American Airlines and World of Hyatt are among the biggest brands in their respective industries. They also have a loyalty partnership, which allows elite status members of each loyalty program to receive reciprocal benefits.
While the partnership has seen changes over time, it can still be beneficial to take advantage of this and link your accounts if you have elite status with either American Airlines AAdvantage or World of Hyatt.
Let’s go over how this partnership works and the benefits you’ll earn.
Register For The Partnership
To begin receiving benefits, you’ll have to link your AAdvantage and World of Hyatt accounts. Go to one of the accounts to link; you don’t have to go to both to register.
After logging into AAdvantage, click “Partners” under the Account section.
If you’re on Hyatt, click “Alliances” under the My Account page.
Earn Reciprocal Perks
By registering for this partnership, elite status holders of each loyalty program can receive perks from the other loyalty program.
Hyatt perks for AAdvantage elite members
AAdvantage members can select an award as a perk upon reaching certain Loyalty Point thresholds or redeem miles for free Hyatt nights.
This first section is found under the “Enhance with Miles” tab on your AAdvantage account. Travelers can redeem miles for the following:
- At 40,000 Loyalty Points: Redeem 25,000 miles for a free night at a category 1-4 property
- At 125,000 Loyalty Points: Redeem 65,000 miles for a free night at a category 1-7 property
This next section is the Loyalty Point rewards, found under the “Rewards” tab on your AAdvantage account. Passengers can choose the following at each threshold as a reward:
- 100,000 Loyalty Points: Discoverist status (automatic)
- 175,000 Loyalty Points: Explorist status
- 250,000 Loyalty Points: Explorist status
- 400,000 Loyalty Points: Free night at a category 1-4 property
- 550,000 Loyalty Points: Free night at a category 1-4 property
- 750,000 Loyalty Points: Free night at a category 1-4 property
- 1M Loyalty Points: Free night at a category 1-7 property
- 3M Loyalty Points: Free night at a category 1-7 property
- 5M Loyalty Points: Free night at a category 1-7 property
Note that Discoverist status at 100,000 is automatic, while the other perks count as one of the choices at that Loyalty Points threshold.
Related: Hyatt Brand Explorer, An Easy Way To Earn Free Hyatt Nights
American Airlines perks for World of Hyatt elite members
World of Hyatt Explorist and Globalist members can redeem Hyatt points to get AAdvantage status for 1 day:
- Gold status for a day for 5,000 points
- Platinum status for a day for 8,000 points
- Platinum Pro status for a day for 12,000 points
Similar to the AAdvantage side, World of Hyatt members can select American Airlines awards as a choice at each milestone. Those are the following:
- 20 Nights: 2 Preferred Seat Coupons
- 30 Nights: 2 Preferred Seat Coupons
- 40 Nights: 2 Main Cabin Extra Seat Coupons
- 50 Nights: 2 Main Cabin Extra Seat Coupons
- 70 Nights: AAdvantage Gold status, valid for the full status membership year
- 80 Nights: AAdvantage Gold status, valid for the full status membership year
- 90 Nights: AAdvantage Gold status, valid for the full status membership year
- 100 nights: AAdvantage Platinum status, valid for the full status membership year
My Thoughts
It’s important to link your American and Hyatt accounts if you have elite status for either program. If you have a specific use in mind, it may be beneficial to take advantage of some of these reciprocal perks. However, I see more potential for your points and miles if they stay in their own program.
For example, AAdvantage miles can see more potential booking partner airlines on international legs through American Airlines, which is one of my favorite sweet spots of the program. 70,000 miles can get you round-trip to Asia, or even business class on a transpacific flight. I’d consider the perk if the hotel rates are super high, but I can probably get better value sticking to American.
Featured image by Hyatt.
