Hyatt Just Rewrote Everything… and Hawaii Travelers Will Feel It Most
Hyatt Regency Maui
If you've been searching for a breakdown of the World of Hyatt award chart changes in 2026, especially what they mean for Hawaii, you're in the right place."
The beloved World of Hyatt award chart isn't gone, but it's barely recognizable. Here's what changed, what it means for your island dreams, and what to do right now.
For years, World of Hyatt has been the loyalty program that rewards travelers actually trust. While Marriott Bonvoy quietly killed its award chart and Hilton Honors abandoned fixed pricing long ago, Hyatt stood firm, a published chart with predictable costs, a rarity in the industry that kept points-savvy travelers fiercely loyal. Today, that era entered a new and significantly more expensive phase.
On February 25, 2026, Hyatt announced the biggest structural overhaul to its award chart since 2021. The program is keeping its eight hotel categories, but the three-tier pricing system of Off-Peak, Standard, and Peak is being replaced by a five-tier model: Lowest, Low, Moderate, Upper, and Top. The new chart takes effect in May 2026. And if you're planning a trip on Haytt points, the timing and your strategy could not matter more.
Costs at the new "Top" pricing level will rise by up to 67% versus today's Peak pricing. The middle "Moderate" tier is 20–38% higher than current Standard rates. Hawaii properties, which operate in year-round high-demand markets are widely expected to sit near the upper end of these new tiers most of the time. The window to book at current rates closes when May arrives.
What Exactly Changed?
Let's be clear about what Hyatt did and did not do. The award chart is not going away. Hyatt remains the only major global hotel loyalty program that still publishes fixed point thresholds for its properties, a genuine differentiator in an industry that has largely moved to opaque dynamic pricing.
What changed is the number of pricing bands within each of those eight categories. Previously, every hotel had three possible nightly rates depending on demand: Off-Peak (the lowest), Standard, and Peak. Starting in May, that expands to five: Lowest, Low, Moderate, Upper, and Top. Think of the new system as adding two higher rungs to a ladder that was already getting tall.
The rough translation: Lowest ≈ Off-Peak, Low ≈ Off-Peak/Standard, Moderate ≈ Standard+, and Upper and Top are entirely new territory above what Peak pricing was. Category 8 properties, currently capped at 45,000 points per night on peak dates, will now be able to charge as many as 75,000 points per night, a 67% jump.
That last point deserves emphasis: Hyatt has confirmed there is no cap on how many nights per year a property can sit at the Upper or Top pricing level. Under the old system, hotels were required to offer a roughly even distribution of Off-Peak, Standard, and Peak nights. That balance no longer exists. In practice, year-round resort destinations, like Hawaii, are widely expected to be priced near the top of their tier for the majority of the year. Hyatt's SVP of Global Marketing and Loyalty, Laurie Blair, framed the move as one of long-term stability:
"We know change can be difficult, especially in a loyalty program our members care deeply about. This update reinforces our commitment to a published award chart with fixed point thresholds while ensuring World of Hyatt remains strong, sustainable, and rewarding for years to come.”
There is no limit on how many nights a property may designate as 'Upper' or 'Top.' A hotel in Maui could, in theory, price every single night of the year at the highest tier.
HAWAII PROPERTIES: WHAT CATEGORY ARE THEY IN?
Before we get to the full chart comparison, let's ground this in what it means for our islands. Here are the major Hyatt properties across Hawaii and where they sit in the category structure. These categories determine which row of the award chart applies to your stay, and the new pricing within those categories is what's changing in May.
