Hyatt Update: World of Hyatt Award Chart Changes Coming in May 2026
Hyatt just dropped the biggest World of Hyatt bomb we’ve seen in years — and if you’re someone who’s built your travel strategy around Hyatt points (that’s me!), this one hurts.
Hyatt is overhauling the award chart in May 2026 and replacing the Off-Peak / Standard / Peak pricing with five new pricing tiers: Lowest, Low, Moderate, Upper, and Top. The headline is brutal: top-end redemptions jump as much as 67%.
I’ve been a Hyatt Globalist for over a decade, Hyatt has been my favorite hotel program, and I’ve reviewed dozens of Hyatt properties on the channel — so I’m not saying this lightly: this is a major devaluation, especially for anyone redeeming at the high end.
Let’s break down what’s changing, what it means for your points, and what you should do before these changes go live.
World of Hyatt Award Chart Changes Coming in May 2026
The new World of Hyatt award chart (standard rooms)
Here’s the part you actually care about: what a standard room will cost once the new chart goes live in May 2026. If you’re not a reader, check out my video on the news.
Standard room points (new ranges)
Yes — 75,000 points for a standard room night at a Category 8 hotel at “Top” pricing.
It’s a bummer, but not unexpected.
| Hotel Category | Old Off-Peak | Old Standard | Old Peak | New Lowest (% vs old Off-Peak) |
New Low (% vs old Standard) |
New Moderate (% vs old Standard) |
New Upper (% vs old Standard) |
New Top (% vs old Peak) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3,500 | 5,000 | 6,500 | 3,000 (-14%) | 4,500 (-10%) | 6,000 (+20%) | 7,500 (+50%) | 9,000 (+38%) |
| 2 | 6,500 | 8,000 | 9,500 | 6,000 (-8%) | 7,500 (-6%) | 10,000 (+25%) | 12,000 (+50%) | 15,000 (+58%) |
| 3 | 9,000 | 12,000 | 15,000 | 8,000 (-11%) | 12,000 (0%) | 15,000 (+25%) | 17,500 (+46%) | 20,000 (+33%) |
| 4 | 12,000 | 15,000 | 18,000 | 12,000 (0%) | 15,000 (0%) | 20,000 (+33%) | 22,500 (+50%) | 25,000 (+39%) |
| 5 | 17,000 | 20,000 | 23,000 | 15,000 (-12%) | 20,000 (0%) | 25,000 (+25%) | 30,000 (+50%) | 35,000 (+52%) |
| 6 | 21,000 | 25,000 | 29,000 | 20,000 (-5%) | 25,000 (0%) | 30,000 (+20%) | 35,000 (+40%) | 40,000 (+38%) |
| 7 | 25,000 | 30,000 | 35,000 | 25,000 (0%) | 30,000 (0%) | 35,000 (+17%) | 45,000 (+50%) | 55,000 (+57%) |
| 8 | 35,000 | 40,000 | 45,000 | 35,000 (0%) | 45,000 (+12%) | 55,000 (+38%) | 65,000 (+62%) | 75,000 (+67%) |
Comparison method: New “Lowest” is compared to old Off-Peak; New “Top” is compared to old Peak; the middle tiers (Low/Moderate/Upper) are compared to old Standard.
Sources: Hyatt old chart (Free Nights & Upgrades) and Hyatt award chart updates page.
Here’s the real-world concern
Hyatt’s official messaging is essentially that they’re making these changes for transparency.
But the practical concern is this: under the new system, Hyatt has more levers to price nights higher more often — especially at the exact properties people save points for.
And once the program can regularly push premium dates into Upper and Top, the value proposition for transferring flexible points into Hyatt gets a lot shakier.
All-Inclusives and Miraval are also changing
Hyatt is keeping separate charts for All-Inclusive properties and Miraval, but those charts are also being updated with the new tier structure.
Here’s the new all-inclusive chart:
And here’s the new Miraval chart:
If your Hyatt strategy has been “save points for aspirational all-inclusive or Miraval,” this is another area where the math may shift against you.
Suite upgrade awards are getting more expensive, too
Hyatt is also increasing points requirements for:
Club-level award nights
Suite award night
Premium suite award nights
So it’s not just standard rooms — the “use points to level up your stay” side of the program is also getting pricier. Points to upgrade a paid stay to a suite remain unchanged, at least.
Immediate category changes (effective now) — a few hotels moved today
Hyatt also announced immediate category changes for a small set of properties (separate from the broader April category movements that are still expected). Effective starting today, here are the changes.
Moving up 1 category:
Andaz Pattaya Jomtien Beach
Hyatt Centric Malta
Hyatt Regency Kotor Bay Resort
Hyatt Place San Antonio-Northwest/Medical Center
Grand Hyatt Incheon
Moving up 2 categories:
Grand Hyatt Grand Cayman Resort & Spa (opening in 2026)
Moving down 1 category:
The Barnett (JdV by Hyatt)
Key tip: Hyatt confirms that if you book before a hotel moves up, your reservation is generally honored at the lower rate (subject to program terms). This doesn’t apply to these, as this was a no-notice devaluation!
The small “good news” items Hyatt bundled in:
Hyatt also highlighted a couple of member-friendly updates:
Points sharing is moving online
Hyatt is rolling out digital points sharing, reducing the need to call in for transfers. This is a big timesaver for my wife and I, who have typically a 24-hour delay between contacting my concierge and waiting for the transfer to go through. Seconds matter when you’re looking to book award travel.
Early access to awards for elites
Hyatt is also teasing early access to award availability for elite members, which could help with high-demand dates, depending on implementation.
Helpful? Maybe. We’ll see how this is implemented when the changes roll out.
What I’d do right now (practical playbook)
1) If you have aspirational Hyatt stays in mind, book them ASAP
The new chart applies to bookings made once the changes go live in May 2026. If you’ve been eyeing Park Hyatts, Alilas, or other high-end redemptions, locking them in earlier could save a lot.
2) Be cautious with big “stock up and transfer later” strategies
If your strategy has been “earn flexible points and transfer to Hyatt when needed,” it may still be viable — but the value gap is shrinking at the top end. We just don’t know how the five new tiers will come into play just yet. Again, my advice from point #1 stands.
3) Recalculate your personal “point value.”
If Category 8 nights can price to 75K, the question becomes: would you rather pay cash and save points for other uses? I think I’m leaning towards that direction, especially with so many credit card options that offer perks at those same properties (and elite qualifying nights) like Chase’s The Edit, Amex’s Fine Hotels & Resorts, and Bilt’s Home Away from Home program.
My take: Hyatt is still strong… but the magic just got weaker
World of Hyatt still has major strengths:
strong elite recognition (especially for Globalists)
decent footprint in key cities
But this move is a clear signal: Hyatt is leaning into yield management within the chart, and members should expect premium demand periods to price much higher more often.
I’m going to keep using Hyatt — but I’m also going to be far more selective about when I redeem points vs. when I pay cash.
What do you think about these changes? Are you still going to transfer Chase or other flexible points into Hyatt? Keep chasing Globalist? Or are you going to pivot to a different brand?
Drop your thoughts in the comments — I’m genuinely curious where Hyatt loyalists land after this one.
