Formerly called Hyatt Gold Passport, the free World of Hyatt loyalty program covers more than 875 worldwide hotels across 19 brands. While not as large as its competitors, namely the massive Marriott Bonvoy and Hilton Honors programs, the World of Hyatt consists of plenty of great properties and ways to earn and redeem points.
Here, we break down some of the unique perks of a World of Hyatt membership (such as a recent point-sharing deal with American Airlines), bonus point opportunities, as well as which properties and experiences are the best fit for travelers looking to earn and use reward points.
How to earn points as a World of Hyatt member
Travelers earn five points per dollar spent on stays, dining, and spa services. Even if you’re not a guest, most hotels award points on dining and spa services if you provide your account number when paying. Added bonus: Reservations made through the recently revamped World of Hyatt app will earn 500 bonus points between now and September 30.
The greater your status, the greater your earning potential, with the highest elite tier, called Globalist, earning a 30 percent bonus plus perks like free breakfast and suite upgrades.
If you need more points, consider transferring them at a one-to-one ratio from credit card programs like Chase Ultimate Rewards. You can transfer points to friends and relatives if they need points for an award, too.
An easy-to-understand award chart groups hotels into eight categories, beginning at 5,000 points, for a free night. You can also combine points and cash to stay at many hotels if you’re low on points. Points expire 24 months after the last account activity.
Ways to earn points with partners
A new collaboration with American Airlines offers World of Hyatt elite members one point for every dollar spent on flights. In reverse, American AAdvantage elite members earn one mile for every dollar spent on Hyatt stays.
Earn or redeem World of Hyatt points on a Lindblad sailing to Antarctica.
Photo by Michael S. Nolan/Lindblad Expeditions
By the end of 2019, adventure travelers will be able to book with Lindblad Expeditions and earn World of Hyatt points on the expedition cruise line’s nearly 300 sailings each year. Conversely, World of Hyatt members can redeem points for exotic Lindblad voyages to places like Greenland, Antarctica, Egypt, or the Amazon. Then there are FIND experiences, which allow travelers to earn and redeem points for out-of-the-ordinary educational or wellness-focused experiences around the globe. Want to take a Broadway workshop? You can redeem points for one. The same goes for taking lessons in calligraphy, cooking, or the art of bonsai; paragliding over Los Angeles; and consultations with a celebrity nutritionist.
Members enjoy reciprocal perks and status with MGM Resorts International’s M Life Rewards, a rewards program that encompasses several Las Vegas properties, including Aria, Vdara, and Delano. A similar program is offered with Small Luxury Hotels of the World with free continental breakfast and Internet included at participating properties for guests who book through the cobranded site.
Membership perks and how to redeem points
Upon joining, members receive free Internet at all World of Hyatt–participating hotels.
The Milestone Rewards program incentivizes members by awarding a free night after staying with five different brands, for example. Few hotel loyalty programs offer something similar.
To help you choose where to book your next World of Hyatt points earning or burning trip, here’s a rundown of some of Hyatt’s standout brands.
Hyatt Regency
Hyatt Regency hotels attract business travelers with their upscale accommodations and meeting facilities in big cities and resort locales. Consisting of dozens of properties throughout the world, it is the company’s oldest and most well-known brand. Hyatt Regency’s claim to iconic hotel architecture fame? The John Portman–designed Hyatt Regency Atlanta’s modern atrium-style lobby sparked a design craze that other brands mimicked.
Andaz
A stay at the design-forward Andaz Amsterdam Prinsengracht will score you a room right on the canals.
Courtesy of Hyatt
Andaz combines on-trend design elements with doting service at its 20 global properties. It’s the kind of hotel where perfectly coiffed staff help guests but never with a stiff-upper-lip attitude. Stretching from New York to Tokyo, some of the brand’s newest properties include Andaz Vienna Am Belvedere and Andaz Munich Schwabinger Tor, each with notable regional art, dining, and bars that are popular with locals. As part of a new partnership, the Society of Scent is developing signature aromas for each Andaz property based on ingredients representative of the destination. For example, at Andaz Mayakoba, the property’s signature scent features smoky notes of copal and fresh aloe vera. Guests will soon be able to purchase candles and diffusers to take the fragrances home as well.
Park Hyatt
Among Hyatt’s top luxury offerings, these midsize hotels are often considered the top addresses in their respective cities. Park Hyatt Beaver Creek Resort & Spa and Park Hyatt Tokyo (famously featured in the movie Lost in Translation) are two perfect examples.
Hyatt Centric
Look for Hyatt Centric properties in the heart of town, such as the Hyatt Centric San Isidro Lima in Peru.
Courtesy of Hyatt
These design-forward hotels are usually found in the heart of the action (you probably won’t find a Hyatt Centric by the airport, for example). Before developing this brand, Hyatt conducted focus groups to learn what today’s traveler wants from a hotel room. The result: greater attention to things like conveniently placed power outlets, restaurants and bars that serve as neighborhood social hubs, eco-friendly toiletries, and Drybar-branded hair dryers (a guest favorite).
Grand Hyatt
Grand Hyatt’s big and bold statement through notable architecture and ample public spaces is intended to woo meeting and convention business, but it can appeal to leisure travelers, too. The new Grand Hyatt Vail will be the brand’s first in a U.S. mountain resort destination. Tip: You’ll find solid point-redemption deals at these properties during holiday periods when corporate business slows.
Joie de Vivre
Add some flavor to your New York stay at the Hotel 50 Bowery.
Courtesy of Hote 50 Bowery
These individually styled fun and funky boutique hotels are often integrated into their neighborhoods as popular community hangouts. Primarily located in the United States (the one international property is in Beijing, China), the majority of the Joie de Vivre hotels are in California, New York, and Illinois. The uber-hip Hotel Revival Baltimore is a bastion of cool in the city’s Mount Vernon cultural district, the recently renovated Hotel Kabuki in San Francisco is a design destination unto itself, and Hotel 50 Bowery features some killer New York skyline views from the rooftop bar.
Hyatt Place
At Hyatt Place hotels, World of Hyatt members enjoy free Internet and breakfast along with sizeable rooms designed for business travelers. Some of these hotels cost only 5,000 points for a free night. Hyatt Place hotels, many of which do not have an all-day restaurant, fill a niche between full-service business hotels and more value-focused options.
Hyatt Ziva and Hyatt Zilara
Helloooooo, Hyatt Ziva Los Cabos.
Courtesy of Hyatt
At present, Hyatt is the only major U.S. hotel brand to operate all-inclusive properties (Ziva for families and Zilara for adults only). In Mexico and the Caribbean, they’re perfect for redeeming points without worrying about signing checks for food, drinks, or entertainment while on vacation.
Unbound Collection
The Confidante embraces a midcentury Miami aesthetic.
Courtesy of Hyatt
These independent hotels showcase local charm rather than the more staid standards of a larger hotel brand. While the size and amenities of Unbound Collection hotels may vary, participation in World of Hyatt means members will find familiar perks here. A particular favorite is Hotel du Louvre across from its famous namesake museum and the Tuileries Gardens. >> Next: Hyatt’s Loyalty Program Just Got a Serious Luxury Upgrade