| 🌺 Property | Island | Category | Old Peak (max) | New Top (max) | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Andaz Maui at Wailea Resort | Maui | Cat 7 | 40,000 pts | 60,000 pts | +50% |
| Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort & Spa | Kauai | Cat 7 | 40,000 pts | 60,000 pts | +50% |
| Hyatt Regency Maui Resort & Spa | Maui | Cat 6 | 35,000 pts | 50,000 pts | +43% |
| Hyatt Regency Waikiki Beach Resort & Spa | Oahu | Cat 6 | 35,000 pts | 50,000 pts | +43% |
| Hyatt Centric Waikiki Beach | Oahu | Cat 5 | 23,000 pts | 35,000 pts | +52% |
| Hyatt Place Waikiki Beach | Oahu | Cat 4 | 18,000 pts | 25,000 pts | +39% |
THE HAWAII PROBLEM: A YEAR-ROUND HIGH-DEMAND MARKET
The Andaz Maui and Grand Hyatt Kauai, two of the most prized Hawaii redemptions in the entire Hyatt portfolio, are particularly affected. Both sit in Category 7 and have long been considered sweet spots because cash rates can run $700–$1,000+ per night on Maui's Wailea strip, while the points cost has been manageable. Under the new Top pricing, those same properties could demand 60,000 points per night, and with no cap on how many nights can be designated "Top," summer, holiday, and whale season bookings could routinely hit that ceiling.
Here is the critical nuance that makes these changes uniquely painful for Hawaii-bound travelers. Under the old system, hotels were nudged toward distributing demand across all three pricing tiers. That meant even the Andaz Maui had off-peak dates, mid-January after New Year's, a stretch in early September, where 28,000 points per night was achievable. (I have never gotten at this price!)
The new system removes that distribution requirement entirely. Travel writer Greg at Frequent Miler put it plainly in his analysis: properties in year-round markets like Hawaii will likely be priced at the upper end of category levels almost all the time. The islands don't really have an off-season. Summer brings families and school vacations. Winter brings mainland snowbirds and whale season. Spring break fills every resort on Maui. The concept of a "Lowest" pricing night at the Andaz Maui may prove more theoretical than real.
Hyatt says that "Upper and Top thresholds will be based on predictable demand patterns like seasonal travel periods, major events and sustained high occupancy." For Hawaii? That definition covers approximately 365 days a year.
THE FULL AWARD CHART: OLD VS. NEW
Below is the complete comparison of the old three-tier chart and the incoming five-tier structure, effective May 2026. Lowest/Low/Moderate roughly correspond to the old Off-Peak/Standard/Peak, the real damage is in the two new Upper and Top tiers that now extend far beyond where the old chart ended. Hawaii properties are highlighted. All figures are for standard room redemptions per night.
| Category | OLD CHART (3 Tiers) | NEW CHART — MAY 2026 (5 Tiers) | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Off-Peak | Standard | Peak | Lowest | Low | Moderate | Upper | Top | ||
| Cat 1 Budget / Limited Service |
3,500 | 5,000 | 6,500 | 3,000 ▼14% |
5,000 | 7,000 ▲40% |
8,000 | 9,000 ▲38% |
|
| Cat 2 Select Service |
6,500 | 8,000 | 9,500 | 6,000 ▼8% |
8,000 | 12,000 ▲50% |
13,000 | 15,000 ▲58% |
|
| Cat 3 Midscale |
9,000 | 12,000 | 15,000 | 8,000 ▼11% |
12,000 | 16,000 ▲33% |
18,000 | 20,000 ▲33% |
|
| Cat 4 Upscale |
12,000 | 15,000 | 18,000 | 12,000 | 16,000 | 20,000 ▲33% |
23,000 | 25,000 ▲39% |
|
| Cat 5 🌺 Hyatt Centric Waikiki |
17,000 | 20,000 | 23,000 | 15,000 ▼12% |
20,000 | 25,000 ▲25% |
30,000 | 35,000 ▲52% |
|
| Cat 6 🌺 Hyatt Regency Maui & Waikiki |
22,000 | 28,000 | 35,000 | 20,000 ▼9% |
28,000 | 38,000 ▲36% |
44,000 | 50,000 ▲43% |
|
| Cat 7 🌺 Andaz Maui · Grand Hyatt Kauai |
28,000 | 35,000 | 40,000 | 25,000 ▼11% |
35,000 | 45,000 ▲29% |
55,000 | 60,000 ▲50% |
|
| Cat 8 Park Hyatt Tokyo / Paris / Kyoto |
35,000 | 40,000 | 45,000 | 35,000 | 45,000 | 55,000 ▲38% |
65,000 | 75,000 ▲67% |
|
THE SILVER LININGS (YES, THERE ARE A FEW)
To be fair to Hyatt, there are genuine positives tucked inside this announcement, though they are modest relative to the cost increases.
