Is the World of Hyatt Business card worth the annual fee?

3 weeks ago 6

The World of Hyatt Business Credit Card can offer substantial value to business owners who are Hyatt loyalists or otherwise spend a lot of money at Hyatt properties. But is the card the right choice for you, and can you justify its $199 annual fee?

Here's a quick look at what you get from the World of Hyatt card so you can see for yourself.

Welcome offer

New applicants for the World of Hyatt Business can earn up to 75,000 bonus points: 60,000 bonus points after spending $5,000 within the first three months from account opening, plus 15,000 bonus points after spending $12,000 in the first six months from account opening. Offer ends Sept. 26.

TPG's August 2024 valuations peg World of Hyatt points at 1.7 cents each, making the full bonus worth up to $1,275.

The most straightforward way to use your World of Hyatt points is for hotel stays with World of Hyatt. These redemptions can include free night awards and Points + Cash payments. You can also redeem points for dining, spa or meeting credits, plus Find Experiences, rental cars and room upgrades.

You can also top up your World of Hyatt account with 1:1 transfers from Chase Ultimate Rewards. This is another strong option since Ultimate Rewards points are so flexible and valuable.

Up to $100 in annual credits

With the World of Hyatt Business, you'll get a $50 statement credit when you use your card to spend $50 or more at Hyatt hotels and resorts — up to twice per year, for a total of $100 in annual credits.

If you can take advantage of these simple credits, you'll effectively bring the card's annual fee down to $99.

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Earn stay credits toward status through spending

If you hold on to the World of Hyatt Business, you'll also receive five tier-qualifying night credits for every $10,000 you spend each calendar year.

Plus, if you and your employees collectively spend at least $50,000 in a calendar year, you'll get 10% bonus points back on up to a total of 200,000 World of Hyatt points you redeem for free night awards, Points plus Cash stays, room upgrades, Find Experiences and dining and spa services for the remainder of that calendar year.

Those are solid perks to stack if you spend bundles on big hotel stays.

Elite status and related benefits

As a World of Hyatt Business cardholder, you'll receive complimentary Discoverist status each year. As the second-lowest World of Hyatt status tier, Discoverist status is still valuable as some decent perks are provided.

For instance, you'll enjoy discounted hotel rates for members, complimentary bottled water during your stay, late checkout (when available) and preferred room upgrades within the same room category.

Furthermore, resort fees (where applicable) are waived when you stay at a hotel using points or free night awards.

Other cardholder perks

In addition to the above, you'll enjoy multiple travel protections, including trip delay reimbursement, baggage delay insurance, auto rental collision damage waiver, lost luggage reimbursement and trip interruption and trip cancellation insurance.

You'll also earn World of Hyatt points on each purchase with your card, which TPG's August 2024 valuations peg at 1.7 cents each. You'll earn 4 points per dollar spent at Hyatt hotels and 2 points per dollar spent on fitness club and gym membership purchases.

Additionally, cardholders earn 2 points per dollar spent in your top three out of eight spending categories each quarter. Categories include:

Dining
Airline tickets purchased directly from an airline
Car rental agencies
Local transit and commuting
Gas stations
Internet, cable and phone services
Social media and search engine advertising
Shipping

With other credit cards, you can earn much better than a 1.7% return on everyday spending, but it's worth considering how these purchases can be more valuable when helping you earn tier-qualifying nights toward status each year.

Bottom line

If you can utilize the $100 in annual credits, the annual fee on the World of Hyatt Business is already effectively reduced to $99. Couple those with the numerous Hyatt perks and earnings rates on the card, and it's easily worth the annual fee if you're a small business that spends substantial time at Hyatt properties.

While Discoverist status isn't noteworthy by itself, the fact that you can gift it to five others is solid — though whether that (and the other benefits) are enough to justify the out-of-pocket cost is up to you.

That said, the fact that the card doesn't offer an annual free night certificate and includes high spending requirements for status means you might get more value from a different card.

If you're only an occasional Hyatt guest, a general travel rewards credit card or the personal version of this card is a better choice.

To learn more, read our full review of the World of Hyatt Business card.

Apply here: World of Hyatt Business Credit Card

Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.

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