Review: The World of Hyatt Credit Card – Free Nights and High Rewards
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Our Rating: 4 Out of 5 Stars
We give World of Hyatt Credit Card four out of five Stars. It’s designed to reward you for Hyatt loyalty, offering free nights and enrollment into the World of Hyatt membership tiers.
Why We Like It
- Free night every account anniversary
- Enrollment into Discoverist member status, moving up the tier statuses at an increased rate
- High rewards at Hyatt
- 30,000 bonus points for spending $3,000 in the first 3 months; 2 bonus points per $1 on purchases that earn 1 bonus point, up to $15,000 spent in the first 6 months
- No foreign transaction fee
- Solid shopping and travel protections
Why It Could Be Better
- Might have to wait as long as 10 weeks for anniversary bonuses to be awarded
- Enrollment into the lowest and least impressive of three Hyatt membership tiers
The World of Hyatt Credit Card is a very rewarding option for people who love to stay with Hyatt. The two main focuses of this card are earning free night stays and pushing you through the ranks of the World of Hyatt membership program.
Just by getting the card you’ll be enrolled into the Discoverist tier, which offers heightened rewards and hotel amenities. You’ll get the chance to earn more points which will improve your member tier and bolster the benefits you receive.
If you don’t like staying with Hyatt, this isn’t the card for you. But if you do, this would be a solid choice (it’s also your only option for a co-branded Hyatt card you can apply for).
Keep reading to find out how best to make your World of Hyatt card work for you!
Insider tip
Not a fan of Hyatt properties? Check out a list of the best hotel credit cards, including cards that aren’t tied to any one hotel brand.
Insider Advice: Getting the Most Out of Your Card
- Squatter’s rights: Take advantage of the free Hyatt stays. You’ll get one every year on the anniversary of your account opening. You can use it for a stay at any category 1–4 property.
- Keep the party going: If one night a year isn’t enough, no need to worry if you’re a frequent traveler. You can earn an additional free night by spending $15,000 in a calendar year. These can also be redeemed with any category 1–4 property.
- Reap the rewards: The World of Hyatt card earns a total of 9X points per dollar at Hyatt hotels and resorts (even more if you increase your member status).
- Earn on food and fitness, local transit and airfare: You’ll get 2X points per dollar on a wide variety of bonus categories including food and travel.
- Book award nights at lower or higher hotel categories for the best point values: Hyatt’s properties are split into different categories. You’ll find different point values depending on the category, and you’ll likely see the best values at the highest and lowest categories.
- Flaunt your status: You get some nice amenities with your Discoverist status, like premium WiFi, room upgrades when available, expedited check-in, and late checkout.
- Aim for the welcome bonus: This card features an introductory bonus which can help propel you towards more free nights: 30,000 bonus points for spending $3,000 in the first 3 months; 2 bonus points per $1 on purchases that earn 1 bonus point, up to $15,000 spent in the first 6 months.
The Rewards
You’ll earn quite a bit with this card at Hyatt properties. You get 4X World of Hyatt points per dollar from the card and 5X points from your automatic Discoverist membership, for a total of 9X on eligible purchases at Hyatt.
If you’re redeeming for a point value of 1–2 cents, your cash back equivalent would be 9%–18% in the 9X category. That’s quite the return on spend. Your cash back equivalent with the same redemption value for the 2X categories would be 2%–4%, which is still pretty solid.
Earning
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Additionally, with your automatic enrollment into the Discoverist membership tier, you’ll get a 10% bonus to the Base points earned for Hyatt hotel and resort bookings. You’ll earn that 10% bonus on the eligible rate and incidental charges.
Redeeming
You have a few options when it comes to what you can do with your points. The main focus is using them for free nights, so you’ll find the best value utilizing them for hotel stints.
