Hyatt loyalists can earn quite a few free nights from staying at their properties and by credit card spending. I would love to use my CAT 1-7 certificate at the newly opened Park Hyatt Marrakesh (featured image). It is important to take note of the different expiration dates for each of the earned free night certificates to properly make use of them (see image below).
Hyatt Free Night Certificates
| Hyatt Free Night Certificate | Requirements | Posting Date | Expiration Date |
| CAT 1-4 | Hyatt Personal Card Annual Free Night | February statement closing date | 12 Months |
| CAT 1-4 | World of Hyatt Brand Explorer promotion | Issued after every five different Hyatt brands you stay | 12 Months |
| CAT 1-4 | After 15K Spend on Hyatt Personal Card | Statement closing date after meeting the spend | 12 Months |
| CAT 1-4 | After earning 30 elite nights in a calendar year | Statement closing date after 30 nights | 6 Months |
| CAT 1-7 | After earning 60 elite nights in a calendar year | Statement closing date after 60 nights | 6 Months |
| CAT 1-7 | After earning 100 elite nights in a calendar year | Statement closing date after 100 nights | 6 Months |
| CAT 1-8 or Category A-F all-inclusive resorts or participating Miraval resorts | After earning 150 elite nights in a calendar year | Statement closing date after 150 nights | 6 Months |
| Miraval Extra Night Award | X1 after 100 nights and every 10 nights after. | Stay at one eligible paid or award night at any Miraval resort and receive a complimentary second night | 6 Months |
| Suite Upgrade Certificates | X1 after 40 nights; X2 after 50 nights; X2 after 60 nights | After completing the respective nights | Valid for the year in which they are earned + additional 14 months |
My Recent use of Hyatt certificates
I applied for one of the CAT1-4 certificates to stay at Hyatt Regency JFK and two more CAT 1-4 certificates for Hyatt Regency Kathmandu (see image below). Once I get my CAT 1-7 certificate later in the year, I am planning to use it for my stay at Grand Hyatt Hong Kong in 2025. If I am able to reach 100 Hyatt nights this year by stays + spend (https://awardcracker.com/meeting-50k-spend-on-chase-hyatt-business-card/), I am planning to use the Miraval free night certificate to stay at one of their properties (Miraval Arizona, Miraval Austin & Miraval Berkshires) early next year.
How much money are the Hyatt free nights & suite upgrade certificates worth?
There are over 100 CAT 4 Hyatt properties in the world (excluding SLH) and they include 6 Park Hyatt’s (Hyderabad, Chennai, Jakarta, Siem Reap, Ningbo and Suzhou) and 8 Andaz, 35 Grand Hyatt’s and 101 Regency hotels (Hyatt CAT 1-4). There are several other high-priced offerings to use CAT 7-8 certificates (Hyatt CAT 7) (Hyatt CAT 8).
If you plan your trips carefully to obtain the best value, all these free nights & suit upgrade certificates are worth several thousand dollars.
Hyatt 2024 Elite Tiers & Benefits
Hyatt has updated their tier requirements for the year 2024 (see the table below).
| Hyatt Benefits | Basic Member | Discoverist | Explorist | Globalist | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Required Number Of Nights | None | 10 | 20 | 30 | 40 | 50 | 60 | 70, 80 & 90 | 100 | 110, 120, 130, & 140 | 150 |
| Free breakfast | No | No | No | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Complimentary parking on award stays | No | No | No | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Suite Upgrade Certificates | None | None | None | None | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Standard Room Free Night Award | None | None | None | Category 1-4 x1 (valid for 12 months) | Category 1-7 x1 (valid for 6 months) | Category 1-7 x1 (valid for 6 months) | Category 1-8 x1 (valid for 6 months) | ||||
| All-inclusive Collection Eligibility | None | None | None | None | Category A-F (select properties via concierge only) | Category A-F (select properties via concierge only) | Category A-F online & concierge | ||||
| Bonus Points | 2000 (valid for 6 months). | 2000 (valid for 6 months). | 5000 | 5000 | 10,000 | 10,000 | 10,000 | 10,000 | |||
| Miraval Extra Night Award (valid for 6 months) | 1 | 1 | 1 | ||||||||
| Club lounge Access Awards | None | None | 2 | 2 | Unlimited access | Unlimited access | Unlimited access | Unlimited access | Unlimited access | ||
| FIND Experience Credit | $25 | $25 | $150 | $150 | $300 | ||||||
| Waived Resort & Destination fees | On Award Stays | On Award Stays | On Award Stays | On Award Stays | On Award Stays | On Award Stays | On Award Stays and eligible Paid Stays. | On Award Stays and eligible Paid Stays. | On Award Stays and eligible Paid Stays. | On Award Stays and eligible Paid Stays. | On Award Stays and eligible Paid Stays. |
| Early Check-in | No | No | No | No (Except in Hyatt Place) | No (Except in Hyatt Place) | No (Except in Hyatt Place) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Guest of Honor Award | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |||||
| Guaranteed Late Checkout | No | 2 p.m. | 2 p.m. | 2 p.m. | 2 p.m. | 2 p.m. | 4 p.m. | 4 p.m. | 4 p.m. | 4 p.m. | 4 p.m. |
| Guaranteed Room Availability | No | No | No | 72 hours | 72 hours | 72 hours | 48 hours | 48 hours | 48 hours | 48 hours | 48 hours |
| Room upgrade upon arrival | No | No | Upgrade excludes suites. | Upgrade to standard suites. | Upgrade to standard suites. | Upgrade to standard suites. | Upgrade to standard suites. | Upgrade to standard suites. | |||
| Elite Bonus Points | 10% | 10% | 20% | 20% | 20% | 30% | 30% | 30% | 30% | 30% | |
| Exclusive Globalist Reservation Line | No | No | No | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Dedicated My Hyatt Concierge | No | No | No | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Conclusion
Hyatt is the most valuable hotel chain in the world and one should plan the accommodations for the upcoming year carefully to not waste any free night certificates. You are not allowed to use suite upgrade certificates for a booking made with free night certificates, but I mentioned them in the same table for the sake of completion.