Why I Make Sure To Spend $15,000 on My World of Hyatt Card Every Year

Among the many travel credit cards I hold, you’ll find The World of Hyatt Credit Card in the front of my wallet. I love this card.

Each year, I make it a priority to reach the $15,000 spending threshold — the magic number. While that may seem like a lot of money, I follow a strategic approach to maximize this card’s value and unlock incredible rewards in return.

World of Hyatt Card Overview

The World of Hyatt card charges a $95 annual fee and has a quality welcome bonus:

• Earn up to 60,000 points. Earn 30,000 points after you spend $3,000 on purchases in your first 3 months. Plus, up to 30,000 more points by earning 2 points total per $1 spent in the first 6 months from account opening on purchases that normally earn 1 point, on up to $15,000 spent.

In exchange for its annual fee, the card offers a wide range of benefits.

Automatic Elite Status

The World of Hyatt card provides automatic Discoverist status in World of Hyatt. Normally, earning this tier requires 10 nights with Hyatt per year, but you get it automatically as a cardholder. This is the lowest elite status tier with Hyatt, but it’s not without benefits.

Discoverist members 10% bonus points on paid stays, premium internet access at properties with this option, preferred room type upgrades at check-in (when available), 2 p.m. late checkout (when available), and complimentary bottled water during the stay. Members can also use the elite check-in line at hotels and get waived resort fees on stays booked with points or free night awards.

Moreover, cardholders receive 5 tier qualifying night credits in their World of Hyatt account automatically each year, helping them work toward higher status tiers.

Annual Free Night Award

By holding the World of Hyatt card, you receive an annual free night award each year on your cardmember anniversary. These awards are valid at Hyatt Category 1-4 properties, and the options you have to redeem these awards are numerous.

It’s easily possible to redeem these awards for $200 in value, justifying the World of Hyatt card’s $95 annual fee from just this 1 benefit.

Quality Earning Rates

This card earns World of Hyatt points, and it does so impressively. Cardholders earn as follows:

• 9 points per $1 spent at Hyatt properties: 4 bonus points per $1 on qualified purchases from Hyatt hotels and up to 5 base points per dollar for being a World of Hyatt member — plus any elite bonuses you qualify for with World of Hyatt elite status
• 2 points per $1 spent on dining, airline tickets purchased directly from airlines, gym memberships, and local transit and commuting
• 1x point on other purchases

It’s rare to find rewards credit cards with bonus points on fitness memberships or local transit, so this is a solid option for those expenses. For example, my wife and I charge our monthly gym memberships to this card.

Spending-Based Benefits

By spending on the World of Hyatt card, you can unlock 2 additional perks:

• Tier-qualifying night credits: Earn 2 qualifying nights toward elite status for every $5,000 spent on the card in a calendar year.
• Another Category 1-4 free night award: Earn this by spending at least $15,000 annually on the card.

Why I Spend $15K Annually on the World of Hyatt Card

I strive for Hyatt Globalist status each year, the program’s top tier. And meeting the $15,000 threshold gives me perks while helping me earn World of Hyatt elite status.

As a Globalist, I enjoy benefits like access to a concierge, waived resort fees on all stays, complimentary upgrades (including suites) at check-in, guaranteed lounge access at hotels that have lounges, early check-in, late checkout, and complimentary parking on award stays, among other benefits. I find Globalist status to be extremely rewarding.

To qualify, I need to earn 60 qualifying nights with Hyatt each year. Holding the World of Hyatt card gives me 5 nights automatically as a head start each year. Plus, by spending $15,000 on the card, I earn another 6 qualifying nights (since the card gives 2 qualifying nights for each $5,000 spent). With additional spending, I also could earn more qualifying nights on the card.

Plus, hitting the $15k threshold also provides another Category 1-4 free night award in my Hyatt account. That means I can get 2 of these free night awards each year, and stays using those free nights (as well as stays booked with Hyatt points) count as qualifying nights toward elite status.

With the 5 nights received automatically, the 2 free night awards, and 6 nights from credit card spending, the World of Hyatt card gives me 13 qualifying nights each year. That’s nearly 25% of what I need to reach the program’s top elite status (Globalist).

For me, putting $15,000 of purchases each year on this card is easily worth it for me. I earn another free night award, 6 elite night credits, and at the very minimum, 15,000 World of Hyatt points — all from purchases I’d be making anyway. Those points alone equate to $225 in free hotel nights within the Hyatt program according to our latest point valuations, further enhancing the card’s value.

Final Thoughts

The World of Hyatt card offers multiple benefits, which is why I keep it in my wallet year after year. For me, this card sees a lot of use, as I make sure to use it for at least $15,000 in purchases annually. This helps me reach my elite status goals with Hyatt, earn bonus points, and receive another free night award from the spending.