Hyatt vs. Marriott: Which One Is Best in 2024?

We compare Marriott's and Hyatt's loyalty programs based on hotel selection, location, credit cards and more.
Ramsey Qubein
By Ramsey Qubein 
Updated
Edited by Giselle M. Cancio

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Hyatt and Marriott are two popular hotel companies, each with properties worldwide. Thanks to airline partnerships, their own branded credit cards and rewarding loyalty programs, each appeals to a wide variety of travelers. But which one is better?

Depending on the type of traveler you are and where you visit most often, the right program for you may differ from what someone else prefers.

NerdWallet’s analysis can help your decision as it looks at the cost of achieving a certain elite status within a program and the value of those benefits.

Let’s look at each hotel group’s brands, credit card programs, loyalty benefits and elite status to help you examine Hyatt versus Marriott according to which matches your needs.

Availability

Winner for hotel availability: Marriott

Where to find Marriotts around the world

Marriott clobbers the competition when it comes to the number of brands it has, which are available at more than 8,000 properties and over 130 countries and territories. Here’s a list of the more than 30 Marriott hotel brands:

  • AC Hotels.

  • Aloft Hotels.

  • Autograph Collection Hotels.

  • Bulgari Resorts and Hotels (does not participate in Marriott Bonvoy).

  • City Express.

  • Courtyard by Marriott.

  • Delta Hotels.

  • Design Hotels.

  • Edition Hotels.

  • Element Hotels.

  • Fairfield by Marriott.

  • Four Points by Sheraton.

  • Four Points Express by Sheraton.

  • Gaylord Hotels.

  • JW Marriott.

  • Le Méridien Hotels & Resorts.

  • The Luxury Collection.

  • Marriott.

  • Marriott Executive Apartments.

  • Marriott Vacation Club.

  • Moxy Hotels.

  • Protea Hotels.

  • Renaissance Hotels.

  • Residence Inn by Marriott.

  • The Ritz-Carlton.

  • Sheraton Hotels and Resorts.

  • SpringHill Suites by Marriott.

  • St. Regis Hotels & Resorts.

  • StudioRes.

  • TownePlace Suites by Marriott.

  • Tribute Portfolio.

  • W Hotels.

  • Westin Hotels & Resorts.

No matter where you travel, there’s a good chance you’ll find a Marriott family brand there.

Where to find Hyatts

With over 1,300 hotels, Hyatt isn’t the largest chain, but it certainly has a global presence with 28 brands and hotels in 76 countries.

Hyatt continues to grow its portfolio with the addition of properties from Miraval and several all-inclusive brands. These are the brands that participate in World of Hyatt, the hotel's loyalty program:

  • Alila.

  • Alua Hotels & Resorts.

  • Andaz.

  • Breathless Resorts & Spas.

  • Caption.

  • Destination.

  • Dream Hotels.

  • Dreams Resorts & Spas.

  • Grand Hyatt.

  • Hyatt.

  • Hyatt Centric.

  • Hyatt House.

  • Hyatt Place.

  • Hyatt Regency.

  • Hyatt Vacation Club.

  • Hyatt Ziva.

  • Hyatt Zilara.

  • JdV.

  • Miraval.

  • Park Hyatt.

  • Secrets Resorts & Spas.

  • Sunscape Resorts & Spas.

  • The Unbound Collection.

  • UrCove.

  • Thompson Hotels.

  • Hyatt Vivid Hotels & Resorts (coming soon).

  • Zoëtry Wellness & Spa Resorts.

Hotel fees

Winner for lower fees: Tie

Marriott Bonvoy

NerdWallet's latest analysis of resort fees for Marriott Bonvoy brands delivers good news for its loyal members. Its resort fees are roughly 2.53% of the room rate, which is less than what Hyatt properties charge.

It should be noted, however, that Marriott does not waive fees for elite members the way Hyatt does for its top tier on paid stays or any member on reward stays.