But you can also:
- Turn your points into miles through Hyatt’s airline partners
- Redeem for Avis rental cars
- Redeem for experiences like spa days and dining, or even paragliding and sushi rolling lessons
- Gift them to other World of Hyatt members
You can convert points into miles with Hyatt’s partners at a conversion rate of 2.5 points to 1 mile, with a minimum conversion of 5,000 points. After the 5,000, additional conversions can be made in increments of 1,250 points.
Airline Partners
Here are Hyatt’s airline partners.
| Aeromexico | Etihad Airways |
| Air China | Hawaiian Airlines |
| Air France | Japan Airlines |
| All Nippon Airways | InterMiles |
| American Airlines | Korean Air |
| Asiana Airlines | LAN Airlines S.A. |
| British Airways | Qantas Airways (within Australia) |
| Asia Miles – Cathay Pacific | Qantas Airlines (outside Australia) |
| China Eastern Airlines | Singapore Airlines |
| China Southern Airlines | Southwest Airlines |
| Delta Airlines | United Airlines |
| Emirates Airlines | Virgin Atlantic Airways |
How Do I Redeem My Points for Hotel Stays?
Redeeming your points for hotel stays is pretty simple. Just navigate to the World of Hyatt website where you can choose where and when you would like to stay. Be sure to check the box that indicates you’d like to use your points to pay for your stay.
Hyatt’s properties are sorted into eight different categories. The value you get from your points will fluctuate depending on the category of the hotel you’re looking to stay with, along with other factors like location, date, and the specific room you book. You’ll most likely get a better value for your points at the highest and lowest categories, which is true for some other hotel brands like Marriott and Hilton, too.
We ran through a few examples to suss out what kind of value you might see when using your points for a standard room during a weekend stay (Saturday to Monday):
| Location | Category | Cost (per night, tax/fees included) | Points (per night) | Point Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hyatt Place Cincinnati / Sharonville Convention Center | 1 | $145.83 | 5,000 | 2.92 cents |
| Hyatt House Chicago / Oak Brook | 1 | $122.19 | 5,000 | 2.44 cents |
| Hyatt House Denver/Downtown | 3 | $135.71 | 12,000 | 1.13 cents |
| Hyatt Place Emeryville/San Francisco Bay Area | 4 | $198.03 | 15,000 | 1.32 cents |
| Grand Hyatt New York | 5 | $147.40 | 20,000 | .74 cents |
| Hyatt Regency Clearwater Beach Resort and Spa | 6 | $404.54 | 25,000 | 1.62 cents |
| The Lodge at Spruce Peak | 8 | $594.39 | 40,000 | 1.49 cents |
At these rates, you’re looking at around a 26.3% cash back equivalent if you were to redeem your points for a stay at Hyatt Place Cincinnati / Sharonville Convention Center, assuming you were earning in the 9X point category.
You’d get around a 13.4% cash back equivalent for a night at The Lodge at Spruce Peak, and about a 6.7% cash back equivalent for a night at the Grand Hyatt in New York City. While they’re not as high as the lower categories, those are still solid values.
As you can see, redemptions range from a pretty great value to not so great. But if you’re willing to be flexible in your choice of hotel, you may be able to find a better value.
The Benefits
The most valuable World of Hyatt card benefits revolve around rewarding you with free night stays. You’ll also get automatic enrollment in the World of Hyatt Discoverist membership, and some travel protections.
- Free night award: You’ll receive a free night after the anniversary of your account opening, but you might have to wait 10 weeks after your anniversary date. You can use it to stay at any category 1–4 Hyatt hotel or resort.
- Free night for points: Make $15,000 in purchases in a cardmember year and you’ll get an additional free night stay. You can use it to stay at any category 1–4 property.
- World of Hyatt Discoverist status: You’ll get automatic Discoverist status just for having the card — that gets you a 10% point bonus, and features several amenity upgrades for your stay. These include premium WiFi and room upgrades when they’re available.
- 5 Tier-Qualifying Night Credits each year: These credits help you advance to the higher tiers of the World of Hyatt membership. Each tier unlocks better perks, but you may have to wait up to 10 weeks after your anniversary date to see the credits.
