World Of Hyatt Free Night Certificate Quirks

by joeheg

I finally did it.

Due to my tendency to procrastinate on top of some unexpected sign-up bonuses, I fell behind my goal of spending $15,000 on my World of Hyatt Visa to earn an additional free night certificate good at a Category 1-4 property.

I had  already put a considerable amount of spending on my Hyatt card, so I made a plan to reach the finish line before the end of the year. I used a Quicken report to track my progress and hit $15K at the end of November.

Now what?

There was no email from Chase or Hyatt congratulating me. No mention of a new free night when I logged into my account. In fact, there was no free night in my account. The only mention was the free night certificate I used earlier this year in New Orleans.

It wasn’t until my World of Hyatt Visa statement closed that AwardWallet noted a new Category 1-4 free night certificate in my Hyatt account.

Now that I’ve earned the free night, here are a few things I’ve learned along the way:

When Will The Free Night Certificate Post To Your Account?

After spending $15,000 on the World of Hyatt Visa card, the free night you earn shows up in your account after the statement closing date when you meet the requirement.

Is The Spending Requirement Based On A Calendar Year?

Yes. The spending requirement is based on the calendar year from January 1 to December 31. Remember that the $95 annual fee does not count towards your spending requirement, nor do any interest charges or late fees.

It’s unclear if charges are based on the transaction date or when it posts to your account, so be careful if you’re cutting it close.

As a one-time bonus each calendar year, you, as the primary cardmember, will earn a Category 1 through 4 Free Night Award after you spend $15,000 in purchases

When Does The Free Night Certificate Expire?

The free night certificate expires one year from when it is deposited in your account. You must complete your stay by the expiration date, not just have a reservation.

The free night is deposited on the statement date for your credit card, so you have an idea of when you’ll need to use it.

Can I Add Points To Use The Certificate At A Category 5 Hotel Or Above?

No. The free night can only be used for a standard room at a Category 1-4 property. Fortunately, there are plenty of nice Hyatt hotels in those categories, including the Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress, right outside Walt Disney World.

 

a building with trees in the background

Can I Combine The Free Night With Cash/Points For A Longer Stay?

Yes, you can use the free night and pay for additional nights with cash or with points. Remember that the free night can only be used for a standard room, based on availability.

Is There A Way To Track My Progress With Chase Or Hyatt?

Not that I found. I kept track by using my financial program to sort transactions on my card removing the payments, annual fees, late fees (oops!) (Note from Sharon: #rolleyes) and interest payments. If you use the card for any balance transfers or cash advances, be sure to remove them from your count as well.

Final Thoughts

I don’t usually try to earn yearly spending bonuses but I figured I’d give this one a shot. I’m still undecided if it’s worth it since I had to stay away from good sign-up bonus offers so I could meet the spending requirement.

It all comes down to how nice of a hotel I can book with the free night. I plan on combining this certificate with the one I’ll get at our account anniversary in a few months. It gives me most of 2023 to find somewhere to use it.

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This post first appeared on Your Mileage May Vary

2 comments

Ralph December 15, 2022 - 1:06 pm

Chase website tracks Hyatt spending. Click Hyatt cc>See all transactions>Spending summary. Don’t forget that 15K gets you the free night but 20K in spending getsyou the additional elite qualifying nights.

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Bob December 15, 2022 - 2:45 pm

These certificates are my one major gripe about the WOH program. You should be able to use these certificates just as you would points for bookings, so if a 20k point room is available, then you should be able to use a Cat 1-4 cert. But Hyatt complicates things forcing (or allowing) properties to have to offer a ‘Free Night Stay’ option in order to use the certificate. There have been numerous times when point stays were available but they wouldn’t honor the certificate. I also don’t like how some certificates, including the ones you earn by reaching status levels, are only valid for 6 months. Thats cheapens their value and the WOH program overall as far as I’m concerned.

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