Chase and Hyatt have two co-branded credit cards — the World of Hyatt Credit Card (review) and the World of Hyatt Business Credit Card (review) — which are among the best hotel credit cards out there.
One of the awesome things about Hyatt’s two credit cards is that they can earn you elite nights, making it easier to qualify for status in the World of Hyatt program. In this post I wanted to get into the nitty-gritty of how that works. Furthermore, it appears that the five elite nights just for being a cardmember on the personal version of the card have already posted to accounts for 2023, which is awesome.
In this post:
Benefits of World of Hyatt Credit Cards
Chase and Hyatt have both the World of Hyatt Credit Card (a personal card) and the World of Hyatt Business Credit Card (a business card). Both cards have valuable benefits, though I think the personal card is considerably more compelling than the business card.
Perks of the World of Hyatt Card
The World of Hyatt Credit Card has a $95 annual fee and offers:
- Automatic World of Hyatt Discoverist status for as long as your account is open
- Five qualifying night credits toward your next tier status every year
- Two qualifying night credits toward your next tier status every time you spend $5,000 on your card
- A Category 1-4 anniversary free night certificate on your account anniversary every year
- A second Category 1-4 free night certificate when you spend $15,000 on the card in a calendar year
This means that you’re getting five elite nights toward status and a Category 1-4 free night certificate every year just for having the card. To me that more than justifies the annual fee, by a long shot (I consistently get $250+ of value out of the free night certificate alone). That doesn’t even factor in the incremental perks you can get for spending on the card.
Perks of the World of Hyatt Business Card
The World of Hyatt Business Credit Card has a $199 annual fee and offers:
- Automatic World of Hyatt Discoverist status for you and five employees for as long as your account is open
- Five qualifying night credits toward your next tier status every time you spend $10,000 on your card in a calendar year
- Up to $100 in Hyatt credits annually — get a $50 statement credit when you spend at least $50 at a Hyatt, and you can use this twice
- 10% back on World of Hyatt points redemptions for the remainder of the calendar year when you spend $50,000 on the card, with a maximum credit of 20,000 points
The business version of the card isn’t quite as rewarding as the personal version of the card, especially if you’re not a big spender. However, for businesses that spend quite a bit on credit cards, this can be the best card for earning elite status.
Earning status with World of Hyatt Credit Cards
Both the World of Hyatt Credit Card and World of Hyatt Business Credit Card offer the ability to earn elite nights. However, the ways in which you earn elite nights differ between the two cards, so let’s go over those details.
Earning elite nights with the World of Hyatt Card
The World of Hyatt Credit Card offers qualifying nights toward Hyatt status in two ways.
First of all, the World of Hyatt Card offers five elite nights annually just for having the card. There’s no spending required to earn these five elite nights, and you receive them for each calendar year in which you have the card, including the year in which you open the card.
Beyond that, the World of Hyatt Card offers two elite nights for every $5,000 spent on the card (in other words, that’s up to one elite night per $2,500 of spending). There’s no limit to how many elite nights you can earn this way, and the elite nights earned through spending on this card aren’t in any way tied to the calendar year. In other words, if you spent $2,500 on the card in 2022 and then spend $2,500 on the card in 2023, you’d earn two elite nights at that point.
Earning elite nights with the World of Hyatt Business Card
The World of Hyatt Business Credit Card offers five elite nights for every $10,000 spent on the card in a calendar year (in other words, that’s up to one elite night per $2,000 of spending). On this card the spending counter resets at the beginning of the calendar year, unlike on the personal credit card. In other words, if you spent $8,000 on the card in 2022, you’d still have to spend a full $10,000 in 2023 to earn five elite nights.
As you can see, this card offers elite nights for spending at an accelerated rate, though unlike the personal card, it doesn’t offer the five elite nights annually just for having the card.
When do World of Hyatt Credit Card elite nights post?
How soon do elite nights post from the World of Hyatt Credit Card and the World of Hyatt Business Credit Card?
- For the World of Hyatt Card’s five elite nights just for being a cardmember, the terms state that the nights will post within eight weeks of opening the card, and also within eight weeks of January 1 in subsequent years; however, in reality they post much faster than that, typically within days of opening the card, and within days of January 1 in subsequent years
- For both the World of Hyatt Card and World of Hyatt Business Card, the terms state that elite nights from spending will post within eight weeks of the month in which you complete eligible spending, though in practice they post much faster than that, typically within days of an eligible statement closing
World of Hyatt Credit Card elite nights FAQs
While the above hopefully covers most of the basics, I wanted to address some of the most frequently asked questions I get about earning elite nights with the World of Hyatt Credit Card and the World of Hyatt Business Credit Card.
