A story spread fast this weekend. Too fast, as it turns out.

The viral Reddit post claiming Hyatt was about to roll out Category 10 hotels, super-peak pricing, and sweeping award chart changes has been debunked — confirmed as fabricated. If you saw it circulating on social media or points forums and started stress-booking Hyatt stays, you can take a breath. Nothing has actually changed.

It's a good reminder that in the points world, big "rumors" with suspiciously complete details deserve extra skepticism before acting. That said, there's still plenty of real and genuinely useful news today — let's get into it.

Citi's AAdvantage Executive card currently has a limited-time welcome bonus live. How many AAdvantage miles is it offering?

The answer is waiting near the bottom of today's newsletter - keep scrolling. 👇

If you spent any time in the points community this weekend, you probably saw it — a detailed Reddit post claiming Hyatt was about to introduce a Category 10 tier, super-peak pricing, and major award chart restructuring, potentially landing as soon as next week.

It's not true. The post has since been confirmed as fabricated, and there are no credible reports of imminent Hyatt award chart changes.

The rumor gained traction because it was plausible. Hyatt does have a history of award chart adjustments, premium properties are genuinely clustered at the top of Category 8, and the level of detail in the post felt credible on first read. That's exactly what makes these things dangerous — a well-constructed fake can push people into hasty bookings or unnecessary panic.

The honest takeaway here: Hyatt's award program is worth watching, and the direction of travel for hotel loyalty programs broadly is toward higher prices over time. But there's no need to make rushed decisions based on this particular story. If and when Hyatt makes real changes, we'll cover them here with sourced, confirmed information.

For all our ongoing Hyatt coverage, check out our World of Hyatt stories for updates as they actually happen.

Speaking of Hyatt, this is genuinely time-sensitive: the World of Hyatt Credit Card's elevated welcome bonus expires this Thursday, February 26th. And when you do the full math, it's more compelling than the headline number suggests.

Hyatt is advertising this as a 5-free-night offer, but the $15,000 in spend required to unlock the full bonus also triggers the card's annual Category 1–4 free night certificate and generates enough points for another award night on top. Stack it all together and you're realistically looking at 7 nights at Category 1–4 Hyatt properties from a single welcome offer.

Given the rumored category changes potentially landing next week, locking in 7 free nights at Category 1–4 pricing right now has extra strategic appeal. Those certificate values don't change even when the chart does.

This one flew under the radar, but it's a genuinely interesting development. American Airlines flights have now appeared inside Chase Travel's Points Boost feature - unlocking redemption values of up to 2 cents per Ultimate Rewards point on Business Class and Premium Economy tickets.

For context, Chase Ultimate Rewards points typically get you 1.25–1.5 cents per point through the Chase travel portal with the Sapphire Reserve. Points Boost pushing that to 2 cents per point for certain American Airlines premium cabins is a meaningful jump - especially if you've been accumulating Chase points but haven't had a clear use case for them on American.

This is particularly interesting for travelers who aren't AAdvantage loyalists but want access to American's international premium product. Rather than navigating partner award availability, you're booking directly through Chase Travel with a set price and solid value.

It's worth cross-referencing any American flights you're considering with Award Travel Finder to make sure you're getting the best value - sometimes a straight points transfer still wins, but 2cpp through the portal is increasingly competitive.

For all our American Airlines coverage, head to our dedicated American Airlines tag page.

United Airlines just made its most aggressive push yet toward becoming a card-first loyalty program. New changes slash MileagePlus earning rates by up to 40% and raise award prices - specifically targeting members who don't hold a United co-branded credit card.

The structure is simple but punishing: if you fly United without a MileagePlus card in your wallet, you'll earn significantly fewer miles on your flights and face higher award redemption costs. United is essentially building a two-tier system where card members get the program's full benefits, and everyone else subsidizes it.

This mirrors a broader trend across U.S. carriers - loyalty programs are increasingly structured to reward card spending over actual flying. The question for frequent travelers is whether the card economics make sense for their specific travel patterns.

If you fly United regularly and don't have their card, the math has just changed significantly. Check out all our United MileagePlus stories for the full breakdown of how this affects your earning.

There's a limited-time 100,000-mile welcome bonus live on the Citi AAdvantage Executive World Elite Mastercard right now, and it's being called the best offer the card has seen in quite some time.

100,000 AAdvantage miles can cover a Business Class round-trip to Europe on American or a partner carrier like British Airways or Iberia - redemptions that regularly deliver 2 cents or more per mile in value. At that level, you're looking at $2,000+ in travel value from the welcome bonus alone.

The card also comes with Admirals Club membership, which at $850 standalone value is one of the more meaningful perks attached to any airline card on the market. If you're an American Airlines flyer who spends time in airports, this one stacks up well.

Not sure if American Airlines award travel makes sense for your routes? Our friends at Award Travel Finder track AAdvantage award availability daily - worth a search before committing.

For more on Citi credit cards and AAdvantage strategy, see our full AAdvantage coverage.

On the hotel front, one of Marriott's more prominent European properties is in genuine trouble. The W Hotel Amsterdam is facing eviction after its operators reportedly failed to pay rent for three full years - with unpaid dues now exceeding €23.4 million, before interest and penalties.

The situation creates real uncertainty for anyone with bookings at the property. While hotels in these situations typically continue operating during legal proceedings, the outcome is unpredictable - the property could change operators, lose its Marriott affiliation, or close temporarily.

If you have future stays booked at the W Amsterdam on points or cash, it's worth keeping a close eye on this story. We'll flag any major developments. For broader Marriott hotel news, see our full Marriott coverage.

The answer is 100,000 miles. The Citi AAdvantage Executive World Elite Mastercard is currently offering a 100,000-mile welcome bonus — one of the best offers the card has seen. At 2+ cents per mile on business class redemptions, that's $2,000+ in potential travel value.

Hit reply and let me know — I read every response. Curious how many of you caught it early vs. almost acted on it!

That's it for today - enjoy your Saturday, and keep an eye on your Hyatt points balance this week. Things could get interesting very quickly.

See you tomorrow with more.

- The Miles & Points Daily Team

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