Opinion: Chase Hyatt Visa Card

Key Changes:
1. No minimum spend - Prior to today's announcement on the new Chase Hyatt Visa card, there was a minimum spend requirement of $1,000 in three months. However, the new offer has no minimum spend requirement which is great. The only requirement is that you will receive your bonuses after your first qualifying purchase.
2. Smart Chip - The new Hyatt Visa card will have a Smart Chip which makes it the fourth Chase card to have one. Unfortunately, this is a 'Chip and Signature' instead of 'Chip and Pin' which would be more useful to those who travel internationally more frequently. However, it's better to have something than nothing.
3. Benefit for Hyatt Platinums - The new sign-up bonus includes two Award Nights and two Suite Upgrade certificates for those who have Hyatt Platinum status at the time of application. The downside to the Suite Upgrade certificates is that it can only be used on paid stays which means you cannot combine the two Award nights with the Suite Upgrade certificates.

What do I think?

Personally, I think this offer is great and makes the Chase Hyatt Visa card more enticing to get since there are no minimum spends and you get two Award nights after your first qualifying purchase. Prior to this new offer, I thought it was only worth getting this card if you had Hyatt Diamond status which requires twenty-five eligible stays or fifty eligible nights.

What would I do?

First, I would try to obtain Hyatt Diamond status since you can get two Award Nights in Suites as your sign-up bonus along with the four Suite Upgrade certificates which can be applied to award nights. Hyatt Diamonds can even get an upgrade at any Hyatt property without using an upgrade certificates as well. If you live near a Hyatt Place or House, consider doing a "mattress run" if the rates are cheap which for me would be < $75.

Even if you can only reach Hyatt Platinum status, it is still worth a credit inquiry to apply for this card especially if you have any travel planned in Europe, Middle East, and Asia since the properties there tend to be better.