Hyatt just dropped their 2026 category changes, and this year is a big one. 136 hotels are shifting categories effective May 20, 2026. 112 of those are moving up. Only 24 are going down. And because the new award chart with five pricing tiers also kicks in on May 20th, the impact of these changes is more significant than any previous year.
I built a full interactive dashboard below with all 136 changes so you can search for your hotel, filter by brand and region, and see exactly what's happening.
World of Hyatt Category Changes
| Hotel | Location | Type | Category | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hyatt House Anchorage | AlaskaUnited States | EssentialsCaption, Unscripted, Hyatt Place, Hyatt House, Studios, Select, UrCove | 3 → 4 | ↑ +1 |
| Hyatt Place Tucson-Central | ArizonaUnited States | EssentialsCaption, Unscripted, Hyatt Place, Hyatt House, Studios, Select, UrCove | 1 → 2 | ↑ +1 |
| Hyatt Centric Delfina Santa Monica | CaliforniaUnited States | ClassicsGrand Hyatt, Hyatt Regency, Destination, Hyatt Centric, Vacation Club, Hyatt | 6 → 5 | ↓ -1 |
| Andaz West Hollywood | CaliforniaUnited States | LifestyleAndaz, Thompson, The Standard, Dream, Breathless, JdV, Bunkhouse, Me and All | 6 → 5 | ↓ -1 |
| Hotel Figueroa Max's PickOne to book before May 20, 2026Certificate ImpactCat 1–4 free night certificate will no longer apply here | CaliforniaUnited States | LuxuryPark Hyatt, Alila, Miraval, Impression, Unbound Collection | 4 → 5 | ↑ +1 |
| Hyatt Place Santa Barbara | CaliforniaUnited States | EssentialsCaption, Unscripted, Hyatt Place, Hyatt House, Studios, Select, UrCove | 6 → 5 | ↓ -1 |
| The Laurel Inn | CaliforniaUnited States | LifestyleAndaz, Thompson, The Standard, Dream, Breathless, JdV, Bunkhouse, Me and All | 5 → 6 | ↑ +1 |
| Hyatt Place Santa Cruz Certificate ImpactCat 1–4 free night certificate will no longer apply here | CaliforniaUnited States | EssentialsCaption, Unscripted, Hyatt Place, Hyatt House, Studios, Select, UrCove | 4 → 5 | ↑ +1 |
| Hyatt Centric Downtown Denver | ColoradoUnited States | ClassicsGrand Hyatt, Hyatt Regency, Destination, Hyatt Centric, Vacation Club, Hyatt | 4 → 3 | ↓ -1 |
| Hyatt Regency Greenwich | ConnecticutUnited States | ClassicsGrand Hyatt, Hyatt Regency, Destination, Hyatt Centric, Vacation Club, Hyatt | 3 → 4 | ↑ +1 |
| Hyatt Regency Coral Gables Certificate ImpactCat 1–4 free night certificate will no longer apply here | FloridaUnited States | ClassicsGrand Hyatt, Hyatt Regency, Destination, Hyatt Centric, Vacation Club, Hyatt | 4 → 5 | ↑ +1 |
| Hyatt Centric Las Olas Fort Lauderdale Certificate ImpactCat 1–4 free night certificate will no longer apply here | FloridaUnited States | ClassicsGrand Hyatt, Hyatt Regency, Destination, Hyatt Centric, Vacation Club, Hyatt | 4 → 5 | ↑ +1 |
| Hyatt House Orlando International | FloridaUnited States | EssentialsCaption, Unscripted, Hyatt Place, Hyatt House, Studios, Select, UrCove | 2 → 3 | ↑ +1 |
| Hyatt Place Orlando/I-Drive/Convention Center | FloridaUnited States | EssentialsCaption, Unscripted, Hyatt Place, Hyatt House, Studios, Select, UrCove | 2 → 3 | ↑ +1 |
| Hyatt Place Across From Universal Orlando Resort Max's PickOne to book before May 20, 2026 | FloridaUnited States | EssentialsCaption, Unscripted, Hyatt Place, Hyatt House, Studios, Select, UrCove | 2 → 3 | ↑ +1 |
| Hyatt Place Sarasota/Bradenton Airport | FloridaUnited States | EssentialsCaption, Unscripted, Hyatt Place, Hyatt House, Studios, Select, UrCove | 2 → 3 | ↑ +1 |
