Introduction

The World of Hyatt hotel loyalty program has become very popular and is a frequent choice for both business and leisure travelers. With over 1,250+ hotels in 75 countries, Hyatt continues to grow modestly in size. Hotel elite status is often a great way to make those travels more rewarding and more comfortable.

In this post, I wanted to share as efficiently as possible on the elite statuses that the World of Hyatt has. To help break down each status, i’ll explain the basics, the qualifying, and the perks that come with each of the level tiers.

Discoverist Status

The Discoverist Status can be earned through spending on hotel stays or through the Hyatt Credit Card. From the spend route, you can earn by:

10 elite qualifying nights in a calendar year, such as revenue or award stays
25,000 elite qualifying points in a calendar year

For me, the best way to get Discoverist Status is by opening one of their Chase Hyatt credit cards, since you automatically get Discoverist Status.

The World of Hyatt Card offers Discoverist Status for the primary card member
The World of Hyatt Business Credit Card offers Discoverist Status for the primary member PLUS 5 designated employees

I used these cards as a great stepping stone in my journey to Hyatt Globalist throughout the years, since these cards can help you earn elite nights.

This status grants you:

Guaranteed 2pm checkout
- This is actually a great perk for this status, as it’s quite useful for those that have a later flight or need more time for their trip. I’d say it’s quite nice when an entry-level hotel elite status offers guaranteed late check-out.
10% World of Hyatt Bonus Points
- You can learn 10% points bonus, which is an extra 0.5x points per dollar spent. The amount goes up as the status goes up.
Upgraded to Preferred Rooms
- You can receive preferred rooms within the category that you booked. While this isn’t anything that crazy, it’s still nice to get an upgrade.
Premium Internet and Bottled Waters
- At this given environment, I’d say this is pretty much a must-have.
Elite Check-In Counter
- All members receive access to the dedicated check-in counter, but the enforcement is dependent on hotel location.
Access to American AAdvantage Partnership
- American Airlines and Hyatt have a partnership that offers reciprocal points earning opportunities, which is great for those that fly or frequent any of the two brands. World of Hyatt members can earn 1 World of Hyatt point for every eligible dollar spent on American Airlines.

Overall, Discoverist status is a great entry-level elite tier, offering perks like 2pm checkout, preferred rooms, 10% bonus points, elite check in and all the essentials like premium wifi and water. It’s a great foundation to begin your Hyatt journey as you progress further down the elite chain. It’s not a game-changer for anybody expecting something exciting, but it’s a great start.

Explorist Status

Up next is the Explorist status, which is the 2nd highest tier in Hyatt’s loyalty program. World of Hyatt Explorist status can be earned through spending:

30 elite qualifying nights, paid and award stays count towards this
50,000 elite qualifying points in a calendar year

You can also earn Hyatt Explorist Status through elite qualifying nights with Hyatt’s Chase credit cards:

The World of Hyatt Credit Card offers 5 elite nights annually for having the card, plus 2 elite nights per every $5,000 spent. You can keep spending as it doesn’t reset as it doesn’t reset at the end of the calendar year, making this a very strong card for those chasing Hyatt status.
The World of Hyatt Business Credit Card offers 5 elite nights for every $10,000 spent per calendar year. In comparison to the personal card, it would take $60,000 in spend on the Business card vs. $65,000 on the personal card to get Explorist.

This status grants you:

2pm Checkout
20% World of Hyatt Bonus Points
Room Upgrades
Everything from Discoverist

In my opinion, this is probably the weakest of the tiers in Hyatt, as it’s quite lackluster compared to. its counterparts, such as Hilton Honors Gold, Marriott Platinum and IHG One Rewards Platinum. It’s a lot of spend for not of lot of improvements, which is something that should be improved on. I think OMAAT did a fantastic job showcasing the breakdown of its competitors, but i’ll go through it as well:

Hilton Honors Gold Status
- You can easily get complimentary breakfast and offers better perks than Hyatt and can be accessible via a variety of credit cards, such as Amex Platinum Card.
IHG One Rewards Platinum Status
- You can easily get Platinum status with the IHG One Premier Card or the IHG One Business Premier Business Card, which gives you room upgrades, 60^ bonus points, welcome amenity, reward night discounts, early and late check out and more!
Marriott Bonvoy Platinum Status
- You can earn it easily through the American Express Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant Card or a combination of a personal and business card to give you 40 elite nights, which gives you access to suite upgrades, complimentary breakfast and more. Again, way better than Hyatt Explorist.

