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REMINDER: Today is the last day to apply for the Chase Hyatt Credit Card if you want two free night certificates good at any Hyatt as a sign up bonus. Starting tomorrow, there will be a new sign up bonus of 40k Hyatt points instead.
For spending $2,000 on the Chase Hyatt Credit Card within three months of opening it, you’ll earn two nights at any Hyatt worldwide. That is, if you open the card today.
One Mile at a Time received a tip that on June 29, that sign up bonus will change to 40,000 World of Hyatt bonus points instead of the two free nights (with the same minimum spending requirement).
Whether or not the current or future sign up bonus is better depends on your plans/travel style/perspective. Personally, I’d apply now as opposed to later. I think it is easier to get outsized value from the current sign up bonus since the free night certificates can be used on ANY Hyatt, like these expensive and beautiful top tier properties in the United States that would be easy to travel to for a luxurious weekend getaway.
Current Chase Hyatt Card Quick Facts
- Sign Up Bonus: Two free nights at any Hyatt worldwide after $2,000 in spending in the first three months
- 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
Sign Up Bonus as of June 29 (Tomorrow)
The new sign up bonus will be 40,000 Hyatt points for spending $2,000 on the card within three months of opening it.
I assume the rest of the new card offer, aside from the sign up bonus, will remain more or less the same.
Why You’d Want to Apply Before June 29 (Today)
The biggest catch with the two free night certificates is that you have to use them within a year of when your card was issued. If you have or see yourself having travel plans within a year from now that align with staying at a Category 6 or 7 Hyatt, then you should apply with the current sign up bonus. Considering redemptions of purely points:
- two nights in a Standard room at a Category 6 Hyatt would cost 50,000 points
- two nights in a Standard room at a Category 7 Hyatt would cost 60,000 points
Both of those totals are higher than the June 29 and later sign up bonus of 40k.
Why You’d Want to Apply June 29 (Tomorrow) or Later
If you can’t use the free night certificates within a year of opening the card, then don’t apply now. Wait until June 29 or later, as you’ll have much more flexibility with points.
If you tend to stay at lower tier Hyatts, then again, wait. 40k points will go further than two free night certificates (for example, 40k points is eight nights at Category 1 Hyatts).
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.
5/24 Doesn’t Apply to Hyatt Credit Card
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 comes from. Luckily, the rule doesn’t apply to the Hyatt Credit Card.
Bottom Line
If two free nights at a Category 6 or 7 Hyatt sound better to you–i.e. fit in your plans within the next year–then apply for the Hyatt Credit Card by today. If 40,000 Hyatt points sound better to you–i.e. you’d rather have points for more stays at lower-tier Hyatts or to spend on Points + Cash awards–then there’s no rush.
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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Thank you for the thoughtful article. It’s more insightful than the ones I’ve seen written about this topic on other sites.
Have we not seen recent variation of this before? Chase/Hyatt changes the offer from 2 nights to 50k — and then back again several months later? Maybe my memory is foggy. Or do we have some reason to think this is different, that the 2 free night promo will soon be history? (as in not to come back?)
It’s possible this has happened in the past but not that I’m aware of. There’s no sign now of the bonus changing back to 2 free nights.