One of the main reasons those of us here at Frugal Flyer encourage others to expand their credit card portfolio to include U.S. credit cards is not only for the wider variety of credit card options but also the opportunity to access loyalty programs that are less prominent in Canada.
One such U.S. issuer is Chase and its Ultimate Rewards program, which is one of the most versatile flexible points currencies. For Canadians who can access U.S.-issued Chase credit cards, this opens the door to earning points through valuable loyalty programs like World of Hyatt.
Despite being one of the least accessible programs for Canadians, diversifying your hotel loyalty to include World of Hyatt is still well worth the effort. Not only does World of Hyatt offer the most rewarding status tiers among the major hotel chains, but its Milestone Awards Program also provides members with the chance to earn incremental perks by reaching specific stay and spend-based thresholds throughout the calendar year.
Here’s everything you need to know about World of Hyatt’s Milestone Awards, including a detailed overview of each perk and which one you might want to consider picking based on your travel needs.
What are World of Hyatt Milestone Rewards?
World of Hyatt’s Milestone Rewards are select benefits you earn while working toward a higher level of elite status. As you stay a certain number of qualifying nights at Hyatt hotels (either through eligible paid rates or free night awards) or accumulate the required number of base points in a calendar year, you’ll reach different milestones and enjoy unique perks along the way.
Milestone Awards provide members with one-time benefits like suite upgrades, club lounge access, and bonus points for a single stay. A unique aspect of these awards is that they can be shared with and received from other World of Hyatt members, making them especially flexible.
These awards are earned in addition to and alongside all of the benefits that are associated with World of Hyatt’s status tiers. For reference, World of Hyatt has three published status levels with the following requirements:
- Discoverist status: Complete 10 qualifying nights or earn 25,000 base points in a calendar year
- Explorist status: Complete 30 qualifying nights or earn 50,000 base points in a calendar year
- Globalist status: Complete 60 qualifying nights or earn 100,000 base points in a calendar year
Milestone Awards can be earned starting at 20 qualifying nights and continue to be awarded with each additional 10 qualifying nights, up to a maximum of 150 qualifying nights.
Milestone Awards, such as Suite Upgrade Awards and Club Access Awards, are valid for the calendar year in which they’re earned, plus an additional 14 months.
World of Hyatt Free Night Awards earned through a Milestone Award are valid for 180 days from the issuance date and must be used for a stay with a checkout before the expiry date. These awards have a shorter validity period compared to Free Night Awards earned from the Chase World of Hyatt Credit Card, which are valid for one year.
Lastly, only one award can be applied per booking—multiple awards cannot be used for the same reservation. For instance, you can’t combine a Free Night Award with a Guest of Honor Award for a single booking.
How to Earn World of Hyatt Milestone Rewards
Hyatt Milestone Rewards are earned based on either the number of qualifying nights stayed or the base points accumulated within a calendar year.
A qualifying night includes any stay where the member pays an eligible rate or redeems a free night award at any Hyatt property. Stays booked with World of Hyatt points also count as qualifying nights. Additionally, elite nights earned through spending on co-branded Chase World of Hyatt credit cards contribute to your total qualifying nights for the year.
The Chase World of Hyatt Credit Card grants five qualifying nights each year as an ongoing benefit for holding the card. Plus, for every US$5,000 spent on the card, you’ll earn an additional two qualifying nights.
The Chase World of Hyatt credit card earns Hyatt points and gives cardholders one annual free night at a category 1-4 Hyatt hotel or resort.
30,000 World of Hyatt
$3,000
$415+
$95
No
–
The Chase World of Hyatt Business Credit Card earns qualifying nights at an accelerated rate compared to the personal variant, but it requires a higher spending threshold. For every US$10,000 spent, the business card awards five qualifying nights.
There is no cap on the number of qualifying nights you can earn through spending on the co-branded World of Hyatt credit cards. Therefore, the only limit is how much spend you can generate in a given year.
The Chase World of Hyatt Business card earns Hyatt points and gives cardholders complimentary Discoverist status.
60,000 World of Hyatt
$5,000
$821+
$199
No
–
World of Hyatt Milestone Awards may also be acquired by earning base points, which are earned at a rate of 5 points per $1 USD spent. Base points can only be earned by spending at Hyatt properties on eligible expenses like qualifying room rates and spending at food and beverage outlets.
