Free Hyatt Mid-Tier Elite Status And Challenge For Top Tier Globalist – Open To All

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If you want Hyatt status, you normally have to earn it from scratch. They don’t offer the same kinds of shortcuts that Hilton and Marriott do. Except for the next 5 days.

  • Hyatt doesn’t generally offer to match status in other hotel programs (other than through their partnership with MGM Rewards).

  • And they don’t offer ‘status challenges’ either, except through sales channels and occasionally through their partnership with American Airlines.

That’s why this offer is unique.

Free Hyatt Status And Challenge Offer

As part of Bilt Rewards’ April “Rent Day” Hyatt – a Bilt Rewards transfer partner – Hyatt is offering 90 days of free mid-tier Explorist status and a fast track to achieve Globalist through February 2025. And Bilt Rewards is free to join, if you aren’t already a member.

This is in addition to Bilt’s standard Rent Day offer of double points on the first of the month for those with their Bilt Mastercard (which means 4x on travel and 6x on dining in addition to 2x on all other spend, up to 10,000 bonus points earned on the day),

To obtain free Explorist status and a Globalist challenge:

  • Join Bilt Rewards if you haven’t already done so. And enroll in World of Hyatt if you don’t already have an account.

  • Link your Bilt Rewards and World of Hyatt accounts in the Bilt app (under the Travel tab)

  • Between March 28 and April 1, choose “Unlock World of Hyatt Elite Status” on the Rent Day tab in the Bilt app.

Once you’ve registered you’ll receive Explorist status by April 17, and benefits will last through July 16. If you stay 10 qualifying nights during this period you keep Explorist status and 20 qualifying nights earns Globalist through February 2025.

You’re eligible for this offer even if you already have Hyatt status.

Award nights are qualifying. So you can transfer points from Bilt or Chase to Hyatt, redeem free nights, and earn elite status. MGM and SLH Hotels stays count as well. Status you earn through the challenge will be reflected within 7 business days of checkout from the stay in which you complete the offer.

What This Status Gets You

Hyatt has the best top tier status, in my view, and it’s my primary program. Their mid-tier Explorist status isn’t really competitive. However having some status is certainly better than not for your stays, and having status lets you match to other programs as well. This is worth singing up for even if you don’t have immediate plans to stay with Hyatt.

Explorist status normally requires 30 nights and comes with upgrades (but not to suites) and 2 p.m. late check-out. This offer doesn’t include club access awards or MGM Gold status match.

Globalist status normally requires 60 nights and comes with upgrades (including to standard suites); 4 p.m. late check-out; lounge access or restaurant breakfast; free parking on award nights; conferring the same status benefits to a friend when redeeming points for them. This offer doesn’t come with Suite Upgrade Awards, a Category 1-7 Free Night Award, or My Hyatt Concierge – as these are earned based on nights stayed rather than status.

Constantly Adding Value

I love Bilt’s Rent Day offers. They keep improving the program. I’ve taken advantage of their Bilt Mastercard double points offers (and I was recently targeted for 5x accelerator categories). They have some of the best points transfer partners (e.g. Hyatt, American, United, Turkish) as well. Of course to earn points with the card you must make at least 5 purchases each month.

Bilt ran a deal for free United status, and many members kept their status. Free Hyatt status is unique as well. I can’t wait to see what’s next.

About Gary Leff

Gary Leff is one of the foremost experts in the field of miles, points, and frequent business travel - a topic he has covered since 2002. Co-founder of frequent flyer community InsideFlyer.com, emcee of the Freddie Awards, and named one of the "World's Top Travel Experts" by Conde' Nast Traveler (2010-Present) Gary has been a guest on most major news media, profiled in several top print publications, and published broadly on the topic of consumer loyalty. More About Gary »

More articles by Gary Leff »

Editorial note: any opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any card issuer. Comments made in response to this post are not provided or commissioned nor have they been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any bank. It is not the responsibility of advertisers Citibank, Chase, American Express, Barclays, Capital One or any other advertiser to ensure that questions are answered, either. Terms and limitations apply to all offers.

Pingbacks

  1. […] Overall Hyatt has the most rewarding hotel loyalty program of the major chains, largely as a result of its top tier Globalist elite level – which offers confirmed suites at time of booking and a real full breakfast (that specifies what it includes rather than leaving it up to the hotel, and even includes tax and tip). Meanwhile, Hilton and IHG don’t even guarantee late check-out. You can currently get free Hyatt status. […]

Comments

  1. It says you can already have status? Doe that mean if I am currently Explorist I can do the challenge to fast track to Globalist with 20 nights?

  2. Although Hyatt status offers are rare, are they also once per lifetime? I might pass since I may not get a lot of use by 7/16. Thanks.

  3. @Nun – I’m told this doesn’t preclude other status offers, and if you’ve participated in one in the past you are not excluded from this one

  4. Gary — any sense of whether this offer would be available to someone who is already a Globalist and just looking to requalify?

  5. @Jake – it appears to be – the terms say you’re eligible for this offer even if you already have Hyatt status, and doesn’t say anything like ‘except if you are already a Globalist’

  6. @ Gary, if I currently have bookings with Hyatt that falls within Apr.17 & July 16th (total of 6), once linked on Bilt with this promotion, will my current bookings w/Hyatt for these stays count towards the 20 nights (if so, that’llmean I’ll need to stay 14 more nights btwn these dates). Thanks!

