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Do you love staying at Hyatt hotels but hate the high price tags? Did you know that you can stay at any Hyatt hotel for free using points earned from travel credit cards? It’s true!
Whether staying at inexpensive Hyatt Place hotels in the middle of nowhere or luxurious Park Hyatts in posh European cities, it is possible to stay at Hyatt properties without shelling out a single penny.
This blog post will discuss how to get free nights at Hyatt hotels and some of the best travel credit cards to help you get closer to a free hotel stay booked on World of Hyatt points.
So whether you are planning a vacation, staycation, or just need a place to stay for a business trip, read on to learn how to take advantage of these great cards!
Why We Love Hyatt Hotels
Undoubtedly, Hyatt is one of my favorite hotel brands because of how inexpensive their award nights are compared to other hotels.
Case in point, a Hyatt top-tier Category 7 hotel will set you back 30,000 points per night, whereas a Marriott or Hilton will cost at least 70,000 points for the same level of accommodation.
Indeed, the World of Hyatt’s award chart is incredibly generous, as they consistently charge far fewer points on average across all of their properties. In fact, I recently stayed at the Hyatt Centric Murano Venice, where we booked a night for as low as 9,000 Hyatt points since it’s a Category 3 Hyatt property.
Even though Hyatt does not have as expansive a footprint as some of its competitors, I sometimes find myself going to places where there are Hyatt hotels to take advantage of free rooms and save money on accommodations. Check out Hyatt’s generous award chart in the following section.
Hyatt’s Award Chart: How Many Hyatt Points Do We Need?
There are a lot of variables that will determine the amount of World of Hyatt points you will need for a particular redemption. The best way to determine is to run the award searches themselves. Here are some of the variables that can influence the points Hyatt will require:
- Season: Peak or Off-Peak
- Room Type: Standard room or Suites
- Category: Hyatt has 8 Hotel Categories
If you are curious about the categories of specific Hyatt properties around the globe, feel free to check out this handy Hyatt Location Search Tool or this Hyatt Map.
Credit Cards That Earn World of Hyatt Points
The first step in earning free nights at Hyatt properties is to sign up for a travel credit card that offers generous sign-up bonuses that can be redeemed at Hyatt properties.
Some of the best travel credit cards for this are the ones that earn Chase Ultimate Rewards points, as those points transfer to the World of Hyatt program at a conversion rate of 1:1.
1 Chase Ultimate Rewards Point = 1 World of Hyatt Point
Chase also offers co-branded World of Hyatt credit cards – both consumer (personal) and business, that earn World of Hyatt points.
In the following section, I will rank my favorite credit cards that are guaranteed to give you the World of Hyatt points you need to stay at Hyatt properties for free.
The Best Credit Cards to Earn Free World of Hyatt Stays
Number 1: Chase Sapphire Preferred
Sign-Up Bonus (SUB): 60,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards Points or 60,000 World of Hyatt Points
Minimum Spend Requirement (MSR): $4,000 in 3 months
Annual Fee (AF): $95
Why We Love This Card? Aside from the sign-up bonus (SUB), which can at least get you a few nights’ hotel stays for free, this card also earns the following:
5X PER DOLLAR
- 5X points on travel booked through the Chase Travel Portal
3X PER DOLLAR
- 3X Ultimate Rewards points on restaurants, streaming services, and online groceries (excluding Target, Walmart, and wholesale clubs). Note this also excludes in-store grocery purchases.
2X PER DOLLAR
- 2X Ultimate Rewards points on all travel purchases outside the Chase Travel Portal and 1X Ultimate Rewards points on all other spending.
1X PER DOLLAR
- 1 point per dollar spent on all other purchases.
Welcome offers change periodically. For the most recent offer, click here.
For instructions on transferring Chase Ultimate Rewards Points to the World of Hyatt program, feel free to look at this step-by-step guide.
Number 2: Chase Ink Business Cash
Sign-Up Bonus (SUB): 75,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards Points or 75,000 World of Hyatt Points
Minimum Spend Requirement (MSR): $7,500 in 3 months
Annual Fee (AF): $0
Why We Love This Card? It has zero annual fee plus it earns extra points on the following categories:
- 5X at Office Supply Stores
- 5X on Phone, Internet, and Cable
- 2X on Gas and Restaurants
Welcome offers change periodically. For the most recent offer, click here.
Since this is a no-annual-fee card, your points will be given as cashback. You must own a premium card like the Chase Sapphire Preferred to convert the cashback points to the World of Hyatt points. Look at this step-by-step guide for instructions on transferring cashback points to the World of Hyatt program.
The Chase Ink Business Cash is a business credit card; therefore, there is a specific way to fill out a business credit card application. If this is your first business credit card, here’s a step-by-step guide on how to apply.
Number 3: Chase Freedom Flex
Sign-Up Bonus (SUB): 20,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards Points or 20,000 World of Hyatt Points
Minimum Spend Requirement (MSR): $500 in 3 months
Annual Fee (AF): $0
Welcome offers change periodically. For the most recent offer, click here.
