Hyatt Credit Card Lets Applicants Choose Their Sign-up Bonus

Melissa Lambarena
By Melissa Lambarena 
Published
Edited by Kenley Young
Hyatt Credit Card Lets Applicants Choose Their Sign-up Bonus

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The terms of the World of Hyatt Credit Card have changed, and this article is out of date. See our details page on the World of Hyatt Credit Card for up-to-date details.

As of Oct. 19, 2020, the World of Hyatt Credit Card is sweetening its appeal to new cardholders by offering them a choice of sign-up bonus options and a bigger head-start toward earning a higher elite status.

The card's rewards structure remains unchanged, as does its $95 annual fee.

Choose your bonus

New cardholders are allowed to choose one of the following bonus options:

  • Up to 50,000 bonus points. These points can be earned in two stages, which the card issuer describes this way: "Earn 25,000 bonus points after spending $3,000 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening. Plus, an additional 25,000 bonus points after spending $6,000 in spend within the first 6 months of account opening."

  • A $200 statement credit, plus 1 free night at any category 1-7 hotel worldwide. You earn the statement credit after your first purchase with the World of Hyatt Credit Card. You earn the free night after spending $3,000 on purchases within the first 3 months of account opening.

As of Oct. 19, 2020, the second option — the statement credit and free night — was available only when applying through the World of Hyatt rewards program website at world.hyatt.com. It was not available online at Chase, which issues the card, or through comparison websites such as NerdWallet.

Uplevel your status

Hyatt's loyalty program has four status levels. The lowest level is a basic membership, followed by the Discoverist, Explorist and Globalist statuses. Carrying the World of Hyatt Credit Card automatically gives you Discoverist status. And the card provides a head start toward higher levels with credits for "qualifying nights":

  • Apply for the card by Dec. 31, 2020, and you'll get credit for 10 qualifying nights in 2020 and an additional 10 in 2021. That's twice as many credits as the card usually gives you (5 per year).

  • Every year afterward, you'll automatically get credit for 5 qualifying nights.

  • You also earn 2 qualifying night credits every time you spend $5,000 with your card.

See our guide to the World of Hyatt loyalty program for a rundown on what it takes to qualify for each tier.

Rewards and perks

Hyatt's credit card doesn't give you as many points per dollar as some other hotel cards do. But each Hyatt point is worth more — a lot more — than a point from just about any other major hotel chain. NerdWallet values Hyatt points at 2.3 cents apiece.

With the World of Hyatt Credit Card, you get:

  • 4 bonus points per $1 spent with your card at Hyatt hotels, including participating restaurants and spas. Properties under the Hyatt umbrella include the Park Hyatt, Miraval, Andaz and Hyatt Place. (This is in addition to base points you earn as a Hyatt member. See the "Nerd Tip" box below.)

  • 2 bonus points per $1 spent on dining at restaurants, cafes and coffee shops; airline tickets purchased through the airline; fitness club and gym memberships; and local transit and commuting including rideshare services.

  • 1 bonus point per $1 spent on all other purchases.

🤓Nerdy Tip

Points earned with the card are "bonus points," which can be redeemed for Hyatt hotel stays but do not count toward earning elite status. Only "base points" count toward status. As a Discoverist member, you earn 5 base points per $1 spent at Hyatt hotels, separate from bonus points you earn by using the card.

  • 1 free night every anniversary year.

  • Another free night at a Category 1-4 Hyatt hotel or resort after spending $15,000 in an anniversary year.

Is it a good deal?

For Hyatt loyalists, this sign-up offer can add a lot of value toward future stays at over 900 properties. The first bonus option — up to 50,000 points — can allow you to squeeze more free nights out of the card. It’s a potential value of up to 10 nights, depending on your category preference. If you can’t meet the spending requirement for that offer, the second option — the statement credit and potential free night — is still a win.

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