Best Hyatt credit cards of July 2024
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“Verified by an expert” means that this article has been thoroughly reviewed and evaluated for accuracy.
BLUEPRINT
Updated 1:00 p.m. UTC June 18, 2024
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The World of Hyatt includes 28 brands in over 1,250 locations and has everything from the Park Hyatt, which features Michelin-starred dining, to the more affordable but still upscale Hyatt Place. The best Hyatt credit cards should offer valuable perks to Hyatt loyalists, like the opportunity to earn bonus points on stays, room upgrades or elite status. We analyzed a number of factors to determine the best Hyatt credit cards of 2024. Here are our selections.
- The World of Hyatt Credit Card *: Best Hyatt credit card.
- World of Hyatt Business Credit Card *: Best Hyatt business credit card.
- Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card: Best for transferring rewards to Hyatt.
- Chase Sapphire Reserve®: Best luxury travel card for Hyatt.
Why trust our credit card experts
Our team of experts evaluates hundreds of credit cards and analyzes thousands of data points to help you find the best card for your situation. We use a data-driven methodology to determine each rating. Advertisers do not influence our editorial content. You can read more about our methodology below.
- 5+ cards analyzed.
- 15+ data points analyzed.
- 5-step fact-checking process.
Best Hyatt credit card
The World of Hyatt Credit Card
*The information for the The World of Hyatt Credit Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Best Hyatt business credit card
World of Hyatt Business Credit Card
*The information for the World of Hyatt Business Credit Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Best for transferring rewards to Hyatt
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
Best luxury travel card for Hyatt
Chase Sapphire Reserve®
Compare the best cards
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.
Earn 60,000 Bonus Points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening.
Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That’s $750 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.
Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That’s $900 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.
The information for the The World of Hyatt Credit Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Why it’s the best
The World of Hyatt Credit Card is a fantastic option for Hyatt loyalists, with solid earning potential on Hyatt stays and bonus points at restaurants and on airline tickets, transit and gym memberships. The card provides a strong value proposition for just a $95 annual fee, even for those who infrequently stay at Hyatt properties.
One of the best perks is a free night at a category one through four hotel each year and an additional free night after spending $15,000 on your card in a calendar year. Plus, receive automatic Discoverist status and a fast track toward a higher elite status. Another fantastic perk of the card that is relatively uncommon is baggage delay insurance.
Pros:
- Automatic Discoverist status and qualifying nights toward the next status tier.
- Free anniversary night.
- Travel insurances and secondary rental car coverage.
Cons:
- Limited redemption options.
- Fewer properties than other hotel groups.
- Has an annual fee.
Card details:
- Annual fee: $95.
- Rewards: 9 points total per $1 at Hyatt — 4 points points on qualified purchases at Hyatt hotels and 5 base points per $1 from Hyatt as a World of Hyatt member. Earn 2 points per $1 at restaurants, on airline tickets purchased directly from the airlines, on local transit and commuting and on fitness club and gym memberships and 1 point per $1 on all other purchases.
- Welcome bonus: 30,000 points after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first three months, plus up to 30,000 points by earning 2 points per $1 total on up to $15,000 in the first six months of account opening (then 1 point).
- Foreign transaction fees: $0.
The information for the World of Hyatt Business Credit Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Why it’s the best
For small business owners that regularly stay at Hyatt properties, the World of Hyatt Business Credit Card is the best card to have in your wallet to work toward elite status and get bonus points for your business trips. In addition to the same earning potential at Hyatt properties as the personal card, you’ll earn elevated rewards on your top three spending categories each quarter (until 12/31/24, then top two spending categories). Eligible business-related categories include dining, airline tickets, social media advertising and internet or phone services.
Additionally, once you spend $50 at a Hyatt property, you can earn $50 in statement credits up to two times per year. If you spend $50,000 on your card in a year, you can earn 10% of your redeemed points back for the rest of the year (on up to 200,000 points redeemed).
Pros:
- High earning rate at Hyatt properties.
- Boosted earnings on business-related categories.
- Automatic Discoverist status.
Cons:
- High annual fee.
- No free anniversary night awards.
- No intro APR on purchases or balance transfers.
Card details:
- Annual fee: $199.
- Rewards: 4 points per $1 on qualified purchases at Hyatt hotels, 2 points per $1 on the top three spend categories each quarter through 12/31/24, then the top two categories each quarter, 2 points per $1 on fitness club and gym memberships and 1 point per $1 on all other purchases.
