Those with the legacy Hyatt Credit Card can expect that their card will automatically be converted to the World of Hyatt Credit Card as of early 2021.
Migrating to the World of Hyatt Credit Card
The World of Hyatt Credit Card was introduced in 2018, and it replaced the previous Hyatt Credit Card. Those who had the Hyatt Credit Card could choose whether they wanted to keep that card or “upgrade” to the World of Hyatt Credit Card.
Up until now, it has been possible to keep the old card, even though it hasn’t been open to new applications. Well, that will be changing soon — on January 11, 2021, those with the Hyatt Credit Card will automatically have their card migrated to the World of Hyatt Credit Card.
All cardmembers will be converted to the World of Hyatt Card
Hyatt Credit Card members can earn a free night
As a special thank you, those with the legacy Hyatt Credit Card can earn a free night at any Category 1-4 property when they spend $4,000 on their card between October 27 and December 31, 2020. Cardmembers have until November 30, 2020, to register.
This promotion is only for those with the Hyatt Credit Card, and not for those with the World of Hyatt Credit Card.
Earn an extra Category 1-4 free night certificate
What are the differences between the two cards?
The one major benefit of the Hyatt Credit Card has been that it has a $75 annual fee, while the World of Hyatt Credit Card has a $95 annual fee, so those with the legacy card will have to pay $20 more per year. Both cards offer a Category 1-4 free night certificate on your cardmember anniversary, so those who had the card exclusively for that perk might not be happy that they have to pay $20 more per year.
However, in every other way, and especially for Hyatt loyalists, the World of Hyatt Credit Card is superior. Among other things, the card offers:
- More opportunities to earn elite nights, including five elite nights towards status annually just for having the card, and an additional two elite nights for every $5,000 spent
- A second Category 1-4 free night certificate when you spend $15,000 on the card in a year
- A better points earning structure, including more points on Hyatt spending
It’s easier to earn Globalist status with the World of Hyatt Credit Card
Free nights go from cardmember year to calendar year
Starting January 1, 2022, World of Hyatt Card Category 1-4 free night certificates earned through spending will be based on the calendar year rather than the cardmember year. I’d view this as a positive:
- Previously there was no easy way to track your cardmember year spending amount, so going off a calendar year makes it easier to track
- This better aligns with the structure of the World of Hyatt program, including elite status and Milestone Rewards
Bottom line
In January 2021, anyone who has the legacy Hyatt Credit Card will automatically have their product converted to the World of Hyatt Credit Card. The card does have an annual fee that’s $20 higher, though personally, I think it’s well worth it for any Hyatt loyalist.
Make no mistake, this is a negative development — customers are losing an option to keep a legacy card when they could have previously voluntarily upgraded. However, I also can’t blame Chase and Hyatt for wanting to streamline their products, since it’s better to be able to offer a consistent experience to cardmembers.
Have any of you kept the old Hyatt Credit Card, and will therefore be impacted by this change?
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