The World of Hyatt award chart expanded from three pricing levels to five on May 20, 2026. The old Off-Peak, Standard, and Peak bands are gone. In their place: Lowest, Low, Moderate, Upper, and Top tiers for each of the eight hotel categories.
Here is the complete new chart, where the value actually holds up, and what to skip.
The New Five-Tier Award Chart
| Category | Lowest | Low | Moderate | Upper | Top |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cat 1 | 3,000 | 4,500 | 6,000 | 7,500 | 9,000 |
| Cat 2 | 6,000 | 7,500 | 10,000 | 12,000 | 15,000 |
| Cat 3 | 8,000 | 12,000 | 15,000 | 17,500 | 20,000 |
| Cat 4 | 12,000 | 15,000 | 20,000 | 22,500 | 25,000 |
| Cat 5 | 15,000 | 20,000 | 25,000 | 30,000 | 35,000 |
| Cat 6 | 20,000 | 25,000 | 30,000 | 35,000 | 40,000 |
| Cat 7 | 25,000 | 30,000 | 35,000 | 45,000 | 55,000 |
| Cat 8 | 35,000 | 45,000 | 55,000 | 65,000 | 75,000 |
Points shown are for standard room redemptions per night. Hyatt does not publish which dates fall into which tier in advance. You see the actual cost only when searching specific dates on the World of Hyatt website, which is the main practical change from the old system.
For a full breakdown of which hotels moved to higher or lower categories on May 20, see our overview of the 2026 Hyatt award chart changes. This guide focuses on where to find value within the chart now that it is live.
Sweet Spot: Category 1 Through 3 on Low-Demand Dates
This is the one section of the new chart that actually got cheaper for some travelers. Under the old structure, Category 1 off-peak pricing was 3,500 points. The new Lowest floor is 3,000. Category 2 off-peak was 6,500; the new Lowest is 6,000. Category 3 off-peak was 9,000; the new Lowest is 8,000.
Those 500 to 1,000 point reductions add up across a multi-night stay. Four nights at a Category 3 property on Lowest-tier dates costs 32,000 points instead of the 36,000 you would have paid at the old off-peak floor.
Category 1 through 3 properties are typically Hyatt Place and Hyatt House locations in secondary markets and select Hyatt Regency properties in smaller cities. Not luxury by Hyatt standards, but at 3,000 to 8,000 points per night, these represent strong value when cash rates at the same property run $120 to $200 per night. The points math works in your favor.
Best use case: Business travelers with a Hyatt balance who want multiple nights without using a large chunk of points. Also useful for budget-minded leisure travelers who can plan around low-demand dates.
Sweet Spot: Category 7 and 8 Luxury on Lowest and Low Tiers
Park Hyatt and Alila properties sit primarily in Category 7 and 8. The Top-tier ceiling for Category 8 jumped from 45,000 points under the old peak pricing to 75,000, a 67% increase. That gets headlines, and rightfully so.
The floor tells a different story. Category 8 Lowest is 35,000 points, the same as the old off-peak floor. Category 7 Lowest is 25,000. If you find a Park Hyatt or Alila property showing Lowest or Low pricing (25,000 to 45,000 for Category 7; 35,000 to 45,000 for Category 8), the value against cash rates remains strong.
Properties like the Park Hyatt Tokyo, Park Hyatt Sydney, and Alila Bisma Ubud in Bali have cash rates of $500 to $900 or more per night. Against those prices, 35,000 to 45,000 points is a reasonable trade, assuming you can find the lower tier available on your target dates.
The catch: popular dates at these properties price into Upper and Top quickly. Travelers with schedule flexibility who can target midweek stays or shoulder-season months are more likely to find the lower tiers available.
What to avoid at Category 8: Upper and Top pricing at 65,000 to 75,000 points. At that level, cash prices at some properties are competitive enough that spending points becomes questionable.
All-Inclusive Resorts Use a Separate Award Chart
Hyatt Ziva and Zilara all-inclusive properties do not use the numbered 1 through 8 award chart. They have their own letter-based structure, with Categories A through F, and premium Ziva and Zilara brands typically fall in Categories E or F. The May 2026 changes affected this chart separately, with peak-season pricing at top-tier all-inclusive resorts reaching 65,000 to 85,000 points per night.
Lower-category all-inclusive properties (Categories A through C) start at 12,000 points per night and can represent solid value since that price typically covers your room, all meals, and drinks. If all-inclusive is your target, research the specific property’s letter category and pricing before booking. Costs vary significantly by brand and location within this chart.
Free Night Certificates: More Valuable Under the New Chart
Category 1 through 4 and Category 1 through 7 free night certificates (earned through the World of Hyatt credit card or qualifying elite nights) cover any standard room night at an eligible property, regardless of which pricing tier applies that night. That policy did not change.
