What’s American Airlines’ loss is Delta’s gain.
On Wednesday, the hotel chain and airline announced a new, long-term strategic relationship bringing together Delta SkyMiles and World of Hyatt. That comes mere hours after American separately announced its own longstanding partnership with Hyatt would wind down in the coming months.
But if you're hoping for a rundown of exactly what you'll earn or the kinds of points you'll get, you're going to be disappointed: This news is thin on details.
Here's the one concrete item: At launch, Delta and Hyatt say elite members of both programs will get a new “Dual Earn” benefit. For example, Delta Medallions will earn SkyMiles on qualifying Hyatt stays, and World of Hyatt elites will earn points on “qualifying Delta fare classes” – on top of the points and other benefits each program already offers.
That's really the only substantive nugget of information in the entire release. Delta says the full relationship launches in the coming months, with more info on eligibility and benefits “to be shared soon.” A Hyatt spokesperson told Thrifty Traveler: “We look forward to sharing additional details about the collaboration and member benefits in the coming months.”
American Airlines confirmed on Wednesday its partnership with Hyatt, which began way back in 2019, will phase out starting later this year before ending altogether in February 2027. That partnership had already taken a few hits over the years.
But whatever it looks like, this is a win for loyal Delta flyers.
Even after some painful changes to award rates this spring – with more on the horizon come early October – World of Hyatt points are widely considered the most valuable among the major hotel chains. Points from Hilton, Marriott, and IHG can’t hold a candle to the value you get when redeeming Hyatt points for free night stays.
Delta SkyMiles are … not, to put it mildly. While we think SkyMiles’ reputation for being “worthless” is unfair, particularly in 2026 – thanks to an unprecedented flood of deeply discounted SkyMiles deals, including in business class – those miles simply don’t go as far as others, including American AAdvantage.
Why the mention of American AAdvantage miles? American said the two companies have “mutually decided not to continue our enhanced relationship,” though they'll honor earned benefits through the rest of each program's current earning year, with linked accounts getting extra runway into early 2027.
That's a real loss for AAdvantage and Hyatt loyalists. The old partnership allowed AAdvantage members to turn their AA status into Hyatt elite status (and vice versa), plus travelers could redeem for additional perks like free nights and seat upgrades at different status thresholds. Given that backdrop, Delta swooping in right now makes a lot of sense – it's picking up a premium hotel partner just as a competitor loses one.
So what might this Delta-Hyatt partnership actually look like when details are finally revealed?
We're purely speculating here, since Delta and Hyatt haven't shared anything beyond the “Dual Earn” for elites. But if Hyatt's old structure with AA is any guide, here's what it could look like:
- Milestone-style rewards letting frequent Hyatt guests choose some level of Delta Medallion status
- Delta Medallion Qualifying Dollar (MQD) thresholds that unlock Hyatt elite status or free-night awards
- … or maybe even day-of-status perks similar to what AAdvantage used to offer Hyatt elites
Again, none of that is confirmed – far from it. Delta explicitly says more benefits are coming, including vague references to “personalized moments” and “once-in-a-lifetime experiences” … which is corporate-speak for “we haven't ironed it all out yet.”
Bottom Line
Delta and Hyatt are launching a new loyalty partnership centered on a “Dual Earn” benefit for elite members – but the details are scarce, and it won't roll out for months. Meanwhile, the timing of this announcement is no coincidence, as American Airlines announced this morning that it is winding down its own Hyatt partnership.
This is potentially big news for travelers – but for now, all we can do is sit and wait to see exactly what comes of it.