Does Hyatt credit card spending count toward lifetime status?
Hyatt’s lifetime Globalist status is based on earning one million base points in the program. World of Hyatt members earn five base points per dollar spent on Hyatt stays, meaning you essentially have to spend $200,000 at Hyatts to earn lifetime Globalist status.
Credit card spending, and any elite nights earned through Hyatt credit cards, won’t count toward lifetime Globalist status. That’s because the qualification criteria is based solely on base points, and not based on elite qualifying nights (in which case it would count).
Does Hyatt credit card spending count toward Milestone Rewards?
With Hyatt, not all elite perks are tied directly to having status, but rather some require earning a certain number of elite nights in a year. In other words, this means you don’t get the “full” Globalist perks if you participate in some sort of status fast track opportunity.
For what it’s worth, Hyatt has the following Milestone Rewards, tied to elite nights:
- 10 qualifying nights or 25,000 base points — Discoverist status
- 20 qualifying nights or 35,000 base points — two club lounge access awards
- 30 qualifying nights or 50,000 base points — Explorist status, plus earn two club lounge access awards, plus a Category 1-4 free night award
- 40 qualifying nights or 65,000 base points — 5,000 bonus points, a $100 Hyatt gift card, or 10,000 points off a FIND experience
- 50 qualifying nights or 80,000 base points — two suite upgrade awards
- 60 qualifying nights or 100,000 base points — Globalist status, plus two suite upgrade awards, plus a Category 1-7 free night award, plus access to My Hyatt Concierge
- 70 qualifying nights — 10,000 bonus points or a suite upgrade award
- 80 qualifying nights — 10,000 bonus points or a suite upgrade award
- 90 qualifying nights — 10,000 bonus points or a suite upgrade award
- 100 qualifying nights — 10,000 bonus points or a suite upgrade award
Hyatt elite nights earned through Hyatt credit cards would count toward Milestone Rewards the same as any other stays.
Do you get elite nights for the complimentary Discoverist status?
One of the perks of both Hyatt credit cards is that you receive Discoverist status for as long as you have the card. Discoverist status ordinarily requires 10 elite qualifying nights or 25,000 base points per year. As a reminder, here are World of Hyatt’s elite thresholds:
- Discoverist status: 10 qualifying nights or 25,000 base points (equivalent to $5,000 of spending)
- Explorist status: 30 qualifying nights or 50,000 base points (equivalent to $10,000 of spending)
- Globalist status: 60 qualifying nights or 100,000 base points (equivalent to $20,000 of spending)
One common point of confusion is that people assume these cards really come with 15 elite nights per year. They assume you already get Discoverist status, and that any elite nights are on top of that. Note that while these cards offer Discoverist status, you don’t get the elite nights that correspond to that.
This means that if you have a Hyatt credit card, you’ll receive Discoverist status on an ongoing basis (and five elite nights every year if you have the personal card), but you’ll still need to qualify for Explorist or Globalist status based on the full criteria.
Earning Globalist status with World of Hyatt Credit Cards
World of Hyatt Globalist is my favorite top tier hotel status, and what I love is that the World of Hyatt Credit Card and World of Hyatt Business Credit Card make it easier to earn that. Let’s look at the best strategy for earning Globalist status with the card.
How much do you have to spend to earn Globalist status?
Hyatt Globalist ordinarily requires earning 60 qualifying nights in a year. So how much would you have to spend on a Hyatt credit card to earn that status?
On the World of Hyatt Credit Card, you’d need to spend $140,000 to earn Globalist status:
- This accounts for the five elite nights you get just for having the card, as well as the two elite nights you get for every $5,000 spent
- $140,000 of spending earns you 56 elite nights, plus the five elite nights just for having the card, for a total of 61 elite nights
Meanwhile on the World of Hyatt Business Credit Card, you’d need to spend $120,000 to earn Globalist status:
- This accounts for the five elite nights you get for every $10,000 spent
- $120,000 of spending earns you 60 elite nights, exactly enough for Globalist status
As you can see, the personal credit card offers more elite nights upfront, while the business credit card offers elite nights at a faster pace for spending (assuming you can reach the thresholds).
Don’t forget the value of Milestone Rewards
When doing the math on your Hyatt credit card spending, don’t forget the perks you’re racking up for passing certain elite thresholds:
- At 30 elite nights earn a Category 1-4 free night certificate
- At 40 elite nights earn 5,000 bonus points or a $100 Hyatt gift card
- At 50 elite nights earn two confirmed suite upgrade awards
- At 60 elite nights earn a Category 1-7 free night certificate plus two more confirmed suite upgrade awards
Then on the personal version of the card, you also receive an additional Category 1-4 free night certificate when you spend $15,000 on the card in a year.