When it comes to parking, Marriott charges a parking fee equal to 11.5% of the room rate. Pet owners would pay, on average, 30.59% of the room rate. While Marriott tends to charge more for parking and pet fees, not all travelers will use these amenities. But, when it comes to resort fees (where applicable), these get charged to all travelers, unlike with Hyatt.

World of Hyatt

Hyatt waives resort fees for Globalist members on paid rates and any member when redeeming points. That offers a huge value that gives the program an edge on award stays. But, in all other instances, resort fees are 4.87% of the room rate, almost twice as much as what Marriott properties charge.

World of Hyatt properties charge an average parking fee equal to 9.65% of the room rate, but this is also waived for Globalist members (something that the program deserves major credit for). Travelers with pets pay fees equal to 28.37% of the room rate, which is less than Marriott. But, not everyone brings pets or cars.

If you’re a Globalist member or redeeming points, Hyatt wins hands down. But, not everyone will be redeeming points or has top Hyatt elite status.

Both programs have pros and cons in this category, and while Marriott charges lower resort fees, they do not waive them for as many members as Hyatt does. This leads us to call it a tie.

Loyalty programs

Winner for rewards rate: World of Hyatt

World of Hyatt

World of Hyatt continues to offer an award chart with off-peak, standard and peak redemptions. This helps members know how many points they need to save for an upcoming stay. Marriott Bonvoy has switched to dynamic pricing, and reward redemption rates can be all over the place.

World of Hyatt also has several sweet spots and no blackout dates. Plus, you don’t pay resort fees when redeeming points.

World of Hyatt members earn 5 base points per $1 when paying an eligible rate at World of Hyatt-participating properties. Members can also earn on eligible hotel dining and spa experiences. Members earn 10 points per $1 on FIND experiences.

Award night prices start at 3,500 points on an off-peak night at a Category 1 hotel and climb to 45,000 points for a peak night at a Category 8 hotel. NerdWallet values Hyatt points at 2.3 cents each.

If you have one of Hyatt’s co-branded credit cards, you can earn bonus points on eligible paid stays, everyday spending or when moving points from Chase Ultimate Rewards® to your World of Hyatt account.

Marriott Bonvoy

Marriott’s reliance on dynamic award pricing reduces its value with fewer sweet spots. Since points rates vary based on demand, it is possible to find good deals, but it may not always be where and when you want to stay.

Most hotels provide 10 points per dollar spent, but some Marriott Bonvoy brands only award between 2.5 and 5 points (Marriott Executive Apartments and Residence Inn by Marriott, for example, among others).

Beyond hotel stays, there are other ways to score points by using one of Marriott’s co-branded credit cards or by transferring points from credit card partners from programs like Chase Ultimate Rewards® and American Express Membership Rewards.

Based on NerdWallet’s latest valuations, Marriott points are worth 0.8 cent each although some redemptions can offer more value than others.

Winner for credit cards: Marriott

Marriott credit cards

Marriott Bonvoy members can choose between four consumer credit cards and one business credit card issued by either Chase or American Express. Want to know how they compare against each other? Take a look at these Marriott hotel credit cards:

Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card

Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card

Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card

Annual fee

$0.

$95.

$650.

Marriott Bonvoy bonus points

  • Earn as many as 14x Bonvoy points at nearly 8,700 participating Marriott Bonvoy hotels.

  • 2x points on other travel purchases (from airfare to taxis and trains).

  • 1x points on all other purchases.

  • Earn as many as 17x Bonvoy points at nearly 8,700 participating Marriott Bonvoy hotels.

  • 3x points on the first $6,000 spent in combined purchases each year on grocery stores, gas stations and dining.

  • 2x points on all other purchases.

  • Earn as many as 21x Bonvoy points at nearly 8,700 participating Marriott Bonvoy hotels.

  • 3x points at U.S. restaurants and on flights booked directly with airlines.