- Additional Tier-Qualifying Night Credits: You’ll earn two additional World of Hyatt Tier-Qualifying Night Credits for every $5,000 you spend.
- Visa Signature Concierge: You’ll have access to Visa’s concierge service, 24 hours a day. You can use it for restaurant suggestions, travel tips, tickets to sporting or entertainment events, and more.
- Trip Cancellation/Trip Interruption Insurance: If your trip is unexpectedly ended or upset by sickness, weather, or other covered situations, you’ll be reimbursed by up to $5,000.
- Trip Delay Reimbursement: If you’re delayed for more than 12 hours or get stuck for a night, you’re covered to make necessary purchases, like food, up to $500 per ticket.
- Travel Accident Insurance: When you pay for travel using your card, you’re covered for death and dismemberment for up to $500,000.
- Lost Luggage Reimbursement: If you or a family member lose or suffer damage to a piece of luggage when traveling by common carrier, you can be compensated by up to $3,000 per person.
- Baggage Delay Insurance: You can go ahead and buy essential items if your bags are delayed for more than six hours — you’re covered up to $100 a day for five days.
- Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver: Decline the rental company’s insurance and charge the whole balance to your card and your eligible rental will be covered against damage and theft.
- Purchase Protection: Your eligible new purchases are covered for 120 days against damage and theft, up to $500 per claim and $50,000 per year.
The Terms & Fees
| Purchase APR | Balance Transfer APR | Cash Advance APR |
|---|---|---|
| 15.99% - 22.99% Variable | 15.99% - 22.99% Variable | 24.99% Variable |
| Annual Fee | Foreign Transaction Fee |
|---|---|
| $95 | $0 |
| Balance Transfer Fee | Cash Advance Fee |
|---|---|
| Either $5 or 5% of the amount of each balance transfer, whichever is greater. | Either $10 or 5% of the amount of each transaction, whichever is greater. |
| Penalty APR | Late Fee | Returned Payment Fee |
|---|---|---|
| None | Up to $39 | Up to $39 |
The Bottom Line
World of Hyatt Credit Card would be a solid option if you frequently stay at Hyatt properties.
The main point of this card is to earn free night stays, and to earn points to redeem for free nights. But the value of your points will fluctuate depending on which property you’re looking to stay at, affecting your cash back equivalents. You’ll typically find the best deals at the highest and lowest categories.
After redeeming your yearly free night, you might hardly notice the $95 annual fee. If your free night gets you a room that would’ve normally cost you $150 or more, it’ll be covered and then some.
You’ll also be able to advance through the ranks of the World of Hyatt membership tiers at a faster pace. Each tier increases your comfort level and point earnings.
If you prefer staying with other hotel brands, this isn’t the card for you. But if you do stay with Hyatt, the rewards you can earn are pretty substantial, and can fast track you to a plethora of free nights.
How Do I Apply for the World of Hyatt Credit Card?
Simply follow the link below to apply now. It’ll send you over to the credit card issuer’s website where you can follow prompts to fill out an application. No need to stress, you should typically hear back instantly if you’ve been approved or not.
What Credit Scores Do I Need to Qualify for the World of Hyatt Credit Card?
The World of Hyatt Credit Card is typically looking for people with good credit.
So if you’re within 670–739 for FICO or 700–749 for VantageScore, you fall in that category.
While your chances will be better if your credit scores are higher, that doesn’t necessarily guarantee acceptance. Credit card issuers look at a variety of different factors, including income and length of residency and sometimes a few others, when deciding if you qualify or not.
The opposite holds true if you have lower credit scores than what are recommended — you could still be approved. In the end, it all comes down to the card issuer’s discretion.
