When the Hyatt Visa first came out, the offer was 2 free nights without minimum spend. Existing Platinum members got a couple of confirmed suite upgrades (valid on paid stays). Existing Diamond members got their 2 free nights in a suite.
They introduced a minimum spend requirement. But you could usually get a statement credit as well on the card if you went through the process of making a Hyatt reservation on their website. You’d be offered the card with statement credit.
You no longer need to go through the machinations of making a mock reservation to get the statement credit for the card. And they’ve improved the offer with 5000 points for adding an authorized user to the account.
- Two free nights after $1000 spend within 3 months
- $0 fee the first year, then $75
- $50 statement credit after first purchase
- 5000 Hyatt Gold Passport points for adding a no fee authorized user and making a purchase within 3 months
And as with Chase personal cards generally,
This bonus offer is available to you as long as you have not received a new cardmember bonus for the Hyatt Credit Card in the past 24 months.
So you get 2 free nights at any Hyatt, 5000 points, and even make $50 in the process. That’s a stellar offer at no fee the first year and just $1000 in minimum spend!
View from the Club Lounge at the Grand Hyatt Hong Kong
The Hyatt Visa is a good but not great card in my opinion. It has no foreign transaction fees. Earning is 3 points per dollar at Hyatt (still, for my domestic full service Hyatt stays I use my Starwood business Amex for the 5% OPEN rebate) and 2 points per dollar at restaurants, on airline tickets purchased directly from the airline, and at car rental agencies.
You get Platinum status for having the card and earn 2 stays and 5 nights towards elite status after $20,000 spend in a year and 2 more stays and 5 more nights after $40,000 spend in a year. That’s why I keep the card, since I try to earn Platinum with Starwood and Diamond with Hyatt — Hyatt has the best suite upgrade benefit (4 confirmed at booking suites up to 7 nights per year for Diamonds) and the best breakfast benefit (full restaurant breakfast for up to 4 registered guests when no club lounge is available).
Breakfast at the Park Hyatt Hadahaa, Maldives
(HT: Frequent Miler and Hans M.)
Nice offer. How long is it good through?
@Daniel – no idea
Well darn! Just signed up for this one a week ago with the regular terms. Not sure I have the gall to even ask they’ll match the $50 credit. 2 nights in a PH for $1k spend is pretty good to start with.
Do Diamonds still get the 2 free nights in a suite?
When do the 2 free nights expire?
Any chance they will give existing card members 5000 points for adding another authorized user to the current account.
I just applied and got approved for 5k!! I needed to call recon and thats it.
BTW those of you who are scared because of how stingy chase is now DONT WORRY. I have 17 inq and 4 open CC in the last year (15 in last two years) and they approved me without asking questions.
I think they have separete rules for chase branded cards and hotel branded cards…
Gary – I can’t find a link to the offer you detail. (Checked internet and the offer I received by email 2 weeks ago)The one I find does not mention the $50 statement credit or 5K points for adding a user. Can you provide a link or tell me what I am not seeing?
Hi Gary, any suggestions about how/where to best utilize the 2 free night signup benefit? Are there any restrictions? If there has been a post on that in the past please kindly share the link.
@Dave G – no restrictions other than standard award availability, are you thinking resorts? what part of the world? check out my trip reports – hotels 🙂
@Henri Dussault – click on “here’s the offer” in this post 🙂
@mmt generally have a year to use them
@djp_707 you can always ask (especially if you’re a recent applicant for the card)
@mark – no. but they get breakfast 😛
Gary: Is the offer 2 free nights after 1k spend, then an additional 2 nights with $20k spend in first year?
@Nathan there are two free nights only. the 2 stays/5 nights after 20k spend are elite qualifying (not redeemable)
How long are the two free nights good for? I’m going to Sydney next March and would love to use them at the Grand Hyatt Sydney.
@itsame – you are correct everything is smooth sailing. Well that’s is, until it’s not and you get your cards cancelled.
LOL! Right on queue, like a broken clock, he chimes in: “best suite upgrade benefit (4 confirmed at booking suites up to 7 nights per year for Diamond)”…
…and then you book JUST 2 stays of more than 7-night each and all 4 ‘confirmed’ upgrades are gone….
