I just applied for a Hyatt Diamond Challenge this morning. The last challenge period just ended yesterday, but rumours were flying around that the challenge would be continued, so I ended up applying today.
Hyatt Diamond Challenge
I’m happy to say the challenge is still going.
Some of the benefits from Hyatt Diamond include:
- Club Lounge access or full breakfast for properties without a lounge
- Guaranteed 4pm Late Checkout (subject to availability at Hyatt Resorts)
- Upgrades to the best rooms at check-in excluding suites
- 4 Diamond Suite Upgrade Certificates to confirm a suite at booking
You can see the full list of benefits at the Hyatt page.
Applying for the Hyatt Diamond Challenge
It’s actually a very good time to apply now, as if you do complete the Hyatt Diamond challenge (as I Intend to do), you’ll get status until February 2016, which is great. To be eligible for the Hyatt Diamond Challenge, you need one of the following elite statuses, with at least evidence of one stay with the competing chain.
- Marriott Gold or Platinum
- Hilton Gold or Platinum
- IHG Rewards Platinum
- Starwood Platinum
Here’s the process I went through:
- I sent an email to goldpassport@hyatt.com, attaching screenshots of my competing status and stay history to request a challenge.
- They sent this email asking me to confirm my enrolment in the Diamond Challenge.
Dear Jeff,
Thank you for contacting Hyatt Gold Passport Customer Service. I appreciate the opportunity to assist you.
Regarding your inquiry, currently a Diamond Trial Offer is available. You will receive trial Diamond membership for 60 days with proof of top tier status with one of our competitor programs. However, you must complete 12 nights in 60 days to maintain Diamond membership through February of 2016. You will also receive 1,000 bonus points on your first six eligible nights within 60 days, up to a maximum of 6,000 bonus points. Please be aware that the earning period for the promotion begins at the time of enrollment.
Thank you for including the screenshot of your Hilton status. Your Gold membership qualifies you for the Diamond Trial Offer. Please advise if the conditions are acceptable to you and we will be happy to proceed with your enrollment.
I appreciate your support of Hyatt and the Gold Passport program. Please let me know if I may assist you further.
Best Regards,
S__________(Ms.)
Hyatt Gold Passport Representative
Global Contact Centre
I accepted the terms so in 24 hours I will be Hyatt Diamond and will receive 4 Diamond upgrade certificates in my account. The Hyatt diamond challenge bonus stacks with all other bonuses, so I’ll also be getting points from the Hyatt targeted stay promos. Along with base earnings on the room rate and the Diamond amenity, I’d be earning at least 4k points a night which is a decent rebate.
On paper Hyatt seems like a very balanced program. They don’t have the crazy Big Win mattress runnable IHG promotions, or the upgrades to suites from SPG Platinum, or even number of hotel compared to Marriott. But overall I think they have the best balance of earnings, value of miles, and elite status benefits. I put the value of Hyatt Diamond at around several hundred dollars in this post so I’ll be keeping track of how much more it costs me to stay loyal to Hyatt and will post about it later.
I’m definitely looking forward to trying out some Hyatt properties.
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So while I have Gold status through a membership (GW Maui), my status bar shows blue. Has anyone had any success in qualifying for the diamond trial with a blue status bar yet gold status?
My status bar is blue as well when I applied. As long as you have gold status and stay history, they you’ll qualify.
Can you get the Hyatt Diamond Trial more than once if you use different accounts as proof for qualifying and use different email addresses each time you apply for the challenge? Thanks!
It depends on whether the match the names. Under the rules it shouldn’t be permitted since it’s once per lifetime but who knows.
How many times can one request the challenge? I’ve hear reports of folks getting more than one.
Under the rules you can only request it once although it depends on whether Hyatt matches names, etc.
Do you know if the diamond suite upgrades can still be used if you no longer have diamond status?
You need to apply them to reservations before your status expires.
What if I have no prior stays with Hyatt whatsoever, but have Gold with both Marriott and Hilton with some stays in 2014 with both of those?
Yes, that’s fine. You need stay history with a competing chain as well as Hilton Gold (or other competing status).
Hi Jeff! Thanks for this post. I have 3 questions: Do I need to be Hilton Gold when I do my stay at Hilton? (I plan to get the card soon.); Do I need to have Diamond status before applying for the Hyatt CC if I want the two free rooms to be in a suite?; I am planning to complete my 12 nights in September, when do you think the latest I can/should apply for the challenge is? Thanks so much!
No, you don’t need to be gold when you stay at Hilton. All Hyatt requires is competing status and evidence of a stay when you status challenge. You don’t get the free nights in a suite anymore when you apply for the cc. I’m assuming the challenge will still be on until September but just note that they could pull it at any time.
Thanks so much for getting back to me! I appreciate it!
Hey Jeff, you replied to Ang that “you don’t get the free nights in a suite anymore when you apply for the cc.” I’ve been told as long as you are Diamond status (from the trial) when you apply for the Chase Hyatt card, then you do get the certs for a suite upgrade NOT a standard room. Is this correct?
I believe that used to be the previous offer, but they’ve changed it so that the free nights are only in base level rooms. See the offer: https://creditcards.chase.com/credit-cards/hyatt-card.aspx