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I’ve had hotel credit cards on the brain for the past bit, especially since Marriott announced their Marriott Bonvoy loyalty program and the new or refreshed credit cards coming with the rebrand.
AMEX now has a monopoly on premium hotel credit cards – they’ve got the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant™ American Express® Card and the Hilton Honors Aspire Card from American Express – both of which come with very compelling perks. The information for the Hilton Aspire card has been collected independently by Million Mile Secrets. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
The new arrangement includes 2 Chase credit cards – the business version and a no-annual-fee card to come in a few months. Yet Chase is frozen out of the Marriott luxury hotel card scene, given they stopped accepting applications for the Ritz Carlton Rewards Credit Card (although current cardholders can keep their cards) last year.
I’d love to see Chase get back into the premium hotel credit card game and take the lead for the best hotel credit card. And I have an idea for a Chase credit card that might fit the bill.
Here’s where I think a Chase credit card could fill a big gap among premium hotel credit cards.
A New Premium Hyatt Chase Credit Card Would Cause a Ton of Excitement
For me, there’s only one clear choice for a premium hotel Chase credit card that would offer incredible value and generate plenty of enthusiasm among frequent travelers.
Hyatt. I think we’re all ready for an ultra premium Hyatt card. I’d jump on it right away!
See, when Chase launched World of Hyatt Credit Card last year to replace the former Chase Hyatt card (I still have this in my purse!), there was plenty of buzz and for good reason. As a mid-range hotel card, it comes with a hefty welcome bonus, improved bonus categories, and valuable perks like a free night in a category 1 to 4 Hyatt hotel each account anniversary and automatic Discoverist elite status.
Hyatt is a perfect choice. Chase can’t issue a luxury Marriott card (it’s been assigned to AMEX) and their only other hotel transfer partner, IHG, isn’t really well known for fancy hotels or impeccable service. Heck, even top-tier IHG elite status doesn’t come with perks that are standard with top elite status at other chains, like free breakfast or suite upgrades.
A lot of us are Hyatt fanatics – despite the fact they have fewer locations than other major brands, they’re known for their incredible luxury hotels and top-notch service. A premium Chase Hyatt credit card could really bring things to the next level for folks who love Hyatt.
What I’d Love to See in a Premium Hyatt Chase Credit Card
Here’s my ultimate wish list for a luxury, premium Hyatt Chase credit card:
- Welcome bonus worth at least 2 free nights at top-tier Hyatt hotels like the Park Hyatt Paris – Vendome, Park Hyatt Milan, or Park Hyatt Sydney
- Better points earning in bonus categories – I’m thinking a minimum 5X at Hyatt hotels plus bonus points on airfare, or in a unique category that isn’t covered by other premium cards
- Free night at any Hyatt each account anniversary after meeting a spending requirement
- At least automatic Hyatt Explorist (mid-tier) status with an incentive to spend and earn top-tier Globalist status (automatic Globalist status would be awesome, but it’s so valuable I doubt that would ever come into play – and I suspect folks who earn Globalist status the hard way would have something to say about that)
- A couple of guaranteed suite upgrades per year
- Travel statement credit worth at least 50% of the annual fee
- Hyatt hotel statement credit on paid stays to incentivize folks to stay at Hyatt – again, something significant to offset the annual fee
- Airport lounge access that isn’t tied to Priority Pass Select (because many cards come with this perk now – I’m thinking United Club access would be a natural choice because in the past, Hyatt and United Airlines have had reciprocal relationships like this – for example, until late last year, the United MileagePlus Club Card offered automatic Hyatt Discoverist status)
- Global Entry or TSA PreCheck statement credit (again, a lot of premium cards come with this, but it’s a nice perk if you haven’t taken advantage of it yet)
Yeah, it’s a huge wish list. But wouldn’t it be amazing?
I’d happily pay a $400+ annual fee if a premium Hyatt card offered most of the perks I mentioned. They’re my favorite chain, and I’d stay more often if I were rewarded for having a premium Hyatt card.
I even recently picked up the Hilton Honors Aspire Card from American Express, which comes with automatic top-tier Diamond elite status and tons of credits, including airline incidental fees and Hilton resort stays. So I’ll be staying a LOT more at Hilton in the coming year. Enrollment required for select benefits.
If something similar came along for Hyatt, I’d consider getting rid of the Hilton card and moving more stays to Hyatt instead.
In any case, it’s nice to dream. What do you think Chase should do to compete with the premium hotel cards on the market now? What’s your wish list for a luxury hotel Chase credit card and would you consider applying for one? Let us know in the comments!