| Hyatt Place Sarasota/Lakewood Ranch | FloridaUnited States | EssentialsCaption, Unscripted, Hyatt Place, Hyatt House, Studios, Select, UrCove | 2 → 3 | ↑ +1 |
| Hyatt Place Tampa/Busch Gardens Max's PickOne to book before May 20, 2026 | FloridaUnited States | EssentialsCaption, Unscripted, Hyatt Place, Hyatt House, Studios, Select, UrCove | 2 → 3 | ↑ +1 |
| Hyatt Place Tampa/Wesley Chapel | FloridaUnited States | EssentialsCaption, Unscripted, Hyatt Place, Hyatt House, Studios, Select, UrCove | 2 → 3 | ↑ +1 |
| Hyatt Place Lakeland Center | FloridaUnited States | EssentialsCaption, Unscripted, Hyatt Place, Hyatt House, Studios, Select, UrCove | 2 → 3 | ↑ +1 |
| Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress Resort Max's PickOne to book before May 20, 2026Certificate ImpactCat 1–4 free night certificate will no longer apply here | FloridaUnited States | ClassicsGrand Hyatt, Hyatt Regency, Destination, Hyatt Centric, Vacation Club, Hyatt | 4 → 5 | ↑ +1 |
| Hyatt Lodge Oak Brook Chicago | IllinoisUnited States | ClassicsGrand Hyatt, Hyatt Regency, Destination, Hyatt Centric, Vacation Club, Hyatt | 2 → 3 | ↑ +1 |
| Hyatt House Chicago / Oak Brook | IllinoisUnited States | EssentialsCaption, Unscripted, Hyatt Place, Hyatt House, Studios, Select, UrCove | 2 → 3 | ↑ +1 |
| Hyatt Place Chicago/Schaumburg | IllinoisUnited States | EssentialsCaption, Unscripted, Hyatt Place, Hyatt House, Studios, Select, UrCove | 1 → 2 | ↑ +1 |
| Hyatt Place at Wichita State University | KansasUnited States | EssentialsCaption, Unscripted, Hyatt Place, Hyatt House, Studios, Select, UrCove | 1 → 2 | ↑ +1 |
81% of Changes Are in the Most Affordable Brands
This is the stat that stood out the most. 81% of the category changes are concentrated in Hyatt's two most affordable brand tiers: Classics and Essentials.
Essentials includes brands like Caption by Hyatt, Hyatt Place, Hyatt House, and UR Studios. Classics covers Grand Hyatt, Hyatt Regency, Hyatt Centric, Destination by Hyatt, and Hyatt Vacation Club. These are the mid-range and budget-friendly options that a lot of points collectors rely on for domestic travel.
61 of the increases are in Essentials alone, making it the single largest chunk of changes. Classics accounts for another big portion. Together, they make up the vast majority of properties moving up.
Meanwhile, luxury and lifestyle brands like Andaz, Park Hyatt, and Alila have very few changes. So the affordable end of the Hyatt portfolio is getting squeezed while the top end stays mostly flat. That's a tough trend for anyone who depends on Hyatt Place and Hyatt House for their go-to points redemptions.
39 Hotels Are Leaving Category 1
Hyatt is also shrinking the cheapest tier. 39 hotels are moving from Category 1 to Category 2, which reduces the number of properties available at the absolute lowest points cost.
This matters for two reasons. First, it means fewer ultra-cheap redemptions for domestic stays. Second, if you've been using Category 1 hotels for inexpensive elite qualifying nights, you now have fewer options to do that.
19 Hotels Lose Free Night Certificate Eligibility
This is the most painful part of the changes. 19 properties are moving above the thresholds for free night certificates.
14 hotels are moving above Category 4, which means your Category 1-4 free night certificate from the World of Hyatt credit card will no longer work at those properties. 5 hotels are moving above Category 7, which means even the Category 1-7 certificates earned from Globalist milestones won't cover them.