Qualifications and Requirements
- Must be 18 to apply (19 in AL and NE, 21 in Puerto Rico)
- Personal identifying information: Birth date, Social Security number, mother’s maiden name
- Address and contact information: Email, phone number, address, type of residence
- Financial information: Total annual income, source of income
- World of Hyatt membership number (if applicable)
Frequently Asked Questions
What World of Hyatt membership status will I get?
You’ll get Discoverist status when you’re approved for the card. That gets you a 10% point bonus and some nice amenities like late checkout and room upgrades when available.
The card will also help you to advance through the ranks at a faster pace, thanks to its Tier-Qualifying Night Credit benefits.
Does the Hyatt credit card offer free nights?
Every cardmember anniversary year you’ll be given one free night. You can earn an extra night once per cardmember year by spending $15,000.
The points you earn can be redeemed for hotel nights, but the point requirement varies by hotel category, hotel, room, and date. Take a look at a few examples we ran through.
How much are World of Hyatt points worth?
Your points are typically worth around 1–2 cents, which would give you a cash back equivalent of 9%–18% provided you’re spending at Hyatt properties and earning 9X points per dollar. Point values will vary depending on how and where you redeem; we’ve found rooms at category 1 hotels, for example, where you can get close to 3 cents per point.
Alternatives to the World of Hyatt Credit Card
When it comes to travel, you have a few different types of credit cards to choose from. You could stick with a credit card co-branded with a hotel, like the World of Hyatt card, or you could go for a card connected to an airline.
There are also general-use travel rewards credit cards that usually don’t offer the high rewards of hotel cards or airline cards, but they do provide more flexibility and a wider range of benefits.
securely on the issuer's website
The Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card (Review) is a rewarding option for people who prefer Hilton hotels.
You’ll earn more rewards at Hilton properties than what you’d get with the World of Hyatt card at Hyatt properties, but the point value is lower. On average, the points for Hyatt are worth about 1–2 cents, while Hilton points are worth around 0.4–1 cent. The cash back equivalents (assuming you’re earning in the highest categories) would be around 9%–18% and 12%–30% respectively. So you have the possibility to earn a bit more with the Hilton card, provided you can find the right deal.
Their annual fees are the same, and you’re still able to earn free nights, but you’ll gain airport lounge access with the Hilton card. Both of those features will help mitigate the yearly fee.
However, whereas Hyatt simply gives you a night’s stay on your cardholder anniversary, you’ll need to spend $15,000 in a year to get one from Hilton. But you’ll also gain automatic enrollment into Hilton Honors Gold status. When compared to Hyatt’s Discoverist status, Hilton Honors Gold is more impressive. The Base point bonus is significantly higher, there’s free breakfast, and you’ll get a fifth night free when you redeem your points for five nights or more.
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Additionally, members will earn 18X Base points per dollar at Hilton from their Hilton Honors Gold membership. That brings the total to a hefty 30X points per dollar at Hilton, which can end up providing a cash back equivalent of 12%–30%.
- Annual Weekend Night Reward: You’ll get a free weekend night after spending $15,000 on purchases in any calendar year. A redeemable code will be emailed to you after meeting the threshold.
- Complimentary Hilton Honors Gold status: Cardholders get Hilton Honors Gold status, which is two tiers above the basic Member status. It comes with some nice benefits, like an 80% bonus on all Base points earned and your fifth night free when booking reward stays of five nights or more with points.
- Fast track to Hilton Honors Diamond status: Cardholders will be awarded with Hilton Honors Diamond status if purchases for a given year reach $40,000. Diamond status comes with better benefits than Gold, including a 100% bonus on Base points and a 48-hour room guarantee.
- Priority Pass Select access: Cardholders get access to over 1,300 Priority Pass airport lounges around the world. This does not grant access to non-lounge Priority Pass experiences. 10 free lounge visits are provided per year. After that, the entry fee will be $32 per person. You’ll need to manually enroll in this benefit.
- Complimentary ShopRunner membership: Free membership with ShopRunner, which provides free two-day shipping and returns from some online retailers. Cardholders must enroll in this benefit.
