Hyatt and Aeroplan are now partners

Well hello there. Welcome back to another Monday edition of Daily Drop.

Today is a doozy. We’ll talk about a massive and exciting new partnership. But the details will take some serious explaining.

Let’s get started:

• 🤝 Hyatt and Aeroplan are now partners

• ☀️ The smart sip of the summer

🤝 Hyatt and Aeroplan are now partners

Air Canada Aeroplan and World of Hyatt just announced a new partnership, which can only be described as… kind of annoying.

It’s just so complicated… but could be valuable for some people. So let’s get into it.

Members of both programs can now link their accounts, transfer points between the two programs, redeem Aeroplan points for Hyatt Free Night Awards, earn Aeroplan points on Hyatt stays, and even fast-track their way to elite status.

Some of these new benefits are exciting, while others are… technically options.

First, link your accounts

You’ll need both a free Aeroplan account and a free World of Hyatt account, and the names on the two accounts need to match.

Then you simply need to link your accounts to unlock the partnership’s various benefits, including status challenges, point transfers, and other cross-program perks.

You can now transfer points between Hyatt and Aeroplan

All World of Hyatt members can transfer points at these rates:

• 2 Hyatt points = 1 Aeroplan point (minimum 5,000 points)

• 2 Aeroplan points = 1 Hyatt point (minimum 500 points)

For the second option, you need to have some level of Aeroplan elite status. For the first option, any member can do it.

It’s always nice to have more flexibility, but these aren’t exactly generous transfer ratios. Since both Hyatt and Aeroplan points are pretty valuable, giving up half your balance usually isn’t the best move.

That said, these transfers could come in handy if you’re just a little short of a redemption and need to top off your account.

For example, let’s say you want to book a luxurious night at the Park Hyatt Tokyo for 35,000 Hyatt points:

If you only have 30,000 Hyatt points, you could transfer UR points or Bilt Points to Hyatt directly.

But…

If you only have MR points or Capital One miles, it could be worth sending 10,000 points to Aeroplan, then onward to Hyatt to unlock such a unique and aspirational hotel stay.

You can also redeem Aeroplan points for Hyatt Free Night Awards

Instead of transferring points, you can also redeem Aeroplan points directly for Hyatt Free Night Awards:

• 25,000 Aeroplan points for a Category 1–4 Free Night Award

• 75,000 Aeroplan points for a Category 1–7 Free Night Award

This is actually more interesting than the standard 2:1 transfer, but you’ll still want to do the math.

For example, Hyatt normally charges between 12,000 and 25,000 points for a standard Category 4 hotel.

So using 25,000 Aeroplan points for a Category 4 certificate could be a solid deal at an expensive property and potentially give you an effective 1:1 transfer ratio (sending 25,000 Aeroplan points to use on a hotel that costs 25,000 Hyatt points).

The same is not true for Category 1-7 hotels, which max out at 55,000 points per night. Using 75,000 Aeroplan points for a cert is not as bad as a 2:1 ratio, but it’s still not great.

Hyatt points can also become an Aeroplan flight certificate

Hyatt members can also redeem 50,000 Hyatt points for a certificate worth up to 30,000 Aeroplan points.

Again, not as bad as a 2:1 ratio, but just… not great. And now, we get into the stuff you need to be really careful about.

Earn Aeroplan points on Hyatt stays… with one catch

Aeroplan members can choose to earn 500 Aeroplan points per eligible Hyatt stay.

The catch? Those 500 Aeroplan points replace the Hyatt points you would have earned… they’re not an extra bonus. I’d hard pass on this one.

Elite-status opportunities are the most exciting part

One of the most exciting parts of this new partnerships are the elite status opportunities in both programs.

Aeroplan elite members can now register for a 90-day Hyatt status challenge.

Complete:

• 4 qualifying nights to earn Discoverist

• 10 qualifying nights to earn Explorist

• 20 qualifying nights to earn Globalist

That’s a pretty big shortcut considering Hyatt normally requires 60 qualifying nights for Globalist.

And here’s where things get a little weird…

Marriott Bonvoy Titanium and Ambassador members can already receive complimentary Aeroplan 25K status by linking their Marriott and Aeroplan accounts, thanks to the unique partnership between the two programs.

Since Aeroplan 25K counts as Aeroplan elite status, those members can then register for Hyatt’s new status challenge.

So yes… in a very roundabout way:

Marriott Titanium status can now help you earn Hyatt Globalist status. I don’t think any of us had that on our 2026 bingo card.

Hyatt elites get a little something, too

If you already have Hyatt Discoverist, Explorist, or Globalist status, linking your accounts will also get you an annual Air Canada flight credit worth up to $20 (Canadian).

It’s not life-changing, but a wise man once said, “never complain about free money.”

(It was me. I’m the wise man)

Later this fall, Hyatt Explorist and Globalist elites will also gain access to an Aeroplan elite status challenge, though Air Canada hasn’t released the details yet.

There are also some genuinely nice benefits for holders of eligible Canadian-issued Aeroplan credit cards. That won’t apply to most of you, but you can read more about it on the partnership page if it does apply to you.

The bottom line

This new partnership is complicated… too complicated, if you ask me.

But as a fan of both Hyatt and Aeroplan, I can see some potential ways to get value here, especially as someone with status in both programs.

Wow! That new partnership is kind of tough to wrap my head around…

But the more I think about it, the more I can imagine myself trading Aeroplan points for those free night certificates… 🤔

Anyway, I hope you had fun learning about the intricacies of the partnership, and I’ll see you tomorrow.

Byeeeeee,

6.9175° S, 107.6191° E

With contributions by Sam Anthony and Katie Begnoche.