World of Hyatt Globalist status: Perks and why you want it

Until I earned Hyatt Globalist status for the first time in 2021, I thought the love many other travelers gave to this hotel elite status was overblown. However, once I obtained Hyatt Globalist status and experienced its benefits for myself, I decided requalifying for the status each year was a priority.

This guide will outline everything I love about Hyatt Globalist status, as well as how and why you might want to earn it.

What is Hyatt Globalist status?

Hyatt Globalist status is the highest tier of Hyatt elite status you can earn. I’ll discuss the specifics of earning Hyatt Globalist status later in this guide. For now, know that this status typically requires you to accrue 60 elite-qualifying nights or earn 100,000 base points each calendar year.

Perks are the main reason you want any hotel elite status, including Hyatt Globalist status. The next section explains the perks you’ll get with Hyatt Globalist status.

What are the Hyatt Globalist benefits?

In late 2023, Hyatt announced major changes to its loyalty program. These changes decoupled select benefits from Globalist status and made them available through the Hyatt Milestone Rewards program. So, now more than ever, Hyatt Globalist members get some benefits through their status and some benefits through Milestone Rewards as they earn Globalist status each year.

Here’s a look at the types of benefits you’ll have access to if you reach 60 qualifying nights or 100,000 base points and qualify for Globalist status.

Bonus points

All World of Hyatt members earn 2.5 base points per dollar spent on eligible rates and incidental charges when staying at Hyatt Studios properties; they earn 5 base points per dollar spent at other Hyatt hotels and resorts. However, Globalist members get a 30% bonus on the base points earned, earning 3.25 points per dollar spent at Hyatt Studios properties and 7.5 points per dollar spent at other Hyatt hotels and resorts.

Hyatt members can also choose bonus points at select Milestone Rewards tiers.

Room upgrades

Hyatt Globalist members should get an upgrade to the “best room available” (including standard suites and rooms with club lounge access) when they check in to Hyatt properties (excluding Caption by Hyatt, Hyatt Place, Hyatt House, Hyatt Studios, Destination by Hyatt Residences and Hyatt Vacation Club hotels and resorts). However, the property determines the best room available, and it may not be a higher room type or category than what you booked.

Hyatt members can also select a Suite Upgrade Award as a milestone reward when they reach the 40 qualifying nights or 65,000 base points milestone; they receive two Suite Upgrade Awards when they reach the 50 qualifying nights or 80,000 base points milestone. Members will also get two Suite Upgrade Awards when they reach 60 qualifying nights or 100,000 base points. You can use a Suite Upgrade Award to confirm a standard suite at or after booking when you stay for seven nights or less and book an eligible rate.

Late checkout

Hyatt Globalist members will get a 4 p.m. late checkout upon request at most Hyatt properties. Globalist members do not receive 4 p.m. late checkout at Hyatt Vacation Club properties; additionally, this perk is subject to availability at hotels with a casino, Hyatt resorts and Destination by Hyatt Residences properties.

Priority access to rooms

Hyatt Globalist members get the first room of the category they booked (or an eligible higher category room based on the “best room available” benefit) that becomes available if no rooms of that category are available when they arrive to check in at most Hyatt hotels and resorts (excluding Hyatt Vacation Club properties). Globalist members can exercise this benefit as early as 9 a.m. on their check-in date.

Club lounge access or breakfast

Hyatt Globalist members get access to the club lounge at hotels and resorts that have one that is open. Hyatt members can also select two club access awards as milestone rewards when they reach the 20 qualifying nights or 35,000 base points milestone and the 30 qualifying nights or 50,000 base points milestone. This can be helpful if you want lounge access before you achieve Globalist status.

At hotels and resorts without an open club lounge, Globalist members get daily complimentary full breakfast for up to two adults and two children registered to the room. Hyatt defines a complimentary full breakfast as one entree or standard breakfast buffet plus juice and coffee. Globalist members get the standard breakfast at hotels and resorts that offer all guests free breakfast.

There are only a few exceptions to the Globalist breakfast benefit. For example, Globalist members only get continental breakfast at Hyatt Regency Bethesda in Maryland for up to two adults and two children registered in the room.

At Caption by Hyatt hotels, Globalist members only get one elevated coffee and one small plate per registered guest (up to two adults and two children). Globalist members don’t get breakfast at Hyatt Vacation Club hotels and resorts, Hyatt Regency Madrid Residences, Grand Hyatt Kuwait Residences, The Laurel Inn, Ventana Campground and at most Destination by Hyatt Residences locations.

Waived resort, destination and facility fees

Hyatt Globalist members don’t need to pay any resort, destination or facility fees when they pay an eligible rate. Remember, all Hyatt members don’t need to pay resort, destination and facility fees when staying on free night awards (including redeeming Hyatt points). This benefit doesn’t affect other fees you might need to pay, such as taxes and service fees.

Guest of Honor

Hyatt members receive a Guest of Honor award as a Milestone Reward when they reach 40 qualifying nights or 65,000 base points; they receive two Guest of Honor awards when they reach 60 qualifying nights or 100,000 base points.

Guest of Honor awards let you give someone the perks of Globalist status on an eligible award or paid stay of up to seven nights. Since you’ll earn a Guest of Honor award once you reach 40 qualifying nights or 65,000 base points, you could give yourself Globalist benefits on one stay even before you’ve earned Globalist status.

Free parking on free night awards

Globalist members get free parking when staying on free night awards (including redeeming Hyatt points) as long as they can bill parking fees to their guest room folio. Valet or self-parking is included if both are available, but stays at Hyatt Vacation Club properties aren’t eligible.

My Hyatt Concierge

You’ll get access to My Hyatt Concierge as a Milestone Rewards perk when you reach 60 qualifying nights or 100,000 base points. With this Milestone Reward, you can access a dedicated My Hyatt Concierge agent and phone line.

My Hyatt Concierge agents can help with various issues, including applying Suite Upgrade Awards and fixing stays that didn’t credit properly. My dedicated agent is responsive via email, but I’ve also found quick and effective service when calling the My Hyatt Concierge phone line and speaking with whichever agent picks up.

How to earn Hyatt Globalist status

Hyatt loyalists have two ways to earn Globalist status:

• Accrue 60 elite-qualifying nights within a calendar year
• Earn 100,000 base points within a calendar year

Once you meet these requirements, you’ll keep Hyatt Globalist status through the end of February two years later. So, if you earn Hyatt Globalist status in 2024, you’ll have the status through the end of February 2026.

No Hyatt credit cards offer Globalist status as a perk, and purchases on Hyatt credit cards earn bonus points (not base points). However, Hyatt periodically offers double elite-qualifying night promotions, and you can earn elite-qualifying nights through Hyatt credit cards as follows:

• World of Hyatt Credit Card: Get five elite-qualifying night credits toward your next tier status every year and earn two additional elite-qualifying night credits toward your next tier status every time you spend $5,000 on your card.
• World of Hyatt Business Credit Card: Earn five elite-qualifying night credits toward your next tier status every time you spend $10,000 on your card.

So, while you can technically earn Hyatt Globalist status through purchases on Hyatt credit cards, most members opt to earn many of their elite night credits through stays and only a few elite night credits through spending on credit cards each calendar year.

Finally, once they obtain lifetime status, Hyatt loyalists can enjoy Globalist status and some Milestone Rewards perks without meeting the standard requirements. However, lifetime Globalist status is only offered to members who have earned 1,000,000 lifetime base points.

Why I love Hyatt Globalist status

Hyatt Globalist status is my favorite hotel elite status. I prioritize maintaining Hyatt Globalist status to ensure I get the 60 elite night credits I need each calendar year. I get five elite night credits with my World of Hyatt Credit Card, and I spend $15,000 on my Hyatt card each year to get a Category 1-4 free night award and six more elite night credits. This leaves me with 49 elite night credits I must obtain through stays and gifting Guest of Honor awards each calendar year.

I often find good value at Category 1 Hyatt hotels near U.S. airports and overseas. Granted, Hyatt Globalist status doesn’t provide many perks besides 4 p.m. late checkout and priority room access on my Hyatt Place stays near U.S. airports. However, I’ve used the free parking on award nights benefit to save money when staying in major cities such as Denver and Sofia, Bulgaria.

I frequently use the 4 p.m. late checkout perk to work from the hotel before taking an evening flight. I also love knowing I’ll get breakfast included without checking the program’s terms and conditions before each stay (compared to the complex Marriott elite breakfast benefits). I appreciate being able to apply a Suite Upgrade Award as soon as I book a stay, even if the stay is many months in the future.

But perhaps most of all, I find comfort in knowing I can rely on My Hyatt Concierge staff to handle any issues. I’ve always received a quick and satisfactory response, whether I call the general concierge line with an urgent issue or email my assigned concierge with a less urgent need. Compared to my experience calling other hotel loyalty programs as a high-tier elite member, working with Hyatt as a Globalist member to resolve issues has been extremely easy.

Bottom line

Hyatt Globalist status is valuable, although it requires a sizable number of nights or money spent. If I had to earn just one hotel elite status, Hyatt Globalist would be it. The benefits are unmatched by other programs, and I love knowing any issues I have during a stay will likely be quickly solved by the My Hyatt Concierge team.

It also helps that I can get good value when redeeming Hyatt points, thanks to the Hyatt award chart. Plus, I have no issues earning Hyatt points since I can transfer Chase points to Hyatt. Of course, these last two facts stand regardless of whether you have Hyatt Globalist status.