The World of Hyatt Credit Card review: Extraordinary Hyatt perks for loyal and occasional guests
It’s perhaps the best partner for both occasional and frequent Hyatt guests alike.
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Snapshot
4.8
Bottom line
The World of Hyatt credit card is the only personal co-branded Hyatt rewards card available, so if you frequent Hyatt hotels and resorts, or even just stay there more than once per year, this card is likely a great addition to your wallet, as long as you don’t mind paying the annual fee.
Intro offer
Up to 60,000 Bonus Points
Rewards rate
2X - 9X
Annual fee
$95
Regular APR
19.99% - 28.49% Variable
4.3
Cardholder rating
Extra perks
Online tools
Rewards value
Customer service
4.8
Bankrate score
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The World of Hyatt Credit Card overview
If you plan to stay at a Hyatt hotel at least once per year, the World of Hyatt Credit Card could easily be worth more than the $95 annual fee. Its exceptional rewards value, welcome offer and loyalty perks could further rack up the value for big spenders and frequent Hyatt guests as well.
This card may be a no-brainer if you prefer Hyatt properties, but it does come at the price of the more versatile rewards, bonus categories and perks offered by competing general-purpose travel cards — and some competing hotel cards.
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Rewards
- Up to 9X points on eligible Hyatt hotel and resort and World of Hyatt Experiences purchases: 4X points on qualifying Hyatt purchases with this card, plus 5X base points for being a World of Hyatt member
- 2X points on restaurant, local transit and commuting, airline ticket (when purchased directly through the airline), and fitness club and gym membership purchases
- 1X points on other purchases
Expert Appraisal: Good
See our expert analysis -
Welcome offer
- Earn 30,000 bonus points after you spend $3,000 on purchases in your first three months from account opening. Plus, up to 30,000 more bonus points by earning two bonus points total per $1 spent in the first six months from account opening on purchases that normally earn 1 bonus point, on up to $15,000 spent.
Expert Appraisal: Exceptional
See our expert analysis -
Rates and fees
- $95 annual fee
- 19.99% - 28.49% Variable APR
- No foreign transaction fees
- Up to $40 fee for late and return payments (plus a potential 29.99 percent penalty APR)
Expert Appraisal: Typical
See our expert analysis -
Other cardholder perks
- Up to two free nights at any Category 1 to 4 Hyatt hotel or resort annually: one on your account anniversary, plus another if you spend $15,000 in a calendar year
- Automatic World of Hyatt Discoverist loyalty status
- Five World of Hyatt Tier-Qualifying Nights automatically each calendar year
- Earn two World of Hyatt Tier-Qualifying Nights for each $5,000 you spend
- Visa Signature perks, including Visa Signature Concierge assistance
- Potential access to Chase Pay Over Time alternative payment plans
- Travel insurance, including trip cancellation and interruption insurance, baggage delay insurance, lost luggage reimbursement and auto rental coverage
Expert Appraisal: Good
See our expert analysis
World of Hyatt card pros and cons
Pros
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Offers some of the best rewards rates possible for Hyatt stays — and hotel purchases in general.
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The annual free night award can more than recoup the annual fee, and could be one of the most valuable yearly credits for a travel card with a similar price point.
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The automatic Discoverist status and other loyalty perks could make this card a must for status-seekers.
Cons
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Charges a $95 annual fee, which some occasional travelers could find hard to justify.
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The categories outside Hyatt purchases carry a relatively low rewards rate compared to similar cards’ non-hotel rates.
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Although there are a few more reward redemption options than other co-branded cards provide, the rewards are still largely chained to Hyatt bookings.
Why you might want the World of Hyatt card
The loyalty perks and stellar rewards rates make this card a must-have for frequent Hyatt guests, but the exceptional welcome offer and annual free night could even justify this card for occasional travelers.
Rewards value: Leading hotel point values
Hotel rewards cards often offer remarkably high rewards rates, but the catch is that these points are often worth far less than the typical 1 cent apiece other cards’ rewards provide. However, World of Hyatt points are far and away the most valuable — even more so than many top general-purpose cards’ travel rewards.
