April 1, 2019 View in browser

Hyatt is once more expanding the portfolio of properties in its World of Hyatt loyalty program. Hyatt last week added eight Thompson Hotels to World of Hyatt, giving loyalty members the ability to earn and redeem points at the properties around the world. In May, it plans to add the spectrum of Joie de Vivre hotels while other brands will get added later in the year.

World of Hyatt's expansion comes as part of the hotel group's recent acquisition of Two Roads Hospitality, a move that added some 85 properties to the boutique operator's portfolio. Though the acquisition was only announced in the fourth quarter of 2018, Hyatt was quick to ingest at least some of the properties and release them into World of Hyatt in the first quarter of this year.

That aggression seems to be reflective of Hyatt's general operations of late. In the last three years the operator has been moving quickly, from acquiring new wellness businesses to investing in the sharing economy to the nonstop tweaking of its loyalty program. And while Hyatt is still a dwarf compared to its siblings at Hilton, Marriott, IHG, and Wyndham, it's certainly starting to make waves.

Skift Design Awards 2019
Check Out Skift Tech Forum Sessions and Lock In Early-Bird Price

What will you hear on stage at Skift Tech Forum? We have some exciting preview content to share from our hard-hitting program. Make sure you register this week to lock in the early-bird rate before it's gone!

Learn More
Skift Stories and More Expert Insight
Wow Air Joins 20 Other Airlines That Folded in Just the Past Year

Add Wow Air to a long — and growing — list of airline failures around the world. Like Primera Air before it and perhaps Norwegian before long, the Icelandic carrier was a victim of intense fare competition on transatlantic routes.


Hyatt Expands Loyalty Program to Include Its Two Roads Hospitality Brands

Hyatt Hotels is expanding its World of Hyatt loyalty program to incorporate properties from a recent expansion. In October of 2018, the acquisition-hungry hotel chain announced its intent to acquire Two Roads Hospitality, a network of 85 properties and several brands around the world. Now, Hyatt is releasing plans to incorporate those properties piecemeal into its loyalty program.


United Airlines Accuses Rogue Flight Attendants of Fraud

United Airlines is threatening to fire some flight attendants it suspects are engaging in a sophisticated effort to grab the best trips — such as lucrative and comfortable long-haul flights to London, Sydney, or Tokyo — and selling them to colleagues, according to a new memo.


Cathay Pacific Pays $287 Million to Join Low-Cost Market

Cathay Pacific agreed to pay $287 million in cash for Hong Kong's only budget airline to enter the no-frills market, after more than a decade resisting such a move to focus on premium services.

Hurry to Secure Your Spot at This Year's Skift Forum Europe

Hundreds of attendees will head down to East London's Tobacco Dock this April 30 for Skift Forum Europe, which will offer a unique mix of mind-expanding inspiration, actionable insights, and superior networking opportunities. With less than a month until the event, time is running out for you to save a spot!

Breakage: Good or Bad for Loyalty Programs?

Breakage is simply the technical term for points that expire and are never redeemed by members. It's important to understand as it's a critical aspect of modeling the liability for your program.


Air New Zealand Introduces Free In-Flight Wi-Fi, No Strings Attached

Airplane Wi-Fi has come a long way. It used to be a special treat, while it's increasingly becoming the norm. With that, we're also seeing airlines use Wi-Fi as a point of differentiation.


When You Should(n't) Use Airline Co-Branded Credit Cards to Pay for Airfare

All of the larger airlines in the U.S. offer co-branded credit cards. These cards, which provide extra benefits to cardholders, range from ones with no annual fee to premium cards costing up to $450 per year. While you'd think that using a co-branded card would be the best choice for earning points with your flight purchase, that's usually not the case. For most airlines, you don't earn any extra points for airfare purchases for having a more expensive card either.

Skift Business of Loyalty Editor Grant Martin [gm@skift.com] curates the Skift Business of Loyalty newsletter. Skift emails the newsletter every Monday.

Share on Twitter Share on Facebook Share on Linked In Send via Email

For Gmail users: If you are using the tabbed inbox, Skift emails may be pushed to the 'Promotions' tab. To get updates from Skift direct to your primary inbox, drag and drop this email to that tab.

You received this email because you are subscribed to Business of Loyalty Newsletter from Skift.

If you'd like to unsubscribe from this email, click here

If you'd like to receive fewer emails, click here

If someone shared this email with you and you would like to subscribe, visit our newsletters page on Skift