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      World of Hyatt Credit Card Benefits & Review for 2024

      Josh Patoka
      World of Hyatt Credit Card Benefits Review

      Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Enrollment may be required for select American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more. The content on this page is accurate as of the posting date; however, some of our partner offers may have expired.

      The World of Hyatt Credit Card offers exciting Hyatt travel benefits to maximize one of the best hotel loyalty programs. It’s possible to get up to two free night certificates annually and World of Hyatt Discoverist status plus other perks.

      Learn How to Apply Here or keep reading for a closer look at the World of Hyatt Credit Card.

      The World of Hyatt Credit Card is an ideal travel credit card for people staying at Hyatt hotels and resorts at least once per year. Travelers who are also looking to earn some of the most valuable hotel points should consider this card.

      While the card has an affordable $95 annual fee, the free anniversary night certificate can easily offset this fee as most hotel nights cost more than $100. The other hotel benefits help you save money and improve the quality of your Hyatt stays. 

      While there are many Hyatt properties across the United States and the world, it’s not the largest hotel portfolio. Competing brands like Hilton Honors, Marriott Bonvoy, and IHG One Rewards are more likely to have rooms along interstate exits and in smaller towns.

      If you have several new credit cards, you will want to make sure you are not subject to the Chase 5/24 rule before applying. Chase will most likely reject your application if you are the primary or authorized user on 5 or more credit cards opened in the last 24 months.

      Benefits at a Glance
      World of Hyatt Credit Card Table

      Annual Fee: $95
      Current Bonus: Up to 60,000 World of Hyatt points. Spend $3,000 in the first 3 months to earn the first 30,000 points. Next, spend up to $15,000 on non-bonus purchases in the first 6 months to earn 2 points per $1 (up to 30,000 additional points).
      Up to 9x points on Hyatt Hotel Stays
      4x points on Hyatt purchases
      2x points on restaurants, flights booked directly from airlines, local transit, and fitness-related expenses
      1x points on all remaining spend
      – Up to 2 Hotel Night Certificates per year
      World of Hyatt Discoverist loyalty status
      5 Qualifying Night Credits each year
      No foreign transaction fee
      Trip cancellation and interruption coverage
      – Purchase Protection
      – Complimentary DoorDash DashPass membership for 12 months (Activate by 12/31/24)
      Great to Excellent Credit Score Required (700+)

      Featured World of Hyatt Credit Card Benefits

      This card offers several travel benefits. As you might imagine, the best ones focus on getting more value from Hyatt hotel and resort stays.

      60,000 Bonus Points Signup Bonus

      The current signup bonus is worth up to 60,000 World of Hyatt points. You will need to complete two spending milestones to earn the full bonus.

      • Step 1 is spending $3,000 in the first 3 months to earn the first 30,000 points. This portion of the signup bonus is easy to qualify for.
      • To earn the remaining 30,000 points, you will need to spend up to $15,000 during the first 6 months on non-bonus expenses that normally earn 1x points. These purchases will earn 2 points per $1 up to $15,000 in the promotion period and then 1 point per $1. 
      The Vacationer Tip

      It can be difficult to earn the full 60,000-point bonus if you’re not anticipating making large purchases or spending $15,000 on non-bonus purchase categories. For that reason, consider waiting to apply for the World of Hyatt Credit Card until you know you can meet the bonus spending requirements.

      Standard reward nights start at 5,000 points making the full bonus worth up to 12 nights.

      This bonus isn’t available to previous cardmembers that received a signup bonus for this card in the last 24 months.

      4x Points on Hyatt Purchases

      Cardholders will earn up to 9 points per $1 on World of Hyatt purchases. The credit card awards 4x points for Hyatt purchases.

      You earn the remaining 5 points per $1 by being a member of the World of Hyatt loyalty program. If you pay for Hyatt purchases using a different card, you only earn 5x points.

      Further Reading: World of Hyatt Loyalty Program Benefits

      2x Points Bonus Categories

      Several rewards categories earn unlimited 2 points per $1:

      • Restaurants
      • Airline tickets purchased directly from the airline
      • Local transit and commuting
      • Fitness club and gym memberships

      All non-bonus purchases earn 1 point per $1.