According to Bankrate’s latest point valuations, the World of Hyatt points are estimated to be worth around a whopping 2.3 cents each. By comparison, we estimate Hilton Honors points are worth about 0.6 cents each and Marriott points at 0.7 cents each. The closest major hotel rewards’ value to the World of Hyatt’s estimated point value are Wyndham Rewards points, which are worth about 0.9 cents apiece.
Based on an assumed $22,500 annual spend and Bankrate's 2.3 cents-per-point valuation, we estimate that the World of Hyatt card could earn the average spender about $662 in rewards value each year. You should redeem your rewards for nights at Hyatt properties to maximize their value. You may also redeem points for dining and spa services at some Hyatt locations or transfer points to airline and rental car partners, but those options don’t offer as much potential value as redeeming for free nights or room upgrades.
Rewards rate: Unbeatable Hyatt rewards and solid everyday categories
Although the World of Hyatt card only earns a rewards rate of 4X points on Hyatt purchases, but being a World of Hyatt rewards member increases this rate by 5X points. Coupled with the remarkable rewards value, the up to 9X points on purchases at Hyatt properties can be one of the most lucrative rewards rates for a hotel credit card.
You can also earn 2X points on a few other categories that are key during your trip outside the hotel booking:
Dining
Transit and local commuting (which includes rideshares, paid parking lots and tolls)
Flights booked directly with the airline
Gym and fitness club memberships
The gym membership and commuting categories can be hard to find, so it makes sense to dedicate this card to covering those purchases from your day-to-day spending.
However, 2X points isn’t very competitive for these categories. Many hotel and general-purpose travel cards carry a restaurant category that earns at least 3X points, and these competing cards often carry a similar (or higher) rewards rate on general flights or travel — not just those purchased through the airline.
Still, these 2X categories are nothing to sneeze at, and could be helpful if you need to bank a few extra points for an upcoming trip or toward elite status. If you have another card with a stronger rewards rate on these purchases, though, that may be a better option instead.
If you’re pursuing the next loyalty status tier, it’s worth noting that the 4X points you earn with the World of Hyatt card don’t count as Base Points, but the 5X points you earn as a World of Hyatt member do. On the bright side, the automatic Discoverist status you earn with the card gives you 10 percent bonus points back on Hyatt purchases that earn those 5X Base Points. For example, a $500 stay that earns 2,500 Base Points would get you an extra 250 points with the 10 percent Discoverist bonus points.
Welcome offer: One of the best travel values
Based on Bankrate’s estimated point value of 2.3 cents apiece on average, the base welcome offer of 30,000 points could be worth around $690. This is already an excellent value for a hotel card of its caliber, and the $3,000 spending requirement in the first three months is certainly achievable for the average person.
However, the World of Hyatt card truly goes above and beyond with the second part of its welcome offer: up to 30,000 more bonus points by having your general spending that would normally earn 1X pointed boosted to 2X points during the first six months (on up to $15,000). This could bump up the welcome offer’s value to about $1,380 if points are redeemed at the average value of 2.3 cents. Unfortunately, maximizing this value could be difficult unless you have big purchases planned.
Based on an estimated $22,500 annual spend for the average person, they may only earn up to 52,500 points total. At 2.3 cents per point, this could be worth a little more than $1,200.
Perks: Excellent features for rare and regular guests
The World of Hyatt card offers travel protections on par with some of the best travel cards at a similar price point, but the main attractions are the annual free nights and loyalty status features. You’ll automatically earn a free night at a Category 1 to 4 hotel or resort on your account anniversary, but you can earn another night if you spend $15,000 in a calendar year. These free nights could be worth anywhere from 3,500 points to 18,000 points depending on the hotel category and time of travel — which could be around an $81 to $414 value at Bankrate’s estimated value of 2.3 cents per point.
This feature could more than recoup the cost of the annual fee depending on how you use it. The second free night could be difficult for the average spender to earn, though, unless the World of Hyatt is their primary spending card.