- Amex Offers: You’ll have access to increased rewards at a wide variety of merchants that changes from time to time.
- Entertainment Access: This benefit, also called Membership Experiences, provides pre-sale tickets to a variety of sports, music, and cultural events, as well as access to certain exclusive experiences.
- Travel protections: Global Assist Hotline, car rental insurance, and baggage insurance plan
- Shopping protections: Purchase protection and extended warranty
- Purchase APR: 15.74% - 24.74% Variable
- No foreign transaction fee
- Annual fee: $95
- Earn 130,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points with the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card after you use your new Card to make $2,000 in eligible purchases within the first 3 months of Card Membership.
- Earn a Weekend Night Reward from Hilton Honors after you spend $15,000 on purchases on your Card in a calendar year.
- Earn 12X Hilton Honors Bonus Points for each dollar of eligible purchases charged on your Card directly with a hotel or resort within the Hilton portfolio.
- Earn 6X Hilton Honors Bonus Points for each dollar of eligible purchases on your Card at U.S. restaurants, U.S. supermarkets, and U.S. gas stations.
- Earn 3X Hilton Honors Bonus Points for all other eligible purchases on your Card.
- Spend $40,000 on eligible purchases on your Card in a calendar year and you can earn Hilton Honors Diamond status through the end of the next calendar year.
- $95 annual fee.
- Terms Apply.
American Express is a Credit Card Insider advertiser.
IHG® Rewards Club Premier Credit Card
Details
The IHG® Rewards Club Premier Credit Card (Review) is one of the credit cards offered from IHG — InterContinental Hotels Group.
It features higher rewards at IHG than the World of Hyatt card does at Hyatt properties, but, like Hilton, IHG points are generally worth less than Hyatt points. The IHG card also has a slightly lower annual fee, and like the Hyatt card, a set of useful 2X categories.
The benefits are pretty similar, however the IHG card does have one advantage: an application fee credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck. You’ll still get a free night on your cardholder anniversary, and you’ll get the fourth night free when you redeem your points for four nights or more.
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- Annual free night stay: Get a free night’s stay each year on your cardholder anniversary.
- Fourth reward night free: When you redeem your points for four nights or more, you’ll get the fourth night free.
- Platinum Elite status: You’ll automatically be enrolled into the Platinum Elite status, which includes a 50% point bonus, room upgrades when available, and extended checkout.
- Global Entry or TSA PreCheck fee credit: Every four years get up to $100 for either Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fees.
- Travel protections: Baggage delay insurance, lost luggage reimbursement, and trip cancellation/interruption insurance
- Shopping protections: Purchase protection
- Purchase and Balance Transfer APR: 15.99% - 22.99% Variable
- No foreign transaction fee
- Annual fee: $89
Marriott Bonvoy Boundless™ Credit Card
Details
The Marriott Bonvoy Boundless™ Credit Card (Review) features rewards and perks geared towards Marriott Bonvoy enthusiasts.
For an equal annual fee, you’ll earn greater rewards at Marriott Bonvoy properties than you would with the World of Hyatt card at Hyatt properties. However, as the general trend goes, the point value for Marriott Bonvoy is typically slightly less than the point value for Hyatt.
Other than that, these cards are pretty comparable. Both offer free anniversary reward nights and expedited membership tier advancement. The decision really comes down to which property you like best.
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- Annual free night stay: You’ll get one Free Night Award every year, beginning after your first account anniversary.
- Automatic Silver Elite status: As a cardholder you’ll get complimentary Silver Elite status with Marriott. Normally you’d need to spend 10 qualifying nights at Marriott properties for this status level. This grants you perks like a 10% bonus on Marriott Bonvoy Base points and priority late check-in.
- Path to Gold Elite status: Cardholders get a fast track to Marriott Gold Elite status by spending $35,000 in an account year. Usually it would take 25 qualifying night stays to reach this level.
