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The World of Hyatt Credit Card provides excellent value for anyone who stays with Hyatt at least once or twice per year. The card comes with a free night certificate good for any Category 1–4 property on each account anniversary, plus the ability to spend your way to another one.
You can also spend your way to Hyatt elite status, earn valuable points at a good rate, and pay an annual fee under $100 for all of this. And you'll also earn points with one of our favorite hotel programs, which is why we consider this card a keeper year after year.
Let's look at the details of the World of Hyatt Card so you can decide if it's the right fit for you.
- 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.
- 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 on qualified purchases at Hyatt hotels & up to 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
- Member FDIC
- Rates & Fees
- Up to 9X points total per $1 spent at Hyatt - 4X points per $1 when you use your card at Hyatt hotels & 5X points per $1 you can earn as a World of Hyatt member
- 2X points per $1 spent at restaurants, on airlines tickets purchased directly from the airlines, on local transit and commuting and on fitness club and gym memberships
- 1X point per $1 everywhere else
World of Hyatt Card Pros
- Annual free night certificate automatically deposited into your Hyatt account on each account anniversary.
- Automatic Discoverist status.
- Five elite qualifying nights per year.
- No foreign transaction fees.
World of Hyatt Card Cons
- $95 annual fee.
- Lower welcome offer than other mid-tier hotel cards.
- Subject to Chase's 5/24 policy.
World of Hyatt Card Welcome Bonus
As a new applicant for the World of Hyatt Card, you can earn up to 60,000 Hyatt Points — 30,000 bonus points after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening, plus up to 30,000 more Hyatt points with 2 points earned per dollar on up to $15,000 spent in the first 6 months after opening your account.
Based on AwardWallet user redemptions, Hyatt points are worth approximately 2.19¢ each. At this valuation, the full bonus of up to 60,000 Hyatt Points is worth over $1,300 when used for hotel stays.
Related: Chase Credit Cards: Full Offer History & When To Apply
World of Hyatt Card Benefits
If one thing is for sure, the World of Hyatt Card has a lot of high-quality benefits. Here's an overview of what's available to cardholders.
Up to two free nights each year
Each cardmember year, you’ll receive a Category 1–4 free night certificate just for holding the card and paying the annual fee. You can earn an additional free night certificate each year you spend $15,000 on the card.
For many, the second free night will be easily within reach. This means you can potentially turn this card into a romantic weekend getaway or some needed relief for your wallet on an extended trip. If you're looking for inspiration, check out our post featuring the best properties for redeeming Hyatt free night certificates.
Complimentary Hyatt Discoverist status
Cardholders of the World of Hyatt Card receive complimentary Discoverist elite status with Hyatt. Although this is the lowest of the three status tiers in the World of Hyatt program, Discoverist members still receive the following benefits:
- Complimentary premium internet
- Waived resort fees on award stays
- Elite check-in
- 2 p.m. late check-out upon request
- A 10% points bonus on Hyatt purchases
- Preferred room within the type booked
- Complimentary daily bottled water during each stay
- Reciprocal benefits with American Airlines
Bonus Elite Qualifying Night Credits through spending
You’ll automatically receive five qualifying night credits each calendar year to help you get started on earning elite status. Cardholders also earn two additional qualifying night credits for each $5,000 spent on the card. The terms state that “there is no limit to the number of World of Hyatt Tier-Qualifying Night credits that you can earn.” This is a top perk for those looking to spend their way to higher World of Hyatt elite tiers, including top-tier Globalist status.
For those pursuing elite status, planning additional stays can be a huge hassle when you're a few nights short of the next status tier. The ability to earn these credits two nights at a time with incremental spending adds a ton of flexibility.
Related: 5 Reasons to Get The World of Hyatt Credit Card
No foreign transaction fees
Some credit cards charge a fee for use outside of the U.S. This fee is typically 1%–3% of the transaction amount. As a top travel credit card, the World of Hyatt Card does not charge this fee. So, you can safely use the card while traveling abroad without worrying about incurring extra expenses from foreign transaction fees.
DoorDash DashPass
Enroll by December 31, 2027, to receive 12 months of complimentary DoorDash DashPass. For this benefit to be in effect, you must use your World of Hyatt Card as the default payment on your orders.
