The Best Credit Cards for Hyatt

Hyatt loyalists don't have as many co-branded card options as fans of hotel brands might — but the two available choices are strong ones. And if you're focused on earning Hyatt points, a flexible points-earning card that transfers points to Hyatt could be a good pick, too.

World of Hyatt Credit Card

The World of Hyatt Credit Card, the only co-branded personal card from Hyatt, is a strong pick if you're looking for a fast track to elite status and an annual free night certificate. It offers strong earnings if you’re a frequent guest of Hyatt. With a $95 annual fee, you’ll receive several perks, including:

• Welcome offer: Earn up to 60,000 Bonus Points. 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.

• 9x points at hotels in the World of Hyatt program, 2x points on local transit, commuting, dining, flights booked directly with the airline and gym memberships, and 1x point everywhere else.

• Complimentary Discoverist elite status.

• An annual free night certificate valid at Category 1-4 hotels after their cardmember anniversary.

• Five elite night credits each year. (These credits can't be redeemed for free nights; instead, they count toward elite status.)

• Earn two elite night credits for every $5,000 in spending.

• Earn a second free night certificate valid at Category 1-4 hotels after spending $15,000 in a calendar year.

Although this card doesn’t offer higher-end perks like airport lounge access or midtier elite status, you can still get value out of the card — especially with the annual free night certificate.

» Learn more: The best hotel credit cards right now

World of Hyatt Business Credit Card

For small business owners, there's also the World of Hyatt Business Credit Card, which offers more business-oriented benefits for its $199 annual fee:

• Welcome offer: 60,000 Bonus Points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening.

• 9x points at hotels in the World of Hyatt program; 2x points in your top three spending categories each quarter through Dec. 31, 2024, then 2x points in your top two spending categories — including dining, gas stations and internet, cable and phone services — each quarter; 2x points on fitness clubs and gyms; and 1x point on all other purchases.

• Complimentary Discoverist elite status for you and up to five employees.

• Earn five elite night credits for every $10,000 spent.

• Up to $100 each year in Hyatt statement credits.

• Get a 10% rebate on redeemed points after spending $50,000 in a calendar year.

Although this card doesn’t provide a free night certificate, high spenders will appreciate that 10% rebate on points and the ability to give Discoverist elite status to their employees.

» Learn more: Things to know before getting the World of Hyatt Card

Aside from Hyatt cards, you can also get a card that earns points that can be transferred to Hyatt. These flexible travel cards could be more useful for some.

Chase Sapphire Reserve®

Consider the Chase Sapphire Reserve®, which is a high-end travel credit card featuring a $550 annual fee. In return, you’ll receive a $300 annual travel credit, a Priority Pass membership and access to the full suite of Chase Ultimate Rewards® transfer partners. Hyatt is a 1:1 transfer partner with Chase, which means that one Chase point becomes one Hyatt point.

The Chase Sapphire Reserve® earns 3x points on all travel and dining. This includes flights, transit and all hotels — not just Hyatt locations. If you book your hotel or rental car through Chase, you'll earn 10x points. Compare this to the World of Hyatt Credit Card, which earns 9x Hyatt points at Hyatt hotels and 2x Hyatt points on dining.

At 9x points at Hyatt hotels, the World of Hyatt Credit Card outearns the Chase Sapphire Reserve® at these properties — but nowhere else.

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is a midtier travel card that also offers a 1:1 transfer ratio on points, including to Hyatt properties. With a more affordable $95 annual fee, this card earns 2x points on travel and 3x points on dining, providing similar point earnings to the Chase Sapphire Reserve®.

If you decide to pay for your next hotel stay in cash, you could earn 5x points if you book through Chase's portal.

Let’s say you spent $120 at dinner. When using your Chase Sapphire Reserve® or Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card to pay, you’ll earn 360 Ultimate Rewards® points, which can be converted into 360 Hyatt points.

Were you to use your World of Hyatt Credit Card instead, you’d earn just 240 Hyatt points.

Of course, since both the Chase Sapphire Reserve® and Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card earn a flexible point currency, you also have the option to transfer to one of Chase’s many hotel and airline partners. This means you can choose to transfer some of your points to Hyatt for a vacation, then transfer the rest to an airline like United Airlines for reward flights to your destination.

» Learn more: Is the World of Hyatt Credit Card right for me?

Of the eligible cards for earning Hyatt points, only one card makes the cut on our current list of the best travel card sign-up offers: the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card. The card's current welcome offer is: Earn 100,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.

Points from this card can be redeemed through Chase's travel portal for a value of 1.25 cents each; however, if you transfer your points to its partner Hyatt, you could get much more than that.

If you have your heart set on a co-branded card, you'll get a slightly better value out of the World of Hyatt Credit Card than the World of Hyatt Business Credit Card.

» Learn more: The most valuable Hyatt credit card offer right now

It’s possible to earn more Hyatt points with a Chase Sapphire Reserve® or Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card rather than Hyatt’s co-branded options. But points aren’t everything.

If earning status is your priority, go with the World of Hyatt Credit Card or the World of Hyatt Business Credit Card. Both come with complimentary elite status and let you spend your way to higher status levels through elite night credits, which you can't do with the Chase Sapphire cards.

» Learn more: Reasons to consider the World of Hyatt Credit Card

Photo courtesy of Hyatt.