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The World of Hyatt Business Credit Card is a good choice for small-business owners who stay with Hyatt frequently and can make use of enough card benefits to justify the annual fee. Otherwise, the personal The World Of Hyatt Credit Card
or a card that earns Chase Ultimate Rewards® points might be a better choice for occasional Hyatt guests.

Review: Is the World of Hyatt Business Credit Card the best credit card for you?

The World of Hyatt Business Credit Card launched in late 2021 with a substantial welcome bonus and interesting benefits that are most useful if you stay with Hyatt regularly. It currently has a welcome bonus offer of 60,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening. 

There’s a $199 annual fee, but in return, cardholders receive up to $100 in Hyatt statement credits each year, automatic Discoverist elite status (with the ability to “gift” status to up to five company employees), and a host of other travel and shopping benefits.

Big spenders, in particular, can do quite well with the World of Hyatt Business Credit Card, because it offers a 10% points rebate on award stays after you spend at least $50,000 in a year and tier-qualifying night credits for meeting spending thresholds. It also offers a unique “adaptive earning accelerator” that awards bonus points on the eligible categories where you spend the most.

However, if the big-spending perks don’t fit your travel and spending habits or if you don’t have paid stays to take advantage of the annual Hyatt credits, you’ll like be better off with the personal version of the card — The World Of Hyatt Credit Card. Instead of a Hyatt credit, it offers a free night in a Hyatt Category 1 to 4 hotel each cardmember anniversary, and the annual fee is only $95.

Alternately, if you’re not looking for Hyatt-specific perks, a card that earns transferable Chase Ultimate Rewards points, like the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card, Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, or Chase Sapphire Reserve® could be a better bet. You can transfer Chase points to Hyatt (plus 13 other airline and hotel partners) at a 1:1 ratio and these cards may offer bonus categories that make more sense for your spending habits.

We’re focused here on the rewards and perks that come with each card. These cards won’t be worth it if you’re paying interest or late fees. When using a credit card, it’s important to pay your balance in full each month, make payments on time, and only spend what you can afford to pay.

How to earn points from the World of Hyatt Business card

The World of Hyatt Business Credit Card offers numerous bonus categories that can help you boost your rewards earning, including a few you don’t see often on small-business credit cards. Cardholders earn:

• 4x points at Hyatt hotels, participating SLH properties, and Lindblad Expeditions (in addition to the 5 points per dollar you’d normally earn for being a World of Hyatt member)
• 2x points on the top three eligible spend categories each quarter (from a list, see below)
• 2x points on fitness club and gym memberships (including FIND Experiences and Headspace Subscriptions through December 2022)
• 1 point per dollar on all other purchases

One of the most interesting features of the World of Hyatt Business Credit Card is the ability to earn 2x points in the top three eligible categories you spend in each quarter — although, after December 31, 2023, this will change to your top two categories.

Eligible categories are dining, airline tickets purchased directly with the airline, car rental agencies, local transit and commuting, gas stations, internet, cable, and phone services, social media and search engine advertising, and shipping. 

How to use Hyatt points

The best way to use Hyatt points is for stays at World of Hyatt brands, which include:

• Hyatt
• Andaz
• Alila
• Caption by Hyatt
• Thompson Hotels
• Hyatt Centric
• Park Hyatt
• Miraval
• Grand Hyatt
• Hyatt Regency
• Hyatt Zilara
• Hyatt Ziva
• Hyatt Place
• Hyatt House
• The Unbound Collection by Hyatt
• Destination by Hyatt Hotels
• JdV by Hyatt
• Hyatt Residence Club
• UrCove by Hyatt
• Small Luxury Hotels of the World

Hyatt introduced peak and off-peak pricing in addition to standard pricing for award stays, which means you’ll pay fewer points during the off-season and more points during popular times. Here’s the current Hyatt award chart:

You can also redeem Hyatt points for room upgrades on paid rates at 3,000 points for a room with club lounge access, 6,000 points for a standard suite, or 9,000 points for a premium suite. 

World of Hyatt has a separate award chart for all-inclusive resorts, recently adding 50+ new hotels:

With the World of Hyatt Business Credit Card’s welcome bonus, you could get up to 15 standard nights in a Category 1 hotel, or even up to 21 off-peak nights in the same category. Or, if you prefer to splurge, you could redeem your bonus for fewer nights at a luxury Category 6 or 7 property like a Park Hyatt or Andaz, or an all-inclusive resort.

World of Hyatt points are worth, on average, 1.5 cents apiece based on Insider’s points and miles valuations — that’s the highest of any hotel currency we evaluated — so you can expect to get at least $900 in Hyatt stays from the World of Hyatt Business Credit Card’s bonus.

Hyatt Business credit card benefits and features

The World of Hyatt Business Credit Card comes with perks that are most useful if you (or your employees) stay with Hyatt often.