      Free Night Awards

      Receive a free night award for each card anniversary. This certificate is valid at category 1-4 Hyatt hotels and resorts for a standard room that costs 40,000 points or less.

      Making at least $15,000 in purchases per calendar year gives you a second single-night award. 

      This perk is a common feature for hotel credit cards with an annual fee. As most Hyatt nights cost more than $100 if you pay with cash, this benefit alone is worth more than the annual fee. 

      You may decide to keep this card just for this benefit and the complimentary Discoverist status even if you only stay at Hyatt properties one or two nights each year.

      World of Hyatt Discoverist Status

      You get complimentary World of Hyatt Discoverist status which is the second level on the five-tier loyalty program.

      Discoverist status benefits include:

      • Premium on-site internet
      • Free bottled water
      • 2:00 PM late checkout
      • No resort fees on free night awards 
      • Preferred room upgrades at check-in (when available)  
      • Earn 1 Hyatt point per $1 on American Airlines purchases

      Unlike other co-branded hotel credit cards, making a certain amount of card purchases in a year won’t upgrade your loyalty status to the next tier.

      To achieve Explorist status, you will need to earn either 30 nights, 50,000 base points, or 10 meetings and events.

      Additional World of Hyatt Credit Card Benefits

      World of Hyatt Credit Card Travel Benefits

      Photo: newsroom.hyatt.com

      Here are some of the other travel and retail benefits that can add additional value.

      5 Tier-Qualifying Night Credits

      The primary cardmember starts each year with 5 World of Hyatt Tier-Qualifying Night Credits. Every $5,000 in card purchases earns 2 more credits that help you get closer to upgrading your loyalty status level.

      You must accumulate at least 30 credits to get Explorist status. Your card purchases and completed Hyatt nights help you earn the necessary number of credits.

      Trip Cancellation and Interruption Insurance

      Receive up to $5,000 per person and up to $10,000 per trip for prepaid, non-refundable travel purchases when your trip is canceled or shortened due to covered reasons. Some examples include personal illness and severe weather.

      Further reading: Best Credit Cards Offering Travel Insurance

      Baggage Insurance

      There are two different coverage options for carry-on and checked baggage:

      • Baggage Delay Insurance: Up to $100 a day for 5 days for essential purchases
      • Lost Luggage Reimbursement: Up to $3,000 per passenger for lost or damaged baggage

      Purchase Protection

      Eligible purchases have up to 120 days of purchase protection. Coverage amounts are up to $500 per claim and $50,000 per account.

      No Foreign Transaction Fee

      You won’t pay any foreign transaction fee making this card a great option for international travel.

      Free DoorDash Membership

      Cardholders can get 12 months of complimentary DoorDash DashPass membership. This perk usually costs $9.99 per month ($120/year) and helps you save money on DoorDash and Caviar delivery orders.

      DashPass benefits include:

      • $0 delivery fees
      • Reduced service fees on minimum $12 orders

      You must activate this member benefit by Activate by 12/31/24. Chase may provide other merchant offers in the future.

      Redeeming World of Hyatt Points

      World of Hyatt Credit Card Hotel Status Benefits

      Photo: newsroom.hyatt.com

      Here are the ways you can redeem World of Hyatt points.

      Award Nights

      The best way to redeem your points is for award nights at Hyatt hotels and resorts. Thankfully, Hyatt points consistently have some of the highest redemption values for hotel points.

      Many Hyatt award redemptions can be between 1 and 2 cents per point. The average credit card redemption value is 1 cent potentially making Hyatt points worth more than your typical rewards card.

      Standard room award nights start at 5,000 points for a category 1 property. The most expensive nights in a category 8 property cost 40,000 points. Most award nights cost 20,000 points or less which is fewer points than competing hotel programs.

