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The Chase Hyatt Card’s bonus of 40,000 Hyatt points can be stretched pretty far if you spend them on lower tier Hyatts. That’s not to say slumming it is required–there are some fantastic, high-end, well located Category 1 and 2 Hyatts around the world.
If you’re into Hyatt hotels and don’t have this credit card, it seems like a no-brainer to open. Chase’s 5/24 rule is known not to apply to it, so even if you’ve been application trigger happy lately you can still probably get approved.
Chase Hyatt Card Quick Facts
- Sign Up Bonus: 40,000 bonus points after spending $2,000 on the card within three months of account opening
- Authorized User Bonus: Get 5,000 bonus points for adding one when signing up for the card
- Anniversary Bonus: Every anniversary of cardmembership you get a free night at a Category 1-4 (of 7) property. This probably makes the card worth keeping long term, since you’re essentially paying $75 (annual fee) for a night at up to a Category 4 Hyatt which will often have a much higher retail value.
- Hotel Status: Automatic Hyatt Discoverist Status
- Category Bonuses: 3x Hyatt points at Hyatt, 2x on car rentals, dining, and tickets purchased directly from airlines
- Value of Hyatt Points: Need 5k to 30k for a free night (in a standard room)
- Global Acceptance: Visa, chip technology, and no foreign transaction fees
- Annual Fee: $75
- Eligibility: If you’ve opened more than five credit cards from any bank (with the exception of most business cards) in the last 24 months, then Chase will deny you for almost all of their cards (with the exception of these). That’s where the name 5/24 rule comes from. Luckily, the rule doesn’t apply to the Hyatt Credit Card.
By meeting the minimum spending requirement and adding one authorized user, you’ll accrue at least 47,000 points. Let’s assume, considering category bonuses, you’ll have 48,000 points when the three months are all said and done.
Not all of the properties below are extremely expensive, so they don’t all represent amazing redemptions from a per point value perspective. But in reality, don’t we all want to stay in hotels because they’re beautiful and located in interesting places? Yes.
Category 1 Hyatts @ 5,000 Points a Night = 9 Nights
It’s kind of hard to believe the Hyatt Regency Yogyakarta is a Category 1 Hyatt when you look at the photos. Located in Indonesia, this Hyatt is nestled in 22 hectares of landscaped gardens.
Cost per night of a standard room = $85
Value per point = 1.7 cents
Category 2 Hyatts @ 8,000 Points a Night = 6 Nights
I’m a little bias towards Argentina as I’ve spent many years here (I say here because I’m sitting in Buenos Aires typing this post), but if you haven’t visited this interesting blend of European and Latin culture yet, you have to. Mendoza is a breathtaking place to start. Who doesn’t love tasting wines with the Andes mountains as their backdrop? The Park Hyatt Mendoza is a great base to explore from, as many of the good restaurants for dinner in the Mendoza area are in the city center.
Cost per night of a standard room = $153
Value per point = 1.9 cents
This property located on the Mariana Islands of Micronesia is an absolute stunner. From the onsite gardens to the tropical beach just a stone’s throw away, the Hyatt Regency Saipan truly looks like paradise.
Cost per night of a standard room = $360
Value per point = 4.5 cents!!
I know you’ve been watching (i.e. binged watched all three seasons in one week) Narcos. I know you want to visit Colombia. No visit to Colombia is complete without exploring the coastal city of Cartagena. The colonial architecture, Caribbean flare, but distinctly Latin vibe is sure to please all types of crowds. More ceviche, please.
The Hyatt Regency Cartagena looks like a lovely place to relax after a day of exploration!
Cost per night of a standard room = $140
Value per point = 1.75 cents
Points + Cash Awards
If you don’t mind putting down some cash toward award stays, then Points + Cash awards can provide great value depending on your numbers. Read Seven Things to Know About Hyatt Cash & Points Redemptions to dive into the math a little more.
Bottom Line
The Hyatt Credit Card issued by Chase is a great option for Hyatt lovers. Unless you already have a ton of Hyatt points, I probably wouldn’t use the 47k-ish points earned from meeting the minimum spending requirement for high tier properties as they cost as much as 30k points a night for a standard room.
Aiming to redeem at lower tier Hyatts will help you stretch your Hyatt points further. At the end of the day you’ll need to do your own math to see whether or not the cash price of the property per night is worth it to you to redeem your Hyatt points.
If you’re planning a trip to Indonesia, Argentina, Micronesia, or Colombia any time soon, you may want to consider the above properties and the Hyatt credit card.
Just getting started in the world of points and miles? The Chase Sapphire Preferred is the best card for you to start with.
With a bonus of 60,000 points after $4,000 spend in the first 3 months, 5x points on travel booked through the Chase Travel Portal and 3x points on restaurants, streaming services, and online groceries (excluding Target, Walmart, and wholesale clubs), this card truly cannot be beat for getting started!
Editorial Disclaimer: The editorial content is not provided or commissioned by the credit card issuers. Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of the credit card issuers, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by the credit card issuers.
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The properties in Mendoza and Cartagena appeal to me. I hope to stay at one, or both properties soon as I’ve just earned my Hyatt bonus. Thanks for providing these timely examples. Oh, and I’m jealous that you’re in Buenos Aires now haha!
[…] You can earn Hyatt points easily via any credit card that earns Ultimate Rewards, like Chase’s Sapphire Reserve, Sapphire Preferred, or Ink Business Preferred, as Ultimate Rewards transfer 1:1 to Hyatt. Chase also issues a co-branded Hyatt Visa. […]