How Do New Airline-Hotel Partnerships Change My Points Strategy?

The big news this week is that the American Airlines and Hyatt enhanced partnership is being phased out, while Hyatt has announced a new partnership with Delta Air Lines. If you’ve been using the American-Hyatt link to earn status or points, you need to act fast: link your AAdvantage and World of Hyatt accounts by November 15, 2026 to keep earning benefits through the end of the current program year. After that, you’ll still be able to earn 500 AAdvantage miles on eligible Hyatt stays by providing your AAdvantage number at check-in, but the deeper reciprocal perks will be gone.

On the flip side, Hyatt and Delta have not yet released the earning rates, eligible fare classes, or launch date for their new partnership. They say details are coming soon, so for now there’s nothing concrete to act on. What we do know: the first benefits will target elite members of both programs. If you’re a World of Hyatt elite or a Delta Medallion member, keep an eye out for announcements in the coming months.

Separately, American Airlines is expanding its codeshare with Starlux starting September 30, which will let you book Starlux-operated flights to Taipei from four U.S. cities using American flight numbers. This doesn’t change how you earn or redeem miles yet—American hasn’t announced reciprocal award redemption—but it’s a step toward deeper integration, possibly including future award availability. For now, your best bet for using miles on Starlux remains Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan.