Hyatt Hotels is one of our favorite hotel chains. Its World of Hyatt loyalty program, which currently has more than 60 million members, offers some excellent redemption options because it still uses a fixed rewards chart.
Hyatt Hotels has partnered with Chase Bank for several years and is further strengthening that partnership with some exciting news.
Starting in the middle of next year, select top-tier Sapphire cardholders will receive World of Hyatt Explorer status. Additionally, Hyatt announced it will add more hotels to The Edit by Chase Travel℠ and expand its co-branded card portfolio.
Here are the details you need to know.
High-spending Sapphire cardholders get free Hyatt membership
Starting in mid-2026 (exact date unknown), Chase Sapphire Reserve® (See Rates and Fees) and Chase Sapphire Business Reserve℠ (See Rates and Fees) Cardholders will earn Explorer status each year after meeting annual spending requirements. Spending requirements will be:
- Sapphire Reserve cardholders must spend at least $75,000 in a calendar year.
- Sapphire Reserve for Business cardholders must spend at least $120,000 in a calendar year.
Once you meet this spending requirement, you will have Explorer status from that date until the end of the following year. So if you spend at least $75,000 or $120,000, respectively, in 2026, you’ll earn Explorer status by the end of 2027.
The Explorist tier is Hyatt’s mid-level tier, between the entry-level Discoverist and top-tier Globalist tiers. It requires staying 30 nights or earning 50,000 base points and offers the following benefits:
- Late check-out at 2pm (subject to availability)
- Room upgrade (subject to availability)
- 20% bonus points
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Related: Maximizing Your Hyatt Points: 5 Smart Reward Redemption Strategies
Note that these spending requirements are the same as those used to unlock other benefits with each card. So by meeting these thresholds, you not only gain Explorer status but also receive the following benefits:
If you can meet this spending requirement organically, the rewards seem worth it; however, if you can’t, I wouldn’t recommend going out of your way to get it. It may be cheaper to earn your membership organically by staying at a Hyatt hotel.
Related: Chase Sapphire Reserve Statement Points: What They Are and How to Use Them
More Hyatt properties have been added to The Edit
Hyatt also announced that it will add more luxury brands, such as Alila and Park Hyatt, to The Edit by Chase Travel. The Edit is Chase’s luxury hotel booking platform Sapphire Reserve, Sapphire Commercial Reserve and JP Morgan Reserve® cardholders.
Information on JPMorgan Chase’s reserves is independently collected by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
When booking accommodation through The Edit, cardholders enjoy the following benefits:
- Daily breakfast for two persons
- Room upgrade at designated hotels (if available)
- Early check-in and late check-out at designated hotels (if available)
- Special offers worth up to $100 (unique to each hotel, but often include meals for two, spa treatments, golf green fee waivers, welcome gifts or airport transfers)
- Hotels with Wi-Fi offer free Wi-Fi
Additionally, you’ll be able to earn hotel loyalty points and elite stay points when you book with The Edit, plus you’ll receive benefits if you hold elite status through the loyalty program.
Sapphire Reserve and Reserve for Business cardholders can earn up to $500 in annual statement credits for prepaid reservations of two nights or more through The Edit by Chase Travel (up to $250 semi-annually through December 31, 2025; cardholders can use both $250 credits at any time during the year starting January 1, 2026).
RELATED: Chase Travel editor: How to get elite benefits without status
New Hyatt credit card launched
Hyatt and Chase also announced plans to expand their current portfolio of co-branded cards. The specifics are unclear at the moment, but if I had to guess, I would expect there to be a more premium card aimed at Hyatt frequent guests. It could offer perks like free Explorer status, club lounge access and higher earn rates on Hyatt stays than existing cards.
Additionally, Hyatt and Chase may launch no-annual-fee options to round out their product lineups. The card is aimed at travelers who want to start earning World of Hyatt points but don’t stay at Hyatt hotels frequently without having an annual fee card. Think of this potential entry-level card as Hyatt’s version of Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card (See Rates and Fees).
Related: World of Hyatt Card Rewards: Quickly advance to elite status and earn up to 60,000 points
Main points
With refresh Sapphire Reserve and launch Sapphire Commercial ReserveChase appears to be making significant progress, delivering useful and tangible benefits to cardholders.
“We are proud to deepen our more than 15-year relationship with Hyatt, expanding not only our co-branding efforts but also our branded cards and Chase Travel,” said Allison Beer, CEO of Chase Credit Cards and Connected Commerce. “Hyatt’s participation in The Edit, our luxury hotel program, and offering loyalty status to Sapphire Reserve card members allows us to provide greater value and flexibility to our mutual customers who stay at world-class Hyatt hotels.”
I’m always in favor of more elite status, but I’d rather it be free. Given Hyatt’s smaller footprint, I understand the rationale for establishing spending requirements to prevent oversaturation of the elite membership market.
If you’re able to meet the spending requirements organically, you can get some real value out of this elite status, especially if you book award nights at Hyatt hotels by transferring Chase points. Additionally, by meeting this spending requirement, you can unlock some other benefits that provide real value.
In addition, The Edit has added more Hyatt luxury brands to provide cardholders with more choices and further attract cardholders to book through the platform.
Finally, new co-branded cards are launching soon, giving Hyatt guests even more options to enhance their stay and earn bonus points.
bottom line
2026 is going to be a great year for Sapphire Reserve and Business Card holders. Starting in the middle of next year, top-spending cardholders will receive mid-level World of Hyatt Explorer membership. More Hyatt luxury brands will also appear in The Edit portfolio, providing cardholders with more choices. The lineup of Hyatt co-branded credit cards will also be expanded, details of which will be announced soon.
To learn more, read our full reviews of Chase Sapphire Reserve and Sapphire Reserve for Business.
Apply here: Chase Sapphire Reserve
Apply here: Chase Sapphire Commercial Reserve
