How To Earn World of Hyatt Elite Status (And Is It Worth It?)

Having hotel elite status is great! It can make your stay even better with perks like upgrades, free breakfast, and late checkout. However, getting elite status can take some work. While many credit cards come with free hotel elite status, you’ll often need to do a fair amount of traveling to reach the highest elite levels.

In this post, we’ll show you how to earn elite status in the World of Hyatt program. If you’re a Hyatt fan, you’ll want to keep reading to see all of the ways you can earn Hyatt status and the benefits of each level. Plus, we’ll take a quick look at the value of Hyatt elite status to answer that common question, “Is it even worth it?”

World of Hyatt

Hyatt is one of the most popular hotel brands out there. While it has a smaller footprint than Marriott or Hilton, there are still lots of fantastic Hyatt options around the world. In addition, World of Hyatt points are highly valued and are relatively easy to earn and redeem.

You can earn World of Hyatt points by staying at Hyatt properties, using The World of Hyatt Credit Card or World of Hyatt Business Credit Card, or transferring them over from Chase Ultimate Rewards.

World of Hyatt points can be redeemed for fantastic hotel stays, including many luxury options.

World of Hyatt Elite Status

Having Hyatt elite status comes with luxury benefits like room upgrades and free premium internet. Park Hyatt New York. Image Credit: Hyatt

Before we start talking about how to earn World of Hyatt elite status, there are a few terms you should know:

Qualifying Nights: A qualifying night is one in which a member stays at a participating Hyatt hotel and pays an eligible rate or redeems a free night award. This generally includes any nights you book directly through Hyatt (nights booked through third-party sites like Expedia or Hotels.com are disqualified). Qualifying nights can also be earned through the World of Hyatt card and World of Hyatt Business card.

Base Points: A base point is earned through qualifying World of Hyatt spending. You’ll earn 5 base points per $1 spent at Hyatt properties regardless of your elite level.

Milestone Rewards: Milestone Rewards aren’t necessarily tied to elite status. These are bonuses awarded after you reach different levels of qualifying nights or base points. Scroll down for more information about Milestone Rewards.

Hot Tip: Hyatt counts free award nights (aka nights booked with World of Hyatt points) as qualifying nights which means they count toward elite status. This includes nights that are booked with Category 1-4 or Category 1-7 free night certificates.

How To Earn World of Hyatt Elite Status

You can earn Hyatt elite status in 3 ways — qualifying nights, base points, or meetings/events accumulated during the calendar year.

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Elite Level	Tier-Qualifying Nights	Base Points	Meetings or Events
Discoverist	10	25,000	3
Explorist	30	50,000	10
Globalist	60	100,000	20

Once you earn Hyatt elite status, you’ll keep that status through February of the second calendar year following qualification. For example, if you earn Discoverist status in September 2024, it would be valid through February 2026.

If you earn 1,000,000 lifetime base points, you’ll earn lifetime Globalist status.

Bottom Line: You can earn Hyatt elite status through qualifying nights or base points or meetings/events. Once you earn status, it will be valid through February of the second calendar year after qualification.

Earning World of Hyatt Elite Status With a Credit Card

Did you know that you can earn Hyatt elite status through the World of Hyatt card and World of Hyatt Business card?

When you get a World of Hyatt card or World of Hyatt Business card, you’ll automatically get Discoverist status. World of Hyatt Business cardmembers can also gift Discoverist status to up to 5 employees. This means if you hold either card, you can earn Hyatt elite status without staying a single night in a hotel.

Plus, World of Hyatt cardmembers get 5 qualifying night credits each year to help you achieve higher levels of status even faster.

Even more, for every $5,000 you spend on the World of Hyatt card, you’ll get 2 additional qualifying night credits. World of Hyatt Business cardmembers can earn 5 tier qualifying night credits for every $10,000 spent in a calendar year.

Here’s a quick look at how much you would have to spend to do that:

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Hyatt Elite Level	Spend Needed for Status on World of Hyatt Card	Spend Needed for Status on World of Hyatt Business Card
Discoverist	None	None
Explorist	$65,000	$60,000
Globalist	$140,000	$120,000

As you can see, if you’ve got a ton of expenses, you can get a high-level elite status just by using your card. For most of us, this benefit is great to combine with hotel stays to achieve status.

In addition to a fast track to elite status, check out some of the other great benefits offered on the World of Hyatt card and World of Hyatt Business card:

The World of Hyatt Credit Card

U.P. Rating

The World of Hyatt card offers a fast track to Hyatt elite status, an annual free night, and up to 9x points per $1 on Hyatt stays.

