World of Hyatt Peak Pricing coming on March 22, 2020

In 2017, Hyatt launched the World of Hyatt programme, cutting away from the Hyatt Gold Passport identity of the programme created over the years. Since then, there have been a lot of changes to the programme, the least of which is the adoption of more millennial names such as Globalist for the tiers.

Now, come 2020, Hyatt will become one step closer to the Marriott Bonvoy programme. How do you ask? Hyatt is scheduled to launch peak/off-peak pricing in March 2020, specifically on March 22, 2020. These changes will be rolled out along with the Hyatt category changes for 2020.

Peak/Off-Peak Award Pricing coming in March 2020

Borrowing the leaf from the Marriott Bonvoy book, a significant change to the programme will be made in March 2020. On March 22, 2020, World of Hyatt will introduce Off-peak and Peak point redemption for free night awards. Under this new structure, there will be 3 point redemption values for free nights at more than 1,000 hotels worldwide.

Off-peak: Fewer points will be required during Off-peak times – starting at 3,500 points per night
Standard: Points required during standard redemption periods will follow current point requirements – starting at 5,000 points per night
Peak: When hotels are the busiest, more points will be needed for a free night – starting at 6,500 points per night and will be no more than 5,000 points above the Standard point requirement.

For context, these are the standard room redemption prices with points which are valid through February 2020.

Here is the updated redemption structure for standard rooms. Each day will be priced as peak or off-peak or standard, and redemption points will be costed accordingly. Like you can see, for standard room free night redemptions, there is a minimum difference of 1,500 points and a maximum difference of 5,000 points for peak and off-peak redemptions compared to standard rates:

This new structure will be valid for all types of award nights, including free nights in a standard room, club-access room, standard and premium suites and there will be a different peak/normal/off-peak pricing for all-inclusive resorts as well.

If a member has an existing award booking for a night that changes to off-peak after March 20, 2020, they will receive an automatic one-time refund on the point difference. Members will not be charged more if their existing award booking changes to the peak.

Hyatt, in the FAQs, states that most days will be set to standard pricing.

The Peak and Off-Peak free night redemption rates will be identified at the time of releasing inventory for reservations (about 13 months in advance), and they won’t change once posted.
All hotels in a geographical market will be subject to the same calendar. Which means, I assume, for instance, if you are looking to redeem in Pune, it won’t be that you will get off-peak at Hyatt Regency Pune but peak at Hyatt Pune.
Most days will be set to standard redemption rates every year. The peak/off-peak setting won’t be in the hands of the hotel.
There will be a calendar where members can look at award rates over a longer time

Bottomline

Ultimately, this is not about the hotels, but about Hyatt Corporate. Hyatt saw how Marriott Bonvoy was able to get its members to pay more points and hence extinguish more points from their programme in a busy season, where corporate would have to pay more money, closer to or equal to a full price for the room as well towards honouring a redemption for the members. This is a reasonable change in my book. I am curious to hear what do other members make out of these changes?

What do you make of the changes to World of Hyatt?