I’ve just received 1000 free Hyatt points ‘as a Diamond member and Hyatt Visa cardholder’.

Naturally this has me speculating that it’s funded in part by Chase. Perhaps because Diamonds benefit less from the credit card since they have no use for its free Platinum status, although on the other hand Hyatt Diamonds likely places a higher value on Hyatt’s points than other members.

It’s just 1000 points. I value that at ~ $14.

But it’s a surprise gift! I sure loved it when out of the blue Hilton give American Executive Platinums top tier Diamond status.

Northwest used to build a bit of surprise and delight into the Worldperks program for Platinum members: 1000 miles every time they didn’t clear a domestic upgrade. On short flights there were frequent flyers hoping not to get the upgrade!

That’s a little bit different, because it wasn’t a surprise. But it may be the right way to do it.

When Hyatt started handing out free nights to some members upon reaching certain milestones, like the number of unique properties they had visited, members talk.. a nice gesture to some members became a question, and source of unhappiness, for members who hadn’t received the same thing.

Hyatt at one point handed out Diamond members large amounts of United miles. I admit to a certain displeasure that I wasn’t one of those lucky ones.

When targeting groups of members, you can be especially generous.with a few or modestly generous with everyone.. giving out 1000 points, as in this case.

Either way though I do think it’s the things we don’t expect and don’t feel entitled to, but we nonetheless receive as a courtesy, that can feel especially good. I prefer knowing what to expect, and insisting on receiving that. But I do love the little extras just the same.

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