Hyatt Diamond Challenge Suite Upgrade Certificates and When They Expire

Svetlana is currently in the middle of a Hyatt Diamond Challenge, a challenge offered to members with high enough status in other programs. It provides Hyatt Diamond status for 60 days along with all the perks that come with it like complimentary breakfast, complimentary internet, room upgrades, lounge access. If she stays 12 nights during the 60 days, she will get to keep the status until February 2016.

Every year, Hyatt Diamond members receive four Diamond suite upgrade certificates and those that sign up for the Hyatt Diamond Challenge do as well… it’s like an added bonus just for trying.

How to Use Hyatt Diamond Upgrade Certificates

Each Diamond Suite Upgrade Certificate can be used on any point-earning paid stay of up to seven nights to upgrade the whole stay  to a suite. Each hotel has its own specific suite that it designates for these upgrades and there must be availability in that specific suite in order to redeem the upgrade. You can use these on:

• Diamond suite upgrade certificates can be applied on any paid stay that earns points. This includes the Hyatt Elite Rate, Hyatt Daily Rate, any prepaid rates, etc.
• Diamond suite upgrade certificates can be applied on Points + Cash stays.
• Diamond suite upgrade certificates cannot be applied on points only stays.
• Diamond suite upgrade certificates cannot be applied at MGM properties.

There is no way to use them online and you have to call Hyatt Gold Passport customer service and these are actually confirmed when you book. You need to be clear you want to use your Hyatt Diamond suite upgrade certificates and not just upgrade with points. When Svetlana called to upgrade her family stay at the Park Hyatt Aviara, the customer service representative kept insisting upgrades cost 6,000 points a night.

As an example, we are staying at the new (opening June 1) Park Hyatt Vienna  using a Points and Cash rate of 12,500 points + $150. The Park Suite for our dates costs 945 Euros a night… but we just get to use a suite upgrade certificate and voila! We have a suite.

When Do The Certificates Expire?

A very common question is: How long you actually get to use these certificates if you sign up for the Hyatt Diamond Challenge? Some people will sign up, enjoy the Diamond status for 60 days and ultimately decide it’s not worth going for all 12 nights to get the full status.

However, whether you qualify for the status or not, the Hyatt Diamond Suite Upgrade Certificates actually expire February 28, 2015 and not at the end of your challenge. That is, even if your status goes back to Gold or Platinum, you can still use the Diamond upgrade certificates until February, 2015. Quite generous of Hyatt, in my opinion!

The other bonus is that you don’t have to stay by February 28, 2015 to use your certificates. You just have to book your stay by that date and apply your certificates. As an example, I signed up for the Hyatt Diamond Challenge last year. I received my Diamond Hyatt certificates that expired this past February and used them for a December 2014 stay at the Palacio Duhau Park Hyatt Buenos Aires. 

I really hope that clears up some potential confusion for readers… and anyone who signed up for the Diamond Challenge and thought they would expire before February.