Considering its competition, this is where the World of Hyatt falters a bit in terms of their status lineup. While the status no doubt has some perks, it pales in comparison to its peers, which offers more of everything and is more obtainable. But no doubt, once you approach the top tier of Globalist, everything changes…

Globalist Status

If Explorist Status was disappointing, then Globalist Status is the complete opposite. As the top tier status in the World of Hyatt loyalty program, the Globalist elite status can be earned through spending:

60 elite qualifying nights, paid and award stays count towards this
100,000 elite qualifying points in a calendar year

You can also earn Hyatt Globalist Status through elite qualifying nights with Hyatt’s Chase credit cards:

The World of Hyatt Credit Card offers 5 elite nights annually for having the card, plus 2 elite nights per every $5,000 spent. You can keep spending as it doesn’t reset as it doesn’t reset at the end of the calendar year, making this a very strong card for those chasing Hyatt status.
The World of Hyatt Business Credit Card offers 5 elite nights for every $10,000 spent per calendar year. Similar to the above, you could try to spend your way through Globalist, though I highly recommend a mixture of both.

This status grants you:

Unlimited Suite Upgrades
- Globalist members are pretty much guaranteed a suite upgrade (if available). This has helped with I stayed at the Andaz Scottsdale, The Andaz Singapore and the Hyatt Regency San Francisco.
- You can also secure guaranteed upgrades with your Hyatt Suite Upgrade certificates, which you get 2x awards when you hit 50 elite-qualifying nights or 80,000 base points with Hyatt. Additionally, you can get two more when you hit the 60 elite qualifying nights.
Breakfast Benefit
- Given that breakfast is pretty important for all travelers, Hyatt offers the best top tier benefit in terms of breakfast. You also get access to the club lounge when there is one, which makes it even more beneficial.
- The breakfast can be up to two adults and two children, though I’ve found that most cases, certain hotels will waive it all off, which is a nice gesture.
Club Lounge Access
- You can also have breakfast at the club lounge, should you so desire and if the hotel has a lounge available. Generally, these lounges also have complimentary evening cocktails, food and desserts, along with complimentary soft drinks, water, tea and coffee. Our stay at the Grand Hyatt SFO showcased a fantastic club lounge.
Guaranteed 4pm Check-out
- Globalist members get a guaranteed check-out time of 4pm, which is fantastic when i have a late flight or I need more time to explore a city.
Guest of Honor Bookings
- Globalist members can redeem points or free night certificates for a friend or family member, to which the guests inherit Globalist benefits for their stay. This is superior and quite valuable when you want to book something special for your loved ones or for someone special.
Waived Resort Fees on all stays
- Forget those pesky $49 resort fees - it’s all waived, regardless if you’re booking via cash or points. This is fantastic benefit and a lifesaver when dealing with resort fees that can easily add up!
Waived Parking Fees on award stays
- You can get your parking fees waived, which can be a vast amount of savings, as I was able to save close to $200 when staying in SF or in Hawaii, like the stay we did at the Andaz Maui!
1x Category 1-7 Free Night Certificate
- This powerful certificate unlocks a ton of aspirational hotels like the Grand Hyatt Kauai, Park Hyatt Tokyo, Andaz Seoul Gangnam and the Andaz Scottsdale Resort & Bungalows, which can easily range from $600 to $2000 in cash savings!
The list goes on…Four Suite Upgrades (50 elite night milestone), Free Category 1-4 night award certificate (from Explorist), added bonus, My Hyatt Concierge, etc.

Hyatt’s Globalist Status continues to be the strongest top tier hotel status out there. With its super perks and service, it’s consistently delivered on suite upgrades, 4pm check-outs, waived fees and more. It’s also fantastic in securing free upgrades when hotels aren’t too fully booked, meaning a standard king room can easily become a suite, adding insane value as time progresses.

The World of Hyatt is a fantastic hotel loyalty program for many travelers. Given its limited footprint compared to its counterparts, it may not be as viable for everyone, but if you’re looking for properties that are within the Hyatt geographic locations, their program provides great value to their customers.As Hyatt continues to grow, so will these benefits.

Hopefully, this guide will help you with your understanding of the World of Hyatt Elite Statuses!