When you own a small business, you have the opportunity to earn valuable credit card rewards for your travel. And while Hyatt has always offered one of the best travel rewards programs, it’s only now offering a small business credit card. This allows you to earn points from your small business purchases, while keeping them separate from your personal charges.
This innovative new card allows you to earn points in the World of Hyatt program, credit towards elite status and numerous other benefits. And compared to other hotel credit cards, it offers more opportunities to earn bonus points and to qualify for elite status.
How This Card Works
New applicants can earn 75,000 bonus points after using their card to spend $7,500 on purchases within three months of account opening. These points are enough for five night stays at a Category 4 hotel, which are typically mid-priced properties in major cities or resort areas.
When used at Hyatt properties, this card offers you 4x bonus points per dollar spent, on top of the 5x base points per dollar spent offered to World of Hyatt members, for a total of at least 9x points per dollar. This card also automatically offers you 2x bonus points per dollar spent in your top three spending categories each quarter through 12/31/22, then your top two categories each quarter. You don’t have to choose the categories, as you get the bonus points for the kinds of purchases you make the most.
Eligible categories include dining, shipping, airline tickets, local transit and commuting, online advertising and more. And you always receive double points for spending at fitness clubs and gym memberships.
Also, those who spend $50,000 or more on the card in a calendar year will receive 10% of redeemed points back as Bonus Points for the remainder of the calendar year. But one of the best features of this card is five night stay credits towards elite status for every $10,000 spent.
Earning elite status in the World of Hyatt program enables you to receive perks such as room upgrades, late checkouts, free breakfasts and even free parking. In fact, this card offers you instant elite status at the entry level of the World of Hyatt program, called Discoverist.
This card also features up to $100 in Hyatt statement credits, earned as a $50 credit two times per year when you make a charge of $50 or more at any Hyatt property. Other benefits include auto rental collision damage waiver coverage, trip cancellation/interruption insurance, purchase protection and extended warranty protection. There’s a $199 annual fee for this card, and no foreign transaction fees.
Advantages
It’s great to have so many ways to earn valuable World of Hyatt points, including bonus rewards for the purchases you make the most. And by earning five night-stay credits for every $10,000 spent, you can easily become a high ranking member of their elite status program, which is extremely valuable. The benefits are great, and the $100 annual Hyatt credit goes more than halfway towards paying this card’s $199 annual fee.
Disadvantages
The obvious disadvantage is the $199 annual fee. But if this is too much for your business to pay, then you probably aren’t the target audience anyways. The other issue is the fact that Hyatt’s program has just become more “dynamic” which is to say that it will charge more points for award nights during peak travel demand, which makes Hyatt points slightly less valuable.
Alternatives
Hilton Honors Business Card from American Express. This card offers new applicants up to 180,000 bonus points, as well as Hilton Gold status. You get a free weekend night ward after spending $15,000 in a year. There’s a $95 annual fee for this card.
Marriott Bonvoy BusinessTM Card. This card offers 125,000 bonus points after making $5,000 in purchases within three months of account opening. It offers 6x points per dollar spent at Marriott properties, and 4x points at restaurants, gas stations, shipping and wireless phone service providers. There’s a $125 annual fee for this card.
Ink Business Preferred® credit card from Chase. While not a hotel card, this card does offer Ultimate Rewards points which can be transferred to the Marriott, Hyatt and IHG rewards programs. New applicants can earn 100,000 bonus points after spending $15,000 within three months of account opening, and you earn 3x points on shipping advertising, telecommunications and travel purchases. There’s a $95 annual fee for this card.
Bottom Line
Anyone who doesn’t earn rewards from their small business spending is leaving money on the table. And if you’re goal is to earn valuable hotel rewards and elite status, then the World of Hyatt Business card is certainly worth considering.