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The Chase Sapphire Reserve® card (See rates and fees) now offers cardmembers spending $75,000 on the card annually ($120,000 for Sapphire Business) World of Hyatt Explorist status.
- Linking World of Hyatt membership in the Chase benefits portal.
- Status lasts the remainder of the calendar year in which it is earned this way, as well as the following year.
I wrote to expect this back in November. Explorist status normally requires staying 30 nights or spending $10,000 in a year. You do not receive the nights so it doesn’t help in reaching a higher tier, and it doesn’t come with choice benefits received for actual nights stayed.
Sapphire Reserve works uniquely well for me because I can generate $75,000 on the card and do it in bonus spend categories, and it unlock additional benefits once I do: Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards A-List and IHG Diamond status, plus a $500 Southwest credit and $250 Shops at Chase credit on top of the rest of rewards. That’s a great return on top of the points.
Southwest status matters because they’re the biggest airline at my home airport, and I try not to fly them enough to earn the status naturally. But I frequently can’t avoid them. If I’m checking a bag, I get priority check-in and a free checked bag (also for my family traveling on the same itinerary).
And I get free seat assignments and remaining extra legroom seats as departure approaches. That’s all great for me, and I’ve taken advantage of all of it – plus the I’ve spent 2025’s Southwest credit.
Adding Hyatt Explorist helps me not at all, since I’m already a Globalist (and 95% of the way towards lifetime Globalist). I’d love it if we earned actual qualifying nights, or Chase offered choice benefits because I’d choose something different.
For many, though, modest upgrades and late checkout (subject to availability at resorts) afforded to mid-tier elites will be useful. And this is a pure add – nothing being taken away.
Explorist is of so little value that I wouldn’t even factor it in unless I end the period a few bucks short of $75k in spend anyway.
The Chase $75k spend benefits are an absolute joke. If you happen to fly Southwest (and when I think of “premium” Southwest definitely comes to mind) – fine, enjoy your $500 credit. IHG was basically giving away Diamond Elite status at the end of last year if you wanted it – but like most hotel status other than Globalist, it’s of minimal value. $250 at the Shops at Chase? Yawn.
Spend money on the CSR if you want the 8x points through Chase Travel (I’ll use it sometimes, but Amex Travel and AA Hotels are still much better than Chase Travel IMO), 5x Lyft, 4x for direct air/hotel bookings (assuming you don’t have 5x with Amex Plat for air) and 3x for dining (assuming it’s not a Citi Night or whatever). Otherwise, clip your coupons, enjoy the lounge access, and don’t otherwise put spend on this card.
As someone who put $75k in spend on my CSR last year, and may well again this year, I’d say this perk has very nearly $0 in value.
I’d be much more excited if these were elite night credits instead of a straight assignment of status, and I say that as someone that loves Hyatt but has no status with them.
as the jews say mazel tov