Editor’s note: This is a recurring post, regularly updated with new information.
Hotel elite status is a great way to make your travels more rewarding and less stressful. Each major chain offers several perks to loyal members, but how much are the different tiers worth? Is one program more rewarding than another? And is it even worth pursuing elite status at all?
Today we’ll dive into the status hierarchy for World of Hyatt. The goal is simple: assign a specific value to each elite tier to help you determine whether or not to pursue (or maintain) Hyatt elite status in 2023.
Methodology
Before getting into the numbers, it’s important to note that our analysis represents just one way to decide how much the World of Hyatt elite status program is worth.
You may find some benefits worthless, while you may value others much more than we do. For example, some travelers often take early flights and seldom have breakfast at the hotel, while others may use late checkouts more often. Feel free to adjust our calculations based on your situation.
Also, Hyatt’s (admittedly growing) footprint pales compared to Marriott Bonvoy and Hilton Honors, so consider that before pursuing status.
The final dollar amounts we landed for each tier represent the value you’d get after reaching that status level and continuing to qualify every year. If you’re starting from scratch, you won’t enjoy any benefits until you reach Discoverist status.
This brings us to the key assumptions we’re making for all guides in the series:
- You complete 20% more nights than the minimum required for the given level.
- You spend an average of $150 per night on eligible purchases.
- Your average stay is two nights.
We also assume that your stays are split evenly between full-service properties (like Andaz and Hyatt Regency) and limited-service properties (Hyatt Place and Hyatt House).
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Adjust these assumptions to fit more closely with your typical stay patterns.
Three other notes: First, we’re basing the value of any bonus points earned on TPG’s most recent valuations, which value Hyatt points at 1.7 cents apiece. Second, we’re also rounding the values to the nearest $5 to make the calculations easier.
Finally, most of the below perks are not provided at Small Luxury Hotels of the World properties currently integrated into the World of Hyatt program. Even though you can earn points and elite night credits for stays at these hotels, the only elite status perk you’ll enjoy is bonus-point accrual.
Related: No status, no problem: Getting elite-like perks at Small Luxury Hotels of the World
World of Hyatt elite status tiers
There are three status tiers in the World of Hyatt loyalty program, each offering different perks. Here’s a quick overview:
| Discoverist | Explorist | Globalist | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Qualifications | 10 nights, three meetings and events or 25,000 base points ($5,000 in spending). | 30 nights, 10 meetings and events or 50,000 base points ($10,000 in spending). | 60 nights, 20 meetings and events or 100,000 base points ($20,000 in spending). |
| Elite points bonus | 10%. | 20%. | 30%. |
| Elite check-in | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Late checkout (as available at some locations) | 2 p.m. | 2 p.m. | 4 p.m. |
| Room upgrade (as available at check-in) | Preferred room within type booked. | Upgraded room excluding suites and rooms with Club lounge access. | Including standard suites. |
| Bottled water | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Premium internet | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Guaranteed availability | 72 hours. | 48 hours. | |
| Club access or breakfast | ✓ | ||
| Free parking on award stays | ✓ | ||
| Waived resort fees (some brands excluded) | ✓ | ||
| Early check-in (when available) | ✓ | ||
| Guest of Honor | ✓ | ||
| American Airlines bonus | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| MGM Rewards status tier match | Pearl. | Gold. | Gold. |
With all this in mind, how much value does the World of Hyatt program provide to its elite members? Here’s what we found.
Hyatt Discoverist: $165
The lowest tier in the World of Hyatt program is Discoverist status, typically earned after 10 nights, 3 meetings and events or 25,000 base points ($5,000 in spending). Remember, It’s also included as an automatic benefit on the World of Hyatt Credit Card and World of Hyatt Business Credit Card.
For this analysis, we’ll assume that you complete 12 nights, split evenly between full-service and limited-service Hyatt properties.
| Benefit details | Value | |
|---|---|---|
| Bonus points | A 10% points bonus when staying at Hyatt properties results in an additional 0.5 points per dollar spent.
