Hyatt Limits Award Transfers to 10 Gifts Per Year

CHICAGO, Ill. — Starting June 7, 2025, World of Hyatt will impose a new restriction on the gifting of awards between members, limiting the number of gifted awards a member can receive per calendar year to ten.

The World of Hyatt program previously allowed members to transfer an unlimited number of awards, which include free nights, suite upgrades, and Guest of Honor certificates. However, the recent policy shift aims to address concerns over potential abuse of the award gifting system.

According to Hyatt, the restriction will only apply to the number of awards received, not the number gifted. Members can still send an infinite number of awards to others but cannot receive more than ten in a year. A spokesperson for Hyatt stated, “This change helps maintain the integrity of our loyalty program while still offering flexibility and generosity to our members.”

Many in the travel community have expressed mixed feelings about the limit, with some suggesting it is reasonable while others feel it undermines the program’s original intent. “For most travelers, receiving ten awards a year is more than sufficient,” said one Hyatt loyalist. “However, frequent travelers might find this cap a bit restrictive,” they added.

The World of Hyatt program has gained popularity for its customer-friendly policies, especially since it started allowing members to gift awards in early 2024. Despite the new limit, most travelers are unlikely to feel the impact, as very few typically accumulate or receive more than ten awards annually.

As Hyatt adjusts this policy, the company is positioned to further combat fraud in the award market, which has seen various reports of exploitation and misuse. “The enforcement of limits will hopefully curtail any illicit trading in awards,” Hyatt stated.

As the June deadline approaches, members are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the new guidelines and plan accordingly for their award interactions.