American Airlines & Hyatt Partnership Changes: Reciprocal Earning Ends, New Benefits Added

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American Airlines & Hyatt Partnership Changes

American Airlines and Hyatt launched a partnership back in 2019, giving World of Hyatt and AAdvantage members the opportunity to reciprocally earn points and miles for flights and hotel stays.

This week the two companies announced that they will “enhance” this partnership, starting next year. Changes include opportunities to receive benefits such as elite status, free nights and more. But it also means the end if reciprocal earning. Let’s go over the changes.

No More Reciprocal Earning

American AAdvantage elite members currently earn one bonus mile per dollar on Hyatt stays, and World of Hyatt elites earn one bonus point per dollar spent on American Airlines flights.

The ability for linked status members to earn AAdvantage miles and World of Hyatt Bonus Points will end December 31, 2024.

New Benefits

Members who link their AAdvantage and World of Hyatt accounts can choose from several benefits at every level:

AAdvantage:
- Starting January 2, 2025, AAdvantage members can redeem miles for World of Hyatt Free Night Awards:
  - Category 1–4 Free Night Award: At 40,000 Loyalty Points or the AAdvantage Gold level, AAdvantage members unlock the ability redeem miles for a World of Hyatt Category 1–4 Free Night Award.
  - Category 1–7 Free Night Award: At 125,000 Loyalty Points or the AAdvantage Platinum Pro level, AAdvantage members unlock the ability redeem miles for a World of Hyatt Category 1–7 Free Night Award.
- Beginning March 1, 2025, World of Hyatt awards will be a choice within AAdvantage Loyalty Point Rewards:
  - Discoverist status: AAdvantage members unlock World of Hyatt Discoverist status at 100,000 Loyalty Points.
  - Explorist status: AAdvantage members can choose World of Hyatt Explorist status at the 175,000 and 250,000 Loyalty Points Reward levels respectively.
  - Category 1–4 Free Night Award: At the 400,000, 550,000 and 750,000 Loyalty Points Reward levels respectively, AAdvantage members can choose a World of Hyatt Category 1–4 Free Night Award.
  - Category 1–7 Free Night Award: At the 1M, 3M and 5M Loyalty Point Reward levels respectively, AAdvantage members unlock the ability to choose a World of Hyatt Category 1–7 Free Night Award.
World of Hyatt:
- Beginning January 1, 2025, AAdvantage rewards will be a choice within the World of Hyatt Milestone Rewards:
  - Preferred Seat Coupons: At 20 and 30 nights or 35,000 and 50,000 base points respectively, World of Hyatt members can choose two (2) Preferred seat coupons on American Airlines flights.
  - Main Cabin Extra Seat Coupons: At 40 and 50 nights or 65,000 and 80,000 base points respectively, World of Hyatt members can choose two (2) Main Cabin Extra seat coupons on American Airlines flights.
  - Gold Status: At 70, 80 and 90 nights respectively, World of Hyatt members will get the choice of AAdvantage Gold status, valid for the full status membership year.
  - Platinum Status: Starting at 100 nights, World of Hyatt members will get the choice of AAdvantage Platinum status, valid for the full status membership year.
- Starting January 1, 2025, World of Hyatt Explorist and Globalist members can redeem World of Hyatt points for AAdvantage Status for a Day:
  - AAdvantage Gold Status for a Day: For 5,000 World of Hyatt points, Explorists or Globalists can enjoy complimentary upgrades when available, one free checked bag, priority check-in, a 40% mileage bonus and more.
  - AAdvantage Platinum Status for a Day: For 8,000 World of Hyatt points, Explorists or Globalists can enjoy complimentary upgrades, two free checked bags, priority check-in, a 60% mileage bonus and more.
  - AAdvantage Platinum Pro Status for a Day: For 12,000 World of Hyatt points, Globalists can enjoy complimentary upgrades, three free checked bags, priority check-in, an 80% mileage bonus and more.