Compare the Features and Benefits of World of Hyatt Credit Card and
Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card

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.

The Southwest Plus Card charges the lowest annual fee of any Southwest credit card, making it a tempting option for travelers that enjoy flying Southwest.

In exchange for the modest $69 annual fee, cardholders will be reimbursed for up to two EarlyBird Check-In purchases each year, get 25% back on inflight purchases on Southwest Airlines, plus get 3,000 bonus points each card anniversary.

Cardholders earn 2 Southwest points per dollar spent in a range of spending categories, including Southwest purchases (including inflight purchases), Southwest Rapid Rewards hotel and car partners, local transit, commuting, rideshare, internet, cable, phone services, and select streaming services.

Points earned count toward earning the Southwest Companion Pass. However, Southwest Plus Credit cardholders won’t get Tier Qualifying Points toward earning A-List Status. If you want to earn Tier Qualifying Points, you’ll need to get the Southwest Priority or Premier Credit Card instead.

In addition, the Southwest Plus credit card charges foreign transaction fees on overseas purchases. While that might not be a problem for some travelers, international flyers may want to get the Priority or Premier Card instead.

Frequent Southwest flyers should consider the Southwest Priority Credit Card instead. Although it charges the highest annual fee of any Southwest credit card, the card offers a $75 Southwest annual travel credit, four Upgraded Boardings every cardmember anniversary, and a 7,500-point anniversary bonus. Plus, the card doesn’t charge a foreign transaction fee. Those perks more than offset the additional annual fee.

Lastly, this card is great for getting a large piece of the to a Southwest Companion Pass with the bonus offer, since the points earned from the signup bonus count. Read our guide on earning a Southwest Companion Pass for up to two years via new account bonuses.