Points earned through credit card spending, elite status bonuses, or promotions don’t contribute to your base point total. So, unless you’re doing a lot of spending at Hyatt hotels each year, it’s usually easier to earn Milestone Rewards by accumulating qualifying nights.
For example, the first Milestone Award requires earning 35,000 base points in a calendar year, which equates to US$7,000 in spending at Hyatt properties. Furthermore, to earn the last Milestone Reward with base points, you would need to spend US$20,000 in a calendar year at Hyatt hotels to accrue the required 100,000 base points.
Redeeming World of Hyatt Milestone Awards
On the “Account Overview” page of your online account on the Hyatt.com website, you can track your progress toward the next World of Hyatt Milestone Award. Any awards you currently hold will be displayed in the “Awards” section of your online account.
From the “My Awards” page on your World of Hyatt account you’ll see all the Milestone Awards available to use, which can include Free Night Awards, Club Access Awards, Guest of Honor Awards, and Suite Upgrade Awards.
As I mentioned earlier, all Milestone Awards and Free Night Awards can be shared with and obtained from other World of Hyatt members. You’ll notice in the image below that each award has a gift box icon next to it. This indicates that this award has been gifted from another member.
World of Hyatt allows each Milestone Award or Free Night Award to be gifted only once. After an award has been gifted to another member, it cannot be regifted again.
To redeem a Milestone Award online, start by searching for and selecting your desired hotel. If a Milestone Award can be used at your selected property, it will be listed under “Eligible Awards” at the top of the room selection page.
In the example below, I have the option to apply a Guest of Honor Award to my booking.
From that point, choose your preferred room type and proceed through the booking process. On the final confirmation page, you’ll see that the Guest of Honor Award will be applied to the reservation.
The process for redeeming World of Hyatt Milestone Awards is generally the same across the board, with the exception of Club Access Awards. Unlike other awards, Club Access Awards cannot be redeemed online.
To redeem a Club Access Award, you must first book a stay at a property with an eligible club lounge. After making your reservation, you need to call the World of Hyatt contact center to have an agent apply the Club Access Award to your booking.
How to Gift World of Hyatt Milestone Awards
To gift a World of Hyatt Milestone Award or Free Night Award to another member, log in to your online account and navigate to the “My Awards” page. Choose the award you’d like to share and click the “Gift” button. A dialog box will appear, prompting you to enter the recipient’s World of Hyatt membership number and their last name as it appears on their account.
When you gift an award, it happens instantly and should appear in the recipient’s account within moments. Do keep in mind that once an award is shared, the transfer is final and the award cannot be gifted again.
Complete List of World of Hyatt Milestone Reward Benefits
Here is a complete chart of the Milestone Awards, detailing each threshold and the available options for each tier. Below, I’ll go into the specifics of each Milestone Award.
Now that we’ve covered the basics, let’s dive into the details of each Milestone Award. We’ll explore what you can anticipate at each stage and any important factors to keep in mind when making your decision.
20 Qualifying Nights or 35,000 Base Points
The first Milestone Award occurs at 20 qualifying nights or 35,000 base points in a calendar year, which offers one choice from the following:
- 2K Next Stay Award: Earn 2,000 Bonus points on your next stay at a Hyatt Place, Hyatt House, Caption by Hyatt, Hyatt Studios, or UrCove hotel—valid for 180 days
- 2 Club Access Awards: A transferable award that grants access to the hotel club lounge for a stay of up to seven consecutive nights
- $25 FIND Experience Credit: A transferable $25 credit toward a Hyatt FIND Experience
Among these options, the Club Access Awards are likely to be the most valuable perk for the majority of members, except for those who have Globalist status, and who already enjoy complimentary access to club lounges at all Hyatt properties.
The remaining two options depend on whether you expect to stay at any of the four brands where the 2K Next Stay Award is valid. This limitation reduces the flexibility of the award, but Hyatt Place and Hyatt House properties are widely found across North America. Considering the high value of World of Hyatt points, 2,000 bonus points are likely to offer greater value than the $25 FIND credit.
If you’re not planning to stay at Hyatt Place, Hyatt House, Caption by Hyatt, or UrCove, you might consider selecting the $25 FIND Experience credit, which can be applied to activities booked through Hyatt’s Experiences platform. The platform offers a wide range of activities, including walking tours, wine tastings, museum tickets, and more. With over 500 experiences available, many are priced around $25 or less.