With 12 nights at $150 per night, you’d spend a total of $1,800, earning you 900 extra Hyatt points. |
$15. |
| Upgrades to preferred rooms | Space-available upgrades to preferred rooms within the same category, including ones with a preferred view or location. Some Hyatt Place, Hyatt House, Hyatt Residence Club and MGM properties are excluded. | $60. |
| Bottled water | Enjoy a complimentary bottle of water each day of your stay. | $10. |
| Premium internet | Hyatt gives all guests complimentary internet, but Discoverist members can access premium internet for free. | $10. |
| Late checkout | Discoverist travelers enjoy 2 p.m. late checkout upon request, though it’s subject to availability at Hyatt resorts and not available at Hyatt Residence Club or MGM resorts. | $25. |
| Elite reservation line | You can call a dedicated elite reservation phone line as a Discoverist member. | $10. |
| Pearl status with MGM Rewards | This gives you several benefits when staying at MGM properties, including complimentary self-parking and complimentary tickets to select MGM Rewards concerts in Las Vegas. | $25. |
| Bonus points on American flights | Earn 1 bonus Hyatt point for every $1 you spend on qualifying American Airlines flights when you link your two loyalty accounts.
We’ll assume a relatively conservative value of $500 worth of flights, which equates to 500 bonus Hyatt points. |
$10. |
| Total: | $165. |
Related: The ultimate guide to redeeming Hyatt points
Hyatt Explorist: $1,015
Explorist status is the second tier in the World of Hyatt program and is typically earned after 30 nights, 10 meetings and events or 50,000 base points ($10,000 in spending).
Since the World of Hyatt Credit Card awards cardholders five elite night credits and another two for every $5,000 you spend on the card in a calendar year, you can effectively “buy” Explorist status without any stays by simply spending $65,000 in a year on the card. However, we assume that most travelers would qualify with a combination of the two.
For this analysis, we’ll assume that you complete 36 nights, split evenly between full-service and limited-service Hyatt properties.
| Benefit details | Value | |
|---|---|---|
| Bonus points | When staying at Hyatt properties, a 20% points bonus results in 1 additional point per dollar spent.
With 36 nights at $150 per night, you’d spend $5,400, earning you 5,400 extra Hyatt points. |
$90. |
| Four Club lounge access awards | Earn two at 20 elite qualifying nights (or 35,000 base points) and the remaining two when you reach 30 nights (or 50,000 base points) and qualify for Explorist status. These Club Upgrade certificates are valid for the same period as your status.
You can use a single Club Upgrade on a stay of up to seven nights, and they are valid on eligible paid room rates and rooms booked using points. Unfortunately, you might not be able to use them on free night awards like the Category 1-4 certificates offered to Hyatt credit card holders. |
$100. |
| Upgrade to the best available room | Unlike Discoverist members, Explorist travelers are eligible for upgrades to the best available room at check-in, up to but excluding suites and rooms with lounge access. This is also not applicable at Hyatt Place, Hyatt House, Hyatt Residence Club and MGM resorts.
We’ll assume a $20-per-night valuation at the full-service locations. |
$360. |
| Bottled water | Same benefit, more frequent utilization. | $35. |
| Premium internet | Same benefit, more frequent utilization. | $35. |
| Late checkout | Same benefit, more frequent utilization. | $75. |
| Guaranteed availability | Explorist members are guaranteed a room when making a paid reservation at least 72 hours before arrival. Like the comparable benefits offered by other chains, Hyatt places a host of restrictions on this, including blackout dates and periods of “extraordinary room demand.” These rates also tend to be exorbitant. | $20. |
| Elite reservation line | Same benefit, more frequent utilization. | $25. |
| Gold status with MGM Rewards | Enjoy waived resort fees when you book directly, complimentary enhanced room upgrades, complimentary valet parking and more. | $75. |
| Free night at Category 1-4 property | When you reach the 30-night threshold during the year and officially qualify for Explorist status, you’ll earn a free night award for a Category 1-4 Hyatt property. Unfortunately, your reservation must be booked and completed within 120 days of issuance, so it’s much more restrictive than the similar certificates holders of the World of Hyatt Credit Card can earn. | $150. |
| Bonus points on American flights | Same benefit, more frequent utilization. | $25. |
| AAdvantage elite status offers | From time to time, Hyatt elite members are offered targeted, fast-track opportunities to earn AAdvantage elite status. This isn’t a guarantee, but snagging American status more quickly than the standard requirements could be valuable. | $25. |
| $1,015. |
Related: How to earn, use and make the most of your Hyatt free night certificates
Hyatt Globalist: $4,950
The top tier in the World of Hyatt program is Globalist status, typically earned after 60 nights, 20 meetings and events or 100,000 base points ($20,000 in spending).