If you’re trying to climb the World of Hyatt loyalty status ranks, this card can easily expedite that path. The automatic Discoverist status offers a solid slate of benefits and additional reward opportunities, but the real advantage comes with the exclusive Tier-Qualifying Night opportunities. You’ll automatically earn five Tier-Qualifying Nights each calendar year, but you can earn two more for each $5,000 you spend. These perks give casual travelers more comfort whenever they occasionally stay with Hyatt and frequent guests a healthy leg up toward the penultimate loyalty tier.
Why you might want a different hotel card
All things considered, the World of Hyatt card is a good deal for a hotel card at its price point. However, you may want to consider a different card if you’re still hesitant over the $95 annual fee, or if you prefer a general-purpose travel card that isn’t tied to a specific hotel brand.
Rates and fees: Annual fee may discourage some
The World of Hyatt card has typical rates and fees you’d find on a premium travel rewards card, including no foreign transaction fees. However, some applicants might hesitate when they see the $95 annual fee.
Considering the annual free night at a Category 1 to Category 4 property could be worth more than enough to recoup the annual fee, the $95 price tag shouldn’t be a noteworthy hurdle — especially since some travel cards with similar fees don’t have such valuable recurring benefits. Still, the annual free nights don’t have a set value like a yearly $100 hotel stay credit, though, so a lower-effort card could be appealing if you’d rather not crunch the numbers for your stay and potentially adjust your plans to get the most value from your award nights.
Similarly, sinking money into a co-branded hotel card might not be worth it if you don’t want to use this card for enough everyday spending to earn the additional free night and Tier-Qualifying Nights each year. A general-purpose card with more versatile rewards that better suits your spending might be a better fit in that case.
We tried it: Here’s what our experts say
Bankrate credit cards writer Ryan Flanigan uses the World of Hyatt Credit Card as one of his main hotel credit cards for valuable points and free hotel nights. Overall, he’s been impressed with how valuable the rewards and perks are compared to the relatively low annual fee.
Hyatt points are my most valuable hotel currency, so earning extra points and elite night credits makes this card very useful. I always try to spend towards the $15,000 free night as early in the year as possible, since I always need more with Hyatt. The yearly free night is a great value for the annual fee, which makes this card a mainstay for me. The ability to earn extra elite night credits from my everyday spending is also helpful if I need a few more credits to push me to the next status level. Personally, Hyatt’s elite perks are the best in the industry.Ryan Flanigan, Writer, Credit Cards
How the World of Hyatt card compares to other hotel cards
Since there aren’t any competing cards specifically for Hyatt hotels, a general-purpose travel card with flexible rewards and perks could be your best alternative.
The World of Hyatt Credit Card
Annual fee
Intro 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.
Rewards rate
Earn up to 9 points total for Hyatt stays – 4 Bonus Points per $1 spent on qualified purchases at Hyatt hotels & up to 5 Base Points per $1 from Hyatt as a World of Hyatt member. Earn 2 Bonus Points per $1 spent at restaurants, on airline tickets purchased directly from the airlines, on local transit and commuting and on fitness club and gym memberships.
Recommended Credit Score
A FICO score/credit score is used to represent the creditworthiness of a person and may be one indicator to the credit type you are eligible for. However, credit score alone does not guarantee or imply approval for any financial product.
Annual fee
Intro offer
Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
Rewards rate
5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠. 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries. 2x on all other travel purchases. 1x on all other purchases.
Recommended Credit Score
A FICO score/credit score is used to represent the creditworthiness of a person and may be one indicator to the credit type you are eligible for. However, credit score alone does not guarantee or imply approval for any financial product.
Annual fee
Intro offer
For a limited time, earn 75,000 bonus ThankYou® Points after spending $4,000 in the first 3 months of account opening, redeemable for $750 in gift cards or travel rewards at thankyou.com.
Rewards rate
Earn 10 Points per $1 spent on Hotels, Car Rentals, and Attractions booked on CitiTravel.com. Earn 3 Points per $1 on Air Travel and Other Hotel Purchases, at Restaurants, Supermarkets, Gas and EV Charging Stations. Earn 1 Point per $1 spent on all other purchases.