You shouldn’t earn Globalist status exclusively through spending
Hyatt counts award nights toward status, and just for having the World of Hyatt Credit Card you get a free night every year, plus the opportunity to earn a further three free nights for spending $15,000, earning Explorist status, and earning Globalist status.
On top of that, presumably you want to earn Globalist status because you actually intend to stay at Hyatts with some frequency. Hotel status is worthless if you don’t actually stay at that brand.
To be realistic, let’s assume that long term you’re earning 30 elite nights per year through actual stays. There are so many great Globalist benefits to use (like confirmed suite upgrades and your free night certificates), so if you’re staying at Hyatts less than that I question whether Globalist is worth it for you.
If you earned 30 of the required 60 elite nights through credit card spending, you’d need to spend the following:
- $65,000 worth of spending on the World of Hyatt Card
- $60,000 worth of spending on the World of Hyatt Business Card
Opportunity cost of Hyatt credit card spending
When deciding if it makes sense to spend money on the World of Hyatt Credit Card or World of Hyatt Business Credit Card, consider the opportunity cost of the spending.
Looking at my post about the best credit cards for everyday spending:
- The best personal cards offer a return of up to ~3.4% by my valuation; that includes the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card (review), Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card (review), and Citi® Double Cash Card (review), which potentially offer 2x transferable points per dollar spent
- The best business cards offer a return of ~3.4%; that includes The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express (review) and Capital One Spark Miles for Business Card (review)
There are of course some restrictions on that return on spending, so it won’t necessarily be that high for everyone.
Personally I value World of Hyatt points at ~1.5 cents each, and in non-bonused categories you’re earning one Hyatt point per dollar spent.
If we were to theoretically assume you’re spending $60,000 on a Hyatt credit card per year (give or take) in order to earn Globalist status, what’s the opportunity cost of that spending? By my math, you’re looking at an opportunity cost of up to 1.9% (the spread between a 3.4% return and 1.5% return). That’s around ~$1,140, if you value things the way that I do.
But that’s not factoring in the value of all the other perks mentioned above:
- It doesn’t factor in up to two Category 1-4 free nights you’d get if you’re spending on the personal card, as these are valid at properties costing up to 15,000 points
- It doesn’t factor in a Category 1-7 free night, valid at properties costing up to 30,000 points
- It doesn’t factor in a $100 Hyatt gift card
- It doesn’t factor in four confirmed suite upgrades
For many, I think the above perks could more than justify the difference in return on spending otherwise.
Bottom line
There are many things to love about the World of Hyatt Credit Card and World of Hyatt Business Credit Card, though the ability to get a fast track toward status is probably my favorite perk. I absolutely love Hyatt Globalist status, and credit cards have historically helped me requalify for status. If you’re a Hyatt loyalist and don’t yet have the hotel group’s co-branded credit cards, they’re seriously worth considering.
What has your experience been using World of Hyatt Credit Cards to earn elite status?
Happy New Year Ben and Team OMAAT.
Two (2) data points FWIW:
(1) I spoke with Chase several times, late in the year for clarification on the $5000=2 elite nights benefit. (It's been difficult to track as due to it's not having been tied to a calendar or credit card year. Well, surprise, surprise, surprise! After multiple agents (all identifying themselves as "supervisors") I was told by the 3rd (higher level?) supervisor not only...
Happy New Year Ben and Team OMAAT.
Two (2) data points FWIW:
(1) I spoke with Chase several times, late in the year for clarification on the $5000=2 elite nights benefit. (It's been difficult to track as due to it's not having been tied to a calendar or credit card year. Well, surprise, surprise, surprise! After multiple agents (all identifying themselves as "supervisors") I was told by the 3rd (higher level?) supervisor not only what appeared to be my correct progress toward my next $5000 (he had to go back to day 1 when I first received my card), but also told me that the $5000 benefit is no longer a rolling benefit, but that now (I'm guessing as of 1-Jan-23) like the $15,000 benefit it is based upon calendar year spend and does not roll over.
Having never received any notification, I'm still not 100% sure; however, the switch to a calendar year-based calculation would make sense, since (a) it is much simpler to track and manage. Currently, it is a nightmare for Chase agents as well as cardholders to track that $5000 status without some sort of meter to track continuously that status; and (b) with no rollover feature, the breakage would work solely to the detriment of the cardholder—not Chase or Hyatt.
(2) As of mid-December I was short 2 nights of reaching a milestone award, so the timing of the 2-night credit for reaching a $5000 spend was now of some consequence. My Hyatt points always have always posted on the same day as the end of my Visa billing cycle, and my 2 elite nights have always posted on the day after the end of my Visa billing cycle; so I was concerned about which year Hyatt would credit those 2 nights: (i) 2022, the year I passed the $5000 mark; or (ii) 2023, the year in which the Visa billing cycle (in which I passed the $5000 mark) ends.
