American Airlines-Hyatt Reciprocal Rewards for Elite Members

World of Hyatt and American Airlines have formed an alliance of sorts to provide more benefits to each other's frequent travelers. Overall, the partnership is not as rich as it once was, but it still offers decent perks that are easy to claim.

If you stay with Hyatt or fly with American, this collaboration is worth understanding. While Marriott Bonvoy has a similar deal with Aeroplan and United MileagePlus, the Hyatt-American partnership goes deeper, at least when it comes to tangible perks. Here’s what you need to know about the recent changes and how they affect you, whether you have elite status or not.

» Learn more: The best travel credit cards right now

For American AAdvantage members

Originally, this program rewarded those with Hyatt or American elite status the most. It offered things like reciprocal status for elite members as well as the ability to earn miles and points when doing business with either brand (essentially double dipping). Let’s start with the bad news: That’s gone. No more earning World of Hyatt points when flying American or earning AAdvantage miles when staying with Hyatt.

Now for the good news: There are still benefits that can be earned if you have elite status, and these are tangible perks like preferred seat upgrade coupons, free night redemptions and reciprocal status in the other program. The more business you do with one brand, the more choices you have.

American AAdvantage travelers can select World of Hyatt perks when reaching different Loyalty Point thresholds. These are attained by flying with American or its partner airlines, shopping with American partners, spending on American co-branded credit cards and many other ways. These are the perks you can select at different thresholds:

• At 40,000 Loyalty Points, AAdvantage members can redeem miles for a Category 1-4 free night certificate.

• At 100,000 Loyalty Points, AAdvantage members can choose World of Hyatt Discoverist status.

• At 125,000 Loyalty Points, AAdvantage members can redeem miles for a Category 1-7 free night certificate.

• At 175,000 and 250,000 Loyalty Points, AAdvantage members can choose World of Hyatt Explorist status.

• At 400,000, 550,000 and 750,000 Loyalty Points, AAdvantage members can choose a World of Hyatt Category 1-4 free night award.

• At 1 million, 3 million and 5 million Loyalty Points, AAdvantage members can choose a World of Hyatt Category 1-7 free night award.

Before you take advantage of these, we recommend looking at the other rewards options at each tier level. Some of them will prove more valuable. For example, the “benefit” to redeem American miles for a Category 1-4 World of Hyatt award is questionable at best. Consider that NerdWallet values World of Hyatt points at 2.2 cents each, and many of these Category 1-4 hotels (especially Category 1) are not that pricey. You might be better off redeeming 25,000 American miles for an expensive flight and paying in cash for a Hyatt stay.

As with everything in the world of miles and points, each person’s travel situation is different. Compare the opportunity cost of using loyalty currency for a redemption. Could you save more money using it elsewhere and paying for this redemption in cash instead?

For World of Hyatt members

There are similar benefits for Hyatt guests who reach certain travel thresholds. These are known as Milestone Rewards, and while they are mostly Hyatt-related perks, there are now some American Airlines benefits thrown into the mix. These are the American-related options when reaching different Hyatt thresholds.

• At 20 or 30 elite nights (or 35,000 or 50,000 base points), World of Hyatt members can choose two preferred seat coupons to use when flying American.

• At 40 or 50 elite nights (or 65,000 or 80,000 base points), World of Hyatt members can choose two Main Cabin Extra seat coupons to use when flying on American.

• At 70, 80 or 90 elite nights, World of Hyatt members can enjoy AAdvantage Gold status for the entire membership year.

• At 100 elite nights, World of Hyatt members can enjoy AAdvantage Platinum status for the full status membership year.

Achieve status for the day

World of Hyatt Explorist and Globalist members can also redeem their points for AAdvantage elite status for the day. Those who choose this option should not do so with the certainty of receiving a premium cabin upgrade, but rather for other benefits. It offers the chance to choose a preferred or Main Cabin Extra seat on the plane. Other perks include free checked bags (potentially major savings), bonus miles on flights and priority check-in and boarding.

• AAdvantage Gold Status for a Day: Spend 5,000 World of Hyatt points for complimentary upgrades when available, a free checked bag, priority check-in and a 40% mileage bonus, among other perks.

• AAdvantage Platinum Status for a Day: Spend 8,000 World of Hyatt points for complimentary upgrades when available, two free checked bags, priority check-in and a 60% mileage bonus, among other perks.

• AAdvantage Platinum Pro Status for a Day (only available to Globalist members): Spend 12,000 World of Hyatt points for complimentary upgrades when available, three free checked bags, priority check-in and an 80% mileage bonus, among other perks.

Is the new World of Hyatt and American partnership worth it?

Absolutely! While it is not as rewarding as it was before — when elite members of either program enjoyed double-dip earning of miles and points — it does offer benefits to more people (including non-elite status members).