Last-minute strategies for earning World of Hyatt status
Editor's Note
As the end of the year approaches, it's a good idea to review your elite status goals and assess your progress toward achieving them. World of Hyatt elite status is one of the most valuable, so you may want to top up your account if you're close to the next status tier.
Here's a reminder of how to earn Hyatt elite status and, if you haven't quite reached your desired tier, an overview of how you can earn more qualifying nights or base points before the end of the year.
World of Hyatt status overview
There are two ways to earn each World of Hyatt status tier: qualifying nights or base points. Specifically, here's a look at the requirements you must meet each calendar year for Hyatt elite status:
- Discoverist: 10 qualifying nights or 25,000 base points
- Explorist: 30 qualifying nights or 50,000 base points
- Globalist: 60 qualifying nights or 100,000 base points
Once you earn a Hyatt elite status tier, you'll keep that status for the year after you qualify, plus two more months. So, if you qualify for a specific Hyatt status in 2025, your status will be valid through February 2027.
Take a look at how many qualifying nights and base points you currently have for this year, and calculate how many you plan to earn before the end of the year based on the Hyatt stays you currently have planned. Then, check out the following section for strategies you can use to earn more qualifying nights or base points before the end of the year.
Related: Comparing the best hotel elite status tiers and how to earn them in 2025
Strategies if you need more qualifying nights
If you are just a few nights short of qualifying for your desired Hyatt elite status tier, below are some strategies you can use.
Open the World of Hyatt Credit Card
The World of Hyatt Credit Card (see rates and fees) offers primary cardmembers five tier qualifying night credits each calendar year. It may take up to eight weeks from when you open your card account for the night credits to be reflected in your World of Hyatt account, though.
Related: Is the World of Hyatt credit card worth the annual fee?
Spend on your World of Hyatt card
You can earn qualifying night credits when you meet specific spending thresholds on the World of Hyatt Credit Card and the World of Hyatt Business Credit Card (see rates and fees).
Specifically, primary cardmembers of the World of Hyatt Credit Card earn two tier qualifying night credits for every $5,000 spent on purchases each calendar year, and primary cardmembers of the World of Hyatt Business Credit Card earn five tier qualifying night credits for every $10,000 spent on purchases each calendar year.
These tier qualifying night credits may take up to eight weeks from the last day of the calendar month when you qualify to be added to your World of Hyatt account. However, Hyatt will apply these night credits to the calendar year in which the spending occurred.
So, you could spend on the World of Hyatt Credit Card or World of Hyatt Business Credit Card before the end of the year to meet one or more of these spending thresholds and earn qualifying night credits.
Related: Why I aim to spend $15K on my World of Hyatt Credit Card each year
Plan a new trip or staycation
Finally, if you need more qualifying nights, another option is to plan a new trip for the required number of nights. For example, if you expect to be three nights short, consider booking a three-night stay. The stay could be at a nearby Category 1 Hyatt hotel or perhaps in a destination you've been wanting to visit.
Alternatively, if you have stays at properties outside of the World of Hyatt program before the end of the year, consider cancelling those stays and instead staying at a World of Hyatt property.
Related: How much value does World of Hyatt status provide when you book directly?
Strategies if you need more base points
You have fewer options if you're close to qualifying for a higher status tier via base points. After all, you can only earn base points when you pay an eligible rate for a stay, for eligible incidental charges during a stay or for eligible nonstay charges.
Specifically, you'll earn 2.5 base points per eligible dollar spent at Hyatt Studios hotels and 5 base points per eligible dollar spent at other World of Hyatt properties. Members can earn base points on up to three rooms per stay as long as they occupy at least one of the rooms.
Therefore, if you need additional base points, you can only earn them through qualifying spending with World of Hyatt.
Related: The 14 best Hyatt all-inclusive resorts in the world
Other strategies for earning Hyatt status
If none of these strategies are for you, it may still be possible to earn Hyatt status before the end of the year via one of the following methods.
Get a Hyatt credit card
Primary cardmembers of the World of Hyatt Credit Card or the World of Hyatt Business Credit Card get complimentary Discoverist status. Additionally, the primary cardmember of the World of Hyatt Business Credit Card can designate up to five employees to receive Discoverist status.
So, if you only want a low tier of World of Hyatt status, you could get Discoverist status through one of these cards.
Related: World of Hyatt card vs. World of Hyatt Business card: 2 valuable hotel earners
American Airlines AAdvantage Loyalty Point Rewards
If you're also striving for American Airlines elite status, you could secure World of Hyatt status at select Loyalty Point Reward levels.
Specifically, you'll automatically earn Discoverist status at the 100,000 Loyalty Point Reward level. And you can choose Explorist status at the 175,000 and 250,000 Loyalty Point Reward levels. However, there are other choices, such as systemwide upgrades, at these Loyalty Point Reward levels that are likely more valuable.
Look for a status challenge
Finally, it's sometimes possible to gain World of Hyatt status via a status match or challenge. For example, this August, Hyatt targeted select American Airlines AAdvantage elite members to receive Explorist status for 90 days. These targeted members could stay 10 qualifying nights during their 90-day trial period to keep Explorist status through February 2027 or stay 20 nights and unlock Globalist status.
Related: 3 ways to earn Hyatt Globalist elite status
Bottom line
It's crunch time for getting the last qualifying nights or base points you need to secure your desired World of Hyatt elite status. If you haven't yet reached your goal, consider using some of the strategies discussed in this article to help you cross the finish line.
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