The World of Hyatt Credit Card

The World of Hyatt card offers a fast track to Hyatt elite status, an annual free night, and up to 9x points per $1 on Hyatt stays.

Welcome OfferEarn 30,000 Bonus Points after you spend $3,000 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening. Plus, up to 30,000 More Bonus Points by earning 2 Bonus Points total per $1 spent in the first 6 months from account opening on purchases that normally earn 1 Bonus Point, on up to $15,000 spent.
Up to 60,000 points

UP's Bonus Valuation*:
$900

Annual Fee

$95

APR

21.49% - 28.49% Variable

Credit Recommended

Good to Excellent (670-850)

The World of Hyatt Credit Card makes your Hyatt stays more rewarding and helps you get coveted World of Hyatt elite status faster. This card is a must-have for any traveler who regularly stays at Hyatt hotels, or even for anyone who’s able to take advantage of the card’s annual free night certificate.

When you factor in all the benefits the World of Hyatt card offers, it’s easy to see why it is one of the best co-branded hotel credit cards on the market.

Pros

Up to 9 points total for Hyatt stays: 4 Bonus Points per $1 spent at Hyatt hotels and 5 Base Points per $1 from Hyatt as a World of Hyatt member
2x points per $1 at restaurants, on airline tickets purchased directly from the airline, local transit, rideshares, and fitness clubs/gym memberships
1x point per $1 on all other purchases
1 Free Night Award each cardmember anniversary (Category 1 to 4)
A second Free Night Award when you spend $15,000 on the card
Hyatt Discoverist status
5 automatic elite night credits each year
2 elite night credits for every $5,000 spent on the card
DoorDash DashPass subscription
No foreign transaction fees
Purchase protection
Trip cancellation/interruption and luggage insurance

Cons

$95 annual fee

Earn 30,000 Bonus Points after you spend $3,000 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening. Plus, up to 30,000 More Bonus Points by earning 2 Bonus Points total per $1 spent in the first 6 months from account opening on purchases that normally earn 1 Bonus Point, on up to $15,000 spent.
Enjoy complimentary World of Hyatt Discoverist status for as long as your account is open.
Get 1 free night each year after your Cardmember anniversary at any Category 1-4 Hyatt hotel or resort
Receive 5 tier qualifying night credits towards status after account opening, and each year after that for as long as your account is open
Earn an extra free night at any Category 1-4 Hyatt hotel if you spend $15,000 in a calendar year
Earn 2 qualifying night credits towards tier status every time you spend $5,000 on your card
Earn up to 9 points total for Hyatt stays - 4 Bonus Points per $1 spent at Hyatt hotels & 5 Base Points per $1 from Hyatt as a World of Hyatt member
Earn 2 Bonus Points per $1 spent at restaurants, on airline tickets purchased directly from the airlines, on local transit and commuting and on fitness club and gym memberships
Member FDIC

Financial Snapshot

APR: 21.49% - 28.49% Variable
Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Card Categories

Rewards Center

World of Hyatt

NEW OFFER

World of Hyatt Business Credit Card

U.P. Rating

The World of Hyatt Business card provides a solid option for business travelers that are looking to put their expenses on a small business card.

Learn More(at Chase's secure site)

World of Hyatt Business Credit Card

The World of Hyatt Business card provides a solid option for business travelers that are looking to put their expenses on a small business card.

Welcome Offer60,000 Bonus Points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening.
60,000 points

UP's Bonus Valuation*:
$1,200

Annual Fee

$199

APR

21.49% - 28.49% Variable

Credit Recommended

Good to Excellent (670-850)

Hyatt loyalists who do their fair share of business travel have been clamoring for the addition of a co-branded Hyatt business credit card for quite some time — and now it’s finally here.

The World of Hyatt Business Credit Card is now available. In this guide, we will walk you through everything you need to know about it!