- Welcome bonus: 60,000 points after spending $5,000 on purchases in the first three months of account opening.
- Foreign transaction fees: $0.
Why it’s the best
If you enjoy staying at Hyatt properties but aren’t ready to commit to a cobranded card, the Chase Sapphire Preferred delivers fantastic value for all kinds of travelers and is one of the most popular entry-level travel cards. To start, you can receive a $50 statement credit each account anniversary on hotel stays booked through Chase Travel℠. Plus, you’ll earn elevated rewards on all travel purchased through Chase Travel (excluding hotel purchases that qualify for the statement credit). This means you can points on Hyatt stays booked through the travel portal, which can then be transferred to your World of Hyatt account at a 1:1 ratio. If you want more flexibility in earning and redemption opportunities outside of Hyatt, this card is for you.
Pros:
- Generous earnings on travel and everyday expenses.
- Annual hotel statement credit.
- Extensive travel protections.
Cons:
- No premium travel perks like lounge access.
- Has an annual fee.
- Maximizing bonus categories can be complicated.
Card details:
- Annual fee: $95.
- Rewards: 5 points per $1 on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3 points per $1 on dining, select streaming services, and online grocery purchases (excluding Walmart, Target and wholesale clubs), 2 points per $1 on all other travel purchases and 1 point per $1 on all other purchases.
- Welcome bonus: 60,000 points after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first three months of account opening.
- Foreign transaction fees: $0.
Why it’s the best
If you are looking for maximum travel benefits, the Chase Sapphire Reserve is the best option. You’ll receive a $300 annual travel credit, which applies to the first $300 in travel purchases made with the card. After this travel credit is used, you can earn 10 points per dollar on hotels booked through Chase Travel and transfer those points to Hyatt at a 1:1 ratio.
Apart from hotel-specific benefits, you’ll also receive a Priority Pass Select membership (enrollment required), access to Chase Sapphire Lounges, an application fee credit for Global Entry, TSA PreCheck or NEXUS and various subscriptions or statement credits to programs like DoorDash, Lyft and Instacart. Even though it has a $550 annual fee, the benefits far outweigh the drawbacks for most travelers.
Pros:
- Lucrative annual travel credit.
- Premium travel perks and protections.
- High rewards rates on hotels booked through Chase Travel.
Cons:
- Has a very high annual fee.
- Requires excellent credit.
- No automatic hotel status.
Card details:
- Annual fee: $550.
- Rewards: 5 points per $1 on flights and 10 points per $1 on hotels and car rentals purchased through Chase Travel℠ after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually. Earn 3 points per $1 on other travel and dining and 1 point per $1 on other purchases.
- Welcome bonus: 60,000 points after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first three months of account opening.
- Foreign transaction fees: $0.
Methodology
Our credit cards team has spent hours analyzing hundreds of credit cards. We took a deep dive into the details of each product and that analysis, combined with our years of experience covering credit cards, informed us as we developed these credit card rankings. Factors we considered included:
- Hotel rewards earnings: 40%.
- Annual fee: 10%.
- Welcome offer: 10%.
- Hotel free night award: 10%.
- Elite hotel status: 10%.
- Annual spend bonus: 2%.
- Primary car rental coverage: 2%.
- Cellphone protection: 2%.
- Lost luggage insurance: 2%.
- Baggage delay insurance: 2%.
- Trip delay insurance: 2%.
- Trip cancellation: 2%.
- Purchase protection: 2%.
- Extended warranty: 2%.
- Return protection: 2%.
How to choose the best Hyatt credit card
If you want a cobranded Hyatt card, you don’t have much of a decision to make — you can choose the personal World of Hyatt card or the World of Hyatt business card. If you aren’t a business owner, then you will have to go with the personal card. If you can choose between either option, you’ll need to determine which card better suits your travel and financial goals as a business owner.
If you are open to general travel rewards cards, you can transfer Chase Ultimate Rewards points and Bilt Rewards points to World of Hyatt at a 1:1 ratio. This opens up cards like the Chase Sapphire Reserve, Chase Sapphire Preferred and Bilt World Elite Mastercard® as viable card options.
How to apply for a Hyatt credit card
The process of applying for a Hyatt credit card is very straightforward. First, you need to identify which card you want to apply for. Then, you’ll need to submit an application by providing personal information, which includes:
- Full name.