First, the award chart is staying. In a world where Marriott offers no published chart and Hilton functions on pure dynamic pricing, the fact that Hyatt is maintaining fixed category bands with published ceilings is meaningful. You will always know the maximum you could ever be charged at a given property.
Second, the Lowest pricing tier will be genuinely cheaper than the old Off-Peak at most categories, dropping 8–14% at the low end. For travelers with maximum flexibility and shoulder-season travel dates, there may be a real sweet spot in the new Lowest tier.
Third, elite members and World of Hyatt credit cardholders will gain early access to award night availability, a new feature that lets you book coveted nights before general release. For Globalists and Explorists chasing Maui or Kauai availability, getting in line before everyone else matters enormously. Full details come in April.
Finally, World of Hyatt's free night certificates, the Category 1–4 and Category 1–7 certs that come with Hyatt credit cards, function exactly as before. You can still use them at any property within their category band, regardless of what pricing tier that night falls under. In the new world, that makes those certificates significantly more valuable since they now cover a much wider range of potential point costs.
What About the Chase Partnership?
The Chase and Hyatt partnership is expanding in 2026, with top-spending Chase Sapphire Reserve cardholders expected to gain Explorist status by mid-year. Combined with the ability to transfer Ultimate Rewards points 1:1 to World of Hyatt, Chase remains the primary engine through which most travelers accumulate Hyatt points without staying at hotels. In the new era of higher redemption costs, that 1:1 transfer ratio becomes even more precious.
YOUR HAWAII REWARD TRAVEL ACTION PLAN
Book now, before May. Any reservation made at current award rates will be honored as booked. If you have your eye on the Andaz Maui or Grand Hyatt Kauai this summer, book today at 35,000–40,000 points instead of potentially 60,000.
Check the Points Calendar now. Hyatt's Points Calendar shows pricing by date. Use it before May to identify which dates at your target Hawaii property are currently Standard vs. Peak, those same dates will become Moderate or Upper under the new system.
Protect your free night certificates. Your Category 1–7 cert covers anything from 25,000 up to 60,000 points per night at Cat 7 properties like the Andaz Maui. That's a massive range of covered value, don't let it expire unused.
Watch the April category announcement closely. Hyatt announces annual hotel re-classifications every April. Some Hawaii properties could shift up a category, meaning even higher costs in the new chart. Stay tuned to Hawaii Reward Travel for full coverage the day it drops.
Chase elite status if you're not already there. Globalist and Explorist members gain early access to award night availability in 2026. For Hawaii in peak season, where award space disappears within hours, that head start could be the difference between booking your dream trip or watching it sell out.
Scottie’s Take:
I’m genuinely bummed with the change, but I figure it was bound to happen. Hyatt’s program and the value of Hyatt points were the best, and I think it was only a matter of time before things had to even out.
World of Hyatt has not blown up its program, but it has bent it significantly, and not in members' favor. The good news is that an award chart still exists, certificates still work the same way, and the changes roll out gradually through 2026.
For those of us who have built our travel strategy around the Andaz Maui at 35,000 points or the Grand Hyatt Kauai at 40,000 points on a standard night, that math is changing. The new chart pushes popular Hawaii redemptions into the 45,000–60,000 range for the same nights we once considered routine. At a 1:1 Chase transfer ratio, that's a lot more credit card spend to cover the same island vacation.
Act now. Book what you can at current rates. Stock up on transferable points. Protect your free night certificates. And stay flexible, because in the new five-tier World of Hyatt, flexibility is the most valuable currency of all.
What are your thoughts?