Visa Signature card benefits
The World of Hyatt Card is a Visa Signature product, which means it comes with several travel insurances and purchase protections. They are:
- Baggage delay insurance
- Lost luggage reimbursement
- Trip cancellation/interruption insurance
- Purchase protection
- Auto rental collision damage waiver
Related: 22 Card Benefits Every Traveler Should Know About
World of Hyatt Card Earning Rates
The World of Hyatt Card has a wide variety of earning categories, which can help you quickly accrue points for that next free night. Here's a breakdown of its earning rates:
- Up to 9X points total per $1 spent at Hyatt - 4X points per $1 when you use your card at Hyatt hotels & 5X points per $1 you can earn as a World of Hyatt member
- 2X points per $1 spent at restaurants, on airlines tickets purchased directly from the airlines, on local transit and commuting and on fitness club and gym memberships
- 1X point per $1 everywhere else
Related: How To Earn Hyatt Points on Hyatt Stays, Meetings, Card Spending, and More
Redeeming Points With the World of Hyatt Card
Free hotel nights
The most important thing to know about the World of Hyatt loyalty program is that Hyatt points are worth far more than the average hotel point. In fact, AwardWallet users redeem Hyatt points at an average of 2.19¢ each.
Hyatt hotels are each assigned a category, and award nights start as low as 3,500 points for a Category 1 off-peak night. Incredibly, even the most expensive properties cost only 45,000 points for a free night in a standard room. When compared with other hotels that charge over 100,000 points per night for the best properties, it’s easy to see why Hyatt points deliver such outstanding value.
The pricing for a standard room is as follows:
| Hotel Category | Standard Room | Off-Peak / Peak Price (per night) | Club (Standard Pricing) | Standard Suite (Standard Pricing) | Premium Suite (Standard Pricing) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 5,000 | 3,500 / 6,500 | 7,000 | 8,000 | 10,000 |
| 2 | 8,000 | 6,500 / 9,500 | 12,000 | 13,000 | 16,000 |
| 3 | 12,000 | 9,000 / 15,000 | 17,000 | 20,000 | 24,000 |
| 4 | 15,000 | 12,000 / 18,000 | 21,000 | 24,000 | 30,000 |
| 5 | 20,000 | 17,000 / 23,000 | 27,000 | 32,000 | 40,000 |
| 6 | 25,000 | 21,000 / 29,000 | 33,000 | 40,000 | 50,000 |
| 7 | 30,000 | 25,000 / 35,000 | 39,000 | 48,000 | 60,000 |
| 8 | 40,000 | 35,000 / 45,000 | 50,000 | 61,000 | 80,000 |
Points and cash stays
Furthermore, Hyatt has a great feature called Pay My Way, which allows you to use a combination of free nights, points, and cash on certain bookings.
To use this feature, select a cash booking, then select Pay My Way. From there, choose how you'd like to pay for each night. This is a great way to save both points and cash on your hotel stay. Additionally, if you have a Free Night Certificate, you can use that in combination with your points and cash.
Transfer points to airlines
It's also possible to transfer your World of Hyatt points to numerous airlines. Unfortunately, the transfer rates mean this usually isn't a valuable use of your points.
Application Restrictions
Like all Chase cards, the World of Hyatt Card is subject to Chase’s 5/24 policy. This policy states that you will be denied for a new Chase credit card if you've opened five or more cards from any bank in the last 24 months.
In addition, those who currently have this card or who received a bonus on this card within the past 24 months aren't eligible, as per the offer terms:
“The credit card is not available to either (i) current Cardmembers of this credit card, or (ii) previous Cardmembers of this credit card who received a new Cardmember bonus for this credit card within the last 24 months.”
Related: Understanding Rewards Credit Card Application Rules and Restrictions
Cards That Compete With the World of Hyatt Card
We think the World of Hyatt Card is one of the best hotel cards you can apply for. But if you happen to be over 5/24, or struggle to find Hyatt properties near your intended travel destinations, you might want to consider these options instead:
- If you're looking for a hotel card with no annual fee, check out the IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card. Benefits of this card include the fourth night free on award stays, automatic Silver Elite status, and the potential to earn 17X on spending at IHG. See our full IHG One Rewards Traveler Card review for more information.
- If you're looking for a card with points that can be used at both Hyatt and other places, consider the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card. The Ultimate Rewards points you earn can be transferred to Hyatt or to Chase's 14 partners, as well as used with Chase Travel℠. Our Sapphire Preferred full review has more details.