When a member earns a new Milestone Reward, they will have ninety days from the date it was earned to make a selection. If a member doesn’t make a selection within this timeframe, the Milestone Award will be forfeited. This applies to all Milestone Awards, except those that are awarded automatically.
30 Qualifying Nights or 50,000 Base Points
This Milestone Award coincides with reaching World of Hyatt Explorist status, which requires earning 30 qualifying nights or 50,000 base points in a calendar year. As a perk for earning this new status, members will automatically receive the following:
- One Category 1–4 Free Night Award: A transferable award redeemable for a standard room at a Category 1–4 property—valid for 180 days
To get the most value from World of Hyatt Free Night Awards, it’s typically best to use them at the highest category property available. For instance, if your certificate is valid for a Category 1–4 hotel, you’ll get the greatest value by booking a stay at a Category 4 hotel, which is generally one of Hyatt’s upper-midscale properties.
However, I often find myself using Free Night Awards where they offer the greatest utility, rather than just focusing on value. Using a Free Night Award for a quick one-night layover at an airport hotel following a positioning flight can be one of the most effective ways to use these types of awards.
Along with the Free Night Award, you’ll be able to choose one of the following options:
- 2K Next Stay Award: Earn 2,000 Bonus points on your next stay at a Hyatt Place, Hyatt House, Caption by Hyatt, Hyatt Studios, or UrCove hotel—valid for 180 days
- 2 Club Access Awards: A transferable award that grants access to the hotel club lounge for a stay of up to seven consecutive nights
- $25 FIND Experience Credit: A transferable $25 credit toward a Hyatt FIND Experience
These are the exact same choices as the previous Milestone Award, so the same logic applies here when making your decision.
40 Qualifying Nights or 65,000 Base Points
Upon earning 40 qualifying nights or 65,000 base points in a calendar year, members will automatically receive the following:
- One Guest of Honor Award: A transferable award that grants Globalist status benefits for a stay of up to seven consecutive nights
Guest of Honor Awards are incredibly powerful, as Globalist status includes a wide range of awesome benefits, including free breakfast, lounge access, suite upgrades, late checkout, waived parking & resort fees, and more. You can apply this award to your own stay, or gift it to a friend or family member to enjoy all the benefits associated with Globalist status for a single stay.
In addition to the Guest of Honor Award, members will also receive their choice from one of the following:
- 5,000 World of Hyatt points: 5,000 bonus World of Hyatt points credited to your account
- One Suite Upgrade Award: A transferable award used to confirm an upgrade to a standard suite at the time of booking for a stay of up to seven consecutive nights
- $150 FIND Experience Credit: A transferable $150 credit toward a Hyatt FIND Experience
If you know for certain you will be able to make use of a $150 FIND Experience credit, it can certainly be worth considering.
Meanwhile, there are many circumstances where it’s possible to get a value of 2 cents or more per point on World of Hyatt redemptions, meaning the 5,000-point option could be worth upwards of $100 if you’re able to maximize their value. Plus, 5,000 points are enough for a free night in a standard room at a World of Hyatt Category 1 hotel.
However, the ability to upgrade to a standard suite at the time of booking for a stay of up to seven nights has the highest potential ceiling when it comes to theoretical value. At Hyatt’s top-tier luxury properties, this upgrade could be worth hundreds or even thousands of dollars, depending on the location.
50 Qualifying Nights or 80,000 Base Points
Once you accumulate 50 qualifying nights or 80,000 base points within a calendar year, you can select from one of the following options:
- 5,000 World of Hyatt points: 5,000 bonus World of Hyatt points credited to your account
- Two Suite Upgrade Awards: Two transferable awards used to confirm an upgrade to a standard suite at the time of booking for a stay of up to seven consecutive nights
- $150 FIND Experience Credit: A transferable $150 credit toward a Hyatt FIND Experience
These choices are the same as in the previous Milestone, except two Suite Upgrade Awards are now on offer. In most cases, the Suite Upgrade Awards will offer the greatest value. However, if you don’t need the extra space of a suite, the other two options are also worth considering.
60 Qualifying Nights or 100,000 Base Points
You’ll earn World of Hyatt Globalist status upon staying 60 qualifying nights or accumulating 100,000 base points within a calendar year. This is the highest tier in the Hyatt program and offers a wide range of ongoing benefits, such as free breakfast, suite upgrades, free parking, waived resort fees, and club access, among others.
