The World of Hyatt Credit Card Review: Is It Worth Applying For?
The World of Hyatt Credit Card Review
The World of Hyatt Credit Card is worth it due to its exceptional earning rate and generous sign-up bonus.
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Quick facts
More details
Rates & fees
- Credit needed: 660 - 850
- Sign-up bonus: Earn up to 60,000 Bonus Points - Earn 30,000 Bonus Points after you spend $3,000 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening. Plus, up to 30,000 More Bonus Points by earning 2 Bonus Points total per $1 spent in the first 6 months from account opening on purchases that normally earn 1 Bonus Point, on up to $15,000 spent.
- Earning rate: Earn up to 9 points total per $1 spent at Hyatt - 4 Bonus Points per $1 when you use your card at Hyatt hotels & 5 Base Points per $1 from Hyatt as a World of Hyatt member
- Annual fee: $95
- Foreign transaction fee: $0
Quick facts
- Credit needed: 660 - 850
- Sign-up bonus: Earn up to 60,000 Bonus Points - Earn 30,000 Bonus Points after you spend $3,000 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening. Plus, up to 30,000 More Bonus Points by earning 2 Bonus Points total per $1 spent in the first 6 months from account opening on purchases that normally earn 1 Bonus Point, on up to $15,000 spent.
- Earning rate: Earn up to 9 points total per $1 spent at Hyatt - 4 Bonus Points per $1 when you use your card at Hyatt hotels & 5 Base Points per $1 from Hyatt as a World of Hyatt member
- Annual fee: $95
- Foreign transaction fee: $0
More details
- Earn 30,000 Bonus Points after you spend $3,000 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening. Plus, up to 30,000 More Bonus Points by earning 2 Bonus Points total per $1 spent in the first 6 months from account opening on purchases that normally earn 1 Bonus Point, on up to $15,000 spent
- Enjoy complimentary World of Hyatt Discoverist status for as long as your account is open.
- Get 1 free night each year after your Cardmember anniversary at any Category 1-4 Hyatt hotel or resort
- Receive 5 tier qualifying night credits towards status after account opening, and each year after that for as long as your account is open
- Earn an extra free night at any Category 1-4 Hyatt hotel if you spend $15,000 in a calendar year
- Earn 2 qualifying night credits towards tier status every time you spend $5,000 on your card
- Earn up to 9 points total for Hyatt stays – 4 Bonus Points per $1 spent at Hyatt hotels & 5 Base Points per $1 from Hyatt as a World of Hyatt member
- Earn 2 Bonus Points per $1 spent at restaurants, on airline tickets purchased directly from the airlines, on local transit and commuting and on fitness club and gym memberships
Rates & fees
- Intro Purchase APR: N/A
- Regular Purchase APR: 20.24% - 27.24% Variable
- Intro BT APR: N/A
- Regular BT APR: 20.24% - 27.24% Variable
- Annual Fee: $95
- Foreign Transaction Fee: $0
- Balance Transfer Fee: Either $5 or 5% of the amount of each balance transfer, whichever is greater.
Pros
Cons
Is the World of Hyatt Credit Card worth it?
First Year Savings
$1,319 ?If you're a World of Hyatt enthusiast who wants to earn elite status with this hotel brand, then the World of Hyatt Credit Card is worth signing up for. You'll get automatic Discoverist status right away, and you'll get the chance to earn more elite nights toward the next status tiers as you spend on your card. When you add in the sign-up bonus and the rewards you can earn on everything you buy, it's hard to imagine why anyone who stays in Hyatt hotels frequently wouldn't get this card.
With that being said, you should take the time to compare this hotel credit card to flexible travel credit cards and hotel cards from other brands. The best hotel credit card out there can vary from person to person, so you should spend time comparing options to find the right fit.
The World of Hyatt Credit Card review: A healthy earning rate fit for Hyatt patrons
The World of Hyatt Credit Card is a must-have for anyone seeking elite status with Hyatt since you get automatic Discoverist status just for signing up. You get a fast track to Globalist status based on your spending, and you get elite hotel benefits like premium in-room internet and 2 p.m. late checkout upon request. The fact you can earn 9x points for Hyatt stays and 2x points for dining out, flights, gym memberships and transit and commuting makes this card a solid option for everyday spending.
