Chase and World of Hyatt have a co-branded credit card agreement, which currently includes both the World of Hyatt Credit Card (review) and the World of Hyatt Business Credit Card (review).
For years, many have wondered if World of Hyatt might eventually introduce a more premium credit card in addition to the current consumer card. After all, Hilton Honors and Marriott Bonvoy have premium cards in the form of the Hilton Honors Aspire Card from American Express (review) and the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card (review).
The information and associated card details on this page for the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card has been collected independently by OMAAT and has not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
While it’s anyone’s guess if this happens, it’s interesting to note that this concept is at least being surveyed.
In this post:
New World of Hyatt premium credit card survey
FlyerTalk member Fluff Ermine reports receiving a survey about a possible new premium card. Before we go over the details, let me emphasize that just because something like this is being surveyed doesn’t mean it will actually happen. And if it does happen, it may look totally different than what’s being proposed now. The only thing we can say with any certainty is that this card is at least being considered.
With that in mind, the survey seeks feedback on the following potential details and benefits:
- The annual fee on the card could be $250, $350, or $450
- The card could offer 3x points on your top two spending categories (from a list of eligible categories)
- The card could offer 10 elite nights toward status annually for being a cardmember, rather than the five elite nights offered by the current personal card
- The card could offer a Category 1-5 anniversary free night award rather than the Category 1-4 free night award offered by the current personal card
- The card could offer a second Category 1-5 free night award when you spend $25,000 on the card in a year, rather than the Category 1-4 free night award offered by the current personal card after spending $15,000
- The card could also offer the ability to earn more Category 1-5 free night awards for spending, with one for every $25,000 spent, up to $100,000
- The card could offer the ability to swap certificates for higher value ones, like being able to trade Category 1-4 free night awards for Category 1-6 or Category 1-8 free night awards
- The card could offer the ability to extend free night certificates via spending or via a flat fee of 5,000 points
- The card could offer statement credits for Hyatt stays or on-premises spending
- The card could offer World of Hyatt Explorist status for the first year and World of Hyatt Discoverist status in subsequent years
- The card could offer double Milestone Rewards after the 60-night threshold; rather than earning 10,000 World of Hyatt points or one suite night award for every 10 nights, you could earn 20,000 points or two suite night awards
Let me again emphasize that this is all just a survey at this point, and there are presumably many more details that aren’t even being surveyed yet. Furthermore, surveys are intended to test multiple concepts, and likely won’t fully reflect the final product, if the card does come to market.
My take on a possible premium World of Hyatt credit card
Premium credit cards have become incredibly popular with consumers nowadays, whether they’re bank cards, or are issued as co-branded airline or hotel cards. These cards offer lots of perks but with higher annual fees.
There’s huge value to having hotel credit cards, especially given the elite status and free night awards that they potentially offer. With that in mind, a few thoughts:
- While Hilton Honors and Marriott Bonvoy offer high-tier elite status just for being a cardmember, I don’t think World of Hyatt will offer Globalist status just for being a cardmember; I’d consider that to be a good thing, in terms of maintaining the value of the status
- One way this card could add more value is to at least increase the ease with which you can earn Globalist status; 10 elite nights for being a cardmember, combined with an accelerated rate of earning elite nights for spending, could do the trick
- I’m happy to see that something higher than Category 1-4 free night awards are being considered; we’ve seen so much hotel category inflation in recent years, so this is really needed
- I like the idea of being able to earn more free night awards with spending, since it would add value beyond just the elite nights
- Often, very loyal guests don’t see value in having a premium co-branded credit card, so I think offering increased Milestone Rewards for 70-100 elite nights is brilliant
Honestly, I find the value of premium hotel credit cards to pretty consistently be excellent, so I’m sure the value of this would be good as well. Now we just have to hope that it actually happens.
Bottom line
Chase and World of Hyatt are at least considering introducing a new premium credit card. It’s anyone’s guess if this card is ever introduced, though I’m happy it’s being surveyed.
What would you like to see from a premium World of Hyatt credit card?
only works if the spending is on the business side
Like to see globalist status !!!
Honestly, the current situation isn't great. I spend just enough on my WoH card to make sure I get to Globalist (including anticipated Hyatt stays). After that, I pretty much stop using it since I can earn 5x more Hyatt points on category spend using Freedom or Freedom Flex, 3x more Hyatt points on travel through Sapphire Reserve, 1.5x more Hyatt points on everyday spend through Freedom Unlimited and 2x more Hyatt points on everyday...
Honestly, the current situation isn't great. I spend just enough on my WoH card to make sure I get to Globalist (including anticipated Hyatt stays). After that, I pretty much stop using it since I can earn 5x more Hyatt points on category spend using Freedom or Freedom Flex, 3x more Hyatt points on travel through Sapphire Reserve, 1.5x more Hyatt points on everyday spend through Freedom Unlimited and 2x more Hyatt points on everyday spend on Bilt day. The only exception is how much you value SUAs and whether they are worth the points you are foregoing by not using those better credit cards to earn Hyatt points.
