Some hotel chains have two or more different credit cards, but Hyatt is one of the chains that only has one card you can apply for.
So is it worth getting the Hyatt credit card? For many people I’d say the answer is yes, so read on to find out why.
Just to clarify: we don’t have any credit card affiliate links on No Home Just Roam – here’s why. The only reason I write about credit cards is because they can be a great way to help you travel more for less.
Hyatt Credit Card Guide
Annual Fee
The card’s annual fee is $75 which may (or may not) sound high to you. You can get great value out of the card though that will more than offset the fee.
Signup Bonus
The signup bonus for the Hyatt credit card changed recently. You used to get two free nights at any Hyatt hotel or resort worldwide, but that changed in June 2017.
The new standard signup bonus is 40,000 bonus points when spending $2,000 in the first three months of account opening.
Here’s the World of Hyatt reward night chart:
As you can see, 40,000 points can get you as many as eight free nights in a category 1 hotel, five nights in a category 2, two nights in a category 5 or many other permutations.
You’ll also receive an additional 5,000 bonus points when adding an authorized user and they make a purchase within the first three months.
It’s likely that this signup bonus will change at various points in the future. Before applying, you should always check out Doctor of Credit’s list of best current signup bonuses to make sure you’re getting the best offer. DoC don’t use credit card affiliate links either, so they’ll always have the best available offer and unbiased information.
Category Bonuses
The Hyatt credit card has a few categories that earn bonus points:
- 3 points per $1 spent at Hyatt hotels and resorts
- 2 points per $1 spent at:
- Restaurants
- Airlines when booking directly with the airline (i.e. not through OTAs like Expedia)
- Car rental agencies
- 1 point per $1 spent everywhere else
These category bonuses aren’t particularly generous. It’s therefore not a card that’s worth using for everyday spend as you can nearly always do better using different credit cards.
Anniversary Free Night Certificate
This is the reason why it’s worth keeping the Hyatt credit card year after year and paying the $75 annual fee. At renewal each year, you get a free night certificate that can be used at any category 1-4 Hyatt hotel worldwide.
As we’ve written about before, it’s possible to get $500 of value out of the certificate which more than offsets the fee. If both you and a partner get the card, it means you can have a really nice weekend away for only the cost of two annual fees.
World Of Hyatt Status
Their credit card comes with Discoverist status for as long as you keep the card. This isn’t a super-valuable status, but it does give you free complimentary internet, room upgrades, late check-out and more.
No Foreign Transaction Fees
Many people will use the Hyatt credit card to pay for overseas stays, so it’s good they don’t charge foreign transaction fees.
Chase 5/24 Rule
The Hyatt credit card is issued by Chase but isn’t subject to their 5/24 rule. As a quick overview, that rule means you won’t get accepted for some Chase-issued cards if you’ve opened five or more credit cards in the last 24 months.
This card is one of the exceptions, so you can apply at any time.
Is It Worth Getting?
In my opinion, for most people it’s worth getting the Hyatt credit card at some point. The signup bonus can get you up to eight free nights in Hyatt hotels and the annual free night certificate makes it worth keeping each year.
The downside to Hyatt is that they only have ~700 hotels worldwide. That means they might not have a presence in the location(s) you want to visit.
Questions
What are your thoughts on the Hyatt credit card? Do you have it and if so, what’s been your best redemption of your anniversary free night certificate?
If you don’t have it yet, does this make you want to apply for the card? Let us know in the comments below.
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