Sign-up bonus
Although it’s not the most valuable bonus in the card’s history, the World of Hyatt Credit Card is currently offering a fair number of points in the first three months, with the chance to stack up additional bonus points through your regular spending:
Current offer: Earn up to 60,000 Bonus Points - Earn 30,000 Bonus Points after you spend $3,000 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening. Plus, up to 30,000 More Bonus Points by earning 2 Bonus Points total per $1 spent in the first 6 months from account opening on purchases that normally earn 1 Bonus Point, on up to $15,000 spent.
What it's worth: Around $765 worth in Hyatt hotel stays, according to ValuePenguin estimates (30,000 points + 15,000 points on top of the points you would normally earn = 45,000 points multiplied by our valuation of 1.7 cents for Hyatt points)
Who is eligible to earn this bonus? Your points will post to your account within eight weeks of qualifying for this promotional offer. If you are a current cardmember of any Hyatt credit card or have received a new cardmember bonus from any Hyatt card in the past 24 months, you are not eligible for the World of Hyatt Credit Card.
Thanks to the high value of Hyatt points, this is one of the more valuable sign-up bonuses currently available. On the downside, you’ll have to spend $15,000 total to earn the full bonus. If you’re looking for an offer with a lower spending threshold, you should check out our list of best credit card sign-up bonuses.
What can you get with 60,000 Hyatt points?
Considering award nights with Hyatt start at just 5,000 points, the 60,000 bonus points are worth up to 12 nights in a Category 1 property.
However, you can also splurge with more points for fewer nights if you prefer. For example, you could use 30,000 points per night to book a premium suite in a Category 4 property. You could also redeem 15,000 points per night for a stay in Category 4 properties like the Hyatt Place Keystone in Colorado, or the Hyatt Regency Hill Country Resort and Spa in San Antonio.
Earning points
The card offers generous point earnings on Hyatt purchases: Earn up to 9 points total per $1 spent at Hyatt - 4 Bonus Points per $1 when you use your card at Hyatt hotels & 5 Base Points per $1 from Hyatt as a World of Hyatt member. As a cardmember, you'll also earn 2 points per $1 spent on dining out, flights booked with airlines, gym memberships and transit and commuting.
How does this earning rate compare to other hotel credit cards? While some hotel credit cards from brands like Hilton Honors and Marriott Bonvoy give you more points for each dollar spent on hotel stays and other purchases, it's important to keep in mind that Hyatt points are typically worth more. For example, World of Hyatt points are worth 1 to 2.5 cents each on average, whereas Hilton Honors points and Marriott Bonvoy points are worth approximately 0.5 cents each.
What are Hyatt points worth?
We value Hyatt points at 1.7 cents per point on average. While many competing hotel rewards programs offer inflated points, this is not the case with Hyatt points. Just a few thousand Hyatt points can earn you a night at some very nice properties.
Value: Above average
Ease of redeeming: Fairly easy
The following graph shows how the World of Hyatt Credit Card compares on rewards value earned per $1 spent for the average cardholder (using our estimated points and miles values for each card's rewards program). As you can see, the card's earning power ranks fairly high:
Average rewards earned / $1 spent
Redeeming points
When it comes to redeeming World of Hyatt points for hotel stays, it's important to note that Hyatt has fewer locations to choose from in relation to other hotel loyalty programs. In fact, the hotel brand currently has 20 premier brands with more than 950 properties in 67 countries and six different continents. Compare that with the Marriott Bonvoy program, which boasts more than 7,000 properties worldwide.
Fortunately, free nights at Hyatt properties can be inexpensive to come by, and Hyatt does offer plenty of unique properties you can redeem points for. A Hyatt award night can cost as little as 5,000 points (for some pretty nice properties), while a standard room night at a high-end luxury property, such as The Lodge at Kukui’ula in Hawaii, costs a reasonable 40,000 points. The following chart shows how many points you'll need for various room types with Hyatt:
Hotel Category | Standard room points per night | Regency/Grand Club points per night | Standard suite points per night | Premium suite points per night |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 5,000 | 7,000 | 8,000 | 10,000 |
| 2 | 8,000 | 12,000 | 13,000 | 16,000 |
| 3 | 12,000 | 17,000 | 20,000 | 24,000 |
| 4 | 15,000 | 21,000 | 24,000 | 30,000 |
| 5 | 20,000 | 27,000 | 32,000 | 40,000 |
| 6 | 25,000 | 33,000 | 40,000 | 50,000 |
| 7 | 30,000 | 39,000 | 48,000 | 60,000 |
| 8 | 40,000 | -- | -- | -- |
Also keep in mind that you can use points and cash to book a room if you need to stretch your points further, and that you can redeem points for a room upgrade on a paid night in a Hyatt hotel.