      You can also redeem your points for luxury stays at these properties:

      • Hyatt Ziva and Hyatt Zilara all-inclusive resorts (12,000 points+)
      • Miraval Resorts (12,000 points+)
      • MGM Resorts (12,000 points+)
      • Miraval Resorts (45,000 points+)

      It’s also possible to use your points for room upgrades and on-property experiences like dining and spa treatments.

      Non-Hyatt Travel Rewards

      There are a few redemption options to redeem your points for travel outside of Hyatt. Unfortunately, the redemption value is relatively low.

      One option is converting your points to airlines miles for over 25 airlines. The redemption value is 5,000 points to 2,000 miles for most frequent flyer clubs.

      Another redemption option is redeeming Hyatt points for Avis rental cars. Redemptions start at 6,000 points per rental day.

      Card Fees

      Below is a summary of the World of Hyatt Credit Cards fees and rates:

      • Annual Fee: $95
      • Additional Cards: $0
      • Foreign Transaction Fee: 0%
      • Late Payment: Up to $40
      • Return Payment: Up to $40

      World of Hyatt Credit Card Compared to Similar Cards

      Other credit cards can help you enjoy Hyatt travel rewards. 

      Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card:

      The Chase Sapphire Preferred earns a minimum of 2x Ultimate Rewards points on travel purchases. 

      There are two ways you can redeem Sapphire Preferred points for Hyatt stays.

      • One option is booking award travel through the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal. Each point is worth 25% more than the standard redemption value (1.25 cents instead of 1.00 cents).
      • The second option is transferring your points in 1,000-point increments at a 1:1 ratio to your linked World of Hyatt account. Other transfer partners include Southwest Airlines, United Airlines, Marriott Bonvoy, and IHG. 

      The Sapphire Preferred also has impressive travel insurance benefits, including primary car rental collision damage waiver.

      This card is also offering an impressive signup bonus. These points can be worth 2 cents per point or more if you transfer them directly to Hyatt.

      The annual fee is $95 and there is no foreign transaction fee. Like the World of Hyatt Credit Card, the Chase 5/24 application guidelines apply.

      Chase Sapphire Reserve®:

      You can also consider a premium travel credit card to maximize luxury travel or to also get air travel benefits. The Chase Sapphire Reserve is one of the best premium travel cards.

      Some of the cards best benefits include:

      New cardmembers can also earn 60,000 Ultimate Rewards signup bonus points by spending $4,000 in the first 3 months.

      The annual fee is $550 for the primary card and $75 for each authorized user. There is no foreign transaction fee.

      Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card:

      The Capital One Venture Rewards can be one of the best options if you prefer redeeming miles as a travel statement credit for recent purchases. However, you won’t be able to transfer miles to your Hyatt account like the Chase Sapphire Preferred that has a similar annual fee.

      You earn 2 miles per $1 on every card purchase and miles point is worth 1 cent each when you redeem them for a statement credit on recent travel purchases. You can also earn 5 miles per $1 for hotel and rental car bookings through Capital One.

      It’s also possible to redeem your miles for upcoming travel with the same redemption value. There are several airline and hotel transfer partners but World of Hyatt isn’t a Capital One transfer partner.

      One additional benefit of note is a Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee credit.

      The annual fee is $95 and there is no foreign transaction fee.

      Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card:

      If you’re comfortable with not staying at Hyatt properties consider the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card. Marriott has a larger portfolio and is more likely to have a hotel at your travel destinations or stopovers on a long-distance road trip.

      This premium hotel credit card offers more perks than the World of Hyatt Credit Card. It can be worth it if you stay at Marriott properties several times per year, prefer luxury resorts, or also want a hotel credit card with air travel perks.

      Some of the best benefits include:

      • Earn 6x Marriott Bonvoy points per dollar spent at hotels participating in the Marriott Bonvoy™ program
      • Annual $300 Marriott Bonvoy statement credit (up to $25 per month) at each card renewal for eligible purchases at restaurants worldwide.
      • Annual $100 Marriott Bonvoy property credit (on 2+ night stays booked direct at The Ritz-Carlton or St. Regis)
      • Annual Free Night Award each card anniversary (85,000 points or less)
      • Marriott Bonvoy Platinum Elite status
      • Priority Pass Select airport lounge access
      • Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee credit

      The annual fee is $650 (See Rates & Fees) for the primary card and $0 for secondary cards. There is no foreign transaction fee.