  • 2x points on all other eligible purchases. Terms apply.

Marriott Bonvoy bonus points

Chase

  • Receive 15 Elite Night Credits annually, qualifying you for Silver Elite Status. Restrictions apply.

Chase

  • An additional Free Night Award (valued up to 35,000 points) every year after account anniversary.

  • Automatic Silver Elite Status each account anniversary year. Path to Gold Status when you spend $35,000 on purchases each account year.

  • 15 Elite Night Credits each calendar year.

  • 1 elite night credit towards elite status for every $5,000 you spend.

American Express

  • Complimentary anniversary night (valued up to 85,000 points). Platinum elite status.

  • $300 in statement credits per calendar year (up to $25 per month) for eligible purchases at restaurants worldwide.

  • $100 property credit for Ritz-Carlton or St. Regis stays. 25 Elite Night Credits each calendar year.

  • $100 TSA PreCheck or Global Entry credit. Priority Pass Select membership. Terms apply.

Welcome offer

Earn 30,000 Bonus Points after spending $1,000 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening with the Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card.

Limited time offer! Earn 5 Free Night Awards (each night valued up to 50,000 points) after spending $5,000 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening with the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card.

Earn 185,000 Marriott Bonvoy bonus points after you use your new Card to make $6,000 in purchases within the first 6 months of Card Membership. Terms Apply.

There are two additional Marriott Bonvoy co-branded cards that might appeal to travelers. Both have identical benefits; only the issuer differs.

  • Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express® Card ($250 annual fee).

  • Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful™ Card ($250 annual fee).

Marriott gives cardholders more choice with many different types of cards and annual fees with associated benefits that match each card.

With Marriott’s larger portfolio, these cards unlock point earning at more properties, but NerdWallet's hotel points valuation paints a more complex picture since World of Hyatt points are more valuable.

This means you shouldn’t be swayed by a bonus offer from a particular credit card or how many points you earn per dollar spent. Instead, consider the value of a point when it comes to what you can get in exchange.

That means World of Hyatt Points are almost three times as valuable. Still, both points can be valuable if you use them for what you need.

Hyatt credit cards

Hyatt only has two card options, which slims down the options, but their personal and business credit cards are still worth holding for World of Hyatt fans.

The World of Hyatt Credit Card comes with:

  • Welcome bonus: 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.

  • Annual fee: $95.

  • Earning rate: 

    • Earn 9x points on eligible Hyatt stays.

    • 2x points on flights purchased directly from airlines, fitness club and gym memberships, and local transit or commuting rides.

    • 1x points on everything else.

  • Perks: Earn one free night on each cardmember anniversary to redeem at any Category 1-4 World of Hyatt property. You will also receive instant World of Hyatt Discoverist status.

The World of Hyatt Business Credit Card has its own solid roster of benefits:

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

  • Annual fee: $199.

  • Earning rate: 

    • Earn 9x points on eligible Hyatt stays

    • 2x points on fitness.

    • 2x points in your top three eligible spending categories (such as dining, gas stations and flights purchased directly with airlines) through 12/31/24. After that date, you will receive 2x points on your top two categories.

    • 1x points on all other purchases.

  • Perks: Earn up to $100 in Hyatt statement credit on your cardmember anniversary. Earn World of Hyatt Discoverist status free of charge plus a rebate of 10% of points (up to 200,000 points) redeemed after reaching $50,000 in annual spend.

Since World of Hyatt is a Chase Ultimate Rewards® transfer partner, it’s easy to move Chase points to World of Hyatt using cards like Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card or Chase Sapphire Reserve®.

Winner for elite status: Hyatt

NerdWallet regularly analyzes the ins and outs of hotel and airline programs, and when it comes to best hotel elite status programs (ranked as part of the annual Best Of Awards efforts), there is one clear winner.