You can also redeem points for Hyatt all-inclusive properties, and the chart below shows you how many you'll need. Keep in mind that these rates are based on double occupancy, and that some Hyatt all-inclusive properties are adults-only:
Hotel | Standard Room Points Per Night | Suite Points Per Night | Club Room Points Per Night | Additional Points Per Person Per Night |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hyatt Zilara Cancun | 25,000 | 40,000 | - | 12,500 |
| Hyatt Zilara Cap Cana | 25,000 | 40,000 | - | 12,500 |
| Hyatt Zilara Rose Hall | 25,000 | 40,000 | - | 12,500 |
| Hyatt Ziva Los Cabos | 20,000 | 32,000 | - | 10,000 |
| Hyatt Ziva Puerto Vallarta | 20,000 | 32,000 | - | 10,000 |
| Hyatt Ziva Cancun | 25,000 | 40,000 | - | 12,500 |
| Hyatt Ziva Cap Cana | 25,000 | 40,000 | - | 12,500 |
| Hyatt Ziva Rose Hall | 25,000 | 40,000 | - | 12,500 |
You can also redeem your points for stays in Miraval properties. One final option lets you convert your World of Hyatt points into airline miles, but the transfer ratios for this move are not good at all.
Other World of Hyatt Credit Card benefits
The World of Hyatt Credit Card makes it easy to earn free nights, but you'll also get perks when you travel with the brand. Here are some of the benefits you should know about before you sign up.
Free night each year
When you renew your World of Hyatt Credit Card each year for $95, you'll receive one free hotel night. This free night can be used at any of the Category 1-4 Hyatt hotels or resorts around the world. Category 4 hotels have a point redemption value of 15,000 points per night for a standard room.
There are more than 160 Category 4 hotels around the world, and more than 80 in North America. Here are some popular Category 4 hotels:
- Park MGM Grand Las Vegas
- Hyatt Centric Waikiki Beach
- Thompson Chicago
- Andaz San Diego
Earn another free night based on spending
You also have the opportunity to earn another free Category 1-4 night, when you spend $15,000 within the 12 months of your cardmember anniversary. To meet the $15,000 hurdle, you'll need to spend an average $1,250 on the card every month. With normal monthly expenses such as groceries, dining out, gas and utilities, earning your second free night is very doable.
Savvy travelers book back-to-back hotel nights with the two Category 1-4 certificates to enjoy a weekend getaway or mini-vacation. If you are looking for a longer vacation, you can pair the free night certificates with additional reservations booked using World of Hyatt points or your credit card. You can also save money by using the free night certificates for the more expensive nights and paying cash for the lower-priced nights.
Automatic elite status
One of the benefits of having the right hotel credit card is receiving automatic elite status. The World of Hyatt Credit Card from Chase jump-starts your hotel elite status by providing Discoverist status if you’re approved. Discoverist status includes the following major benefits when staying at participating hotels and resorts:
- Preferred room based on availability at check-in
- Expedited check-in at a dedicated area for elite members
- Late checkout until 2 p.m. upon request and based on availability
- Waived resort fees on free night awards
- Earn 10% bonus points on all eligible purchases
- Free premium internet where available
- Daily bottle of water
- Receive Pearl status with M life Rewards, which is MGM’s loyalty program
- Small Luxury Hotels of the World benefits
Earn elite night credits
You'll also receive five qualifying night credits each year to help you move your elite status up a notch. Big spenders will like the option to earn two additional qualifying night credits toward the next tier for every $5,000 they spend on the credit card. There is no limit to the number of additional qualifying credits you can earn, so big spenders could earn top-tier World of Hyatt elite status without paying cash for a room.
These are the requirements to achieve each level of elite status with World of Hyatt:
Membership Level | Qualifying Nights | Base Points | Qualifying Meetings/Events |
|---|---|---|---|
| Member | N/A | Join for free | N/A |
| Discoverist | 10 | 25,000 | 3 |
| Explorist | 30 | 50,000 | 10 |
| Globalist | 60 | 100,000 | 20 |
Remember that since the World of Hyatt Credit Card gives you automatic Discoverist status, your climb up the elite status ladder starts from there.
