Compare the Features and Benefits of British Airways Visa Signature Card and
World of Hyatt Credit Card

On top of a generous sign up bonus, the British Airways credit card by Chase earns 3x Avios on British Airways, Iberia, LEVEL, and Aer Lingus and 2x Avios on hotel accommodations booked directly with the hotel. Avios can be shared between any Avios program, which also includes Qatar Airways (home of the QSuite) and you can redeem British Airways Avios for award tickets on oneworld airlines like American Airlines, Alaska Airlines, Cathay Pacific, and more.

Award tickets on short-haul American Airlines are actually a major sweet spot of the British Airways Avios program with flights like New York to Miami in coach going for just 9,000 Avios and $5,60 in tax.

More importantly, you’ll receive 10% off all British Airways flights that originate in the United States. (Must book through a special website provided with your new card.)

And then, after your first year, you can earn a Travel Together Ticket (a.k.a. Companion Ticket), good for bringing a companion for just the taxes and fees when you redeem a reward flight for yourself, when you spend $30,000 in a calendar year. Don’t have a companion to bring? You can use it for half off the points of an Avios award flight instead.

Finally, you’ll also receive up to a $600 statement credit on bookings for Reward Flights as described above in Unique Card benefits.

If you fly British Airways frequently, this airline credit card is truly compelling.

Keep in mind, from a pure points earning perspective, that the Chase Sapphire Reserve also earns 4X Chase Ultimate Rewards points in airfare booked directly with an airline (and 8X if booked at Chase Travel℠) which can even be transferred to Avios if needed – as well as a range of other travel partners, like World of Hyatt which offers excellent and outsized value.

So if you are getting the card for the points alone, you may want to rethink it. If you are getting it for the benefits, your head is in the right place.

Keep in mind that British Airways Avios expire after 36 months of inactivity, though that won’t be a problem if you are spending on this credit card!

If you don’t primarily fly BA, you might want to look at other airline credit cards or bank cards with transferable points.

Note: Per Chase’s 5/24 Rule, you will only be approved for a Chase card like the British Airways Visa card if you have applied for fewer than 5 personal credit cards within the last 24 months from any issuer. (Business cards do not count against the total, except for Capital One Spark Cash Select and Spark Miles plus Discover, but are subject to the policy).

For World of Hyatt fans, the World of Hyatt Credit Card is easily worth its $99 annual fee. Just the annual free night earned on each cardmember anniversary can provide that much value. Plus, cardholders will get automatic Discoverist World of Hyatt elite status with the ability to earn even higher elite status levels by spending on the card.

Not surprisingly, the Hyatt Credit Card offers bonus points on Hyatt stays. Cardholders earn 4X bonus points on Hyatt stays. Add in the 5X base points you earn as a World of Hyatt member and 10% elite status bonus points from Hyatt Discoverist status, and cardholders earn at least 9.5x World of Hyatt points per dollar spent at Hyatt properties.

Bonus points aren’t just limited to your Hyatt purchases. World of Hyatt Credit Card holders earn 2 Hyatt bonus points per dollar spent in the following categories: local transit and commuting; dining out at restaurants, cafes, and coffee shops; flights purchased directly from the airline; and fitness club and gym memberships. All other eligible purchases earn 1x Hyatt points.

Although Discoverist elite status is the bottom tier in the World of Hyatt program, it still offers valuable benefits like waived resort fees on free night awards, premium internet, preferred room upgrade, 2 pm late checkout, and bonus points when flying American Airlines.

But you don’t have to be content with Discoverist tier status. You can use the World of Hyatt Credit Card to earn even higher elite status in the World of Hyatt program. Each calendar year, World of Hyatt Credit Card cardholders will start with five qualifying night credits. Then you’ll earn two qualifying night credits for every $5,000 in purchases every calendar year.

Another reason to spend on the World of Hyatt Credit Card is to earn free night awards. Like many co-branded hotel cards, cardholders get one free night certificate every cardmember anniversary. However, World of Hyatt Credit Card account holders can also earn an extra free night certificate by spending $15,000 in a calendar year.

That means cardholders will get a total of two free nights and 11 qualifying night credits each year they spend $15,000 on the World of Hyatt Credit Card. That puts you more than one-third of the way to World of Hyatt Explorist status.

These free nights can are limited to Category 1-4 Hyatt properties. While that’s somewhat limiting, you still have plenty of options for redeeming your Hyatt free nights. For example, you can redeem your free night certificates at the Grand Hyatt Tampa Bay — a waterside Category 3 hotel that averages $266 per night.

World of Hyatt Credit Card holders are protected when traveling with extensive travel protections like trip delay reimbursement, lost luggage reimbursement, baggage delay insurance, and travel accident insurance. Plus, the World of Hyatt Credit Card doesn’t charge foreign transaction fees.

Plus, you’ll get benefits from several partners. Get up to $10 in statement credits each month toward GoPuff purchases through December 2023. Plus, get lower service fees when you use DoorDash by enrolling to get one complimentary year of DashPass through December 2024.