World of Hyatt

With three elite status membership levels (Discoverist, Explorist and Globalist), the perks you receive at each level will vary greatly.

But, those who climb to the top of the pack and earn Globalist (also a benefit of achieving American Concierge Key as part of American and Hyatt’s partnership), will receive some amazing benefits. It’s easy to earn Discoverist via credit cards, but you will only get a few paltry perks (namely a free bottle of water and faster internet).

Globalist is a gold mine of perks offering room upgrades, club level access or breakfast, free parking and the Guest of Honor perk, allowing members to offer their benefits to someone else.

Let’s take a look at the value of each status tier, based on NerdWallet's most recent analysis.

Discoverist status costs $1,460 to earn, but delivers only $22 worth of benefits. For Explorist, it costs $4,380 to earn, which comes with benefits valued at $627. But, it’s the Globalist tier that delivers excellent value. It costs $8,760 to earn it and the value of the benefits is worth $5,296.

World of Hyatt also has a lifetime status program offering Globalist for the life of the program once you reach one million base points. This, on top of the perk valuations, bring Hyatt the prize of most valuable elite status.

Marriott Bonvoy

Marriott Bonvoy has an amazing portfolio with dozens of brands and hotels, but its elite status is not as valuable as World of Hyatt’s.

Even with five elite status levels: Silver, Gold, Platinum, Titanium and Ambassador (and a partnership with United to match lower-tier elite status), it is important to study the value of each to determine how you can benefit the most from the program.

Silver Elite delivers just the basics like bonus points and premium internet with Gold and Platinum Elite adding space-available room upgrades, a welcome gift of points or other perks like breakfast and late checkout.

Platinum Elite members will gain access to the club lounge, if there is one, or breakfast. The best tiers are Titanium and Ambassador Elite with access to club lounges, breakfast, welcome gifts like points or local amenities, better room upgrades and a higher percentage of bonus points.

Ambassador Elite members receive Your24 privileges allowing them to check in or check out at any time for stays that last at least 24 hours.

Signing up for a Marriott credit card is a faster pathway to elite status, but you won’t earn top-tier status without staying with Marriott properties.

NerdWallet evaluated each membership tier to determine the types of perks. Silver Elite costs $1,460 to reach that level, but the value of perks is only worth $12. Gold Elite would cost $3,650 to earn for only $136 in benefits.

Platinum Elite has a $7,300 price tag for $3,350 in benefits, representing the first real elite status of any value with Marriott Bonvoy.

Perk-heavy Titanium Elite members are treated to even more ($5,315 worth of benefits) after they spend around $10,950 with Marriott. At the Ambassador Elite level, the benefits are valued at $7,317 for the maximum in perks, but it would cost $20,000 in spending to get there.

Marriott has you covered in more places around the globe and at more price points and hotel types, but its elite status is not as valuable as Hyatt’s.

Which is better in the Hyatt vs. Marriott matchup?

Which brand is best for you? As usual, the answer depends. Hyatt takes the lead for those that travel often and want to maximize elite status perks.

Whether you are staying in hotels for business or leisure, you can rack up the most benefits as a top-tier Hyatt member. And if you fly American enough to be Concierge Key, you get Globalist for free.

If you need greater geographic variety with more hotel brands than you even knew existed, Marriott is a better choice, but its top-tier elite status costs more to earn. And without an award chart to guide you, you’re at the mercy of the marketplace to know how many points you need to save for each hotel.

If value is your highest focus, Hyatt is more beneficial since it has no award blackout dates, no resort fees on award stays, an award chart with clear ranges of the cost of a redemption and an elite program that costs less to earn excellent perks.

Hyatt also wins over Marriott when it comes to value, but there is a lot to be said for Marriott’s far and wide international portfolio and hefty perks the higher you climb its elite status ranks.


How to maximize your rewards

You want a travel credit card that prioritizes what’s important to you. Here are our picks for the best travel credit cards of 2024, including those best for:

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