Getting the most out of your points when travelling is essential, and it can save you a lot of money, but it can also open the door to more luxurious travel. That’s why this week’s Air Canada and Hyatt news is so interesting, as they announced a collaboration where members can earn, convert, and redeem points across both programs.
The new partnership means you can earn or use your points in either program for flights and hotel stays. At its core, the collaboration gives travellers more freedom to move points where they matter most.
Aeroplan members can now redeem points for Hyatt Free Night Awards, starting at 25,000 points for Category 1-4 hotels, and opening the door to everything from quick weekend getaways to more luxurious stays.
Hyatt members can otherwise redeem 30,000 World of Hyatt points for an Aeroplan flight reward certificate, good on Air Canada and partner airlines. The partnership opens up a lot of doors, including hotel room doors, so you can use your points with either program in more ways.
The earning side gets even more interesting, especially for Canadians with Aeroplan credit cards. Once you link your accounts, Hyatt stays become a doubleโdip opportunity. Premium cardholders earn the best return, collecting both Aeroplan points and Hyatt points for every eligible dollar spent at participating Hyatt hotels.
All Aeroplan credit cardholders get the chance to earn more points, and for simplicity, you can opt to earn a flat 500 Aeroplan points per stay instead of Hyatt points. Itโs one of the rare cases where a loyalty partnership genuinely accelerates your rewards instead of burying them in fine print.
Point conversions are now part of the mix, too. Hyatt members can transfer points to Aeroplan at a 2:1 ratio starting at 5,000 points, while Aeroplan Elite members get exclusive access to convert Aeroplan points to Hyatt at the same rate. There are daily and weekly caps, but the flexibility is impressive, especially if youโve ever found yourself wishing you could top up one account without waiting months to earn enough regularly.
Another big opportunity for travellers is that Aeroplan Elite Status Members with an eligible premium credit card can reach World of Hyatt status faster with an annual 90-day challenge:
- Earn Discoverist status with 4 nights
- Earn Explorist status with 10 nights
- Earn Globalist status with 20 nights
Rewards for Globalist status includes exclusive benefits including free breakfast for up to four people and, when available, room upgrades with 4:00 PM late checkout. Plus premium cardholders receive more benefits.
World of Hyatt Members with Discoverists, Explorists, and Globalists status also receive a $20 CAD Air Canada flight credit when they link their accounts. Annual challanges and fast-track opportunities will also be announced for those with Aeroplan Elite Status.
For travellers, the partnership feels like a rare win from two points programs. The partnership offers more opportunities to earn and redeem, and if you fly Air Canada with a stay at a Hyatt hotel property, you can earn a lot more points.