- Date of birth.
- Social Security number or tax ID number.
- Residential and mailing addresses.
- Email address.
- Phone number.
- Employment status and total gross income.
Then, read and accept the terms and conditions and click submit.
If you lock or freeze your credit profile, unlock or unfreeze it before you submit your application. Applying will result in a hard check on your profile, which can cause a temporary dip in your credit score. You should be notified immediately of the status of your application, but in some cases, it can take a few days to know whether you’ve been approved.
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Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
How to maximize your Hyatt loyalty program
You can get maximum value out of your Hyatt points in several ways. Hyatt publishes award charts, making it easy to locate good deals. For instance, here are the number of points per night to book a standard room:
| HOTEL CATEGORY | OFF-PEAK | STANDARD | PEAK |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3,500
| 5,000
| 6,500
|
| 2 | 6,500
| 8,000
| 9,500
|
| 3 | 9,000
| 12,000
| 15,000
|
| 4 | 12,000
| 15,000
| 18,000
|
| 5 | 17,000
| 20,000
| 23,000
|
| 6 | 21,000
| 25,000
| 29,000
|
| 7 | 25,000
| 30,000
| 35,000
|
| 8 | 35,000
| 40,000
| 45,000
|
Even in the highest category hotels, you can redeem for as little as 35,000 per night in the off-season. Some of these hotels can reach $1,000+ per night, so these redemption rates give you outsize value for your points. Plus, resort fees are waived when redeeming points, saving you a solid chunk of money.
There are different award charts depending on the room you choose and the type of property you’re staying in. For instance, there’s a separate award chart for all-inclusive resorts and for Miraval resorts. It’s important to research before booking to fully understand exactly what you’re paying.
Another great way to maximize your points is to use them for room upgrades on paid nights. You can upgrade from a standard room to a club room for as little as 3,000 points per night, significantly elevating your experience without additional costs or using too many points.
The more often you stay at Hyatt properties, the more you will understand the loyalty program and learn ways to earn greater benefits. Keep visiting Hyatt properties around the globe to work toward elite status and continue earning perks.
Alternative cards for Hyatt loyalists to consider
Apart from the two cobranded World of Hyatt credit cards, Hyatt loyalists have two cards to consider — the Chase Sapphire Preferred and Chase Sapphire Reserve.
The Sapphire cards are both excellent travel cards that can offer a ton of value for those who enjoy staying at Hyatt properties worldwide. Each of these cards provides a different utility, so Hyatt loyalists might find themselves with the World of Hyatt card and the Chase Sapphire Reserve or Preferred in their wallet simultaneously.
Frequently asked questions (FAQs)
Depending on individual financial and travel goals, a Hyatt credit card can be worth it. If you are a regular guest at Hyatt properties, a World of Hyatt credit card can help you earn more points per dollar, fast-track elite status and give you a free night award each year. If you only occasionally stay at Hyatt properties, a general travel rewards card like the Chase Sapphire Preferred or Reserve might be better.
To increase your chances of getting approved for the World of Hyatt credit card, you will likely need a good to excellent credit score. However, Chase will review a range of information, like your income, credit history and credit utilization.
The personal and business versions of the World of Hyatt credit card are pretty similar but have a few notable distinctions. The business card has a higher annual fee and a higher welcome bonus. The earning rates are comparable, but the business card has greater flexibility in which categories earn boosted rewards.
Also, the personal card receives a free night award each year, while the business card receives up to $100 back in Hyatt credits each year and a 10% redemption bonus after spending $50,000 in a calendar year (up to 200,000 points redeemed).
If you are a business owner, you will have to see if the personal or business card makes more sense for your financial situation.
The World of Hyatt credit card is issued by Chase.
Hyatt offers one personal card and one business card but you can only hold one at a time. Small business owners will need to decide which card best suits their financial goals and travel needs.
*The information for the The World of Hyatt Credit Card and World of Hyatt Business Credit Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Blueprint is an independent publisher and comparison service, not an investment advisor. The information provided is for educational purposes only and we encourage you to seek personalized advice from qualified professionals regarding specific financial decisions. Past performance is not indicative of future results.
Blueprint has an advertiser disclosure policy. The opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the Blueprint editorial staff alone. Blueprint adheres to strict editorial integrity standards. The information is accurate as of the publish date, but always check the provider’s website for the most current information.