Pros

9x points per $1 spent total for Hyatt stays and experiences: Earn 4x points at Hyatt hotels, participating Small Luxury Hotels of the World, participating Exhale locations, and eligible Lindblad Expeditions. Plus, 5x points spent just for being a World of Hyatt member.
2x points per $1 spent in your top three spend categories each quarter through 12/31/24, then your top two categories each quarter. Eligible categories include: Dining, Shipping, Airline tickets when purchased directly with the airline, Local transit & Commuting, Social Media & Search Engine Advertising, Car Rental Agencies, Gas stations and Internet, Cable & Phone Services.
2x points per $1 spent on fitness club and gym memberships.
1x point per $1 on all other purchases
Automatic World of Hyatt Discoverist status
Gift World of Hyatt Discoverist status to up to 5 employees
Up to $100 annual Hyatt credit — broken up into 2 $50 statement credits
Access to the Hyatt Leverage program
Earn 5 Elite Night Credits for every $10,000 you spend on the card in a calendar year
10% back on redeemed points after spending $50,000 in a calendar year (with a cap of 20,000 points back per year); this rebate is only valid on stays after spending $50,000 on the card, and any stays prior to meeting that threshold will not be retroactively credited
Primary rental car insurance
Trip cancellation and interruption insurance
Purchase protection and extended warranty protection

Cons

$199 annual fee
Bonus categories and benefits are very similar to the personal card

60,000 Bonus Points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening
9 points total per $1 spent at Hyatt - 4 Bonus Points per $1 when you use your card at Hyatt hotels & 5 Base Points per $1 from Hyatt as a World of Hyatt member
2 Bonus Points per $1 spent in your top three spend categories each quarter through 12/31/24, then your top two categories each quarter.
2 Bonus Points per $1 spent on fitness club and gym memberships
1 Bonus Point per $1 spent on all other purchases.
Up to $100 in Hyatt statement credits - spend $50 or more at any Hyatt property and earn $50 statement credits up to two times each anniversary year.
5 Tier-Qualifying night credits toward status and Milestone rewards for every $10,000 you spend in a calendar year.
World of Hyatt Discoverist status for as long as your account is open. Plus, Discoverist status to up to five employees
Member FDIC

Financial Snapshot

APR: 21.49% - 28.49% Variable
Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Card Categories

Rewards Center

World of Hyatt

Bottom Line: Both the World of Hyatt card and World of Hyatt Business card come with automatic Discoverist status. As a World of Hyatt cardholder, you’ll get 5 qualifying night credits each year, plus you can earn 2 additional qualifying nights for each $5,000 you spend on the card. World of Hyatt Business cardmembers earn 5 tier qualifying night credits with every $10,000 spent.

World of Hyatt Elite Status Benefits

We’ve gone over the benefits of Hyatt elite status in detail in another post, so we’ll just touch on the highlights here.

Member

After joining the World of Hyatt program, you’ll have the Member status designation. It’s free to join, so there’s no reason not to if you have plans to stay at a Hyatt hotel. Being a World of Hyatt member comes with benefits that you can enjoy as soon as you sign up:

Earn 5 base points per $1 spent at Hyatt properties
The ability to earn and redeem World of Hyatt points
Waived resort fees on award nights

Hot Tip: Hyatt is one of the only hotel programs that waives resort fees on award nights. This can be a huge saving when you are staying at a resort with hefty fees that can be $30, $40, or more each night.

Hyatt Discoverist

Discoverist is the lowest level of Hyatt elite status that you can earn. In addition to the benefits you’ll get for just being a member, you’ll also enjoy these perks:

10% points bonus
Free premium internet
Free bottled water
Upgrade to a preferred room (within the same room category booked)
Elite check-in line
2 p.m. late checkout when available
Ability to earn points for American Airlines flights

Hyatt Explorist

Hyatt Explorist is the mid-tier elite level within the Hyatt program and includes the following additional benefits:

20% points bonus
Upgraded room (excluding suites and rooms with club lounge access)
Guaranteed availability within 72 hours of check-in

Hyatt Globalist

Hyatt Globalist is the top tier elite level you can earn with Hyatt and it comes with some great perks and benefits:

30% points bonus
Waived resort fees on all eligible rates and award nights
Room upgrade, including standard suites
4 p.m. late checkout guaranteed
Guaranteed availability within 48 hours of check-in
Club lounge access or free breakfast
Free parking on award nights

Hot Tip: If you’ve got a lot of expenses coming up and are interested in Hyatt’s elite status, check out our post about how to earn Globalist status through credit card spending.

World of Hyatt Milestone Rewards

Milestone Rewards is a program that allows you to earn different perks and awards for various levels of base points or qualifying nights.

Here’s a quick look at what you can earn through Hyatt Milestone Rewards.