Recommended Credit Score
A FICO score/credit score is used to represent the creditworthiness of a person and may be one indicator to the credit type you are eligible for. However, credit score alone does not guarantee or imply approval for any financial product.
Best cards to pair with the World of Hyatt card
The only other option in the Hyatt card portfolio is a business version of the World of Hyatt card, so you’ll have to look outside of Hyatt for great partner cards. Fortunately, the World of Hyatt rewards program has a partnership with the Chase Ultimate Rewards and American Airlines AAdvantage programs, which could make their cards rewarding pairing options as well.
Who is the World of Hyatt card right for?
Naturally, the World of Hyatt card is a good fit for Hyatt guests looking for additional perks and savings. However, Hyatt’s partnership with Chase and American Airlines also make it helpful if you’re a member of these rewards programs too.
Regular Hyatt guests
The World of Hyatt is of course a stellar fit for people who prefer to stay at Hyatt properties thanks to this card’s lucrative rewards rates, free night opportunities and leg up toward loyalty status.
Chase cardholders
The World of Hyatt card can easily slide into your existing card roster if you already have other Chase travel cards. If you’re ever short the points you need for a Hyatt stay, you can make up the difference by transferring some of Ultimate Rewards your points to your Hyatt account.
American Airlines flyers
Similarly, there’s a good bit of interplay between American Airlines AAdvantage and World of Hyatt rewards. AAdvantage members can redeem their miles for eligible Hyatt stays, and World of Hyatt members can earn AAdvantage Rewards and upgrades for their Milestone Rewards. The Hyatt card can also give you a headstart toward the upper World of Hyatt statuses you need to redeem Hyatt points for AAdvantage status for a day.
Bankrate’s Take — Is the World of Hyatt Credit Card worth it?
The World of Hyatt card’s rewards categories are pretty comprehensive compared to other co-branded hotel cards, and the exceptional welcome offer and annual free night award can stack on remarkable value if you're planning to stay with Hyatt. In fact, the rewards redemption value and welcome offer could be some of the most valuable on the overall credit card market — not just for a hotel card.
Frequent Hyatt guests can rack up extraordinary value from this card’s unbeatable rewards rate and perks for Hyatt purchases and stays, but the annual free night alone could more than make up for the annual fee if you use it wisely.
However, it’s worth noting that the non-Hyatt rewards categories aren’t as competitive. Outside of Hyatt, this card is better suited for occasional everyday expenses to build toward elite status and other perks instead of regular, day-to-day spending.
The information about the World of Hyatt Credit Card, World of Hyatt Business Credit Card, American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp® Card and Hyatt Credit Card has been collected independently by Bankrate.com. The card details have not been reviewed or approved by the card issuer.
How we rated this card
We rate credit cards using a proprietary card scoring system that ranks each card’s estimated average rewards rate, estimated annual earnings, welcome bonus value, APR, fees, perks and more against those of other cards in its primary category.
Each card feature is assigned a weighting based on how important it is to people looking for a card in a given category. These features are then scored based on how they rank relative to the features on other cards in the category. Based on these calculations, each card receives an overall rating of 1-5 stars (with 5 being the highest possible score and 1 being the lowest).
We analyzed over 150 of the most popular rewards and cash back cards to determine where each stacked up based on their value, cost, benefits and more. Here are some of the key factors that influenced this card’s overall score and how the score influenced our review:
Frequently asked questions
What cardholders think
The World of Hyatt Credit Card
In May 2024, Bankrate collaborated with third-party SliceMR to survey 6160 cardholders nationwide. Bankrate and Slice MR collected, averaged and presented website analytics and cardholder responses to six questions on a 5-point scale. Responses are based on individual cardholder’s product details, and therefore cannot be verified for accuracy. Users received an incentive for their feedback. User ratings are unedited and have not been reviewed or approved by credit card issuers, nor do these ratings reflect Bankrate’s own reviews of these cards.
Community Reviews
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Editorial Disclosure: Opinions expressed here are the author's alone, and have not been reviewed or approved by any advertiser. The information, including card rates and fees, is accurate as of the publish date. All products or services are presented without warranty. Check the bank’s website for the most current information.