This is intriguing. There are a lot of good properties in that Cat 5 area right now. For me, offering a better spend multiple is much more appealing. I've considered the WOH card, but I feel like the restaurant category is crowded among the transferable currency cards. The travel category on the card is narrow, and the gym membership benefit doesn't move the needle. Wyndham figured it out on offering good multiples on gas. You...
This is intriguing. There are a lot of good properties in that Cat 5 area right now. For me, offering a better spend multiple is much more appealing. I've considered the WOH card, but I feel like the restaurant category is crowded among the transferable currency cards. The travel category on the card is narrow, and the gym membership benefit doesn't move the needle. Wyndham figured it out on offering good multiples on gas. You got to offer 3x restaurant to be competitive on that category. If a hotel card ever figured out how to put a decent multiple in entertainment or online shopping, they would drive a lot of spend on the card.
For a $450 card, i'd love to see a Category 7 free night and a decent accelerated globalist process.
It's a solid foundation to start, but they can simplify this pretty easily:
- Make the certs Cat6 and scrap the trade up plans (or offer Cat5 for holding the card and Cat6 after certain spending threshold)
- 10 elite nights
- Improved bonus categories
- Double milestone rewards for Globalist
- Statement credit for resort spending
That pretty easily justifies $450 for me.
I miss the days of they Hyatt CC coming with two Cat 1-7 certs for signup bonus with no AF :(
Frankly they should just up the fee of the WOH card to $150 and bump the cat 4 to cat 5.
I suppose with all the other benefits plus the Cat 5, $250 is still alright. But if it's $450, that should be a Cat 7.
If you hold the card for the full year, some percentage of your spend counting towards lifetime status would be interesting.
I'm definitely the target market for this card. I'm generally right on the cusp of the 60 night threshold from natural travel patterns, so an incremental five nights plus a slightly accelerated night rate from spending would be something I'd use.
I'm also near (ish) a pretty nice Hyatt resort property that happens to be Category 5 (so naturally, if this card does come out, it will inflate to Category 6 ;-)).
What’s being floated sounds a little too "coupon book" for me. A premium experience shouldn't involve a cardholder thinking "hmmm, have I spent enough on this card to earn the right to extend the validity on my free night cert?"
Ostensibly a premium credit card is geared towards a high-earning demographic, and rich people ain't got time for all that. Us points and miles fiends who will scratch-and-claw to eek out all value from a...
What’s being floated sounds a little too "coupon book" for me. A premium experience shouldn't involve a cardholder thinking "hmmm, have I spent enough on this card to earn the right to extend the validity on my free night cert?"
Ostensibly a premium credit card is geared towards a high-earning demographic, and rich people ain't got time for all that. Us points and miles fiends who will scratch-and-claw to eek out all value from a card represent just a fraction of consumers.
I agree with Josh - this wouldn't move the needle for me. What would move the needle is Hyatt saying "member properties need to stick by the rules, not blanket deny Globalist benefits because they feel like it. If you don't stick to program rules, you're not in the Hyatt program anymore."
Of course, this is telling your customer they're wrong. So Hyatt is going to continue to cave whenever Centric Waikiki denies breakfast, when...
I agree with Josh - this wouldn't move the needle for me. What would move the needle is Hyatt saying "member properties need to stick by the rules, not blanket deny Globalist benefits because they feel like it. If you don't stick to program rules, you're not in the Hyatt program anymore."
Of course, this is telling your customer they're wrong. So Hyatt is going to continue to cave whenever Centric Waikiki denies breakfast, when Hyatt Regency London Albert Embankment says they don't need to honor suite upgrades, etc. They're going to be Marriott in no time at this rate...
The cat 1-5 free night award and the ability to buy-up to even higher category awards could be enticing, as categories 1-4 are pretty tough to find beyond the (very unexciting) Hyatt Places/Hyatt Houses in most major North American cities. I’d also appreciate the ability to pair an award certificate with a suite upgrade.
On the flip side, I think the 5/10 free nights is gimmicky, as I think most people with status have...
The cat 1-5 free night award and the ability to buy-up to even higher category awards could be enticing, as categories 1-4 are pretty tough to find beyond the (very unexciting) Hyatt Places/Hyatt Houses in most major North American cities. I’d also appreciate the ability to pair an award certificate with a suite upgrade.
On the flip side, I think the 5/10 free nights is gimmicky, as I think most people with status have it simply by virtue of their natural travel patterns. I see this perk mostly helping mattress runners, which probably wouldn’t add much to Hyatt’s bottom line.
People spending on the cards helps their bottom line...
I really hope it happens, but I'm sure it's still 1-2 years away.