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Introduction
From their humble beginnings as a motel welcoming travelers through Los Angeles International Airport, Hyatt now welcomes travelers into their hotels all over the world. Hyatt has become a popular choice for travelers offering affordable and luxury options with plenty of perks for their loyalists. For travelers looking to make the most of their Hyatt stays, the two Hyatt credit cards, the World of Hyatt Credit Card and the World of Hyatt Business Credit Card, are a must-have and, as the only two options, Hyatt keeps it simple. These Hyatt credit cards can help travelers earn Hyatt status, free nights, and more helping them see the world in style.
Hyatt offers two credit cards, through Chase: one intended for personal use and one intended for business use. Both primarily benefit travelers who prefer to stay with Hyatt while traveling.
World of Hyatt Credit Cards
- Annual fee: $95 / $199
- Sign-Up Bonus: Up to 60,000 points
- Up to 9 total Points for every $1 on qualifying purchases
- A free night every year and an additional free night after spending $15,000 in a calendar year (only for World Of Hyatt Credit Card)
World of Hyatt Credit Card
With the lower annual fee of the two cards at $95, this card offers frequent Hyatt guests some strong perks. Cardmembers can expect:
- A welcome offer of 30,000 Bonus Points after spending $3,000 in the first 3 months after opening the account. Cardmembers can also earn up to an additional 30,000 Bonus Points by earning 2 Bonus Points for every $1 spent in the first 6 months after opening the account on purchases that normally only earn 1 Bonus Point.
- Up to 9 total Points for every $1, 4 Bonus Points for every $1 spent at all Hyatt hotels, plus 5 Bonus Points from Hyatt for every eligible $1 spent for being a World of Hyatt member.
- 2 Bonus Points for every $1 spent at restaurants, on airline tickets purchased directly from the airline, local transit, and commuting as well as fitness club and gym memberships.
- A free night every year at any category 1-4 Hyatt hotel or resort after your cardmember anniversary. Cardmembers can receive an additional free night at any Category 1-4 Hyatt hotel or resort when they spend $15,000 in a calendar year.
Welcome Bonus
The fastest way to earn points with this card is to qualify for the 30,000-point sign-up bonus by spending $3,000 in the first 3 months. The welcome gift continues for World of Hyatt credit card holders offering them twice as many points (up to 30,000) for every $1 spent in the first 6 months. This means a new card member could rack up a staggering 60,000 points in the first 6 months.
Annual Free Night Certificate
World of Hyatt credit card holders get a free night every year at any category 1-4 Hyatt hotel or resort after their cardmember anniversary and can receive an additional free night at any Category 1-4 Hyatt hotel or resort by spending $15,000 in a calendar year. So you can get the most out of your annual free night, the most value would be found in booking a category 4 property. Assuming you meet the $15,000 spend to qualify for a second night, you are well on your way to a luxury weekend away—for free!
Elite Status
Status is also a major perk of this card. Earning top-tier status with Hyatt is quite difficult so the fact that the card helps cardmembers earn status faster is music to the ears of Hyatt loyalists. Hyatt has five levels of elite status: Member, Discoverist, Explorist, Globalist, and Lifetime Globalist. Just by having a card, Hyatt gives you Discoverist status. This level of status comes with benefits like late checkout, preferred rooms, and a 10% points bonus on eligible purchases. Earning higher status levels unlocks further benefits like room upgrades, priority access, club access, breakfast, free parking, and more. Of course, upgrades with points are also available on paid stays. World of Hyatt gives you two nights for every $5,000 spent on the card, meaning your welcome bonus goes a ways towards taking you up to Explorist status, triggering even more perks.
American Airlines Partnership
Elite World of Hyatt members can also earn one Bonus Point for every eligible $1 USD spent on qualifying American Airlines flights. Members who hold elite status in both the American AAdvantage program and World of Hyatt can double their earnings!
Read More: How To Maximize The American Airlines Shopping Portal To Earn More Miles
Earning Potential
Cardmembers can earn 4 Bonus Points for every $1 spent at all Hyatt hotels, plus 5 Bonus Points from Hyatt for every eligible $1 spent for being a World of Hyatt member.