What changed is the ceiling. Under the old chart, a Category 7 free night certificate could cover a peak-priced night worth 35,000 points. Under the new chart, that same certificate can cover a Top-tier night worth 55,000 points. The implied value of the certificate increased by 20,000 points.
A Category 4 certificate can now cover a Top-tier night worth 25,000 points rather than the old 18,000-point peak. Every certificate got a higher effective ceiling without any policy change on Hyatt’s part.
Best use: Hold these certificates for Upper or Top-tier nights at Category 6 or 7 properties where cash rates are high, such as Andaz hotels in major markets or Hyatt Regency resort locations.
What Went Up: 112 Hotels Are More Expensive Now
On May 20, 112 hotels moved to a higher award category. A property you were tracking at Category 5 Lowest (15,000 points) may now sit in Category 6 at 20,000 Lowest. Before booking any specific hotel, confirm its current category on the World of Hyatt website.
The 24 hotels that moved down in category represent a small but real opportunity. Among them: The Barnett, JdV by Hyatt, dropped from Category 5 to Category 4, lowering its Lowest-tier cost from 15,000 to 12,000 points. Half of the 24 downward moves are properties in Asia, including nine hotels in China.
Earning Hyatt Points with Chase Ultimate Rewards
Chase Ultimate Rewards transfers to World of Hyatt at a 1:1 ratio with no fees. Two cards are the main sources:
Chase Sapphire Preferred ($95 annual fee, rates verified 2026-03-22): Earns 3x points on dining, online grocery purchases, and select streaming. 2x on all other travel. 5x on Chase Travel portal bookings. Points are worth 1.25 cents each through Chase Travel, though most Hyatt travelers transfer them at 1:1 rather than using the portal.
Chase Sapphire Reserve ($795 annual fee, rates verified 2026-03-31): Earns 3x points on dining and travel. 10x on hotels and car rentals booked through Chase Travel. 5x on flights through Chase Travel. The $300 annual travel credit applies automatically to travel purchases. Starting mid-2026, cardholders who spend $75,000 in a calendar year earn World of Hyatt Explorist status.
The Sapphire Preferred is the better starting point for most people, given the lower annual fee. The Reserve is worth the upgrade if you regularly book hotels through Chase Travel (earning 10x) and fully use the travel and dining credits. For a detailed look at the Reserve’s current benefits, see our Chase Sapphire Reserve card review. For broader guidance on using Chase Ultimate Rewards across all Hyatt booking options, see our guide to maximizing World of Hyatt points with Chase.
Bottom Line
The new five-tier Hyatt chart added pricing complexity and raised the ceiling significantly at top-demand properties. The best opportunities are Category 1 through 3 on Lowest-tier dates (where prices slightly dropped), Category 7 and 8 luxury hotels when Lowest or Low pricing is available, and free night certificates, which are now worth more since the Top-tier ceiling within each category rose. Check current category assignments before booking; 112 hotels moved up on May 20 and the chart is now live.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Did any Hyatt properties get cheaper after the May 2026 chart changes?
A: Yes. Twenty-four hotels moved to lower award categories, including The Barnett, JdV by Hyatt, which dropped from Category 5 to Category 4. Category 1, 2, and 3 Lowest-tier pricing also dropped by 500 to 1,000 points from the old off-peak floor, so low-demand dates at budget properties cost less than before.
Q: Do Category 1 through 4 and Category 1 through 7 free night certificates still work the same way?
A: Yes, and they are more useful now. These certificates cover any standard room night at an eligible property, regardless of the pricing tier. A Category 7 certificate can now cover a Top-tier night worth 55,000 points, up from the 35,000-point peak ceiling under the old three-tier chart.
Q: Do Hyatt Ziva and Zilara all-inclusive resorts use the same numbered award chart?
A: No. Hyatt all-inclusive properties use a separate letter-based chart (Categories A through F), not the numbered 1 through 8 system. Premium Ziva and Zilara properties typically fall in Categories E or F, with pricing that can reach 65,000 to 85,000 points per night at Top-tier levels.
Q: Which Chase card is better for earning Hyatt points?
A: The Chase Sapphire Preferred is the better starting point at $95 annually, particularly for dining, grocery, and streaming earners. The Chase Sapphire Reserve earns 10x on Chase Travel hotel bookings and 3x on all travel, but costs $795 per year. Both transfer to Hyatt at 1:1.
Q: How do I find Lowest or Low-tier availability at a specific Hyatt property?
A: Hyatt does not publish tier schedules in advance. Search for specific dates on the World of Hyatt website to see the actual cost. Searching across a range of nearby dates, particularly midweek or shoulder-season months, is the most reliable way to find lower pricing tiers at popular properties.