Again, as noted above, you earn five elite night credits just for holding the World of Hyatt Credit Card and can earn additional elite qualifying nights by spending on the card, so this may allow you to close the gap.
For this analysis, we’ll assume that you complete 72 nights, split evenly between full-service and limited-service Hyatt properties.
| Benefit details | Value | |
|---|---|---|
| Bonus points | When staying at Hyatt properties, a 30% points bonus gives you an additional 1.5 points per dollar spent.
With 72 nights at $150 per night, you’d spend a total of $10,800, earning you 16,200 extra Hyatt points. |
$275. |
| Room upgrades | Like Discoverist and Explorist members, you’re eligible for room upgrades at check-in as a Globalist traveler, including standard suites. Like the similar perks mentioned earlier, this isn’t available at Hyatt Place, Hyatt House, Hyatt Residence Club and MGM resorts. We’ll value this perk for the full-service locations at $35 per night. | $1,260. |
| Club lounge access and/or free breakfast | Globalist members enjoy access to Club lounges, where available. At properties without a Club lounge, they receive complimentary full breakfast for each registered guest (up to two adults and two children) in the hotel’s restaurant. This may even include room service at some properties like the Andaz Amsterdam and Park Hyatt New York.
Given that it extends to a family of four and includes Club access, we’ll value this perk at $25 per night at the full-service properties. |
$900. |
| Bottled water | Same benefit, more frequent utilization. | $70. |
| Premium internet | Same benefit, more frequent utilization. | $70. |
| Early check-in | Globalists get priority access to available rooms when checking in early. | $50. |
| Late checkout | Hyatt also allows Globalist members late checkout privileges but extends it to 4 p.m., offering some valuable flexibility if you need to depart later in the afternoon. | $150. |
| Waived resort fees | World of Hyatt members (including those without elite status) do not have to pay those pesky resort fees on award stays. However, the program waives resort fees for Globalist members on all stays (excluding some Residence Club properties and MGM resorts). This can save you quite a bit of money if you frequently visit locations like Hawaii or the Caribbean, where these fees are prevalent.
We’ll assume that five of your nights are spent at applicable properties with an average fee of $25 per night. |
$125. |
| Complimentary parking on free night awards | Globalist members get complimentary parking at hotels that run their own paid parking service (i.e., parking that you can charge to your room) on award stays. These fees can be quite high at resorts or big-city properties, and you often have no choice but to use these facilities.
We’ll assume that you utilize this four nights per year with a daily parking rate of $25. |
$100. |
| Guaranteed availability | Globalist members have the same guaranteed availability benefit offered to Explorist members but a shorter time frame to invoke it (48 hours instead of 72). The same restrictions apply. | $25. |
| Elite reservation line | Same benefit, but we can’t see Globalist members using this more frequently. | $25. |
| My Hyatt Concierge | In addition to the elite reservation line, Globalist members can utilize a more tailored concierge service, assisting with reservations and any special request. It can be quite valuable if you frequently need this dedicated agent. | $50. |
| Guest of Honor | Hyatt’s Guest of Honor benefit allows Globalist members to redeem points for a friend or family member. The person staying on the reservation can use their elite status privileges for their stay. | $50. |
| Four Suite Upgrade awards | Earn two Suite Upgrade awards at 50 elite qualifying nights (or 80,000 base points) and another two upon reaching 60 nights (or 100,000 base points) and earning Globalist status. Rather than hoping for an upgrade at check-in, these certificates allow you to confirm a suite at booking.