Chase told me to contact Hyatt, as that was Hyatt’s bailiwick. The Hyatt Globalist agent whom I reached advised me that the 2 nights would be credited in 2023. This was spoken definitively and repeatedly with an air of sober confidence. While all that sounded plausible, having learned the hard way to doubt the accuracy of a call center agent’s oral confirmation (especially post-Covid), I wrote to my longtime Globalist Concierge, advising of the above and asking for clarification. To my surprise, I received the opposite answer (confirmed twice) that despite what I had previously been told, Hyatt would be crediting the 2 nights in the year which the qualifying $5000 spend occurred—i.e. 2022.
In January, after my Visa billing cycle ends, I’ll find out the answer, but until then I’m not counting on anything. As of today, 4-Jan-23, I show zero elite night, so not even the annual 5-night credit has been posted.
FWIW, I was told by Chase in no uncertain terms that the spend (and subsequent) elite night credits would count in the year that it was spent. Was sitting at 69 nights and wanted to reach the next milestone reward when I spoke to the agent.
Exactly my experience. My cycle will come up on January 27th so let's see what happens
DP - My Chase elite nights from WOH CC spend at the end of December posted yesterday, which got me to the 70 nights milestone. Immediately thereafter, I received an email from WOH giving me the choice between 10k points or 1 suite upgrade.
I didn’t realize the $5K spend was NOT on the calendar year. How are we supposed to know and track?! I did mattress runs and spent $15K towards the end of the year, expecting the 6 night credits but only 4 posted. It turned out 2 night credits were posted earlier in the year for reaching the first $5K then. I’m now short the 2 night credits to meet the 60 nights required for Globalist.
...I didn’t realize the $5K spend was NOT on the calendar year. How are we supposed to know and track?! I did mattress runs and spent $15K towards the end of the year, expecting the 6 night credits but only 4 posted. It turned out 2 night credits were posted earlier in the year for reaching the first $5K then. I’m now short the 2 night credits to meet the 60 nights required for Globalist.
Any suggestions on what I can do, talk to Chase or Hyatt, for 2 more night credits for 2022?
If there is someone who knows a “trick” or have a recommendation so that Europeans who do not live in USA or have a green card can apply for the chase credit card please let me know.
I have the world of Hyatt business card and signed up during the double night promotion. I was at 59 nights on Dec. 31st and one of the bonus nights have not posted yet and I am very worried that I might’ve missed globalist by one night. Seems like everything has reseted to 0 and I’m still showing Explorist. Will I still get that final bonus night?! Anyone knows if the double night promotion even...
I have the world of Hyatt business card and signed up during the double night promotion. I was at 59 nights on Dec. 31st and one of the bonus nights have not posted yet and I am very worried that I might’ve missed globalist by one night. Seems like everything has reseted to 0 and I’m still showing Explorist. Will I still get that final bonus night?! Anyone knows if the double night promotion even if it posts this month will it go for 2022 and I’ll be upgraded to globalist this month?
I'm in the same boat. would love an answer on this.
I spoke with a Hyatt supervisor and she says that any nights with bonus incurred in 2022 will go toward 2022 status. They say its up to Chase to first send any bonus nights to them and then they will update in the system. But I still feel stressed that it might not happen for whatever reason. I guess I just have to wait and see?!?
"in other words, that's 1 night per $2500 spent"...no. it's 2 nights per $5k spent. Mathematically you can reduce that fraction, but I don't get 3 nights for spending $7500. Breaking it down as 1 night per $2500 on WOH or 1 night per $2000 on the business card is misleading.
My free night for 15K in spend posted, but the 2 qualifying nights have not. The spend was reached at the end of November and the bill paid in early December. Am getting nervous as those two nights are needed for Globalist for 2023.
Your nights should have credited a few days after your statement posted in December. Mine always credit in my Hyatt account 4-5 days after the statement closes.
My 5 nights for holding the personal card haven't posted yet. Wonder what others are experiencing?
@ Bobo -- The nights definitely post in batches, so I imagine if they haven't posted already, they will in the next few days.
Mine posted today.
How does the Business 10% rebate work? Meaning, if I have an existing award reservation that cost 200k points and then I put 50k spend on the card before the stay will i get the 20k rebate? Or would I only get the rebate for reservations made after the 50k spend?
Mine haven't posted yet either. I can't remember last year when they posted but I don't think it was in the first few days of January. Anxiously waiting for the 5 free nights to post for having the Chase Hyatt Credit Card.