Travel insurance
The World of Hyatt Credit Card comes with a surprising number of travel insurance benefits when compared to other hotel credit cards:
- Trip cancellation and interruption insurance worth up to $5,000 per trip for prepaid, non-refundable travel expenses
- Trip delay reimbursement, that can refund you up to $500 per ticket when common carrier travel is delayed more than 12 hours
- Travel accident insurance worth up to $500,000
- Lost luggage reimbursement, worth up to $300 per passenger
- Baggage delay insurance worth up to $100 per day for up to 5 days
- Secondary auto rental coverage when you pay for your rental with your credit card
Keep in mind that travel insurance from credit cards is only applicable if you use your credit card to pay for your common carrier expenses.
$0 foreign transaction fees
With World of Hyatt Credit Card, you’ll pay a $0 foreign transaction fee when making purchases internationally. Some banks charge up to 3% for foreign transaction fees, so this benefit can really add when you travel internationally. Since a large percentage of Hyatt properties are outside the U.S., having no foreign transaction fees may come in handy for a loyal traveler who wants to make the most of the program.
How does the Hyatt card compare to other cards?
The World of Hyatt Credit Card offers great benefits for travelers staying at Hyatt hotels and resorts. Still, Hyatt just doesn't have the global coverage many travelers need. For this reason, you may be better off with a different travel or hotel credit card.
Here are some of the best comparable travel credit cards to consider:
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Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card offers an unlimited 2 Miles per dollar on every purchase, every day; 5 Miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel. And all of the miles that you earn can be redeemed for flights, hotels and other travel expenses without restrictions or blackout dates.
The rewards are simple. Book your reservations, then "erase" the purchases with rewards up to 90 days after your transaction posts to your credit card. Your miles can also be transferred to one of more than 15 airline and hotel transfer partners for even more value.
Cardholders can skip the lines at airport security with up to $100 Global Entry or TSA Precheck application fee reimbursement. The following is available to new cardholders: Enjoy a one-time bonus of 75,000 miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel. The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card requires an annual fee of $95.
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is an excellent, flexible-point credit card since the rewards you earn fall within the Chase Ultimate Rewards®program. Cardholders get the chance to earn 5x on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards®, 3x on dining and 2x on all other travel purchases.
The points can be redeemed for cash, merchandise and gift cards, but the real value comes when transferring to Chase airline and hotel partners, or earning 25% extra value when booking travel through the Ultimate Rewards travel portal.
Chase is offering a valuable sign-up bonus for new cardholders: Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards®. Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card charges a $95 annual fee, which is not waived the first year.
Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card
If Hyatt's footprint isn't large enough but you still want automatic elite status and other perks, the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card could be a good fit. This card starts you off with a large sign-up bonus: Limited Time Offer! Earn 100,000 Bonus Points after spending $3,000 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening with the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card! You'll also Earn up to 17X total points for every $1 spent at over 7,000 hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy® and 2X points on all other purchases. You'll get a free night worth 35,000 points each year on your cardmember anniversary, and you'll get automatic Silver elite status with a path to Gold status through credit card spending.
The Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card also gives you 15 elite night credits toward elite status each calendar year. You'll also get free premium internet access and $0 foreign transaction fees. A $95 annual fee applies.
For Capital One products listed on this page, some of the above benefits are provided by Visa® or Mastercard® and may vary by product. See the respective Guide to Benefits for details, as terms and exclusions apply
Terms apply to American Express credit card offers. See americanexpress.com for more information.
These responses are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser. Responses have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by the bank advertiser. It is not the bank advertiser's responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered.
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How We Calculate Rewards: ValuePenguin calculates the value of rewards by estimating the dollar value of any points, miles or bonuses earned using the card less any associated annual fees. These estimates here are ValuePenguin's alone, not those of the card issuer, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by the credit card issuer.
Example of how we calculate the rewards rates: When redeemed for travel through Ultimate Rewards, Chase Sapphire Preferred points are worth $0.0125 each. The card awards 2 points on travel and dining and 1 point on everything else. Therefore, we say the card has a 2.5% rewards rate on dining and travel (2 x $0.0125) and a 1.25% rewards rate on everything else (1 x $0.0125).