Having a Hyatt Elite Status lets you enjoy exclusive perks at Hyatt hotels. You’ll get room upgrades, late check-outs, free breakfast, waived fees, and bonus miles.
Plus, Hyatt has partnered with American Airlines which now gives elite members the flexibility on how they want to earn rewards. Now, you can either earn AAdvantage miles on Hyatt stays or Hyatt points on American flights.
Don’t worry, will go into detail on the different Hyatt status tiers below and also the benefits that they offer.
Hyatt Elite Status Tiers
There are three Hyatt status tiers that you can qualify for:
Each status comes unlocks a distinct set of benefits that will give you an upgraded experience when staying at Hyatt Hotels.
How to Get Hyatt Status
To earn any of the three Hyatt statuses, you must accumulate a certain number of qualifying nights, base points, or qualifying events.
- Qualifying Nights: These refer to the number of eligible nights a member spends at Hyatt hotels. Both paid and award stays count towards earning Hyatt status.
- Base Points: Base points are earned when you pay for stays, dining, and other eligible services. All members earn 5 base points per $1. Bonus points earned from your elite status benefits or promotions do not count.
- Qualifying Events: Any meeting, conference, gathering, or event held at Hyatt properties which includes booking at least 10 paid guest rooms for the same night (or multiple nights) – in addition to satisfying other requirements.
Below are the requirements for each status tier and remember, you only need to complete one of the qualifying metrics – either nights, base points, or events.
| Hyatt Status Tier | Nights | Base Points | Events |
|---|---|---|---|
|
General Member |
Joining is free - no need to earn qualifying nights, base points, or events. |
||
|
Discoverist |
10 |
25,000 |
3 |
|
Explorist |
30 |
50,000 |
10 |
|
Globalist |
60 |
100,000 |
20 |
|
Lifetime Globalist |
N/A |
1,000,000 Lifetime Base Points |
N/A |
How Long Does Hyatt Elite Status Last?
Once you meet the requirements, you get to keep your status for the current year, the following year, and through February of the following year.
For example, if you earn 25,000 base points in September 2024, you’ll keep your Discoverist status until February 2026.
“Do I have to re-qualify again to keep my Hyatt elite status?”
Yes. Let’s say you want to extend your Discoverist status beyond 2026. You need to earn 10 qualifying nights, 25,000 base points, or 3 qualifying events all over again.
The exception is Lifetime Globalist status, which counts all the qualifying nights, base points, and qualifying events you’ve earned since joining the program.
Hyatt Elite Status Benefits
Hyatt elite status members will earn a variety of benefits like bonus points, waived resort fees, late checkout, room upgrades, free Wifi, and more.
The higher your tier, the more benefits you’ll get. Let’s take a look at what each tier offers.
Member Status Benefits
Anyone who joins the World of Hyatt program is a Member, and it’s free to join.
5x Points at Hyatt
Members earn 5 points per dollar on their spending on eligible hotel rates and incidental charges.
Waived Resort Fees on Award Stays
Members and all elite members avoid these fees when they use their Hyatt points or free night certificates.
MGM Rewards Sapphire Status
Earn a complimentary Sapphire status with MGM Rewards, the loyalty program of MGM Resorts International.
Small Luxury Hotels of the World Benefits
Enjoy Small Luxury Hotels of the World benefits when you book or redeem qualifying stays through Hyatt:
- Complimentary continental breakfast for 2
- Free Wifi
- Early check-in at 12 pm (subject to availability)
- Late check-out at 2 pm (subject to availability)
- 1 category room upgrade (subject to availability)
Member Rates
Save up to 10% with Member Rate at participating Hyatt hotels and resorts
Hyatt Discoverist Benefits
Members with Hyatt Discoverist Status receive all Member benefits plus the following benefits below:
10% Points Bonus
Discoverist members earn a 10% points bonus, equivalent to 5.5 points per dollar, on eligible rates and incidental charges during your stay.
Premium Internet
All elite members enjoy premium high-speed internet access to allow you to stream video or browse the internet faster.
MGM Rewards Pearl Status
Discoverist members receive MGM Rewards Pearl status, which has very limited benefits but gets you a dedicated line for buffets and a 10% points bonus on shopping and gaming.
Free Bottle of Water
Enjoy a free bottle of water each day as a Discoverist member, which can save you $3-5 over purchasing one from the hotel.
Preferred Room Upgrade
Discoverist members are eligible for upgrades to preferred rooms, which are typically on high floors, corner rooms, or have better views.
Elite Check-In
All elite members can check-in at the elite member’s desk, which can help you skip the line during busy check-in times.
Late Checkout
Discoverist members can request a 2:00 p.m. late checkout, subject to availability.
American Airlines Bonus Points
All elite members earn 1 Hyatt point per dollar spent on American Airlines when you link your accounts.
Elite Reservation Line
All elite members can save time when calling Hyatt by using the elite reservation line. You can find this number when logging into your Hyatt account.
Hyatt Explorist Benefits
Members receive with Hyatt Explorist Status will receive all Discoverist benefits, plus the benefits below:
20% Points Bonus
Explorist members earn a 20% points bonus (6 points per dollar) on all eligible hotel rates and incidental charges.
Best Room Available Upgrade
Explorists are offered the best available room at check-in, excluding suites and rooms with Club lounge access.
Milestone Rewards
Hyatt awards Milestone Rewards for every ten hotel nights you stay each year.
You’ll get two Club Lounge Access Awards at 20 nights. Then, you’ll get a free hotel night certificate + two Club Lounge Access Awards at 30 nights.
