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Hyatt Credit Card Review: Introduction and Benefits Summary

Picture of Item Reviewed

Editor's Rating:

Intro Purchase APR Regular APR Intro Balance Transfer Annual Fee Credit Needed
N.A. $75 Excellent
Executive Summary - One of the best hotel affinity cards around and one that was well overdue as Hyatt was the last of all major hotel chains to have their own card. With the wait finally over, we will see how this card fares.

For the longest time, Hyatt was the only hotel that did not have it's own affinity card. That all changed in 20101 when they launched their co-branded card with Chase. This was received most enthusiastically by Hyatt Gold Passport members because having an affinity card will help frequent guest members rack more points easily.

Here are the key benefits of this card.
 

  • When you stay at Hyatt Hotels, you can earn three points for every dollar that you spend on the card

  • When you use your card for other regular purchases, you will earn one point for every dollar that you spend

  • There is no foreign transaction fee with this card. That means that you could save 3% every time you use the card abroad because most cards charge between 2.7% and 3% FX transaction fees. Furthermore, this card has a smart chip technology which makes the card more friendly in Europe and other parts of the world.


On September 12th 2012, Hyatt announced some new improved features2 to the card will be have effect from 1st October 2012 onwards. Here are the new enhancements.
 

  • Cardholders will now be able to earn double points when you use your card at restaurants (excluding those at Hyatt properties where you are already earning triple points), airline tickets directly from airlines and also from car rental agencies. This new perk will be music to the years for those who really travel a lot

  • Furthermore, as a cardholder, you will enjoy elite platinum status as long as your card is in good standing. To achieve Platinum status requires five qualifying stays or 15 eligible nights. That will already require more than the $75 annual fee you pay on the card each year. In fact, when I checked Chase site, it appears that this feature is already available now.

    Some of the added perks of being a Platinum member include preferred rooms allocation upon arrival, receiving confirmed bed-type at check-in, complimentary room internet access (this is very important to me), dedicated check-in area for elite members, late checkouts.

  • Not only will card members get automatic platinum status, you will also get extra stay and night credits based on your annual spending on the card. If you spend $20,000 a year, you will be credited with 2 stays/5 nights. If you spend $40,000 a year, you will be credited with an additional 3 stays/5 nights. As a guide, diamond status requires 25 stays or 50 nights. So the spending on your card will do a long way to achieving that status.


References
1. Hyatt and Chase launch first ever Hyatt branded credit card
2. Hyatt announces new card features
 

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