage daily rates with the ohter hotel chains, and the competiton often has a better value.
Starwood is competitive if you can stay at US Le Meridien properties, although registration has passed.
Marriott capping at CAT4 sucks. I cant say it anymore plainly than that.