Plus, you can earn even more Milestone Rewards at up to 100 nights as a Globalist.
MGM Rewards Gold Status
Explorist members receive MGM Rewards Gold Status, which gets you priority check-in, a room upgrade, priority dining reservations, 20% extra points, and a VIP line access to select night clubs.
Guaranteed Room Within 72 Hours
Explorists are guaranteed one room at Hyatt hotels when making a paid reservation at least 72 hours prior to arrival unless the hotel is otherwise sold out.
Hyatt Globalist Benefits
Members with Hyatt Globalist Elite Status will receive all Explorist benefits plus the following benefits below:
30% Points Bonus
Globalist members earn an extra 30% points bonus on stays, which is equivalent to 6.5 points per dollar.
Waived Resort Fees on Paid and Award Stays
A nice perk of Globalist status is that you can avoid paying the resort, destination, or facility fee on both award and eligible paid reservations.
Room Upgrades Including Suites
Globalists are upgraded to the best available room, including rooms with standard suites and Club lounge access.
4 PM Late Checkout
Globalist members can request a 4:00 p.m. late checkout instead of the 2:00 p.m. for other elite members.
This perk is highly beneficial if you require additional time after a day of city exploration or if you need to freshen up after a business meeting.
Complimentary Breakfast and Club Lounge Access
One of my favorite benefits of Globalist status is free access to Club lounges, which typically offer breakfast.
If a hotel doesn’t have a Club lounge, members receive a complimentary full breakfast for each registered guest (up to 2 adults and 2 children).
Milestone Rewards
Globalist members also earn valuable Milestone Rewards, which allow you to earn extra bonuses for reaching certain night thresholds.
On the path to earning Globalist status, members would have picked up the following rewards:
- 4 Club Lounge Access Awards
- 1 Category 1-4 Free Night Certificate.
- 2 Suite Upgrade Awards.
- 5,000 Hyatt points or $100 Hyatt Gift card or $ 150 FIND experience credit.
Guaranteed Room Within 48 Hours
Globalists are guaranteed one room at Hyatt hotels when making a paid reservation at least 48 hours before arrival unless the hotel is otherwise sold out.
Free Parking on Award Stays
Another nice perk when staying on points or a free night certificate is that you can avoid paying for parking as a Globalist.
This benefit can be valuable in big cities or at resorts that charge more than $25 per day for parking.
Guest of Honor
One unique perk of Hyatt Globalist status is the Guest of Honor benefit.
This benefit lets you book an award stay (paid stays don’t count) for a friend or family member, and your Globalist benefits will extend to them during their stay.
Just remember that you need to contact Hyatt directly to make a Guest of Honor reservation.
Priority Access to Rooms
Receive priority access on available rooms when checking in early at participating hotels.
Hyatt Status Matching
Unlike the Hilton and Marriott programs, Hyatt doesn’t have a straightforward status match where you just show proof of your existing status and complete a few requirements to earn status.
Hyatt status matching is only limited to certain programs like MGM or American Airlines. Occasionally, you can also get a status match challenge if you’re part of an eligible corporation.
MGM Rewards
World of Hyatt and MGM Rewards have a reciprocal relationship.
You can have a reciprocal status between the two programs, as well as book and earn points at both programs’ hotels.
Here’s the status matching between the two:
- MGM Sapphire: Hyatt Member Status
- MGM Pearl: Hyatt Discoverist
- MGM Gold, Platinum, Noir: Hyatt Globalist
Unfortunately, MGM members can’t match all the way to Hyatt Globalist status. It’s the same for Hyatt members too. Globalist members can only match up to MGM Gold status.
And this doesn’t make sense.
Why not just allow the two top-tier statuses from both programs to match with each other? I think this is one area that Hyatt and MGM should improve.
American Airlines
There’s no direct status matching between American and Hyatt.
You’ll probably receive promotions on your AAdvantage or World of Hyatt accounts, that allow you to fast-track to Hyatt elite status or to AAdvantage elite status.
However, ConciergeKey members can directly match over to Globalist elite status.
Corporate Status Match
Occasionally, Hyatt offers status matches to members of eligible corporations.
To check if you’re eligible, visit Hyatt’s registration page and provide your World of Hyatt number along with your company email address. This will allow you to check if you have been specifically selected for the offer.
The Verdict
The World of Hyatt elite program favors those travelers who frequently stay in hotels. There is no easy way to get to mid or top-tier Hyatt elite status.
Hyatt’s Milestone Rewards is one of my favorite aspects of the program because you can gain a lot of valuable rewards as you stay more nights each year.
Hyatt also has one of the best top-tier elite status levels with Globalist, although I wish Globalist members earned at least a 50% points bonus instead of 30%.
FAQs
Earning a Hyatt Elite status requires you to accumulate a certain number of qualifying stays, base points, or qualifying events.
- Discoverist: 10 nights, 25k base points, or 3 events.
- Explorist: 30 nights, 50k base points, or 10 events
- Globalist: 60 nights, 100k base points, or 20 events.
Your Hyatt status is valid from the day you earn it, the following year, and February of the following year.
For example, if you earn Discoverist status in December 2024, it would be valid through February of 2026.
Yes. You need to earn the required nights, base points, or events (again) every single year to keep your status or upgrade it for the next membership period.
Yes. You can earn Lifetime Globalist status if you can accumulate 1,000,000 Lifetime base points.
Stays booked with points or points + cash will count towards earning Hyatt Elite status.