Along with your new status, you’ll earn a veritable treasure chest of loot for this achievement. No selection is needed at this level; you’ll automatically receive all of the following awards:
- One Category 1–7 Free Night Award: A transferable award redeemable for a standard room at a Category 1–7 property—valid for 180 days
- Two Guest of Honor Awards: A transferable award that grants Globalist status benefits for a stay of up to seven consecutive nights
- Two Suite Upgrade Awards: Two transferable awards used to confirm an upgrade to a standard suite at the time of booking for a stay of up to seven consecutive nights
- My Hyatt Concierge: Receive access to a dedicated Hyatt agent for personalized service. Can assist with matters such as reservations, special requests, missing stays, and more.
Although you will still receive Guest of Honor awards at this level, their value will diminish significantly after earning Globalist status. However, they can still be a great gift for friends and family to share an elevated hotel experience.
Alternatively, you might consider trading them with other World of Hyatt members in the Hyatt Award Gift Exchange Facebook group for awards that are more beneficial to Globalist members.
70, 80, & 90 Qualifying Nights
Milestone Awards beyond 60 qualifying nights can only be earned through qualifying nights; accumulating base points no longer count towards earning them.
For earning 70, 80, and 90 qualifying nights, members will automatically receive the following:
- One Guest of Honor Award: A transferable award that grants Globalist status benefits for a stay of up to seven consecutive nights
Additionally, you will have the option to choose one of the following three options:
- 10,000 World of Hyatt points: 10,000 bonus World of Hyatt points credited to your account
- One Suite Upgrade Award: A transferable award used to confirm an upgrade to a standard suite at the time of booking for a stay of up to seven consecutive nights
- $300 FIND Experience Credit: A transferable $300 credit toward a Hyatt FIND Experience
The Suite Upgrade Award will probably provide the greatest value if you need the extra space a suite offers or want to indulge for a special occasion.
However, the bonus points or FIND credit might provide some additional utility, with the $300 FIND credit potentially being slightly more valuable than 10,000 points. Ultimately, the decision here comes down to personal preference.
100 Qualifying Nights
At 100 qualifying nights, members will automatically receive the following award:
- One Category 1–7 Free Night Award: A transferable award redeemable for a standard room at a category 1–7 property—valid for 180 days
Along with the Free Night Award, you’ll be offered one choice from the following options:
- 10,000 World of Hyatt points: 10,000 bonus World of Hyatt points credited to your account
- One Suite Upgrade Award: A transferable award used to confirm an upgrade to a standard suite at the time of booking for a stay of up to seven consecutive nights
- One Miraval Extra Night Award: A transferable award that grants a second complimentary night at any Miraval property when booking an eligible rate (cash or points)—valid for 180 days
The Miraval Extra Night Award is perhaps the most interesting and undoubtedly the most valuable if you can take advantage of it. However, redeeming this award might be challenging due to this brand’s limited footprint; there are currently only three Miraval properties, all located in the United States. A fourth location is expected to open in Saudi Arabia in the fall of 2025.
To redeem a Miraval Extra Night Award, you must book at least one night using either cash or points—both of which come at a premium. Miraval resorts are positioned as ultra-luxury wellness retreats, with nightly rates starting at around $1,000. When using points, Miraval properties are subject to a separate Miraval-specific award chart, with single-occupancy stays starting at 45,000 points per night and double-occupancy stays starting at 65,000 points per night.
You can apply multiple Miraval Extra Night Awards during a single stay, but the total number of free nights can’t exceed the number of eligible nights booked with points or cash.
If you don’t foresee yourself being able to utilize the Miraval Extra Night Award, either of the other two choices will just come down to personal preference. Once you’ve reached 100 qualifying nights, you’ll likely have already earned several Suite Upgrade Awards. At this stage, selecting the bonus points might be worth considering.
110, 120, 130, & 140 Qualifying Nights
After reaching 110 qualifying nights, you’ll receive the same options to choose from for each subsequent threshold, continuing up to 140 qualifying nights—the penultimate Milestone Award before the final one at 150 qualifying nights.
