This summer, my wife and I celebrated two momentous occasions. The first was our eight year anniversary. The second, was our fourth, and final, “baby moon.” How did we celebrate? Two separate night stays away from the children! Thank you Bunny and Pop Pop! We kept local for the first night away, and stayed at the Conrad in Indianapolis. A month later, when we visited my parents, we stayed two nights at the Grand Hyatt in Washington, D.C. Before each stay, I sent a note to the hotel, which indicated the special events. 

Here was how each hotel responded:

Grand Hyatt, Washington D.C.

A few minutes after my email, an employee emailed me back and congratulated my wife and I on the special occasions. She provided a free upgrade to one of the hotels largest suites (we only have Explorist status with Hyatt). Upon our arrival, the hotel brought a complimentary plate of chocolate strawberries and a bottle of champagne to the room. Throughout the stay, when we crossed the lobby, employees offered my clearly pregnant wife, extra bottles of water; it was murderously hot in D.C. at the time. 

Conrad (Hilton), Indianapolis

Nothing… literally nothing. 

This example perfectly illustrates why Hyatt is our favorite hotel brand! The only hotel experience we love more than a stay at a Hyatt, is a FREE stay at a Hyatt! Thankfully, Hyatt has multiple opportunities to earn free nights.

Hotel Stays

This one is pretty simple. First, you stay at a Hyatt property. Second, you earn points for the stay. Third, you use the points for a free future stay! At Hyatt, the earning equation is pretty simple: 5 points per $1 spend. This holds true for every Hyatt hotel, from a Hyatt Place to a Park Hyatt. However, elite status with Hyatt provides extra base points (Discoverist – 10% bonus; Explorist – 20% bonus; and Globalist 30% bonus).

World of Hyatt Credit Card

Another simple option. As a cardholder, you are entitled to 1 free night (Category 1-4) per anniversary year for as long as the card remains open; no spend required. As many of the Category 1-4 Hyatt hotels offer between $200-$400 of value, the $95 annual fee is a small price to pay! The World of Hyatt Credit Card also offers you an opportunity to earn 60,000 points as a sign up bonus! Every $5,000 of spend on the World of Hyatt credit card counts for 2 Elite Status Qualifying nights.

Everyday Credit Card Spend

A traditional, but simple, way for you to earn awards points towards a free night stay is through credit card spend. Fortunately for you, there are two, very good, options. The first is through the World of Hyatt Credit Card. You earn 4 points per $1 spend at Hyatt properties (in addition to the base 5 points per $1 spend on paid stays), 2 points per $1 spend on travel and restaurants, and 1 point per $1 spend on all other purchases. It is possible to combine Hyatt points with another Hyatt account for the purposes of award redemption. Here is the form.

The second option is via Chase branded credit cards (i.e. Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, Chase Freedom Flex℠, Ink Business Cash Credit Card, etc.). These personal and business credit cards earn Chase Ultimate Rewards points. The benefit of Chase Ultimate Rewards points is the ability to transfer the points to various partners; Hyatt is one such partner. You are able to transfer Chase Ultimate Rewards points to your Hyatt account at a 1:1 ratio!

Credit Card Spend Bonus

The World of Hyatt Credit Card offers you the opportunity to earn a 2nd free night. A cardholder earns a second free night (Category 1-4) after spending $15,000 in an anniversary year. This is a one-time per year offer (i.e. not 1 free night per $15,000 of spend). 

Brand Explorer Program

The Brand Explorer Program encourages and rewards your exploration of different Hyatt brands. For every 5 Hyatt brands you book (i.e. Hyatt Place, Hyatt Centric, Grand Hyatt, Andaz, etc.), you earn 1 free night (Category 1-4). This is a lifetime offer (i.e. it does not reset each year). Hyatt currently offers 18 brands, which provides the opportunity for you to earn a total of 3 free nights. This is one of the most unique and unknown opportunities Hyatt provides.

Stay or Spend A Ton at Hyatt

This option is pretty straight forward. Like most travel rewards programs, Hyatt rewards your loyalty, frequency, and spend. After reaching either 30 nights or 50,000 base points, you earn 1 free night (Category 1-4). As an added bonus, in 2021, 30 night stays will earn you Globalist status (50% of the normal requirement!). 

Stay or Spend Even More At Hyatt

The 60 nights or 100,000 base points is similar to the 30 nights or 50,000 base points option, with one, very important, exception. At 60 night or 100,000 base points, you earn 1 free night in a Category 1-7 property! There are 62 Category 7 properties in Hyatt’s portfolio; many from the partnership with Small Luxury Hotels of the World. This is the only free night option above a Category 4 hotel; outside using points to book a stay directly.  

Final Thoughts

The Hyatt brand offers a portfolio of truly incredible hotels and vacation experiences, which makes the plethora of free night options even more amazing. When combining the free night options with status (i.e. complimentary suite upgrades for Globalists), it is easy to see why the Hyatt brand is one of the most popular among travel awards aficionados.