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Hyatt Milestone Level	Automatic Reward	Choose 1 Reward
20 nights or 35,000 points	N/A	2K Next Stay Award	2 Club Access Awards	$25 FIND credit
30 nights or 50,000 points	Category 1-4 free night certificate	2K Next Stay Award	2 Club Access Awards	$25 FIND credit
40 nights or 65,000 points	Guest of Honor Award	5,000 bonus points	Suite Upgrade Award	$150 FIND credit
50 nights or 80,000 points	N/A	5,000 bonus points	2 Suite Upgrade Awards	$150 FIND credit
60 nights or 100,000 points	2 Guest of Honor Awards, 2 Suite Upgrade Awards, Category 1-7 free night certificate, My Hyatt Concierge	N/A	N/A	N/A
70, 80, and 90 nights	Guest of Honor Award	10,000 bonus points	Suite Upgrade Award	$300 FIND credit
100 nights	Category 1-7 free night award	10,000 bonus points	Suite Upgrade Award	Miraval Extra Night
110, 120, 130, and 140 nights	Guest of Honor Award	10,000 bonus points	Suite Upgrade Award	Miraval Extra Night
150 nights	Ultimate Free Night Award	10,000 bonus points	Suite Upgrade Award	Miraval Extra Night

Is World of Hyatt Elite Status Worth It?

Andaz Maui Wailea Resort — Having World of Hyatt elite status is a huge benefit when staying at a resort like Andaz Maui at Wailea. Image Credit: Hyatt

While the actual value you get from Hyatt elite status depends on what level you’re at and how often you stay at Hyatt hotels each year, there are some great benefits available that make status worth it for most travelers.

The good news is that there are a lot of benefits offered at the base-level Discoverist status. With Discoverist status, you’ll get free premium internet, bottled water, late checkout, and an upgrade to a preferred room. Since this status level is easy to get (it comes with the World of Hyatt card and World of Hyatt Business card), it’s definitely worth it for anyone who likes Hyatt hotels.

Explorist status offers a few additional perks, but the real value comes when you achieve Hyatt Globalist status. This top-level elite status is coveted among Hyatt loyalists because it can save you a lot of money and make each stay even better.

For example, let’s say you’re staying at Andaz Maui Wailea Resort for 7 nights. This location charges $40 per night for parking and a resort fee of $54 per night. Having Globalist status will save you over $650 on just those 2 items alone, depending on if you’re on a paid or award stay. Factor in free breakfast and an upgraded room and you could easily see $1,000 in value from Globalist status for just a 1-week vacation.

Any way you slice it, World of Hyatt elite status is worth it!

Final Thoughts

Hyatt hotels are some of the most popular choices for frequent travelers and the World of Hyatt program has lots of great perks. Having Hyatt elite status makes each stay even better and helps you save money every time you stay at a Hyatt hotel.

Curious about elite status at other hotels? Check out our guides on the ways to get elite status with Marriott Bonvoy, Hilton Honors, Radisson Rewards Americas, and Wyndham Rewards.

The information regarding The World of Hyatt Credit Card was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer.

Featured Image Credit: Hyatt

Frequently Asked Questions

Is World of Hyatt free?

Yes, the World of Hyatt program is free to join.

How do I get Globalist status with Hyatt?

In order to earn Globalist status, you’ll need to earn 60 qualifying nights, 100,000 base points, or host 20 events. You can also earn Globalist status by spending $140,000 on the World of Hyatt card or $120,000 on the World of Hyatt Business card.

How do you get Hyatt elite status?

You can get Hyatt elite status by earning qualifying nights, earning base points, or hosting meetings. To earn the base level status, you’ll need 10 nights, 25,000 points, or 3 meetings. In addition, you can get Hyatt Discoverist status when you get the World of Hyatt card or World of Hyatt Business card.

How do you get Hyatt qualifying nights?

You can earn Hyatt qualifying nights by staying at a Hyatt hotel and paying a qualifying rate. That includes any rate that you book through Hyatt or any award nights booked through Hyatt. You can also earn qualifying nights through the World of Hyatt card and World of Hyatt Business card. World of Hyatt cardmembers get 5 nights each year you’re a cardmember and 2 additional nights for each $5,000 spent. World of Hyatt Business cardmembers can earn 5 tier qualifying night credits for every $10,000 spent in a calendar year.

How long does Hyatt status last?

Your Hyatt status will last through February of the second calendar year following qualification. For example, if you earn Discoverist status in December 2023, it would be valid through February of 2025.

Does Hyatt have lifetime status?

Hyatt offers lifetime Globalist status when you earn 1,000,000 base points.

Does Hyatt Gold Passport still exist?

No, Hyatt Gold Passport was replaced by the World of Hyatt program in 2017.

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About Katie Seemann

Katie has been in the points and miles game since 2015 and started her own blog in 2016. She’s been freelance writing since then and her work has been featured in publications like Travel + Leisure, Forbes Advisor, and Fortune Recommends.

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