The Andaz 5th Avenue is a property we've stayed at, and I'll be honest, it does not feel like a Category 8 hotel. The Hôtel du Louvre in Paris was a Category 6 when I stayed there. Now it's jumping to 8. That's a significant increase in just a couple of years.
If you've been planning to use a free night certificate at any of these properties, book now before May 20th.
Florida Theme Park Hotels Are Getting More Expensive
Families planning Orlando or Tampa Bay trips with Hyatt points should take note. 11 Florida hotels are increasing in category, and most of them are going from Category 2 to Category 3.
That includes Hyatt Place Across From Universal Orlando Resort, Hyatt Place Tampa/Busch Gardens, Hyatt House Orlando International, and several others in the area. The Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress Resort is also jumping from Category 4 to Category 5.
Combined with the new award chart pricing tiers, a Florida theme park trip on points is going to cost noticeably more starting May 20th.
China Redemptions Just Got Better
Not everything is bad news. Every hotel in China that's changing categories is going down. 9 of them.
China has been trending cheaper for Hyatt redemptions over the last few years, and this continues that pattern. If you've been considering a trip to China, your Hyatt points are going further there than almost anywhere else.
All-Inclusive Changes Are All Increases
If you're a fan of Hyatt's all-inclusive portfolio, every single inclusive property on this year's list is going up. All 5 of them: Secrets St. Lucia, Dreams Lanzarote, Dreams Jardin Tropical, Secrets Lanzarote, and AluaSoul Ibiza.
Combined with the expanded pricing tiers in the new award chart, all-inclusive stays could get significantly more expensive.
Japan Keeps Getting More Expensive
No surprise here. Japan continues to see upward pressure on Hyatt categories.
Caption by Hyatt Namba Osaka has now moved up two categories in two years, landing at Category 3. Hyatt Regency Tokyo Bay is going from 3 to 4. Hyatt Place Kyoto is moving from 2 to 3, which was a steal at Category 2. And Hyatt House Tokyo Shibuya is now a Category 6, which is wild for a Hyatt House, but the demand in Tokyo clearly supports it.
9 Hotels Changed in Both 2025 and 2026
Some properties are on a streak. 9 hotels shifted categories last year and are shifting again this year.
Decreased two years in a row (getting cheaper): Dream Nashville, Andaz Nanjing Hexi, Commune by the Great Wall, Grand Hyatt Sanya Haitang Bay.
Increased two years in a row (getting more expensive): Caption by Hyatt Namba Osaka, Hyatt House Tokyo Shibuya, Jabal Omar Hyatt Regency Makkah, Hyatt Regency DFW International Airport.
Flip-flopped: Hotel Figueroa went down in 2025 but is back up in 2026, returning to Category 5.
What You Should Do Before May 20th
The changes take effect May 20, 2026. Here's what I'd do right now.
Book your Hyatt stays now. Transfer your Chase points or Bilt points to World of Hyatt (both transfer 1:1) and lock in the current award rates. Hyatt's points cancellation policies are flexible, usually allowing you to cancel up to 24 hours before your stay with a full points refund.
There's no downside to booking early. If your hotel goes down in category after the changes, you'll get refunded the points difference. If it goes up, you've locked in the lower rate.
Remember the double hit. It's not just category changes. The new award chart with five pricing tiers (lowest, low, moderate, upper, top) also kicks in May 20th. A hotel that jumps up a category AND gets priced at the "upper" or "top" tier could cost dramatically more than what you'd pay today.
Use the dashboard I built to search for your specific hotels and see exactly how they're changing. Filter by brand, region, or direction and click through to the Hyatt property page to book.
Hyatt Category Changes Dashboard
Key Takeaway
This year's Hyatt category changes hit the affordable tiers the hardest. 81% of changes are in Classics and Essentials, 39 hotels are leaving Category 1, and 19 properties are losing free night certificate eligibility. With the new award chart also going live on May 20th, the window to lock in current rates is closing fast. Transfer your points, book your stays, and check the dashboard to see if your hotel is on the list.