That’s what travel bloggers would have you believe is the best upgrade benefit in the business, but it really sets the bar quite low for what to call “best”!!!
@DCS they also have the least expensive confirmed suite upgrade using points. How many points does it cost to confirm a suite at time of booking on a paid Hilton stay?
“1 free night every year after your cardmember anniversary at any Category 1-4 property”
That alone seems worth the $75. Not sure how many categories Hyatt has though. Guessing at least 6 or 7. Still a cat 4 has to go for more than $75/night.
@Gary: “they also have the least expensive confirmed suite upgrade using points. How many points does it cost to confirm a suite at time of booking on a paid Hilton stay?”
BTW, when claiming “least expensive confirmed suite upgrade using points” make sure to take into account the factor of 3 difference between GP and HH points because such claim almost always fall apart when appropriate point currency conversion is done 😉
More to the point is that the rates of HHonors’ room upgrade rewards are not fixed but can be dirt cheap, so that the claim of “least expensive confirmed suite upgrade using points” is also shaky. From the HH FAQs:
“WHAT ARE ROOM UPGRADE REWARDS?
With Room Upgrade Rewards, you can use HHonors Points on existing reservations to GUARANTEE an upgrade to available premium rooms and luxurious suites at any of our hotels and resorts worldwide, with no blackout dates. The number of points required to redeem Room Upgrade Rewards varies by room, hotel, booking and stay date.”
Considering how successful I have been at getting suite upgrades at check in, I personally think it is a waste of points to use this upgrade option. However, since it can be dirt cheap, often gets cheaper for longer stays and it is a true upgrade “GUARANTEE”, it is a great option to have if I ever feel the need to GUARANTEE a suite upgrade…
@DCS with Hilton you’re buying up to the full paid rate for a suite paying with points that Hilton values at a bit under half a cent apiece. That’s a bad joke.
@Mike D – 7 categories. The card is worth keeping for the category 4 night once you have it.
@Gary — I believe you do not understand how HHonors room upgrade rewards work. Nevertheless, considering how generous HHonors is with complimentary room upgrades, I think that it is a big waste to use points for room upgrades, thus making the point moot.
@Mike D – It’s definitely worth keep the card year-after-year. This year I’m using my annual free night certificate at the Park Hyatt Toronto! You can’t beat the service and quality of a Park Hyatt! Aside from Toronto, there are other Park Hyatt’s where you can use the annual certificate.
@Dave – I redeemed my free nights at the Park Hyatt-Vendome in Paris. It’s an amazing hotel!
I’ll have what @DCS is having!
@Gary — Right now @DCS is having a hearty soup in the Maple Leaf lounge at YYZ on his way back to LGA, meaning that he’s absolutely coherent when he says that it is simply foolish to waste points on suite upgrades. I’ll get them for free as I have been or I will settle for an upgrade to an exec floor room…and so be it if that’s a challenge another blogosphere dogma.
@DCS why do you even think a room on the executive floor (as opposed to just lounge access) is an upgrade? #Brainwashed
For those of us who previously held the card (got it two or three years ago) is there a way to confirm that we’re indeed eligible for the offer?
@Gary — You of all people ought to know why a room on the exec floor is an “upgrade”: it gives HH Golds, the status that you claim is the same as HH Diamond, access to the exec lounge! BTW, do you think Hyatt is justified to charge 3K points for an “upgrade” to a club room?
@DCS you said it was an upgrade for you though as a diamond member and I asked how an executive floor room was an actual upgrade for you when you would get lounge access anyway?
And yes Hyatt offering to confirm club lounge for a fixed number of points can be a value for a general member or platinun… there are some Hyatt hotels of course with fantastic clubs.
Anyone know if the hyatt free nights are transferable?
Can I give them to another family member?
@helen – technically no, though in practice you could presumably make a reservation and add the family member’s name as second guest on the booking so they can ‘check in before you’
Thanks Gary. Probably not worth the risk in this case but good to know.
For those of us who previously held the card (got it two or three years ago) is there a way to confirm that we’re indeed eligible for the offer?
Awesome offer. We cancelled the cards shortly after using the rewards in hopes of applying for the offer again in a year or so. Anyone have any luck with Hyatt/Chase getting the rewards again within the 24 period?