Why We Love This Card? This no-annual-fee card gives the following spending bonuses:
3X Per Dollar
Restaurants and drugstores. It also gives 5X each quarter at various merchants. Registration is required to unlock the 5X points per dollar benefit.
| Quarter & Year | Chase Freedom 5X Categories |
| Q4 2022 | Walmart and PayPal |
Since this is a no-annual-fee card, your points will be given as cashback. You must own a premium card like the Chase Sapphire Preferred to convert the cashback points to the World of Hyatt points. Look at this step-by-step guide for instructions on transferring cashback points to the World of Hyatt program.
Number 4: Chase Ink Business Unlimited
Sign-Up Bonus (SUB): 75,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards Points or 75,000 World of Hyatt Points
Minimum Spend Requirement (MSR): $7,500 in 3 months
Annual Fee (AF): $0
Welcome offers change periodically. For the most recent offer, click here.
Since this is a no-annual-fee card, your points will be given as cashback. You must own a premium card like the Chase Sapphire Preferred to convert the cashback points to the World of Hyatt points. Look at this step-by-step guide for instructions on transferring cashback points to the World of Hyatt program.
The Chase Ink Business Unlimited is a business credit card; therefore, there is a specific way to fill out a business credit card application. If this is your first business credit card, here’s a step-by-step guide on how to apply.
Number 5: The World of Hyatt Credit Card (Consumer/Personal)
Sign-Up Bonus (SUB): Earn 30,000 Bonus Points after you spend $3,000 on purchases in your first three months from account opening. Plus, up to 30,000 More Bonus Points by earning 2 Bonus Points total per $1 spent in the first six months from account opening on purchases that typically earn 1 Bonus Point on up to $15,00075,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards Points or 75,000 World of Hyatt Points.
Minimum Spend Requirement (MSR): Please see above
Annual Fee (AF): $95
Points earned from this credit card will automatically be deposited to your World of Hyatt account.
Welcome offers change periodically. For the most recent offer, click here.
Number 6: The World of Hyatt Business Credit Card
Sign-Up Bonus (SUB): Earn up to 60,000 points after spending $5,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening. Offers change periodically. Please read more about the current World of Hyatt Business Credit Card offer here.
Minimum Spend Requirement (MSR): Please see above
Annual Fee (AF): $199
Points earned from this credit card will automatically be deposited to your World of Hyatt account.
The World of Hyatt Business card is a business credit card; therefore, there is a specific way to fill out a business credit card application. If this is your first business credit card, here’s a step-by-step guide on how to apply.
Welcome offers change periodically. For the most recent offer, click here.
Other Credit Cards
The following credit cards also earn additional World of Hyatt points.
However, not everyone is eligible to receive the sign-up bonus. Please feel free to reach out to us at our FREE Travel Miles & Points Facebook Group for suggestions on when to apply for these cards.
How to Run a Hyatt Award Search
Step 1:
Log on to your World of Hyatt account on the computer. Don’t have a Hyatt account?
Sign Up for a Free World of Hyatt Account Here.
Step 2:
Type in your destination, dates, number of rooms, and number of guests, and then check “Use Points.”
Step 3:
Once you have plugged in your information, click “Find Hotels.”
Step 4
Select the particular room that you want to book. Some properties have multiple options. In the image below, Carmel Valley Ranch, a Category 7 property, shows 3 room types at 25,000 points per night.
Step 5
Make sure the property is bookable using points, as sometimes the website gives inaccurate information. I do this by going through the steps until I reach the payment page. If I do not have sufficient points on my World of Hyatt account, I transfer some of my Chase Ultimate Rewards Points to my Hyatt account to secure those award nights.
Pro-Tip: Do not transfer your Chase points unless you have verified that there is bookable award availability. Once you’ve confirmed that the room can be booked using points, go ahead and start the transfer and grab your free night. However, keep in mind that once your Chase points are in your Hyatt account, you will no longer be able to reverse the process.
The Chase to World of Hyatt transfer process was instant, so I just refreshed the Hyatt page and booked the award nights when my points showed up.
Do Hyatt Points Expire?
We have worked hard accumulating Hyatt points, so it is just natural to want to know if Hyatt points have an expiration date. So, when do Hyatt points expire?
According to the World of Hyatt website, the general policy is that points do not expire, but they will be forfeited if a member’s account is inactive for 24 months.
Therefore, you would want to ensure you have some type of activity every two years to prevent the complete forfeiture of your World of Hyatt points.
A strategy that I recommend to prevent this from happening is to transfer Chase Ultimate Rewards points to the World of Hyatt program using the steps outlined above.
Can I Transfer My World of Hyatt Points Back to Chase?
Transferring Chase Ultimate Rewards Points to the World of Hyatt is a one-way street.
Once you have moved your Ultimate Rewards Points to the World of Hyatt, it can never be reversed.
Thus, you must ensure that available rooms can be booked with points at your preferred property before transferring your Chase Ultimate Rewards Points to the World of Hyatt.
