Chase Bank has a number of partnerships with travel providers where it issues co-branded credit cards including the United Quest℠ Card and the British Airways Visa Signature® Card. And on October 6, 2021, it announced the launch of a new small business credit card with Hyatt. Chase released the details of the new World of Hyatt Business Credit Card, which offers a unique array of benefits for cardholders and should appeal to Hyatt enthusiasts.
Below, CNBC Select takes a look at the new credit card, its welcome bonus and benefits.
Chase launches the World of Hyatt Business Credit Card
The new World of Hyatt business credit card is the first small business credit card created by Chase for Hyatt. It's somewhat similar to the personal Hyatt credit card: The World of Hyatt Credit Card, but has a number of stand-out features that set it apart.
World of Hyatt Business Credit Card
Rewards
9X total points at Hyatt: 4X points when you use your card at Hyatt hotels and 5X base points as a World of Hyatt member. You can also earn 2X points in your top three spend categories each quarter through 12/31/24, then your top two categories each quarter, 2X points on fitness club and gym memberships, and 1X point on all other purchases.
Welcome bonus
60,000 Bonus Points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening.
Annual fee
$199
Intro APR
Not applicable
Regular APR
21.49% - 28.49% variable on purchases and balance transfers
Balance transfer fee
Either $5 or 5% of the amount of each balance transfer, whichever is greater.
Foreign transaction fee
None
Credit needed
Excellent/Good
Member FDIC. Terms apply.
Pros
- Up to $100 annually in Hyatt credit
- Automatic Discoverist elite status
- 10% back when redeeming points after spending $50,000 on the card in a calendar year
- Primary cardmember can gift Discoverist status to 5 people
Cons
- $199 annual fee
- No free night certificates
- Estimated points earned after 1 year: 109,751
- Estimated points earned after 5 years: 248,755
Key features
Points earning: One of the more unique features of the card is the "adaptive accelerator" that helps you earn bonus points on the categories you spend most on. According to Chase executives, this is a first for any Chase credit card. The adaptive accelerator works like so:
- Earn 2X points per dollar spent in your top three spend categories each quarter through 12/31/24, then your top two categories each quarter.
- Eligible spending categories include: Dining, airline tickets purchased directly with the airline, car rental agencies, local transit and commuting, gas stations, internet, cable and phone services, social media and search engine advertising and shipping.
- There is no cap on the amount of bonus points you can earn in a calendar quarter.
This feature makes it attractive to small business owners who may have shifting priorities throughout the year, and it can help reward them for what they're spending most on without having to keep track of or activate any bonus categories.
You'll also earn points on other categories at the following rates:
- 4X points at Hyatt hotels and resorts, including participating restaurants and spas
- 2X points for fitness club and gym memberships
- 1X point on all other purchases
These earning rates aren't anything to rave about, and you may be better off with a card like the Chase Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card, which earns 3X points per dollar on the first $150,000 spent in combined purchases on shipping purchases; internet, cable and phone services; advertising purchases with social media sites and search engines; and travel each account anniversary year. You can directly transfer Chase Ultimate Rewards points to Hyatt at a 1:1 ratio, so you could potentially earn more points this way and still have the option to redeem with Hyatt, or any of Chase's other 14 transfer partners.
Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card
Rewards
Earn 3X points per $1 on the first $150,000 spent in combined purchases in select categories each account anniversary year (travel; shipping purchases; internet, cable and phone services; and advertising purchases with social media sites and search engines), 1X point per $1 on all other purchases
Welcome bonus
Earn 100k bonus points after you spend $8,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $1,000 cash back or $1,250 toward travel when redeemed through Chase Ultimate Rewards®
Annual fee
$95
Intro APR
None
Regular APR
21.24% - 26.24% variable
Balance transfer fee
Either $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater
Foreign transaction fee
None
Credit needed
Good/Excellent
Terms apply.
Welcome bonus: The World of Hyatt Business Credit Card comes with a sizable welcome bonus where you can earn 60,000 Bonus Points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening.
This is a nice bonus, especially for a Hyatt credit card. Many points enthusiasts value Hyatt points around 1.5 cents each, meaning you'd earn up to $900 from the bonus alone.
Automatic Discoverist status, plus earn elite credits with spend: You'll receive automatic elite status in the World of Hyatt program. Discoverist status is the lowest elite tier in the program, but it does get you benefits like room upgrades, premium internet and late checkout. You'll also earn 5 elite night credits for every $10,000 you spend on the card.
10% back when redeeming points: Once you spend more than $50,000 on the card in a calendar year, you'll receive 10% of your redeemed points back into your account for the remainder of the calendar year. There's a cap of 20,000 points back per year, so you won't get any more rebates after redeeming more than 200,000 Hyatt points in a year.
Up to $100 in Hyatt credit: Spend $50 or more at any Hyatt property on the card and earn $50 in statement credits, up to two times, each anniversary year.
Gift Discoverist status to 5 people: The primary card member can gift Hyatt Discoverist status to 5 people. They do not need to be authorized users on the card to receive the complimentary status.
All these benefits come with a big price tag: You'll have to shell out $199 for the card's annual fee. This is $104 higher than the personal Hyatt card.
Notably absent from the Hyatt business card are the annual free night certificates that you get with the personal Hyatt card.
Chase confirmed that you will be able to have both the personal and business versions of the Hyatt credit card at the same time.
Bottom line
The new World of Hyatt Business Credit Card has some unique benefits, including the adaptive accelerator which rewards you for whatever you're spending on most. Plus, benefits like the ability to gift Discoverist status and earn elite night credits at a faster rate than with the personal Hyatt credit card make it valuable for those looking to frequent Hyatt hotels.
The card seems prime for small business owners who are Hyatt enthusiasts and plan to spend a lot each year.
Keep in mind that Chase Ultimate Rewards are also transferrable to Hyatt, and you may earn a better return by using a different Chase card.