Each one covers a stay of up to seven nights. Like the Club Upgrade awards, you can use them on paid stays and standard award stays (including Points + Cash reservations) but not awards booked with free night certificates. They are valid through the end of the year they were earned, plus an additional 14 months. Remember to redeem them and complete your stay before the expiration date. |
$800. |
| Free night at Category 1-4 property | Same benefit as Discoverist. | $150. |
| 40-night threshold bonus | When you reach 40 elite qualifying nights (or 65,000 base points), you’re eligible for a Milestone bonus: 5,000 Hyatt points, a $100 Hyatt gift card or a 10,000-point discount on a Find Experience redemption. We’ll assume you select the Hyatt gift card here, as the bonus points aren’t quite as valuable and the Find Experiences aren’t the best use of points. | $100. |
| Free night at a Category 1-7 property | In addition to earning a free Category 1-4 night when surpassing the requirements for Explorist status, you’ll also earn a free night at any Hyatt property when reaching Globalist. This free night is valid for 120 days from the date of issuance. | $300. |
| Added threshold bonus | Another perk for Globalist members is provided by going above and beyond the 60-night threshold for qualification. For every 10 additional nights you complete in a calendar year (up to 100 total nights), you can select either 10,000 bonus points (worth $170) or an additional Suite Upgrade award. Since we’re assuming 72 nights, you’ll surpass the first of these thresholds. | $200. |
| Gold status with MGM Rewards | Same benefit, more frequent utilization. | $100. |
| Bonus points on American flights | Same benefit, more frequent utilization. | $50. |
| AAdvantage elite status offers | The Hyatt and American partnership also offers Globalist members the potential for shortcuts to elite status — including a match to Executive Platinum status for some in late 2019. Incredibly enough, this even included the Systemwide Upgrades that Executive Platinum flyers earn when qualifying the hard way. More recently, Hyatt Globalist members have received Platinum Pro status with American’s Instant Status Pass.
While this doesn’t appear to be a universally available perk of Globalist status, it may be offered as a future targeted perk. |
$100. |
| $4,950. |
Related: 5 easy ways to qualify for Hyatt Globalist status
What if I’m starting from scratch?
As mentioned at the outset, all the numbers above represent values for those who have already earned these status levels.
However, many may be starting from scratch. If this is the case, you won’t enjoy any benefits until you have completed 10 nights and earned Discoverist status. After that, you won’t enjoy additional benefits until you hit 30 nights to earn Explorist status. So, how can you quantify this climb up the ranks?
We’ve attempted to answer this by converting the above calculations into a value per night, as follows:
- Hyatt Discoverist: $155/12 nights = $12.92 per night.
- Hyatt Explorist (minus $250 — explanation below): $765/36 nights = $21.25 per night
- Hyatt Globalist (minus $1,550 — explanation below): $3,400/72 = $47.22 per night
For Explorist status, we removed the value of the Category 1-4 and Club Upgrade awards ($250) since they are fixed values once you reach certain thresholds (as opposed to variable perks that become more valuable as you complete more nights). Meanwhile, for Globalist, we removed the Suite Upgrade awards, two free night awards and all Milestone bonuses, which dropped the value by $1,550.
You can then use these numbers to calculate the value you’d get from the program as you move up the Hyatt elite status ladder.
For example, say you expect to stay 75 nights. With these numbers, you’d get no benefits for the first 10 nights, enjoy Discoverist benefits for the next 20 nights (at a rate of $12.92 per night), then enjoy Explorist benefits for the next 30 nights (at a rate of $21.25 per night), and finally enjoy Globalist perks for the remaining 15 nights (at a rate of $47.22 per night).
In addition, you’d gain access to multiple additional perks like upgrade certificates and free night awards as you progressed up this elite status ladder. As a result, if you’re starting with no status and plan to complete 75 nights in 2023, you’d be able to get $3,254.17 in value from the World of Hyatt program.
Related: Hotel elite status match and challenge offers
Is it worth pursuing Hyatt elite status?
Given these values, is it worth pursuing elite status (or the next tier of elite status) with World of Hyatt? As with any TPG analysis, there isn’t an easy answer to this, as it depends entirely on your individual situation. However, here are a few overarching questions that can help you arrive at a decision:
How much will you travel in the future?
When pursuing elite status, it’s critical to consider how much you will travel in the future. If you push hard to earn Explorist status, the valuable perks outlined above apply when you travel.
How well does Hyatt’s geographical coverage match your typical travel patterns?
