6 reasons I love my World of Hyatt Card and plan to keep it for the long term

23.01.2024 - 17:41 / thepointsguy.com / Long

Let's face it — transferable points rule. Why would you lock up your rewards in one program when you can pursue the devaluation-proof strategy of transferring points to the best program for your travel needs?

But that aside, one mid-tier cobranded hotel credit card keeps me excited — so much so that I'll keep the card for years. Here are six reasons why I love the World of Hyatt Credit Card.

Don't be turned off by its modest $95 annual fee — this card's perks align with what you'd expect from a card with a much higher annual fee.

As a primary cardholder, you receive an annual Category 1-4 free night certificate for keeping the card open. This year, I used my free night certificate at the Thompson Chicago, where rates were over $400 per night.

When you use your free night certificate, Hyatt waives resort and destination fees — but you still receive the benefits that these fees cover, such as beach chairs, bike rentals and premium internet. And if you're a Globalist elite member, Hyatt also picks up eligible parking charges when you redeem these certificates. At the Thompson Chicago, that was an additional $75 savings on valet parking fees.

My stay was a prime example of how this card can easily net you more than $500. And if you spend $15,000 on the card in a calendar year, you'll earn a second Category 1-4 certificate.

Related: The most award-friendly hotel program: Everything you need to know about World of Hyatt

Cardholders earn 4 points per dollar on purchases at all Hyatt properties; 2 points per dollar on airfare purchased directly from airlines, restaurants, local transit and commuting (including ride-hailing services), fitness club and gym memberships; and 1 point per dollar everywhere else.

TPG values each World of Hyatt point at 1.7 cents, though in practice, they can be worth much more when you factor in waived resort/destination fees and complimentary parking if you're a Globalist member.

Day-to-day parking fees, tolls and mass transit expenses can add up, and with the World of Hyatt Card, these hard-to-maximize categories are also eligible for the 2-points-per-dollar multiplier — which net me a 3.4% return.

And, of course, I also use my World of Hyatt card on Hyatt bookings to earn 10.5 points per dollar (5 base points per dollar, 1.5 elite bonus points per dollar and 4 points per dollar from the card) — I calculate this to be about a 25% return on all my Hyatt stays.

Related: Here's how to quickly stock up on Hyatt points for your next vacation

The World of Hyatt loyalty program is a favorite among the staff at TPG.

It's the only major hotel program to still offer award charts. While programs like Hilton Honors and Marriott Bonvoy use dynamic pricing (they have complete discretion to