When you’re heading to a Hyatt property, there’s one decision you’ll want to make before you check in:
Which credit card should you use to pay for your stay?
Even if your room is prepaid (which I don’t recommend), you’ll still need to put a credit card on file for incidentals and any charges to the room, such as dining, parking, and resort fees. Choosing the right card can mean earning thousands more points from the exact same stay.
Here are some of your options and the pros/cons of each:
World of Hyatt Credit Cards
If you have one of Hyatt’s co-brand credit cards from Chase — the World of Hyatt® Credit Card (personal) or the World of Hyatt Business Credit Card — it’s often the best option for paying for your stay.
- World of Hyatt (Personal) Credit Card – Earns 4X World of Hyatt points per $1 spent at Hyatt hotels and resorts, including participating restaurants and on eligible incidentals charged to your room.
- World of Hyatt Business Credit Card – Also earns 4X points at Hyatt, plus offers bonus categories where businesses can earn up to 2X–9X points depending on annual spend tiers. This can be a powerful way to accumulate Hyatt points quickly if you put significant spend on the card.
Hyatt points are consistently one of the most valuable hotel currencies — often worth more than other major chains on a cents-per-point basis — so earning 4X directly with Hyatt is a strong return on your stay.
Why use a Hyatt card?
- Fastest way to earn Hyatt points directly from hotel spend
- Charges at hotel restaurants and eligible incidentals also earn 4X
- Can help toward elite night credits (via spend thresholds or annual card perks)
Potential downside: Hyatt points are extremely valuable, but they’re also locked into one program. If you’re not staying at Hyatt frequently, it may take longer to accumulate enough points for a meaningful redemption.
Travel Cards Earning Transferrable Points
These cards don’t earn Hyatt points directly, but they earn transferrable points that can be moved to multiple travel partners — including Hyatt in some cases.
- Chase Sapphire Reserve – 4X Chase Ultimate Rewards on hotels booked directly with Hyatt (transfers 1:1 to World of Hyatt)
- Chase Sapphire Preferred – 2X Chase Ultimate Rewards on hotels booked directly (transfers 1:1 to World of Hyatt)
- Citi Strata Premier – 3X Citi ThankYou Points on hotels booked directly (does not transfer to Hyatt)
- American Express Green Card – 3X Amex Membership Rewards Points on travel, including hotels (does not transfer to Hyatt)
Tip: If Hyatt points are your goal, the Sapphire Reserve is the only one in this group that transfers to Hyatt.
Booking Through Travel Portals (Points Only)
These earn the most points on hotel bookings, but stays won’t earn Hyatt points, elite-night credit, or elite benefits. Most portal rates are prepaid; check the cancellation terms.
- Chase Sapphire Reserve® via Chase Travel — 8X Chase Ultimate Rewards® on hotels
- Capital One Venture X® via Capital One Travel — 10X Capital One miles on hotels
- Citi Strata Premier℠ via Citi Travel — 10X Citi ThankYou® Points on hotels
- Citi Strata Elite℠ via Citi Travel — 12X Citi ThankYou® Points on hotels
- Amex Platinum® via Amex Travel (prepaid hotels/FHR/THC) — typically 5X Membership Rewards® on prepaid hotels booked through Amex Travel
Tip: If you want Hyatt elite credit/benefits, book directly with Hyatt and use a Hyatt card (4X Hyatt points) or the Sapphire Reserve (4X UR, which transfers 1:1 to Hyatt). Use portals only when elite benefits don’t matter and you want to maximize raw point earning.
Final Thoughts
There isn’t one universal “best” card for Hyatt stays — it depends on what you value most.
- If your goal is to earn Hyatt points and enjoy elite benefits, use a World of Hyatt card.
- If you want flexibility and the ability to transfer to Hyatt when needed, use the Chase Sapphire Reserve.
- If you don’t care about elite benefits and want to earn the most points possible, book through a travel portal (Chase, Capital One, Citi) and take the 8X/10X/12X boost.
Just remember: portal bookings are usually prepaid and typically won’t earn Hyatt points, elite-night credit, or elite benefits, so weigh the trade-offs before chasing multipliers.
However you choose to pay, make sure you’re earning bonus points on your hotel spend — there’s no reason to swipe a card that only earns 1X on something this valuable.
At the end of the day, the “best” card is the one that helps you reach your travel goals — whether that’s a free night at a Park Hyatt, a flexible balance of transferable points, or simply maximizing your return for a quick stopover at a Hyatt Place by the airport.
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