At each of these thresholds, you will automatically receive the following:
- One Guest of Honor Award: A transferable award that grants Globalist status benefits for a stay of up to seven consecutive nights
In addition to the above award, you’ll be offered one choice from the following options:
- 10,000 World of Hyatt points: 10,000 bonus World of Hyatt points credited to your account
- One Suite Upgrade Award: A transferable award used to confirm an upgrade to a standard suite at the time of booking for a stay of up to seven consecutive nights
- One Miraval Extra Night Award: A transferable award that grants a second complimentary night at any Miraval property when booking an eligible rate (cash or points)—valid for 180 days
Because Miraval Extra Night Awards have a short expiration period, along with these resorts being some of the most expensive in the Hyatt portfolio, many people may struggle to use more than one or two before they expire. Plus, with the likelihood that you’ve already earned several Suite Upgrade Awards, the 10,000 bonus points might be the best option at this point.
150 Qualifying Nights
Reaching the final Milestone Award is reserved for only the most devoted Hyatt loyalists, and such an accomplishment deserves the ultimate reward.
For completing 150 qualifying nights, you will automatically receive the following:
- One Ultimate Free Night Award: A transferable award that grants a free night at any World of Hyatt Category 1–8 hotel, Category A–F all-inclusive resort, or Miraval resort—valid for 180 days
This is the only Free Night Award that covers World of Hyatt Category 8 properties, featuring some of Hyatt’s premier locations worldwide, including numerous Park Hyatt hotels and luxury beach resorts.
In addition to the above award, you’ll be offered one choice from the following options:
- 10,000 World of Hyatt points: 10,000 bonus World of Hyatt points credited to your account
- One Suite Upgrade Award: A transferable award used to confirm an upgrade to a standard suite at the time of booking for a stay of up to seven consecutive nights
- One Miraval Extra Night Award: A transferable award that grants a second complimentary night at any Miraval property when booking an eligible rate (cash or points)—valid for 180 days
Miraval Extra Night Awards can be combined with the Ultimate Free Night Award to provide two complimentary nights at any Miraval property. This is likely the most effective way to utilize these awards, offering you what is sure to be an incredible two-day all-inclusive wellness retreat.
Conclusion
While World of Hyatt’s status tiers are widely considered the most rewarding for its members, the Milestone Award program further enhances its appeal.
Hyatt Milestone Rewards allow members to unlock a range of benefits and bonuses as they work toward achieving Hyatt elite status and beyond. Members can begin earning rewards after staying just 20 qualifying nights or accumulating 35,000 points in a year, with the opportunity to earn rewards for up to 150 qualifying nights.
The Milestone Rewards program offers useful benefits, including bonus points, Guest of Honor Awards, Suite Upgrade Awards, and Free Night Awards.
These awards offer great flexibility by allowing them to be shared with and received from other World of Hyatt members. This means lower-tier members can enjoy some of the enhanced benefits that come with top-tier Globalist status for a single stay. This feature is one of the key strengths of the Milestone Award program, providing an excellent opportunity for those who may be hesitant or unable to commit to a new loyalty program.
Frequently Asked Questions
Milestone Awards are unique benefits members can earn as they stay more nights at Hyatt hotels, starting at 20 qualifying nights and going up to 150 qualifying nights.
Milestone Awards include suite upgrades, free nights, club lounge access, Globalist benefits, and bonus points, among others.
Free Night Awards obtained through a Milestone Award will expire 180 days after the date they’re issued. To redeem a Free Night Award, your stay must be completed with a checkout date before the expiration.
Other awards like Club Access Awards, Guest of Honor Awards, and Suite Upgrade Awards are valid for the remainder of the calendar year in which they are earned, plus an additional 14 months.
Milestone Awards are a recurring benefit that can be earned each year. Your progress resets at the beginning of each calendar year, giving you the opportunity to advance through the levels and earn each Milestone Award again.
You have 90 days from the date you earned the Milestone Award to make your selection. If you fail to make a selection within 90 days, the Milestone Award will be forfeited.
The following Milestone Awards can be gifted to other World of Hyatt members: Ultimate Free Night Awards, FIND Experience Credits, Guest of Honor Awards, Club Access Awards, Suite Upgrade Awards, Category 1–4 Free Night Awards, Category 1–7 Free Night Awards, and Miraval Extra Night Awards.
Yes, award nights booked using points or Free Night Awards count toward earning Milestone Awards.
Jeff Jamieson
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