If you’ve been holding out on applying for The World of Hyatt Credit Card * The information for the The World of Hyatt Credit Card has been collected independently by CNN Underscored. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. , there’s a new bonus offer available that could be worth a look, though it’s important to dig into the details so you know what you’re getting.
New applicants can 30,000 bonus points after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first three months of account opening, plus up to 30,000 more bonus points by earning 2 bonus points per dollar spent in the first six months on purchases that normally earn 1 bonus point on up to $15,000 spent. However, this offer has a unique structure, as it’s partially tied to the amount of money you spend on the card in the first six months.
The first part of the offer is straightforward. You’ll earn 30,000 bonus points after spending $3,000 on purchases within the first three months after you open the account.
Then, you’ll have the opportunity to earn up to an additional 30,000 bonus points based on how much you spend on the card in the first six months. You’ll earn 2 points for every dollar you spend on everything you purchase with the card that normally earns 1 point per dollar, up to $15,000 in spending during those first six months after you’ve opened the account.
So to earn the entire 60,000 bonus points, you must spend $15,000 in total within the six months, though $3,000 of that must be within the first three months. That’s a lot of money to put on a credit card in six months, but the good news is that even if you don’t spend the entire $15,000, you’ll still earn 2 points per dollar on whatever you do spend. So you’re still getting bonus points even if you spend less.
But there’s an additional reason you might want to aim to spend the full $15,000. That’s because when you spend $15,000 in a calendar year with The World of Hyatt Credit Card * The information for the The World of Hyatt Credit Card has been collected independently by CNN Underscored. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. , you’ll get an award night that can be redeemed at any Category 1-4 property within the Hyatt chain.
In addition to the welcome offer, the World of Hyatt card offers a ton of benefits for those who stay at Hyatt properties, even if only a handful of times per year. Regardless of the number of times you travel, you’ll find that there are many perks that come with the World of Hyatt Credit Card and they can more than outweigh its $95 annual fee.
Five key benefits of the World of Hyatt credit card
1. Receive a reward night every year on your card’s anniversary
One of the best benefits of the World of Hyatt Credit Card is the reward night you receive on a yearly basis. Starting with the second year you have the card, on each card anniversary, you’ll receive a certificate that can be redeemed at any Category 1-4 Hyatt property.
Although this means top-tier Hyatt properties are excluded, there are definitely some hidden gems where this certificate can be used. Some noteworthy properties include the Manchester Grand Hyatt San Diego, the Hyatt Place Keystone, the Hyatt Regency Jersey City on the Hudson, the Hyatt Place Delray Beach, the Grand Hyatt Washington, Andaz Savannah, Hyatt Regency Lisbon, Grand Hyatt Berlin, Hyatt Regency Koh Samui, Hyatt Regency Sydney and the Casa Colonial Beach & Spa in the Dominican Republic.
Even if you aren’t able to get maximum value for this certificate each year, as long as you’re using it at a property that would have otherwise cost more than $95, this benefit alone pays for the annual fee.
2. Receive a second reward night by spending on your card
As mentioned earlier, you’ll also earn a certificate every year — including the first year you have the card — if you spend $15,000 on your World of Hyatt Credit Card within a calendar year. This stacks on top of the 60,000-point bonus offer, so if you spend that $15,000 in the first six months after opening the card, you’ll get all the points and a reward night as well.
These certificates work in the same manner as the regular reward night, where they can be used at any Category 1-4 Hyatt property. If you’re able to put this much money on your credit card, you could have two certificates to use back-to-back for a weekend getaway.
3. Automatic Discoverist elite status
Just for being a World of Hyatt Credit Card holder, you’ll receive complimentary Hyatt Discoverist status. This basic-level status gives you a 10% point bonus on all Hyatt stays, 2 p.m. late check-out at participating properties and the possibility of a room upgrade based on availability.
Although Discoverist is the lowest tier of elite status within the World of Hyatt program, you’re always better off having some status versus no status at all when checking in at the front desk of a hotel.
4. Easier to earn higher-level elite status
If you’re looking to earn a higher status level than Discoverist within the World of Hyatt program, the World of Hyatt Credit Card can help you earn either Explorist or Globalist status — Hyatt’s top two tier levels — without ever stepping foot into a Hyatt property.
As a standard perk, the World of Hyatt Credit Card offers two different benefits to help you earn status even quicker. For starters, on a yearly basis, you’ll earn 5 tier-qualifying nights towards status simply for being a card member. That means with these nights alone, you’ll only need another 25 nights for Explorist status or 55 nights for Globalist status.
Additionally, for every $5,000 spent on the card, you’ll earn another two tier-qualifying nights towards status. If you spend $15,000 on the card to earn all the bonus points, you’ll end up with six additional tier-qualifying night credits toward status. Then you’ll only need 19 more nights for Explorist status, or 49 nights for Globalist status.
Throughout the year it’s not uncommon to see promotions where your stays count double, meaning you’ll earn 2 Tier-Qualifying Night Credits for each stay. When (and if) these promotions pop up, it’ll allow you to reach your desired status even quicker.
5. Earn bonus points with Hyatt stays and everyday spend
With The World of Hyatt Credit Card * The information for the The World of Hyatt Credit Card has been collected independently by CNN Underscored. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. , you’ll earn an additional 4 bonus points for every dollar you spend at Hyatt properties (which when added to the 5 base points you typically earn comes to a total of 9 points per dollar) and 2 points per dollar on local transit and commuting, restaurants, airline tickets purchased directly from the airline, fitness clubs and gym memberships. On all other purchases, you’ll earn 1 point per dollar once the sign-up bonus expires after the first six months.
This is actually one of the best cards to use for your Hyatt stays and, unlike some other hotel credit cards, also offers a strong return on many of the other increased categories. Of course, the Chase Sapphire Reserve? is still a better card to use for many of your non-Hyatt travel purchases, since it earns 3 points per dollar on all travel (or 10 total points on hotel stays purchased through Chase Travel?) and you can transfer Chase Travel? points to Hyatt at a 1-to-1 ratio.
Also, for categories that don’t earn bonus points on this card, you might find that you’ll earn more on a card like the Citi Double Cash? Card * The information for the Citi Double Cash? Card has been collected independently by CNN Underscored. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. , which earns 2% cash back — 1% when you make a purchase, and another 1% when you pay it off — on everything you buy.
Since Hyatt points are worth 1.7 cents apiece according to The Points Guy, you’re getting a 6.8% return when using the World of Hyatt Credit Card at Hyatt hotels, but only a 1.7% return for purchases that don’t earn a bonus.
However, if you want to keep everything simple and use just one credit card for all your purchases, the Hyatt card is a decent option for maximizing your Hyatt points.
Should you get the World of Hyatt credit card?
If you’re looking to stay at Hyatt properties regularly, then this isn’t a bad time to consider the World of Hyatt Credit Card. With this offer, if you can make the $15,000 in spending in the first six months, you’ll end up with 60,000 points and a Category 1-4 award night certificate.
But if spending $15,000 on your credit card in six months isn’t feasible for you, there are other World of Hyatt credit card offers that may be available elsewhere, offering fewer bonus points but a lower spending requirement. So take a look around before applying to be sure this is the best bonus offer for your needs.
All information about Citi Double Cash? Card and The World of Hyatt Credit Card has been collected independently by CNN Underscored.
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This content is for educational purposes only and is not intended and should not be understood to constitute financial, investment, insurance or legal advice. All individuals are encouraged to seek advice from a qualified financial professional before making any financial, insurance or investment decisions.
Note: While the offers mentioned above are accurate at the time of publication, they're subject to change at any time and may have changed or may no longer be available.