As the end of the year approaches, consider your progress toward the hotel elite status you’ve been working toward this year. Log into your account and check if you’ve earned status or need more nights, points or other stats.
If you’re reading this article, chances are you’re aiming for World of Hyatt elite status. Many Hyatt loyalists likely have their eye on the highest Hyatt Globalist elite status, but several lower elite status levels are easier to obtain.
Regardless of which World of Hyatt elite status you’re working for this year, read on for last-minute strategies to get you across the finish line.
Overview of World of Hyatt’s elite status
Hyatt uses a calendar year for the qualifying period, so you must accrue the following between January 1 and December 31 each year:
- Discoverer: 10 nights, 25,000 base points or three meetings and events
- Researcher: 30 nights, 50,000 base points or 10 meetings and events
- Globalist: 60 nights, 100,000 base points or 20 meetings and events
Once you achieve a specific World of Hyatt elite status, you will retain it for the next calendar year plus two additional months. You’ll also earn World of Hyatt milestone rewards every year starting at 20 nights or 35,000 base points.
World of Hyatt status is worth a lot, especially at the highest level of globalists. However, there are relatively few shortcuts to earning World of Hyatt elite status. And while Hyatt is expanding its footprint in many regions, it is still much smaller than Marriott Bonvoy or IHG One Rewards.
Related: How Much Value Does World of Hyatt Status Provide When You Book Direct?
Strategies to earn more qualifying nights
If you plan to qualify for a specific Hyatt elite status based on nights, now is a good time to check your progress. If you haven’t reached your goal yet, think about how many nights you’ll stay before the end of the year. If your currently planned travel doesn’t meet your qualifying nights goal, here are some strategies you can use.
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Open the world of Hyatt credit card
The World of Hyatt Credit Card gives primary cardholders five eligible night credits each calendar year. Existing cardholders will receive five credits within the first eight weeks of each calendar year. But new cardholders will receive the five credits within eight weeks of opening their card. While that’s close, these often reach your account much faster, so you’ll hopefully receive them in time to help this calendar year.
The World of Hyatt Credit Card offers many useful benefits that can easily justify the $95 annual fee. Check out our World of Hyatt Credit Card review for all the details.
Related: 6 Reasons Why I Love My World of Hyatt Card and Plan to Keep It Long-Term
Spend on your World of Hyatt card
There are currently two World of Hyatt credit cards available: a personal version and a business version. While only the personal version gives you five eligible nights per calendar year (as discussed above), both offer night credits if you meet established spending thresholds with your card:
There is no limit to the number of eligible night credits you can earn through credit card spend. So in theory you could spend as many nights as you need. However, we don’t recommend making purchases you don’t need or can’t afford to earn qualifying night credits.
Related: Credit Card Showdown: World of Hyatt Card vs. World of Hyatt Business Card
Book cheap award nights
A final option if you need more night credits is to stay more nights at Hyatt. You can do a mattress run at the nearest Category 1 Hyatt hotel to your home. But we recommend turning it into a trip (or staycation).
You can view current Category 1 Hyatt hotels via a map on Hyatt’s website. You can of course book a paid rate or a higher category Hyatt hotel. But we recommend you consider award nights at Category 1 hotels, as these nights will cost you 3,500, 5,000 or 6,500 points per night. If you have flexibility, you can use the Hyatt Award Calendar to find off-peak rates that cost as little as 3,500 points per night.
Related: Your Guide to World of Hyatt Price Lists
Strategies to earn more base points
Based on Hyatt’s terms and conditions, here’s how to earn Basic Points:
- 5 basis points per dollar on eligible room rates
- 5 basis points per dollar on eligible incidental charges for your room or guest folio (even for non-eligible room rates)
- Varying rates for eligible non-lodging expenses, including 10 basis points per dollar on Find Experiences and 5 basis points per dollar on Lindblad Expeditions
Unfortunately, many of the Hyatt points you earn are bonus points instead of base points. So if you don’t have enough base points needed for a specific elite status level, you’ll likely have to spend real money to replenish your base points. In some cases, getting the remaining nights you need for your desired status can be easier or cheaper than chasing base points. But this will depend on your specific situation.
Related: How to Get the Highest Hyatt Globalist Status for Life
Other strategies to earn Hyatt elite status quickly
There are also several other ways to earn World of Hyatt elite status quickly.
Get a Hyatt credit card
If you only want to maintain Discoverist status, you can use the World of Hyatt Credit Card or World of Hyatt business credit card. Both cards offer complimentary Discoverist status for the primary cardholder. Additionally, the primary cardholder can also bestow Discoverist status on up to five employees with the World of Hyatt business credit card.
As mentioned above, both cards also let the primary cardholder earn eligible nightly credits by spending on their card.
Related: Why I Want to Spend $15,000 on My World of Hyatt Credit Card Every Year
Look for a status challenge
If you have US AAdvantage elite status and have linked your AAdvantage and World of Hyatt accounts, you may enjoy occasional status match or challenge opportunities with Hyatt.
Through November 30, 2023, AAdvantage elite members can sign up for a trial offer at World of Hyatt if they have not yet taken advantage of such an offer this calendar year. Once you sign up, you’ll enter a 90-day trial period where you’ll benefit from World of Hyatt Explorist status.
If you complete 10 eligible nights at participating Hyatt hotels and resorts worldwide, Small Luxury Hotels of the World hotels, and Lindblad Expeditions during your trial period, you will retain Explorist status through February 2025. But AAdvantage members with Platinum Pro status or higher also have the opportunity to earn World of Hyatt Globalist status through February 2025 by completing at least 20 qualifying nights during their 90-day trial period.
Related: American Airlines Elite Members Can Sign Up for a World of Hyatt Status Challenge
In short
It’s always best to earn elite status organically through travel you’re already doing. But if you find yourself falling just short of reaching the Hyatt elite status level you want as the end of the year approaches, it may make sense to book a few extra nights, dedicate to the World of Hyatt Credit Card or World of Hyatt business credit cardbook a Find experience or use one of the other strategies discussed in this article to achieve your goal.