They earn 2 Bonus Points for every $1 spent at restaurants, on airline tickets purchased directly from the airline, local transit, and commuting as well as fitness club and gym memberships.
1 Bonus Point is earned per $1 spent on everything else.
Another way to earn points is by referring friends to the card. Up to 25,000 Bonus Points per year can be earned by referring friends for either of the cards at 5,000 Bonus Points per friend who is approved.
Who is This Card For
For Hyatt loyalists, one of these credit cards is a must. Giving you free nights, helping you climb the status tiers faster, and help you earn points towards more nights for things you already spend money on. This card is perfect for the everyday traveler who is a dedicated Hyatt fan.
World of Hyatt Business Credit Card
With an annual fee of $199, cardmembers can expect:
- A welcome offer of 60,000 Bonus Points after spending $5,000 in the first 3 months after opening the account.
- Up to 9 total Points for every $1 spent at Hyatt hotels, 4 Bonus Points for every $1 spent at Hyatt hotels, plus 5 Base Points from Hyatt for every eligible $1 spent for being a World of Hyatt member.
- To earn 2 Bonus Points per $1 spent in the cardmember’s top three spend categories each quarter through 12/31/23, the top two categories each quarter. Eligible categories include:
- Dining
- Shipping
- Airline tickets, when purchased directly with the airline
- Local transit & Commuting
- Social Media & Search Engine Advertising
- Car Rental Agencies
- Gas stations
- Internet, Cable & Phone Services
- 2 Bonus Points for every $1 spent on fitness club/gym memberships, and earn 1 Bonus Point for every $1 spent on all other purchases.
Welcome Bonus
The fastest way to earn points with this card is to qualify for the 60,000-point sign-up bonus by spending $5,000 in the first 3 months.
Elite Status
Again, just by having a card, Hyatt gives cardmembers Discoverist status and gives two nights for every $5,000 spent on the card. And since this card gives cardmembers elite status, cardmembers can earn one Bonus Point for every eligible $1 USD spent on qualifying American Airlines flights or double that if they hold elite status in both programs.
Earning Potential
Cardmembers can earn 4 Bonus Points for every $1 spent at Hyatt hotels plus 5 Base Points from Hyatt for every eligible $1 spent for being a World of Hyatt member.
Cardmembers will also earn 2 Bonus Points for every $1 made on their top three qualifying purchase categories and fitness/gym memberships.
1 Bonus Point is earned per $1 spent on everything else.
Same as with the World of Hyatt credit card, another way to earn points is by referring friends to the card. Up to 25,000 Bonus Points per year can be earned by referring friends for either of the cards at 5,000 Bonus Points per friend who is approved.
Who is This Card For
For Hyatt loyalists that are big spenders, this may be the better option of the two Hyatt credit cards. Cardmembers can also earn more on a more extensive list of qualifying purchases. Still helping cardmembers climb the status tier faster, this card is perfect for business owners who travel frequently.
Application Restrictions
As with any card, the Hyatt credit cards do have their downsides and may not be for everyone. One downside is that Hyatt has a relatively small global network compared to some of the other larger hotel chains, so options for stays may not be as plentiful and, thus, perhaps less ideal than other chains. Another potential downside is by only offering two credit cards, Hyatt is not giving many options. Where other chains offer more cards, giving applicants more options to find a card best suited to their needs, Hyatt puts all their eggs in two baskets.
Another thing to keep in mind when considering either of these credit cards is Chase’s 5/24 rule. This rule dictates that applicants won’t be approved if they’ve opened five or more credit cards from any bank in the last 24 months.
In our opinion, the World of Hyatt credit cards are two great simplistic yet powerful hotel credit cards that give Hyatt users exactly what they need. Both cards come with outstanding benefits, especially considering their reasonable annual fees. Even if you aren’t a Hyatt loyalist, the annual free night certificate can be worth enough to offset the annual fee, and that is why we’d still recommend considering adding this card to your wallet.
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