The Best Credit Cards for Hyatt

Hyatt loyalists don’t have as many co-branded card choices as Marriott or Hilton fans — but the two Hyatt-branded credit cards available can be extremely rewarding if you value elite status and free nights. And if your priority is maximizing Hyatt points, certain flexible travel credit cards that transfer points directly to Hyatt might actually deliver more value.

World of Hyatt Credit Card

Annual fee: $95.

Best for: Everyday travelers who want Hyatt status and annual free nights.

The World of Hyatt Credit Card, the only co-branded personal card from Hyatt, is a strong pick if you're looking for a fast track to elite status and an annual free night certificate. It offers strong earnings if you’re a frequent guest of Hyatt. With a $95 annual fee, you’ll receive several perks, including:

• Welcome 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.

• Ongoing rewards: 4x points at hotels in the World of Hyatt program (in addition to up to 5x points earned as a World of Hyatt member, for up to 9x points total), 2x points on local transit, commuting, dining, flights booked directly with the airline and gym memberships and 1x point everywhere else.

• Complimentary Discoverist elite status.

• Five elite night credits each year towards the next status tier.

• Earn two additional elite night credits for every $5,000 in spending.

• An annual free night certificate valid at Category 1-4 hotels after their cardmember anniversary.

• Earn a second free night certificate valid at Category 1-4 hotels after spending $15,000 in a calendar year.

For Hyatt loyalists who stay just a few nights each year, the free night certificate alone can outweigh the fee.

» Learn more: The best hotel credit cards right now

World of Hyatt Business Credit Card

Annual fee: $199.

Best for: Everyday travelers who want Hyatt status and annual free nights.

Small business owners can earn points even faster with the World of Hyatt Business Credit Card.

• Welcome offer: 60,000 Bonus Points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening.

• Ongoing rewards: 4x points at hotels in the World of Hyatt program (in addition to up to 5x points earned as a World of Hyatt member, for up to 9x points total); 2x points in your top three spending categories each quarter (options include dining, shipping and more); 2x points on fitness clubs and gyms; and 1x point on all other purchases.

• Complimentary Discoverist elite status for you and up to five employees.

• Earn five elite night credits for every $10,000 spent each calendar year.

• Up to $100 each year in Hyatt statement credits, $50 per qualifying Hyatt purchase up to two times each anniversary year.

• Get a 10% rebate on redeemed points after spending $50,000 in a calendar year, on up to 200,000 points redeemed.

Although it doesn’t offer a free night certificate, high-spending business travelers can come out ahead thanks to the points rebate and statement credits.

» Learn more: Things to know before getting the World of Hyatt Card

Hyatt is a 1:1 transfer partner of Chase Ultimate Rewards® and Bilt Rewards. That means certain flexible travel cards may actually be the best Hyatt credit card alternatives for many travelers.

Chase Sapphire Reserve®

Annual fee: $795.

Best for: Premium travelers who want lounge access and flexible points.

Consider the Chase Sapphire Reserve®, which is a high-end travel credit card featuring a $795 annual fee. In return, you’ll receive a $300 annual travel credit, a Priority Pass membership and access to the full suite of Chase Ultimate Rewards® transfer partners. Hyatt is a 1:1 transfer partner with Chase, which means that one Chase point becomes one Hyatt point.

• Welcome offer: Earn 125,000 bonus points after you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.

• Ongoing rewards: s 8x points on all travel booked through Chase Travel, 4x for travel booked directly with a hotel or airline and 3x points on dining and 1x points on everything else.

When you earn on travel, you’ll earn the bonus rate on all hotels — not just Hyatt locations.

Compare this to the World of Hyatt Credit Card, which earns 9x Hyatt points at Hyatt hotels and 2x Hyatt points on dining. But remember, the 9x points earned on the Hyatt card includes what you earn as a Hyatt member. So if you book directly with Hyatt using the Sapphire Reserve, you’d still be eligible to earn up to 5x points on your Hyatt account as a Hyatt member, plus 4x points on your Sapphire Reserve, for 9x in total earnings.

The World of Hyatt Credit Card still edges out the Chase Sapphire Reserve® at Hyatt properties, thanks to the Discoverist status perk and its associated points bonus on eligible purchases. However, the Chase Sapphire Reserve competes if you have Discoverist status on your own and at any other hotel brand.

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

Annual fee: $95.

Best for: Budget-conscious travelers who want strong transfer options.

The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is a mid-tier travel card that also offers a 1:1 transfer ratio on points, including to Hyatt properties. With a more affordable $95 annual fee, this card earns 5x points on travel booked through Chase Travel, 2x points on travel and 3x points on dining, select streaming services and online grocery purchases (excluding Target and Walmart).

If you decide to pay for your next hotel stay in cash, you could earn 5x points if you book through Chase's portal.

Let’s say you spend $120 at dinner. When using your Chase Sapphire Reserve® or Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card to pay, you’ll earn 360 Ultimate Rewards® points, which can be converted into 360 Hyatt points.

Were you to use your World of Hyatt Credit Card instead, you’d earn just 240 Hyatt points.

Of course, since both the Chase Sapphire Reserve® and Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card earn a flexible point currency, you also have the option to transfer to one of Chase’s many hotel and airline partners. This means you can choose to transfer some of your points to Hyatt for a vacation, then transfer the rest to an airline like United Airlines for reward flights to your destination.

Welcome offer: Earn 75,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.

» Learn more: Is the World of Hyatt Credit Card right for me?

Bilt World Elite Mastercard® Credit Card

Annual fee: None.

Best for: Renters who want to earn Hyatt points without an annual fee.

The Bilt World Elite Mastercard® Credit Card is another great option for earning points that you can use at Hyatt. Bilt sets itself apart from other cards by offering users the opportunity to earn points on rent payments without the typical credit card transaction fee, even if you pay using a check or ACH. You can earn up to 100,000 points per calendar year on rent payments, with an earning rate of 1 point per dollar.

You also earn 5x points on Bilt Neighborhood Dining Partners, 3x on other dining purchases, 5x on Lyft rides and 2x points on travel booked directly with airlines, hotels, car rental agencies, cruise lines or through the Bilt Travel Portal.

The card has no annual fee, but you have to use it at least five times per billing period to earn points.

World of Hyatt is a Bilt transfer partner at a 1:1 ratio, so you can take your Bilt points and transfer them to Hyatt if you want.

» Learn more: The most valuable Hyatt credit card offer right now

Choose a Hyatt co-branded card if your goal is elite status, free nights and maximizing value on Hyatt stays. The annual free night certificate and automatic status make these cards worth keeping long-term.

Choose a Chase Sapphire card if you want flexibility, premium travel perks (like lounge access), or if you stay at multiple hotel brands.

Consider Bilt if you rent and want to convert those payments into Hyatt points at no extra cost.

Hyatt doesn’t have as many credit card options as other hotel programs, but the ones it does offer — combined with Chase and Bilt transfer partners — give travelers plenty of ways to earn free nights and elite perks.

If you’re a dedicated Hyatt loyalist, pairing the World of Hyatt Credit Card with the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card can give you the best of both worlds — elite status and free nights from the Hyatt card, plus the flexibility to use points on other travel as well as strong bonus categories.

» Learn more: Reasons to consider the World of Hyatt Credit Card

Photo courtesy of Hyatt.