Hyatt Buy Points 20% Bonus Aug 18-Sep 30

Hyatt Gold Passport offers 20% bonus points for online purchases from August 18 through September 30, 2011. The normal purchase price is $24 per 1,000 points and this bonus reduces the cost to buy points down to $20 per 1,000 points. Points will post within 24 hours.

There is a calendar year maximum of 40,000 purchased points, but this  promotion allows members to buy up to 48,000 points after the 20% bonus.

$24 per 1,200 points includes all taxes for U.S. purchases. GST/HST is additional for Canadian residents.

Loyalty Traveler Analysis

There are many Hyatt Hotels where you will get a better than $20 per 1,000 points redemption rate.

Cost to buy Hyatt points for a free night at each hotel category

• Category 1 = 5,000 points = $100
• Category 2 = 8,000 points = $160
• Category 3 = 12,000 points = $240
• Category 4 = 15,000 points = $300
• Category 5 = 18,000 points = $360
• Category 6 = 22,000 points = $440

Here are several examples where room rates are much higher than the cost to buy points for a free night:

Monday October 17, 2011

Park Hyatt Milan

• 605EUR (after tax)/night = US$872/night.
• Category 6 reward night = 22,000 points = $440/night.
• Buying points saves $432 per night.

Park Hyatt Paris Vendome

• 740EUR (after tax)/night = US$1,066/night
• Category 6 reward night = 22,000 points = $440/night.
• Buying points saves $626 per night.

Andaz Wall Street, New York

• $600.83 (after tax) per night
• Category 5 reward night = 18,000 points = $360/night
• Note: This hotel rises to category 6 effective Sep 1, 2011.
• Buying points saves $240 per night.

Park Hyatt Melbourne Australia 

• AUD $298 (after tax) per night = US$311 per night.
• Category 4 reward night = 15,000 points = $300/night
• Buying points saves $11 per night.
• This hotel would be better to pay and earn points for stay.
• Checking Korea, India and Australia indicated savings mostly less than $50/night in category 4 hotels Asia/Pacific.

Hyatt Regency Cambridge (Boston)

• $377.16 (after tax) per night
• Category 3 reward night = 12,000 points = $240/night
• Buying points saves $137 per night.

Hyatt Regency Lexington, Kentucky

• $225.70 (after tax) per night
• Category 2 reward night = 8,000 points = $160/night
• Buying points saves $65.70 per night.

Hyatt Place Dublin/Pleasanton California

• $152.12 (after tax) per night
• Category 1 reward night = 5,000 points = $100/night
• Buying points saves $52.12 per night.

All these hotels were selected using the same date of Monday October 17 to check rates.  In general I checked very few hotels in each category before locating a property with a good savings using points for a reward night compared to the lowest available rate.

Bottom line is there is good value in buying points with this sale if you want to stay in Hyatt Hotels at discounts. The fact that Hyatt Gold Passport has recently announced hotel category reassignments effective September 1 provides members an opportunity to buy points and redeem reward nights before hotels increase category.

Hotels will likely hold their current category assignment at least until mid-2012.

You can always buy another 40,000 points come January 2012. Most hotel chains offer a buy points bonus sometime during the year so there may be another opportunity to buy 48,000 points in 2012.

You might also look into Hyatt Stay Certificates as another route to cheaper Hyatt Hotel stays.

Related Loyalty Traveler post: Hyatt Stay and Weekend Prepaid Certificates (Jan 8, 2011)

Hyatt Link: Hyatt Free Night Rewards