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Hyatt's new award pricing is officially here — and travelers are still trying to figure out exactly how bad it is.
This week on Miles To Go, Ed is joined by Julian Kheel from Points Path to break down Hyatt's new multi-tier award pricing system, including what changed, which properties were hit hardest, and whether this truly changes the value proposition of Hyatt loyalty.
They also discuss where Hyatt still trails competitors — especially around free night certificates and "4th or 5th night free" style benefits — and why the next 12 months could be important for Hyatt's long-term strategy.
From there, the conversation shifts to a surprisingly valuable new Chase offer through the Paze wallet platform, where Sapphire cardholders can currently earn up to 10x Ultimate Rewards points with select merchants.
Plus, British Airways raises carrier-imposed surcharges yet again, Delta may be expanding free checked bag benefits on its credit cards, and Ed shares another frustrating round of United Wi-Fi roulette while waiting for Starlink to expand across the fleet.
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✈️ What We Cover in This Episode
✈️ Hyatt's new award pricing system
• Multi-tier pricing officially launches
• Which properties increased the most
• Why it may impact luxury redemptions more than everyday stays
✈️ Is Hyatt loyalty still worth it?
• Why Hyatt still offers strong transfer value
• Concerns about aspirational awards getting harder to reach
• How loyal travelers may rethink their strategy
✈️ Hyatt's missing benefits
• No free night certificate top-offs
• Lack of a 4th or 5th night free benefit
• Why competitors may now have an edge
✈️ A valuable new Chase earning opportunity
• 10x Ultimate Rewards points through Paze
• Which merchants currently qualify
• Why this could be huge for some travelers
✈️ Air France's growing loyalty strategy
• Tiffany Funk taking over Flying Blue loyalty
• Air France credit card + Bilt partnership discussion
• Earning status through rent and mortgage payments
✈️ Delta may expand free checked bags
• Reports of 2 free checked bags on Delta Amex cards
• Why the economics may make sense for Delta
• Potential impact on card signups
✈️ British Airways raises surcharges again
• Carrier-imposed fees increasing significantly
• Why Avios redemptions continue getting more expensive
• How U.S. programs still differ from European carriers
✈️ United's ongoing Wi-Fi struggles
• Starlink rollout reaches ~5% of fleet
• Why United Wi-Fi still frustrates frequent flyers
• The promise (and risk) of Starlink expansion
⏱️ Episode 438 Timestamps
0:49 – Julian fills in for Richard this week
3:44 – Points Path discounts and award alerts discussion
7:17 – Hyatt's new award pricing officially launches
10:28 – How much worse are Hyatt awards really?
12:22 – Hyatt's free night certificate disadvantages
16:44 – What Hyatt may need to add next
21:16 – Amex fraud/security frustrations
27:06 – Tiffany Funk joins Flying Blue loyalty leadership
34:05 – Chase Paze wallet and 10x Ultimate Rewards opportunity
38:40 – British Airways raises surcharges again