- If you want a hotel card that offers better status perks, look into the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card. You'll receive complimentary Hilton Gold status (enrollment required), which is the best mid-tier hotel status among the major hotel programs, and includes benefits like food and beverage credits, room upgrades, and more. More details are in our Hilton Surpass review.
- 17X points total per $1 spent when you stay at an IHG hotel
- 3X points per $1 spent on dining, utilities, select streaming services, and at gas stations
- 2X points per $1 spent on all other purchases
The earning for spending at IHG hotels breaks down as follows:
- Earn 5X points for being a IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Cardmember
- Earn 2X points from IHG® with Silver Elite Status, a benefit of this Card
- Earn 10X points from IHG® for being an IHG® Rewards Club Member (Being a cardholder is not required to earn this bonus for participating in the IHG® loyalty program)
- 5X points on Lyft rides through September 2027
- 5X points on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠
- 3X points on dining at restaurants worldwide
- 3X points on eligible streaming services
- 3X points on online grocery purchases (excluding Target, Walmart, and wholesale clubs)
- 2X points on all other travel
- 1X point per dollar spent on all other purchases
(Terms Apply)
- 12X bonus points for each dollar of eligible purchases charged on your card directly with a hotel or resort within the Hilton portfolio
- 6X bonus points for each dollar of eligible purchases on your card at U.S. restaurants, U.S. supermarkets, and U.S. gas stations
- 4X bonus points on U.S online retail purchases
- 3X bonus points for all other eligible purchases on your card
Related: The Best Hotel Credit Cards
Final Thoughts
With up to two annual free night certificates, complimentary Discoverist status, and a realistic path to spend your way to higher elite tiers, the World of Hyatt Card offers some top-value perks, especially when you consider the high value of Hyatt points.
Even better, the card has an annual fee of only $95. Just considering the annual free night certificate, this card is easily a long-term keeper. Even more so when you add in the other benefits and consider the value of your points.
- 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.
- 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 on qualified purchases at Hyatt hotels & up to 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
- Member FDIC
- Rates & Fees
- Up to 9X points total per $1 spent at Hyatt - 4X points per $1 when you use your card at Hyatt hotels & 5X points per $1 you can earn as a World of Hyatt member
- 2X points per $1 spent at restaurants, on airlines tickets purchased directly from the airlines, on local transit and commuting and on fitness club and gym memberships
- 1X point per $1 everywhere else
Hyatt Credit Card FAQ
Is the Hyatt Credit Card worth it?
The World of Hyatt Credit Card comes with a few benefits that make it easy to justify keeping for the long term. Each year, you'll get a free night certificate that can be used at any Category 1–4 property. In most cases, using this one perk each year will save you more money than you'll pay in annual fees. Other great benefits like complimentary Discoverist elite status and the ability to reach higher status through spending on your card are icing on the cake.
How do I redeem Hyatt Credit Card free nights?
It's easy to redeem points and free night certificates for a complimentary stay with Hyatt. Just head to the Hyatt website, find the hotel you want, and select "view points" to see your options. If a standard room free night is available, you'll have the option to redeem points or apply a free night certificate earned through your Hyatt credit card. You can find some of our favorite Hyatt properties for high-value redemptions here.
What is the best hotel rewards program?
The World of Hyatt program is widely considered to be the most valuable and well-run loyalty scheme of the major hotel programs. Unlike its competitors, Hyatt has resisted the urge to increase the number of points required for free nights. As a result, Hyatt points have only gotten more valuable relative to the competition. Hyatt also does a great job of consistently recognizing and rewarding elite members.
For many, the only downside to going all-in with Hyatt is that they don't have nearly as many hotels as larger brands like Marriott, Hilton and IHG. But if you can consistently find a Hyatt property that works with your travel plans, Hyatt is easily our pick for the best hotel rewards program.
What credit score do you need to get a Hyatt credit card?
Officially, the World of Hyatt Card from Chase requires good or excellent credit for approval. This usually means you have a FICO score in the low-to-mid 700s. But we have seen some reports of successful applications with FICO scores in the high 600s. (Results may vary) To maximize your chances, be sure to review our post explaining Chase's 5/24 application rule. If your credit isn't quite up to par, you'll find helpful tips in our post on building healthy credit.
For rates and fees of the cards mentioned in this post, please visit the following links: The World of Hyatt Credit Card (Rates & Fees), Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card (Rates & Fees), and Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card (Rates & Fees)
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