Skift Take

Hyatt has big plans for its World of Hyatt loyalty program, as illustrated by a recent presentation by CEO Mark Hoplamazian and yet another partnership in the works.

Series: Business of Loyalty

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The Skift Business of Loyalty covers the world of hotel, airline, and other consumer loyalty programs in the travel industry. Read more coverage of loyalty here.

Check the Hyatt “newsroom” on any given week, and there’s a decent chance that there will be loyalty news to share. That’s marketing, no doubt, but it’s also a function of just how much innovation and progress the Chicago-based hospitality company is churning out with its World of Hyatt loyalty program.

Last week Hyatt’s CEO Mark Hoplamazian shared insight into the future of World of Hyatt with respect to the company’s recent acquisitions. Speaking at the Goldman Sachs Lodging, Gaming, Restaurant, and Leisure Conference in New York City, Hoplamazian shared that the recent acquisition of five new hotel brands was slowly feeding Hyatt’s loyalty strategy. Later this year it still expects to roll Alila and Destination Hotels into World of Hyatt.

Separately the company’s loyalty partnerships continue to expand. Earlier in June World of Hyatt added Lindblad Expeditions to its roster of partners while other wellness and experience brands continue to get pulled into the program’s orbit as well.

Depending on how World of Hyatt currency is valued in these transactions, it may be a great time to be points-rich in the program.

— Grant Martin, Business of Loyalty Editor

Skift Stories and More Expert Insight

Best Western Doubles Down on Boutique Hotels: Best Western is a big believer in boutique hotels. The chain is requiring franchisees that want to do renovations to reopen as Sadie or Aiden properties, boutique brands that launched last year.

Hyatt’s Two Roads Hospitality Acquisition Drives Larger Loyalty Play: Hyatt keeps packing on the partnerships to please reward members, which is probably the smart play for the time being. Creating alliances with hoteliers is a faster solution than building a slew of new properties in new markets from scratch.

Emirates Is First Major Airline to Launch Basic Business Class Fare: Emirates has fired the first salvo in the unbundling of business class fares. Now you can buy just the seat, with none of the other trimmings that travelers are used to with top-tier carriers. It’s a brilliant and pragmatic strategy, one that gives more choice to travelers.

United Touts Environmental Impact From Eco-Friendly Flights: United is making another push toward environmentally friendly flying. On June 5, the carrier operated its “flight for the planet” between Chicago and Los Angeles to showcase the airline’s forward-thinking efforts. By the end of that week, the airline had crunched the numbers on how the trip differed from a typical day in the skies.

Airlines Reluctantly Adapt to Reimbursing Travelers for Flight Disruptions: European airlines are bowing to consumer demands for faster compensation due to flight disruption.

American Will Put Its Managers on Boeing 737s Before Paying Customers: American Airlines managers will fly on Boeing 737 Max aircraft before paying passengers are asked to climb aboard — a move meant to build confidence in the plane’s safety.

Two New Passenger Lounges Are Coming to Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport: From stunning runway views to sitting areas with comfortable seating, two new American Express lounges coming to Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport this year will offer travelers a place to relax or work.

First SAS Airbus A350 to Enter Service in January 2020: The Scandinavian group says the first long-haul flight operated with the aircraft, on January 28, will be between Copenhagen and Chicago, which SAS describes as one of its most popular routes. Based in Copenhagen the aircraft will also be used on six other routes next year, to Beijing, New York, Tokyo, Shanghai, Hong Kong, and San Francisco.

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Grant Martin [[email protected]] curates the Skift Business of Loyalty newsletter. He is a director of product marketing at TripActions. Skift emails the newsletter every Monday.

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Tags: loyalty, mark hoplamazian, world of hyatt

Photo credit: Zodiac landing on the seventh continent, National Geographic Orion, Niko Harbor, Antarctica. Hyatt

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