Hence, I suggest performing a trial/dummy booking until you reach the page where you are being asked to pay for the reservation.
Periodically, we find phantom space that initially shows that rooms are available, but they disappear once you are ready to book.
In short, you do not want your Chase Ultimate Rewards Points stuck in the World of Hyatt program without a specific redemption plan.
How Do I Find Off-Peak World of Hyatt Award Availability?
The World of Hyatt has recently introduced off-peak/peak pricing, which makes award redemptions cheaper or more expensive depending on the demand and time of your visit.
They also added a “Points Calendar” feature that makes it easier to find the exact dates when a particular property is considered peak, standard, and off-peak.
Although it does not reflect accurate award availability, this feature is beneficial as it genuinely makes the award search process less confusing and overwhelming.
This blog article will walk you through navigating the World of Hyatt’s new off-peak and peak award calendar so that you can plan your trips based on when rooms are inexpensive.
Can I Transfer Hyatt Points to Another Account?
It is sometimes difficult to save up for any bucket-list hotel redemption as those require a significant amount of points. Thankfully, World of Hyatt’s generosity does not end with its lucrative award chart. The program also allows transferring points between 2 members for free.
Hence, even the most unattainable luxurious properties suddenly become realistically “bookable” if more than one individual is diligently accruing World of Hyatt points.
Recruit a friend or family member to start helping you accumulate those valuable points. There is power in numbers and it couldn’t be more true when you pool Hyatt points with others.
Whether you need extra points to book several rooms or extend your trip from a couple of days to a week, combining Hyatt points with another person can make that goal much easier to reach.
Two World of Hyatt members are eligible to combine points to redeem an award. … Member may combine the necessary number of points from their World of Hyatt account with those in one other specifically designated World of Hyatt account in order to have a sufficient number of points to redeem a particular award.
World of Hyatt
Before we go over the steps involved in transferring Hyatt points to another individual, there are a few important details I would need you to be aware of.
- You can only transfer (give/receive) Hyatt points once every 30 days.
- There is paperwork to be printed, filled out, signed, and scanned.
- Hyatt allows transferring points if the purpose is to help another member book an award.
- Both Hyatt accounts need to be active and in good standing.
Now that we got those out of the way, the next goal is to find someone who can loan you those points. As soon as another member is willing to lend you their World of Hyatt points, it’s time to jumpstart the transfer process. This blog post has the steps.
Who Can Use Travel Credit Cards?
Whether you are a novice or a seasoned traveler, I highly recommend dabbling in accumulating travel miles and points by using travel credit cards. It has allowed me to see places I would never have imagined visiting in this lifetime for a fraction of the price.
However, it is not for everyone. Although anyone can capitalize on this lucrative hobby, it only works with individuals with a particular financial profile.
Since this involves leveraging credit card debt for a specific purpose, banks will naturally only approve applicants they know will be responsible clients.
If you have an excellent credit score and an impeccable financial background, then kudos to you as you can, without a doubt, successfully optimize this strategy.
Here’s a litmus test to determine if you are compatible with using travel credit cards:
Do you pay your credit card in full on or before the due date? If so, then you are ripe for this hobby.
Is paying your credit card promptly not your strongest suit yet? Then I suggest holding off on this hobby until after you’ve reached a point where you’re debt-free and financially disciplined.
Despite their lucrative rewards, credit cards can ruin anyone’s financial future. Those steep bank interest charges quickly add up and can wreak havoc on your fiscal goals.
Minimum Spending Requirement (MSR)
Aside from being financially disciplined, another requirement to get you closer to traveling on miles and points is being mindful of your new credit card’s “Minimum Spending Requirement” (MSR). This is the amount of spend you need to put on your credit card before a specific due date in order to earn the sign-up bonus (SUB).
One of the recommended cards, the Chase Sapphire Preferred, has a minimum spending requirement of $4,000 and must be completed within three months. If for some reason, you cannot meet this spend, you will forfeit your sign-up bonus.
Without a doubt, $4,000 is a substantial amount. Therefore, an all-too-common dilemma is determining viable methods that can facilitate meeting this spending requirement as rapidly as possible without impacting your finances. I certainly do not want you to go into debt. That will defeat the purpose of frugal travel using miles and points.
Here are some of my favorite ways to meet my minimum spending requirement:
- Prepay Utilities
- Health & Dental Bills
- Taxes (Federal, State, Property, etc.)
- Insurance (Health, Home, Auto, Rental, etc.)
- Organic Spending such as groceries, dining, and gas.
If you want to read more about other methods I have used throughout the years to help me meet my minimum spend, feel free to check out the related post below.
Final Thoughts
Hyatt is a great hotel chain to work with if you want to earn free nights. With its generous award chart, it is possible to stay at some of the most luxurious hotels in the world without spending a penny.
Additionally, several excellent travel credit cards can help you rack up points quickly so you can redeem them for free nights at Hyatts.
So if you are planning a vacation or need a place to stay for a business trip, make sure to check out these great cards! Please let me know in the comments if you have any questions.
EDITORIAL DISCLOSURE – Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. The content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post.
