Quick Tip: Time the Selection of Your Hyatt Milestone Awards to Push Out the Expiration Dates

Hyatt Milestone Awards have long been a favorite of points and miles enthusiasts as they are a simple way for members to earn tangible benefits for their continued loyalty beyond just rewards points. With the Milestone programs, after hitting certain elite night thresholds (the first starts at 20 nights), members can choose an award to enhance their next stay or future Hyatt experience. Here’s a look at some of the first few milestones and the award choices at those levels:

Here is a tip I came across in the World of Hyatt Insider Facebook Group. When you hit a Milestone (i.e., stay 20 nights), you’re eligible to select your reward, and you’ll have 90 days to do so. If you plan on choosing an award certificate (Club Upgrade Award, Suite Night Upgrade, etc.), you may want to wait closer until the end of those 90 days to push out the date of expiration of your certificate:

Certificate expiration dates are tied to the date the award is selected, not the date it’s earned. So, while it may be second nature to choose your prize right after you receive an email notifying you that you’ve reached another milestone, it might be more beneficial to wait a bit longer, particularly if you have no immediate plans to use that award. Remember that Hyatt award certificates can be gifted to other members, so this could be even more beneficial if you have someone in your orbit planning a trip a year out and could benefit from some enhancements to their stay at a Hyatt property.

Additionally, in the case of a Guest of Honor certificate, when another member uses a GOH award that you gifted them, you’ll receive an elite night credit to your account to inch you closer to elite status. Thus, strategically timing the ‘choice’ of a few GOH certificates could result in you earning elite nights right at the turn of the following year (considering you gift them to folks who use them for stays early in the year of expiration).

At the end of the day, if you plan to choose an award certificate for your Milestone choice but don’t have immediate plans to redeem the certificate, it’s to your benefit to hold out on making your selection until the last minute. This adds the most flexibility and will give you some extra time to ensure your Milestone award goes to good use!