American Airlines & Hyatt Fast Track Challenge

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Want status on American Airlines or World of Hyatt? Participate in the American Airlines and Hyatt fast track challenge. You can earn AAdvantage Executive Platinum and World of Hyatt Globalist status fast!

When you link your World of Hyatt and American Airlines AAdvantage accounts you can register and complete qualifying activity to quickly earn elite status.

AAdvantage Fast Track Challenge

If you are a World of Hyatt Discoverist, Explorist, or Globalist without status with American Airlines, you can complete the AAdvantage fast track challenge for Gold, Platinum, or Platinum Pro status. Status is valid through January 31, 2023.

To participate, you have to link your American Airlines account and Hyatt account and register for the offer by September 30, 2021.

You’ll have 90 days to complete the qualifying AAdvantage activity (flights).

Pro-tip: If you don’t have immediate travel plans or any flights booked, wait until you are ready to book a ticket or the last day of registration to register. This lets you take full advantage of the 90 days to meet the challenge requirements.

I have American Executive Platinum status so don’t qualify for this offer.

Fast Track to Gold Status

You can fast track to Gold status with American Airlines when you earn $700 Elite Qualifying Dollars (EQDs) and 6,000 Elite Qualifying Miles (EQMs) or 7 Elite Qualifying Segments (EQSs).

Fast Track to Platinum Status

If you qualify for the fast track to Platinum challenge, you have 90 days to earn $1,500 Elite Qualifying Dollars (EQDs) and 12,000 Elite Qualifying Miles (EQMs) or 14 Elite Qualifying Segments (EQSs).

You earn EQMs and EQDs when you fly on American Airlines and select oneworld partners: British Airways, Finnair, Iberia, Japan Airlines, and Qantas. Flights on American Eagle and JetBlue also qualify to earn EQMs and EQDs.

EQDs are earned on the base airline ticket fare and exclude taxes, fees, and airport surcharges.

Fast Track to Platinum Pro Status

If you qualify for the fast track to Platinum Pro challenge, you have 90 days to earn $2,300Elite Qualifying Dollars (EQDs) and 18,000 Elite Qualifying Miles (EQMs) or 21 Elite Qualifying Segments (EQSs).

World of Hyatt Trial Tier Offer

If you have American Airlines AAdvantage Gold, Platinum, Platinum Pro, or Executive Platinum status and don’t have status with Hyatt, you may want to take advantage of the World of Hyatt trial tier offer for Explorist or Globalist status. Status is valid through February 28, 2023.

After you link your American Airlines account and Hyatt account, you can register for the offer by September 30, 2021.

You’ll have 90 days to complete the qualifying World of Hyatt challenge activity (stays):

• Stay 10 nights to earn Explorist status
• Stay 20 nights to earn Globalist status

I have Globalist status with Hyatt so I don’t qualify for this offer. And Jeff doesn’t have status with American so he’s not eligible. 😢

You get automatic Discoverist status from the World of Hyatt credit card. As a Discoverist, you get all the same perks as Explorist except for three small differences. As a Discoverist, you earn a 10% bonus on hotel stays vs 20% as an Explorist. You get a room upgrade and a 72 hour guaranteed availability on sold-out rooms (blackout dates apply) if you’re Explorist.

Pro-tip: If you have American elite status and Discoverist status you can participate in the Explorist Trial Tier offer.

For most people, Discoverist and Explorist status are fine and provide enough benefits. But if you really want perks with Hyatt, you’ll want to earn Globalist status.

Hyatt Globalist Benefits

As a Globalist you get:

• Free upgrades to the best available room including suites
• Complimentary breakfast (2 adults and 2 children)
• Club lounge access
• Free premium Wi-Fi
• One free bottle of water each day (some hotels give two bottles of water daily)
• Separate check-in area
• Late check-out (4 pm)
• Waived resort fees
• Free parking
• Gold status with Mlife
• Guest of Honor benefits
• Private reservation number
• 30% bonus points

When you stay 60 nights or earn 100,000 base points in a calendar year you also get:

• A free Category 1 to 7 night for use at any Hyatt hotel or resort worldwide including Ventana and Alila Marea Beach
• 4 Suite upgrade awards (2 earned at 50 nights and 2 earned at 60 nights)
• Access to My Hyatt Concierge for reservations and personalized service

Should You Do a Hyatt Fast Track

Hyatt has previously offered a fast track to Globalist. Being able to earn elite status fast is always enticing. But it may not be the right move.

WOH elite status requirements for 2021 are reduced so you only need to stay 15 nights or earn 25,000 base points to earn Explorist status reduced from 30 nights and 50,000 base points. To earn Globalist you need 30 nights or earn 50,000 base points versus 60 nights and 100,000 base points.

Pro-tip: Base points are earned from hotel stays and spending charged to your hotel room. Credit card points and elite status bonus points don’t count towards base points.

What You Lose With a Fast Track Hyatt Globalist

If you qualify for Globalist under a fast track program you don’t get the suite upgrade awards, the free Category 1 to 7 night award, and you won’t get assigned an MHC (My Hyatt Concierge). AKA you’re a Globalist lite.

Most people are ambivalent about the MHC but the real value is the free Category 1 to 7 and the four suite upgrade awards.

You can use a suite upgrade award to guarantee a suite for your stay of up to 7 consecutive days. This is a great perk if you won’t like taking a chance with a free upgrade.

Who Should Fast Track Hyatt Globalist

You should do the Hyatt Globalist fast track you’re a business traveler, love Hyatt but aren’t a Globalist, and frequently stay at Hyatt hotels.

If you’re traveling for business or take long vacations, you’ll appreciate the free upgrades and free breakfast.

Who Shouldn’t Hyatt Globalist Fast Track

You shouldn’t do the fast track offer if you don’t travel often. Or when you do, you stay at hotels that offer free breakfast to everyone. You may end up spending more to qualify for the Hyatt Globalist fast track than what you would spend on vacation. But you have to do the math.

Nor should you do the challenge if you’re a Globalist because it’s

Conclusion

You can earn elite status quickly with the American Airlines and Hyatt fast track challenge.

This could be a great deal if you don’t have Hyatt status but you have to do the math to weigh the pros and cons of earning status through a challenge. You get all the Globalist perks but you lose out on the guaranteed suite upgrades, free Category 1 to 7 award night, and access to an MHC.

Are you going to do the American Airlines and Hyatt fast track offer?