Hyatt is now on Rakuten. That means you can start your Hyatt bookings by clicking through at Rakuten and earn cash back, American Express points, or Bilt points.
These are still direct bookings. You’re still earning Hyatt points, elite status credit, and elite benefits. You’re just getting a portion of commission rebated back to you through the shopping portal.
Hyatt Centric Waikiki
They list a ‘usual’ earning rate of 3% back on U.S., Canada and Mexico stays – which is worth doing (earn 3 Bilt points per dollar!). However right now they are paying 12%.
Rakuten points can be transferred quarterly to Amex or to Bilt. Terms say you will receive points after stay is completed. And they don’t say discounted rates are excluded, though I assume only commissionable rates (which should include AAA rates) will pay out – in other words I’d be surprised if some rates that can be booked online, like friends and family rates, will pay. We’ll see how this works in practice.
Rakuten is an online shopping portal that earns points or cash back for the purchases you make anywhere, akin to the mileage malls that work with airlines like American, United, Alaska, et al.
New members can earn 5,000 bonus points with any purchase through one of their participating merchants of $50 or more and you can spend $50 on a gift card you’ll use that’s like getting 5,000 free Bilt points, which is amazing not just because a single Bilt point is more valuable than any other mileage currency but also because they frequently run huge transfer bonuses on the first of the month.
Here’s how amazing earning 12 Bilt points per dollar on Hyatt stays is – Hyatt points-earning is normally 5 points per dollar. Globalists earn 6.5 points per dollar. Bilt points transfer to Hyatt. A Globalist, then, would be earning 18.5 Hyatt points per dollar on their Hyatt stays. At a value of 1.5 cents per Hyatt point, that’s like a 28% rebate on Hyatt stays.
Chase currently has cash back offers with Hyatt Place, Hyatt House, and Park Hyatt on some cards, so add any Chase offers or other card-linked offers and those should stack as well.
Hyatt Place Room
Bilt points transfer to:
- Star Alliance: Air Canada Aeroplan, Turkish Miles & Smiles, United Airlines MileagePlus, Avianca LifeMiles, TAP Air Portugal Miles&Go
- oneworld: Cathay Pacific Asia Miles, Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan, Iberia Plus, British Airways Club, Japan Airlines Mileage Bank
- SkyTeam: Air France KLM Flying Blue, Virgin Atlantic Flying Club
- Non-alliance: Emirates Skywards, Southwest Airlines, Aer Lingus Aer Club, Etihad Guest
- Hotels: World Of Hyatt, IHG One Rewards, Marriott Bonvoy, Hilton Honors, Accor ALL – Accor Live Limitless
Hyatt Regency Nice
Frequent Miler says that Capital One Shopping is also now offering rebates on Hyatt stays as well.
Park Hyatt Chicago
Get booking those Hyatt stays while 12x is available! But on an ongoing basis, as long as Hyatt is part of these shopping portals, start there for your Hyatt bookings.
Yes but Rakuten is AWFUL about timely posting hotel stays via Booking.com, and car rentals via Hertz and Avis. Takes months if not half a year and their follow up is abysmal. Be warned
@Matthew – Rakuten is great if you are playing the long game with a portion of your points. If you need points tomorrow because you are earning and burning quickly, Rakuten is not for you. But it doesn’t matter at all to me if Rakuten confirms two months after the stay. I have enough of a buffer to make it all work. Of course this article is talking about a direct booking not a Booking.com booking, but Rakuten takes a long time to confirm from many providers.
The reality is that Rakuten has completely changed the game. Booking.com/Agoda routinely at 10% or more – today 12% just like Hyatt. Who cares about 4x direct on CSR versus 2x on a DoubleCash when you’re getting 12% back already (plus 5x Hyatt points in this scenario)? The extra 2x becomes a cherry on top, not the ballgame.