When deciding on a hotel loyalty program, make sure it has properties where you travel the most. There’s really no point in pursuing elite status with a hotel chain if you can’t feasibly stay at one (or more) of its properties regularly.
While it is expanding its footprint with the SLH partnership and its acquisition of Dream Hotels and Apple Leisure Group, Hyatt’s footprint is still a far cry from the several thousand properties that Hilton, Marriott and IHG boast. Luckily, Hyatt has been rapidly expanding, particularly with its impressive pipeline in Europe.
In the U.S., you’ll find properties in most major cities and even alongside major highways. The coverage isn’t quite as good as Marriott’s or Hilton’s, but it should suffice for most business and leisure travelers.
All that said, make sure there are Hyatt properties in or around destinations that match your travel style. For example, if you travel to a major city frequently and prefer to stay in luxury hotels, make sure one of Hyatt’s luxury brands has a presence there.
If you find Hyatt doesn’t have your desired type of hotel near the places you travel most, consider pursuing elite status with a program that does.
How sensitive are you to price and convenience?
There are many trade-offs in this hobby, and one of the most common is deciding whether to use your preferred airline or hotel chain when it’s not the most convenient or cheapest. Would you stay at a Hyatt Regency if another brand was cheaper and/or more convenient to where you need to be? If the answer is no, it may not be worth going out of your way to earn elite status with Hyatt (or elite status with any hotel chain, for that matter).
Related: 5 easy ways to maximize World of Hyatt redemptions
Is a credit card a better option?
As mentioned above, the World of Hyatt Credit Card and World of Hyatt Business Credit Card offer automatic Discoverist status and the ability to earn additional elite night credits through spending. The consumer card also includes five automatic elite nights per calendar year. As a result, you may be better off applying for one of these cards and utilizing the benefits or supplementing qualifying stays with spending rather than worrying about qualifying (or requalifying) the hard way.
These questions are not easy to answer, as many different factors come into play with each of them. Nevertheless, evaluating your situation is worthwhile as you determine if Hyatt’s elite status is right for you.
Related: Why the World of Hyatt Credit Card is great for family travelers
Can you benefit from the American Airlines-Hyatt partnership?
American Airlines and Hyatt have a partnership that brings reciprocal benefits to elite members in the AAdvantage and World of Hyatt programs.
Hyatt elite members can earn 1 bonus point per $1 spent on qualifying American flights, while all American elite members can earn 1 bonus mile per $1 spent on qualifying Hyatt stays and experiences. Those with status in both programs will earn bonus points on American flights and Hyatt stays.
Further, American’s invite-only Concierge Key elite members are generally eligible for a status match to Hyatt Globalist elite status. Other American elite members can fast-track to World of Hyatt status faster than other members. These fast tracks are usually invite-only and sometimes include outright status matches.
If you’re an American flyer, switching your hotel stays to Hyatt could be even more rewarding.
Related: How Hyatt and American loyalists can earn more rewards by linking accounts
Consider how much you value World of Hyatt points
You’ll have a solid stash of World of Hyatt points, whether you’re earning status organically or through a credit card. So, you should ensure you value Hyatt points before chasing Hyatt elite status. Otherwise, you could be left with a stash of points you can’t use.
Unlike most of its competitors, Hyatt has continued to publish a standard award chart. This means award stays are priced predictably, and you won’t be met with any outrageously high dynamically priced hotels when redeeming.
We’ve found that most Hyatt hotels are very reasonably priced, too. This has led TPG to value World of Hyatt points at 1.7 cents per point, which is the highest of any hotel points currency. Regardless, you should find your own cent-per-point value before earning Hyatt points or status. After all, you don’t want to be left with points you can’t use.
Related: TPG releases points calculator to make award bookings easier
Bottom line
The World of Hyatt program is a favorite of many travelers. However, given the limited footprint of Hyatt’s various brands, it may not be a viable option for everyone, even though the program provides significant value to its loyal members. That being said, all signs are pointing to a significant expansion of the program’s portfolio of properties.
Hopefully, this analysis has helped you decide whether to pursue Hyatt elite status in 2023.
Additional reporting by Nick Ewen, Andrew Kunesh and Kyle Olsen.
