6 Things You Should Know About the New World of Hyatt Program

Holly Johnson

March 19, 2018  •  4 Minute Read

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In 2017, the old Hyatt Gold Passport loyalty program was replaced with a new deal for travelers – the new World of Hyatt program. This program was supposed to simplify the point accrual and redemption process while also improving perks for the brand’s most elite members.

Love it or hate it, the World of Hyatt program appears to be working thus far, as rewards enthusiasts around the globe continue to take advantage and rack up points for free stay. Still, the new World of Hyatt is quite the departure from the old Gold Passport program. Not only did it come with new tiers of loyalty, but it made it harder to reach Hyatt’s highest tier status, too.

Before you dive into the new World of Hyatt rewards program, here are six things you should know:

You’ll earn a minimum of 5 base points for every dollar you spend.

With the new World of Hyatt rewards program, you’ll earn a minimum of 5 points for every dollar you spent at Hyatt properties, other than taxes. You can earn more points if you have elite status with Hyatt or if you time your stay with one of Hyatt’s special promotions, however.

Still, 5 points/$1 is a pretty good minimum earning rate for any hotel loyalty program. Obviously, that means you’ll earn an absolutely minimum of 5,000 Hyatt points for every $1,000 you spend.

Free hotel stays start at just 5,000 points per night.

But, what are those points good for? One of the biggest benefits of the World of Hyatt program is the fact that points aren’t nearly as devalued as other hotel loyalty programs. A night in a Category 1 property like the Hyatt House Charlotte Airport in North Carolina starts at just 5,000 points per night, for example.

However, even higher tier properties may cost fewer points than you imagine. For example, a stay in the iconic Park Hyatt Paris – Vendome, a Category 7 hotel, will set you back just 30,000 points per night.

You can earn more points if you get the co-branded credit card.

If you’re someone who wants to maximize the points they earn, don’t forget that the Hyatt Hotel brand has partnered with Chase to offer a co-branded travel credit card. Currently, the Hyatt Credit Card from Chase is offering 40,000 points after you use your card for $2,000 in purchases within three months of account opening. You also get 3 points per $1 spent at Hyatt properties with the card, along with 2 points per $1 spent on restaurants, on car rentals, and on airfare purchased with an airline. Last but not least, you also get 1 points per $1 spent on all other purchases.

In addition, this card grants you a free night at a Category 1-4 Hyatt property for each year you’re a cardholder, along with automatic Discoverist status.

Don’t forget you can transfer points from Chase Ultimate Rewards®.

If you’re looking for more ways to rack up points to use in the World of Hyatt program, it’s also important to remember that Chase Ultimate Rewards® is one of their transfer partners. This means that, if you have a premier Chase credit card like the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card or Chase Sapphire Reserve®, 1:1 point transfer to leading airline and hotel loyalty programs.

If you have these cards already, make sure to utilize them for point transfers when your Hyatt account runs short or you’re saving up for a big redemption. If you don’t have these cards already, you can also consider signing up. Both personal Chase credit cards offer large signup bonuses that can boost your stash of World of Hyatt points extremely fast.

You can book all-inclusive rewards for as little as 20,000 points per night.

While the advantages of the World of Hyatt program are plenty, people really love the fact this program lets you redeem points for all-inclusive resorts in Jamaica and Mexico. Even better, some of the program’s all-inclusive properties are extremely inexpensive to book if you have only two people in your party.

For example, a room with double occupancy at the Hyatt Ziva Los Cabos will set you back just 20,000 points. A double occupancy room at the adults-only Hyatt Zilara Rose Hall near Montego Bay, Jamaica costs just 25,000 points per night.

While these rates are for standard rooms, you can also fork over more points if you want a suite. If you want to bring family with you, you can also pay between 10,000 – 12,500 points per night for additional people depending on the property.

Globalist perks may be hard to get, but they’re sweet.

One of the biggest gripes people had about the new World of Hyatt program at first is the fact that it’s highest tier status – Globalist – became a lot more difficult to reach after the switch. To achieve this status, you need to stay 60 nights or earn 100,000 base points within a year by spending $20,000 with the hotel brand. That’s a pretty steep hill to climb for average people who may only stay in a Hyatt hotel a few times per year, but it may be reasonable for business travelers.

Either way, the benefits are generous once you get there. Hyatt Globalist members receive 6.5 points for each dollar they spend at Hyatt hotels, and they get free upgrades at check-in. In addition, you’ll receive free club access and free breakfast in the lounge or in the hotel restaurant.

Last but not least, you get four suite night awards per year, which you can use for up to six nights per award. You also get other perks like guaranteed late checkout, waived parking fees, and 48-hour guaranteed room availability.

As a final perk, you’ll score a free Category 1-7 stay once you spend 60 nights in Hyatt properties or earn 100,000 base points.

Is Globalist status worth pursuing? If you’re someone who spends more than 60 nights in hotels each year, we think so. With that in mind, you should start racking up World of Hyatt points as soon as you can.