      FAQ

      How much is the World of Hyatt Credit Card’s annual fee?

      The annual fee is $95 for the primary card and $0 for additional user cards.

      Are there World of Hyatt Credit Card foreign transaction fees?

      No, the foreign transaction fee is 0% on international purchases.

      How does the World of Hyatt Credit Card free night award work?

      Cardholders automatically receive one free night award for each card anniversary. It’s possible to earn a second award by making at least $15,000 in purchases during a calendar year.

      Each Word of Hyatt Credit Card free night certificate is worth one standard room award night requiring 15,000 points or less (category 1-4).

      What are the World of Hyatt Credit Card hotel benefits?

      Cardholders get complimentary World of Hyatt Discoverist status, 5 qualifying night credits, and a card anniversary free night certificate.

      What purchases earn World of Hyatt Credit Card bonus points?

      here are several purchase rewards that earn bonus points:

      Hyatt purchases earn 4 points per $1.
      Restaurants (dine-in, takeout, and delivery) earn 2 points per $1
      Flights booked directly from the airline earn 2 points per $1
      Local transit and commuting earn 2 points per $1
      Fitness club and gym memberships earn 2 points per $1 

      All non-bonus purchases earn 1 point per $1.

      How many points does the World of Hyatt Credit Card earn on hotel purchases?

      Hyatt portfolio purchases earn 4 points per $1 and non-Hyatt hotel bookings earn 1 point per $1. As World of Hyatt loyalty club members automatically earn 5 points per $1 on Hyatt stays you pay with cash, the total bonus is 9x Hyatt points on qualifying Hyatt purchases.

      How many points does the World of Hyatt Credit Card earn on flights?

      Flights you book directly from the airline earn 2 points per $1.

      How many points does the World of Hyatt Credit Card earn on dining?

      Restaurant purchases in the United States and across the world earn 2 points per $1.

      How many points does the World of Hyatt Credit Card earn on commuting?

      Local transit and commuting expenses like rideshares and tolls earn 2 points per $1. Gas station purchases earn the 1 point per $1 base rate.

      How many points does the World of Hyatt Credit Card earn on fitness?

      Fitness club and gym memberships earn 2 points per $1.

      What is the best way to redeem World of Hyatt points?

      Hotel reward nights within the World of Hyatt portfolio are usually the best way to redeem Hyatt points. Award nights start as low as 5,000 points.

      How much is the World of Hyatt Credit Card bonus offer?

      The current signup bonus is earning up to 60,00 World of Hyatt points. Earn the first 30,000 points by spending $3,000 in the first 3 months. Then, you can earn up to 30,000 additional points by earning 2 points per $1 on non-bonus purchases in the first 6 months ($15,000 in qualifying purchases).

      What credit score is needed for the World of Hyatt Credit Card?

      A great or excellent credit score of at least 700 is necessary to qualify.

      Do World of Hyatt points expire?

      World of Hyatt points expire after 24 months of account inactivity. Each World of Hyatt Credit Card purchase renews the points balance.

      How much are World of Hyatt points worth?

      World of Hyatt points have an average redemption value of 1.5 cents each for award nights.

      The Vacationer’s Final Thoughts

      World of Hyatt is an impressive hotel loyalty program with valuable point redemptions and high-quality hotels and resorts. If you book Hyatt stays at least once per year, the World of Hyatt Credit Card benefits are worth the $95 annual fee for most people.

      However, this card may not be a good option if Hyatt properties are not present at your travel destinations. You might also prefer a travel credit card that offers more redemption options or premium travel benefits.

      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

      Editorial Disclosure: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post.

      Josh Patoka The Vacationer Bio

      By Josh Patoka

      Josh Patoka writes about maximizing travel rewards for The Vacationer. As well, he contributes to several personal finance sites specializing in making money, paying off debt, and investing.