Automatic Hyatt Discoverist elite status (with gifting)

World of Hyatt Business Credit Card comes with automatic Discoverist elite status, which is the lowest tier of status in the World of Hyatt program and usually requires 10 tier-qualifying nights or earning 25,000 base points in a year. Discoverist status offers perks like 10% bonus points on paid stays, 2 p.m. late checkout when available, premium internet, and preferred rooms. 

Cardholders have the ability to gift Discoverist status to up to five company employees — and the recipients do not have to be authorized users on your World of Hyatt Business Credit Card. 

Elite qualifying nights for spending

For every $10,000 you spend on the World of Hyatt Business Credit Card in a calendar year, you’ll earn five tier-qualifying night credits. This is useful if you’re aiming for the next level of elite status; for example, to earn Hyatt’s mid-tier Explorist status, you’d normally need to stay 30 qualifying nights in a year. By spending $60,000 on the World of Hyatt Business Credit Card before the end of the year, you could unlock this status without ever setting foot in a Hyatt hotel.

Elite status is extremely lucrative for frequent Hyatt guests because it offers perks like room upgrades, late checkout when available, and a points bonus on paid stays.

Hyatt statement credits

When you spend $50 or more at any Hyatt property with your World of Hyatt Business Credit Card, you’ll receive a $50 statement credit, up to twice per card anniversary year.

Earning up to $100 in Hyatt credits is a good way to offset more than half of the card’s $199 annual fee. Again, if you don’t have paid Hyatt stays, you might be better off with the personal version of the card, which offers a free night certificate each anniversary instead of Hyatt credits.

10% redemption rebate 

When you spend $50,000 or more on the World of Hyatt Business Credit Card in a calendar year, you’ll receive 10% of your points back as bonus points on redemptions for the remainder of the calendar year. 

Hyatt Leverage program membership

Hyatt Leverage is Hyatt’s global business travel program that offers special rates to qualifying small and mid-sized businesses at participating Hyatt hotels worldwide. Only the primary World of Hyatt Business Credit Card is eligible for Hyatt Leverage membership.

Car rental insurance

The World of Hyatt Business Credit Card offers primary car rental insurance, which means when you pay for a rental car with your card and decline the rental company’s collision insurance, you’re covered for theft and collision damage on most vehicles, and in most countries. 

Trip cancellation/interruption insurance

If your trip is canceled or cut short because of a covered situation like sickness or severe weather, you may be eligible for up to $1,500 per person and $6,000 per trip for pre-paid, non-refundable travel expenses.

Extended warranty

When you purchase an eligible item with your World of Hyatt Business Credit Card, you can qualify for an extension of the US manufacturer’s warranty by an additional year on eligible warranties of three years or less. 

Purchase protection

Eligible new purchases you make with the World of Hyatt Business Credit Card can be covered against damage and theft for 120 days, up to $10,000 per claim and $50,000 per account. 

Travel and emergency assistance services

If you’re traveling away from home and run into issues, you can get help with medical and legal referrals or other emergency assistance. The service itself is complimentary, but any third-party costs are your responsibility.

Roadside dispatch

World of Hyatt Business Credit Card cardholders can contact the roadside dispatch hotline for help with arranging services like towing and flat tire repair for a set fee.

Fees and costs

The World of Hyatt Business Credit Card comes with a $199 annual fee. However, if you can take advantage of the up to $100 in Hyatt credits the card offers each year, your annual cost is effectively reduced to $99.

This card is a good choice if you’re traveling overseas because it doesn’t add foreign transaction fees. Like most other cards, there are fees for balance transfers, cash advances, and late or returned payments.  

Comparison: Hyatt Business Credit Card vs other Chase cards

*Bonus points at Hyatt and IHG hotels are in addition to the points members would normally earn from a stay

***Top three spend categories until December 31, 2023, then top two spend categories thereafter (eligible categories are dining, airline tickets purchased directly with the airline, car rental agencies, local transit and commuting, gas stations, internet, cable, and phone services, social media and search engine advertising, and shipping)

**** The World Of Hyatt Credit Card offers an annual free night award each year after your account anniversary for participating Category 1 to 4 World of Hyatt properties 

Hyatt Business Credit Card vs other small-business hotel credit cards

*Bonus points at Hyatt, Marriott, and Hilton hotels are in addition to the points members would normally earn from a stay

***Top three spend categories until December 31, 2023, then top two spend categories thereafter (eligible categories are dining, airline tickets purchased directly with the airline, car rental agencies, local transit and commuting, gas stations, internet, cable, and phone services, social media and search engine advertising, and shipping)

****The Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card offers an annual free night award each year after your card renewal month for hotels participating in the Marriott Bonvoy® program that cost up to 35,000 points

World of Hyatt Business credit card frequently asked questions (FAQ)