  7. They need all the globalists they can get their hands on as they will lose some of them with the massive devaluations and overpricing of rooms
    They also have hotels that manipulate Standard room availability so there’s none,
    declining dining quality
    And reduced breakfast benefits
    Hyatt is now overrated and it didn’t used to be despite having some nice full service hotels and a program that was fair and better and more generous for years before the pandemic
    Disappointed in World of Hyatt and don’t do near the business I once did

  8. @Tigris – there is no requirement to cancel and rebook (no rule that says only stays booked after registering in the offer terms)

  9. So the challenge period is april 17 to july 16? Ie stays this week but after registration wont count

  10. They need all the globalists they can get their hands on as they will lose some of them with the massive devaluations and overpricing of rooms

    Devaluations are not the biggest risk factors for losing Globalists. Not spending enough to meet the steep re/qualification requirements is.

    Hyatt is now overrated and it didn’t used to be despite having some nice full service hotels and a program that was fair and better and more generous for years before the pandemic
    Disappointed in World of Hyatt and don’t do near the business I once did.

    WoH is exactly as it used to be. What you are now seeing with a less clouded vision is the program that those of us who did no drink the kool-aid have always seen. 😉

  11. “This offer doesn’t include club access awards or MGM Gold status match.”

    Does this mean that the Explorist trial does not include MGM status match during the 90 day trial period? Or, does this mean that if you achieve full elite status (eg. Explorist) through 2025 then you remain excluded from MGM status match?

    I read the full terms on Bilt and this is still not clear to me as written. It would be nice to know because it could make a difference on whether it is worth getting Explorist in order to waive some resort fees on potential future Vegas stays.

  12. I have no immediate travel planned but Globalist till 2025 sounds nice. Do you need to physically check in for a mattress run? I found rooms at a Hyatt place in Shanghai for $39 a night. With no plans at all to go there. Can I book 20 nights and basically buy Globalist for $906.84?

  13. Devalued program, smart globalists leave
    Get some rookies to make up for it
    Perfect …
    No thanks

  14. Hmm, I don’t know what to do with this. It’s getting really annoying when you they give away the statuses and I cannot keep mine. Last year it was double stays with the new Biz Chase card, but I was over 5/24. Now this.

    So last year I hit 51 nights, and lost globalist after years. I am now at 23 nights, just had a bunch early on, but it will now slow. I have more booked towards the end of the year. I may hit globalist by end of the year, I need to as I have stays next year that require it (for perks).

    So I am an Explorist with 23 so far this year. I have enough stays booked for about 45…and I still need to get about 15 somewhere…but I was not planning to stay anywhere much until next October.

    Do I join this program and force 20 stays by July 16 (It will likely mean some BS stays at MGM or cat 1 properties where I may not sleep). And then I am globalist…then I will still hit 60-65 by the end of the year and be a globalist a second time :-).

    Or do I just ignore this.

    Honestly asking for some opinions as I do enjoy my globalist, need it to make stays worthwhile, but it seems like keep in hitting the harder road to get there. Thanks.

  15. This is very annoying for those of us who EARN Globalist. I am at about 100 EARNED nights this year. While the “Globalist Lite” folks will not get the full range of benefits, including the coveted concierge, I am less impressed with Bilt than ever. Nice for you to get more CC hits in your pushing your constant card links, Gary, which, if I may say so, have become more than ever lately–and you don’t appear to NEED the money like some people. But really, Bilt with its security issues and free this and that may be great for some, but now taking away from those of us who actually earn status that–yes–is, or was some of the best, well, thanks Hyatt, but this actually is what I needed. I will be away for the summer and then have to decide between Hyatt and another chain for a long term stay. I suppose I should go ahead and earn top tier status with that other chain for the first time too, since my Hyatt status just got devalued. To be clear, the SMALL devaluation of rooms in some locations is not the problem. Hyatt also lowered the categories on a number of properties. But when 60 nights becomes 20, Globalist becomes a joke and a half. It’s insulting to those of us spending thousands of dollars a year on our loyalty.

    This is a move that actually does hurt other members. It’s worse than AA’s new LP system. On that one people buy their EP status without flying. Okay, well, that doesn’t hurt my upgrade chance if they never fly and I do, right? But if we all arrive at the same hotel and the system just sees that we are all Globalists, and there’s not that same “rolling upgrade qualification” like with AA, then it’s really kind of a loss for all the real Globalists, isn’t it?

  16. Suz,

    I completely agree with you. I lost my globalist as I had to cancel some stays, but those 51 were earned the hard way. But someone got a biz credit card and stayed at all inclusive and they gt globalist with 20 nights, and I did not with 51.

    I wish they would at least go back to the prequalify at 50 that they used to have. This was more of a loyalty thank you, if you keep your status, you get to be there again slightly easier.

  17. @Gary
    Do you know that points and award stay count in 20 nights?
    Or only pay stay count.

  18. @Richard “Do you need to physically check in for a mattress run? I”

    Yes, as a general matter, unless you find an accommodating manager…

  19. I currently have globalist status, will I get Explorist status instead during the trail period by enrolling in this challenge program? Thanks

  20. I got the email from Bilt when I signed up saying “We received your request for World of Hyatt Elite status. You’ll hear back from us no later than April 17th with details on your enrollment.” Haven’t heard anything since. I know there’s still like 9 days but I’ve made plans based on the challenge. Are we assured that if we signed up that we’ll get the challenge? There’s no chance there will be an email saying that they got oversubscribed and that many people who signed up will be denied?

  21. Received Explorist status today. Does the eligible time window start immediately or is the April 17 start a firm one? Thanks!

Comments are closed.