Hyatt hotels in Australia have made changes to their card payment surcharging practices in response to an investigation by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC). The ACCC had received consumer reports indicating that Hyatt Regency Sydney was charging surcharges for debit cards that exceeded the actual costs of accepting those cards, violating the Competition and Consumer Act.

ACCC Deputy Chair Mick Keogh emphasized that businesses must not impose surcharges that are higher than their costs for accepting card payments. The investigation revealed that Hyatt Regency Sydney was charging excessive surcharges unless customers selected a specific option on the payment terminal.

Following the ACCC's intervention, Hyatt hotels across Australia have implemented both technological and policy changes to ensure that debit and credit cards are treated differently in terms of surcharges. This aims to protect consumers from being charged more than what is permissible under the law.

The ACCC has been actively monitoring compliance with card payment surcharging laws and has previously investigated several businesses for similar issues. In April 2025, the ACCC urged all businesses to review their surcharging practices to ensure compliance with legal standards.

While the Reserve Bank of Australia continues its review of merchant payment costs, the ACCC remains vigilant in monitoring for potential excessive surcharging practices. Hyatt has cooperated with the ACCC and has taken prompt action to rectify the identified issues.