How credit card points helped save my sanity (and maintain elite status) as a new parent
As a relatively new parent, I’m frequently trying to manage stress. And as a points and miles geek, I’m always looking for ways to maximize the benefits within my favorite rewards programs.
Fortunately, I came up with a pretty good way to do both of those things last year after my wife and I had our first child.
Here’s how I use my credit card points to cope with the new pressures of parenthood and maintain elite status with my favorite hotel program.
Why I value Hyatt Explorist elite status
I’ve held Explorist status with World of Hyatt for several years now. And even though I knew having a child would mean not traveling as much as my wife and I normally might during that first year, I didn’t want it to cost me my elite status. Explorist is the middle level of Hyatt’s three-tier elite status hierarchy. You can earn each tier in the following ways:
- Discoverist: Stay 10 nights, book three meetings and events or earn 25,000 base points (the equivalent of $5,000 in spending). You can also get automatic Discoverist status by being a World of Hyatt Credit Card (see rates and fees) holder.
- Explorist: Stay 30 nights, book 10 meetings and events or earn 50,000 base points (the equivalent of $10,000 in spending).
- Globalist: Stay 60 nights, book 20 meetings and events or earn 100,000 base points (the equivalent of $20,000 in spending).
While it’s still a far cry from all of the amazing benefits you’d get with Globalist status, I’ve been very pleased with my experience as an Explorist. This level comes with great perks like a free night award, 20% more bonus points on your spending, guaranteed room availability on paid reservations and upgrades to the best available room (excluding suites) at check-in.
And while you can still get solid perks at the Discoverist level, I’ve gotten far more noteworthy room upgrades and felt a more hospitable experience overall ever since I first reached Explorist. Since your status level is determined by the previous year’s activity, I was determined to make sure I hit 30 qualifying nights in 2024 to maintain my Explorist status.
Related: World of Hyatt elite status: What it is and how to earn it
Redeeming credit card points on "staycations"
One great thing about points and miles is that they aren’t just a fun currency for taking international or grandiose trips. Your credit card rewards can also come in handy when you’re just trying to make life a little easier.
I’m sure a lot of parents would agree that the first year of parenthood brings many joys, but also many challenges. And among the keys to success are finding ways to avoid burnout and supporting each other through the stressful moments.
So with this in mind, my wife and I devised a gradual staycation “mattress run” throughout our first year as new parents. In 2024, we would book one-night stays at our local Hyatt Regency and alternate who got to take a night off from parental duties and enjoy a quiet night to themselves downtown.
How to maximize points, even when you’re not traveling
Earlier in the year, I estimated I’d end up about 10 to 12 nights short of hitting 30 qualifying nights needed to hit Explorist status, so we set out to book a room at our local Hyatt about once per month.
We’re fortunate to have a very nice Category 1 Hyatt hotel in our city. You can usually get a standard room at these lowest-tier Hyatt properties for 5,000 points per night, or 3,500 points for off-peak nights. And what’s great about World of Hyatt is it’s one of the few hotel programs that still publishes an award chart, so you can see ahead of time which nights have standard, peak or off-peak rates.
Each month, we would look at our plans and compare award rates at the Hyatt Regency Rochester. This enabled us to scoop up as many nights as we could at the off-peak rate, which worked out to be the vast majority of the nights we booked. And with my Explorist status, we could always count on getting upgraded to a high floor with sweeping views over the city and Lake Ontario.
The right card can make the difference
What I may be most proud of in this scheme is the fact that I didn’t even have to burn through my stash of Hyatt points to make this "new parents staycation" happen.
I have the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card (see rates and fees) and use it to cover most of our everyday spending, such as online groceries (excluding Walmart, Target and wholesale clubs), dining and select streaming services (note that these categories earn 3 points per dollar spent). Therefore, we earn upward of 3,600 Chase Ultimate Rewards points each month. And because I’m able to transfer my Chase points 1:1 into my World of Hyatt account, we were effectively earning enough points in real time to cover our monthly stays throughout the year.
Bottom line
By the end of 2024, I had redeemed 47,000 Hyatt points to cover 14 nights (12 completely free nights, plus a couple more we had booked at the Points + Cash rate.) Had we paid cash for all of those stays, we would have spent over $2,100.
Saving $2,100 just by using the right card for your everyday expenses is a great value for anyone, let alone a young family. And maintaining your sanity as a first-year parent — well, that’s just priceless.
And, yes, I locked in my Explorist status through February 2026. So now the whole family can enjoy Hyatt room upgrades.
TPG featured card
Rewards
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases. |
Intro offer
Annual Fee
Recommended Credit
Why We Chose It
There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.
Rewards Rate
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases. |
Intro Offer
You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after spending $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.As High As 100,000 points. Find Out Your Offer.Annual Fee
$325Recommended Credit
Credit ranges are a variation of FICO® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.Excellent to Good
Why We Chose It
There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.