- 15 Elite Night Credits annually: You’ll receive 15 Elite Night Credits every year, on or before March 1. Elite Night Credits count towards your Elite status with Marriott.
- Visa Signature Concierge Service: Call 1-800-953-7392 at any time to reach your personal assistant, who can help with non-emergency tasks.
- Complimentary premium in-room WiFi: Cardholders get premium on-property WiFi internet access at participating locations. You must provide your loyalty member account number when checking in.
- Premier Experience Events: Cardholders will occasionally get invitations to exclusive events through the Premier Experience Events program. There are a variety of events, like high-class dining and cooking lessons, rounds of golf, and meetings with exciting people.
- Travel protections: Travel and emergency assistance service, lost luggage reimbursement, trip delay reimbursement, and rental car insurance
- Shopping protections: Purchase protection and extended warranty protection
- Purchase and Balance Transfer APR: 15.99% - 22.99% Variable
- No foreign transaction fee
- Annual fee: $95
Citi Prestige® Card
Details
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Unlike the other cards here, the Citi Prestige® Card (Review) isn’t tied to any one hotel chain. Instead, it’s a high-end general-use travel rewards card.
Because it’s a high-end card, it carries a considerable annual fee. However, there are a few things that effectively knock the fee down a bit. Firstly, there’s an annual $250 travel credit that can be used on anything travel related. Secondly, if you book four nights at any hotel, you’ll get the fourth for free.
The credit drops the annual fee to $245, and depending on what hotels you stay with and how frequently, the fourth night free benefit could take care of the rest. You’ll also gain wide-ranging airport lounge access and an application fee credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck.
The other important aspect of this card is point transfers. While you won’t be earning 9X points per dollar at a single brand, you’ll earn 3X ThankYou points on hotels in general, providing a bit more flexibility. You can then take your points and transfer them to Citi’s airline partners where you may find a higher point value than redeeming them through normal means.
While it is more expensive, it’s more versatile and can make your trips far more comfortable. And, you might be able to find just as high per-point values through point transfers.
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The value of your ThankYou points will fluctuate based on how you redeem them.
If you can find a deal that’ll get you a point value of 2 cents each (a good target to aim for), you’ll be getting an equivalent of 10% cash back in the 5X categories. The 3X categories will provide an equivalent of 6% cash back.
- Point transfer: To a variety of airline partners, including Etihad Guest, JetBlue TrueBlue, and Virgin Atlantic Flying Club
- Annual $250 travel credit: Good for airline tickets, hotel rooms, car rentals, and other travel expenses
- Complimentary 4th Night Stay: Get your fourth night free when booking four nights in a row through ThankYou.com and paying with your card, ThankYou points, or a combination of both. Capped at twice per year.
- Complimentary Priority Pass Select membership: Access to over 1,300 Priority Pass airport lounges and restaurants around the world
- Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee credit: A credit for the application fee of either Global Entry ($100) or TSA PreCheck ($85), once every five years
- Citi Concierge: Call for non-emergency help any time you need it.
- World Elite Car Rental Program: Elite memberships at National Car Rental, Avis, Sixt, and Hertz
- Purchase and Balance Transfer APR: 16.99%–23.99% Variable
- No foreign transaction fee
- Annual fee: $495
- 5X ThankYou points on Air travel and Restaurants
- 3X ThankYou points on Hotels and Cruise Lines
- No limit to the amount of points you can earn
- Rewards never expire
- $250 travel credit
- Complimentary 4th night free on eligible hotel stays, capped at twice per year
- Complimentary Priority Pass Select membership
- Global Entry or TSA Pre✓ Application Fee Credit
- No foreign transaction fees
- $495 annual fee
Citi is a Credit Card Insider advertiser.
For rates and fees of the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card, please click here.
The World of Hyatt Credit Card boasts high rewards at Hyatt properties. Its main focus is earning award nights, but it also features automatic enrollment into the World of Hyatt membership program, making your stay even more rewarding and comfortable.
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