Marriott Bonvoy vs. World of Hyatt: Which Is Best?

Marriott Bonvoy and World of Hyatt are two popular hotel rewards programs with substantial lists of benefits for members and bonus perks for those with elite status. But, how do they compare? Should you be a member of both or dedicate yourself to just one and earn as many points and as high a tier of status as possible?

There are some notable differences, which we will explore. For starters, Marriott is far bigger than Hyatt, with more brands and hotel properties around the world. For this reason, Hyatt realizes its loyalty program must pack in extra perks to draw in more business. Its Globalist tier stands to benefit from the most perks of all. Here is a deep dive into each program to help you decide the one that is right for you.

How they differ

Marriott has more brands and more hotels in more countries than Hyatt. Marriott Bonvoy is available at more than 8,000 properties in over 130 countries and territories.

Hyatt pales in comparison when it comes to size, offering over 1,300 hotels in 76 countries.

Beyond just the size of their portfolios, Marriott Bonvoy uses a dynamic award model to price redemptions. This means it is harder to know how many Marriott Bonvoy® points you will need for a hotel stay until you have dates in mind.

World of Hyatt, meanwhile, continues to use an award chart, which has a range of points needed for each individual category of hotel. They are broken down into off-peak, standard and peak redemptions, and this gives far more clarity for members to know how many points they will need to save for future travel.

Earning points and rewards

Winner: Marriott Bonvoy

Each of these programs offers a base number of points, but these vary between programs. If you have elite status, you will earn more points as long as you book via an eligible hotel channel and not through a third-party booking website, like Orbitz or Expedia.

Marriott Bonvoy

• Most hotels award 10 points per eligible dollar spent on property, but some of the extended stay brands don’t award as much. For example, you can expect to receive between 2.5 and 5 points when staying at Marriott Executive Apartments, Element or Residence Inn by Marriott. 

• It’s also easy to add more points to your account by charging eligible dining and hotel account charges to your room.

• There are also Marriott co-branded credit cards that can get you to the elite status finish line, too.

• If you want more Marriott Bonvoy points, another easy way is to transfer them from Chase Ultimate Rewards® or American Express Membership Rewards. This is not the best way to use Marriott points since Marriott points are worth 0.9 cent each.

• If you prefer staying in homes and villas instead of traditional hotels, you would earn 5 points per dollar spent. 

World of Hyatt

• For each eligible dollar spent at participating World of Hyatt hotels, members can rake in 5x points, but if you have World of Hyatt elite status, you can expect even more points. Top-tier Globalist members earn 5x points and another 30% on eligible purchases.

• Members can also earn points for dining or using spa services at eligible properties, as well as booking a home or vacation rental through Hyatt’s new platform.

Both programs provide lots of ways to earn points from hotel stays, credit cards and other spending, but Marriott Bonvoy deserves more attention simply because it has more properties around the world.

Redeeming points

Winner: World of Hyatt

The true joy from earning points is getting to spend them on special hotel stays in your favorite destinations. Both of these programs provide ample opportunity to explore the world using points, but they approach it in vastly different ways.

Marriott Bonvoy no longer has an award chart, which makes it difficult to know how many points you will need for your next stay. World of Hyatt, however, has stuck to an award chart, which provides members with a guide for how many points to save.

NerdWallet values World of Hyatt points at 2.2 cents each, while Marriott Bonvoy points are valued at only 0.9 cent each.

World of Hyatt uses an off-peak, standard and peak award pricing model, whereas Marriott Bonvoy uses dynamic pricing. The number of points you need would vary based on the demand.

• Marriott Bonvoy: The lowest number of points you would need for a free night’s stay is 7,500, and it could go much higher depending upon the demand. The disappointing part is that it is hard to know how many points you will need without knowing your dates of travel.

• World of Hyatt: What makes this program a real winner is that its award charts are easy to understand. Divided into off-peak, standard and peak redemptions, the charts list the range of points you need to save up for your next stay no matter where you are going. The off-peak redemption for Category 1 hotels starts at 3,500 points, while the peak redemption for Category 8 hotels is 45,000 points per night.

» Learn more: How to navigate World of Hyatt's award chart

Elite status perks

Best elite status: World of Hyatt

Because of its smaller footprint, World of Hyatt tries harder to appeal to members, especially those who earn its coveted hotel elite status. It offers more perks for its top-tier travelers (and a fast-track method to get there through its reciprocal elite status partnership with American Airlines, in which ConciergeKey members get automatic Globalist status).

NerdWallet's annual analysis on hotel rewards programs determined that World of Hyatt's elite status program outcompetes Marriott Bonvoy's.

While Marriott Bonvoy has more hotels where you can use elite status benefits, they are less enchanting than what Hyatt offers.

Marriott Bonvoy

Marriott Bonvoy elite status is available to enjoy at more than 8,000 hotels around the world, but the benefits vary by brand and location. And if you’re looking for a fast track to its top tier, don’t expect much. There is no way to apply for a credit card and get the top level automatically. While United Airlines and Marriott have a partnership, there is no way to get the highest status level automatically.

Ambassador Elite, the brand’s highest level, comes with:

• Breakfast or club lounge access.

• Bonus points.

• Your24 access (check-in and checkout at any time).

• Priority access to your room.

• Room upgrades.

At lower tiers, Marriott Bonvoy delivers perks including room upgrades and late checkout at the Gold Elite level, which is a complimentary perk of holding The Platinum Card® from American Express. Terms apply.

World of Hyatt

Alternatively, World of Hyatt has an easier path to elite status, whether with partner American Airlines or from frequent spending. If you score the highest tier, Globalist, you can expect:

• Breakfast or club lounge access.

• Free parking and no resort fees on award nights.

• Bonus points.

• Room upgrades.

• Early check-in or late checkout based upon availability.

• Guest of Honor benefit giving you the chance to share the perks of elite status with others.

Unfortunately, the lower tiers of World of Hyatt status are not as fruitful. While you can achieve Discoverist status just by signing up for a credit card, it doesn’t have the same rich benefits as Globalist status.

» Learn more: The best value hotel rewards program

Travel credit cards

Best hotel credit card: Marriott Bonvoy

When it comes to which program has a better credit card offer, Marriott Bonvoy wins since you can achieve mid-tier status just for signing up. World of Hyatt offers something similar, but its benefits are not as appealing.

Marriott Bonvoy credit cards

Marriott Bonvoy has more credit card options than World of Hyatt, and this is helpful for different income levels and personal needs. Some of them even come with a free anniversary redemption night. Here are some of the top options:

• Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card ($0 annual fee).

• Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card ($95 annual fee).

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

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

• Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card ($650 annual fee). Terms apply.

World of Hyatt credit cards

There is only one option for consumers from World of Hyatt, and while World of Hyatt Credit Card has a low $95 annual fee, the benefits are not much (except for one free night at any Category 1-4 Hyatt hotel or resort each year after the card member anniversary).

It also comes with Discoverist elite status, but beyond the bonus points, it does not offer many extra perks.

» Learn more: The best hotel credit cards right now

Which is better: Marriott Bonvoy or World of Hyatt?

While each person’s experience will vary, the right hotel rewards program depends on where you travel and what you are looking for from the trip.

While Marriott Bonvoy has more global hotels, top-tier elites will secure more value from World of Hyatt. But Hyatt's elite status program out-performed Marriott, and it did better across additional categories like pet friendliness, the value of its hotel points and lower resort fees in our comprehensive annual analysis.

To view rates and fees of The Platinum Card® from American Express, see this page. To view rates and fees of the Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express® Card, see this page. To view rates and fees of the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card, see this page.

Information related to the Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful™ Card has been collected by NerdWallet and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer of this card.