I have top-tier Hyatt Globalist status, yet my World of Hyatt balance is currently just 491 points. And although I have a few upcoming award stays booked, I expect I’ll want to book more Hyatt award stays next year, if not later this year.
I usually max out the number of Hyatt points I can buy each year, as the cap is relatively low at just 55,000 points per calendar year. But although I have the World of Hyatt Credit Card (see rates and fees) and strive to spend $15,000 on it each calendar year, I tend to keep my Hyatt points balance low and <a href="https://warsaw.today/should-you-transfer-chase-points-to-hyatt-before-oct-1-heres-how-im-deciding-what-to-do/” title=”Should you transfer Chase points to Hyatt before Oct. 1? Here’s how I’m deciding what to do”>transfer Chase Ultimate Rewards points to Hyatt as needed.
I’ve had the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card (see rates and fees) and Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card (see rates and fees) for many years. And both of these cards currently earn points that I can transfer to Hyatt at a 1:1 ratio. But on Oct. 1, 2026, the Chase-to-Hyatt transfer ratio will drop to 4:3 for Sapphire Preferred, Ink Preferred, legacy Chase Ink Plus and legacy Corporate Flex cardholders.
This impending change leaves me wondering: Should I transfer some Chase points to Hyatt at a 1:1 ratio before Oct. 1? And if so, how much of my Chase Ultimate Rewards balance should I transfer, considering that most of my recent Ultimate Rewards redemptions have been transfers to World of Hyatt? Or is there another option I should consider?
How I use the World of Hyatt award program
Most of my World of Hyatt award redemptions are for Category 1 properties, although I’ll occasionally redeem for higher-category hotels. As a reminder, here’s a look at the current Hyatt award chart for standard rooms at Hyatt hotels and resorts:
| Lowest points per night | Low points per night | Moderate points per night | Upper points per night | Top points per night | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Category 1 | 3,000 | 4,500 | 6,000 | 7,500 | 9,000 |
| Category 2 | 6,000 | 7,500 | 10,000 | 12,000 | 15,000 |
| Category 3 | 8,000 | 12,000 | 15,000 | 17,500 | 20,000 |
| Category 4 | 12,000 | 15,000 | 20,000 | 22,500 | 25,000 |
| Category 5 | 15,000 | 20,000 | 25,000 | 30,000 | 35,000 |
| Category 6 | 20,000 | 25,000 | 30,000 | 35,000 | 40,000 |
| Category 7 | 25,000 | 30,000 | 35,000 | 45,000 | 55,000 |
| Category 8 | 35,000 | 45,000 | 55,000 | 65,000 | 75,000 |
However, since Hyatt’s switch from three to five award pricing tiers per category, booking Hyatt award nights has become less appealing to me. This has been surprising to me, as the data showed that average nightly standard room reward rates rose by only 7% across Category 1 properties.
But on the stays I’ve tried to book, too many nights were Moderate or Upper that I suspect were previously Standard, and Low that I suspect were previously Off-Peak. And the redemption values were lower than the two cents per point that I strive to get when redeeming Hyatt points. In most cases, they were also below 1.65 cents per point, which is TPG’s September 2026 valuation for Hyatt points.
So, I’ve been booking paid rates for Hyatt stays and booking numerous stays with the other hotel loyalty programs I use. But I suspect I’ll want to redeem some Hyatt points in the future, as I currently still plan to maintain my Globalist status for the foreseeable future. The question is just whether I want to transfer points from my Chase Sapphire Preferred to Hyatt at a 1:1 ratio before the transfer ratio drops to 4:3 on Oct. 1.
Pros and cons of speculatively transferring Chase points to Hyatt
The pros and cons of speculatively transferring Chase points to Hyatt ahead of the Oct. 1 changes are relatively straightforward. The reasons to speculatively transfer Chase points to Hyatt include:
- Lock in the 1:1 transfer rate: After Oct. 1, I’ll need 33% more Chase points to get the same number of Hyatt points.
- Likely to use Hyatt points for high-value redemptions: I stay at Hyatt properties frequently and have historically gotten great value when redeeming Hyatt points. As such, I’ll likely be able to get good value from a substantial Hyatt balance, especially since I’m willing to book paid rates when the redemption value would be sub-par.
- Have a Hyatt balance to use: Although I tend to keep my Hyatt balance low, I also like to book fully-refundable stays even when my plans aren’t 100% firm. Having a decent-sized balance of Hyatt points would let me do this.
But the reasons to avoid transferring Chase points to Hyatt without plans to immediately book any award stays are also compelling:
- Chase points transferred to Hyatt are points I can’t transfer elsewhere: I only have a finite amount of Chase Ultimate Rewards points, and I don’t tend to earn them quickly through card spending. So, Chase points I transfer speculatively to Hyatt are points I can’t transfer to other Ultimate Rewards partners like United MileagePlus.
- World of Hyatt could devalue: Although Hyatt uses award charts and has historically announced property category changes once a year, the program could quietly move more nights into the Moderate, Upper and Top tiers. And it could choose to do a larger devaluation at any time.
- Points in select Chase Ultimate Rewards accounts still transfer 1:1: Even after Oct. 1, you’ll still be able to transfer Chase Ultimate Rewards points in Chase Sapphire Reserve® (see rates and fees) and Chase Sapphire Reserve for Business℠ (see rates and fees) accounts to World of Hyatt at a 1:1 ratio.
- Bilt Points still transfer 1:1: You can still transfer Bilt points to Hyatt at a 1:1 ratio. So if you have access to a decent number of Bilt points, this may be a reason to avoid transferring Chase points to Hyatt ahead of Oct. 1.
- Keeping rewards in a transferable currency provides more flexibility: Transferable points and miles are most valuable in their transferable form, as you can redeem them with many different partners. Once you transfer them, they’re stuck with the airline or hotel program, which could devalue.
What I plan to do
I have two primary options I’m considering.
On the one hand, I could transfer most of my Ultimate Rewards points to Hyatt before Oct. 1. This is a compelling option since I’d lock in the 1:1 transfer rate. Plus, my opportunity cost is relatively low since the only other Ultimate Rewards partner that I can’t easily access with another transferable rewards program is United. And although there are some high-value ways to redeem United miles, I can usually book the flights I need through other Star Alliance airlines.
But on the other hand, I could transfer a modest amount (perhaps 30,000) Ultimate Rewards points to Hyatt before Oct. 1 at a 1:1 transfer ratio and buy 55,000 Hyatt points during the next compelling Hyatt points sale. This would likely give me enough Hyatt points for 12 to 18 months without committing a massive amount of my Ultimate Rewards points to Hyatt. Then, I could open a Chase Sapphire Reserve once I need to transfer more Ultimate Rewards points to Hyatt. Ideally, I’d open it during one of the best times to apply based on offer history.
It seems somewhat ridiculous to open the $795 annual fee Chase Sapphire Reserve card primarily to get continued access to 1:1 transfers to World of Hyatt. But the card offers some annual statement credits that could help me offset the annual fee, including a $300 annual travel credit that gives up to $300 in statement credits for travel purchases each account anniversary year and a $500 credit for stays with The Edit that offers a statement credit of up to $250 for each prepaid booking of two nights or more with The Edit, up to $500 annually. So, this is likely the path I’ll take.
Bottom line
I usually advise against transferring transferable rewards speculatively. And even the impending drop in the Chase-to-Hyatt transfer ratio isn’t enough to convince me to move a substantial amount of Ultimate Rewards points to Hyatt before Oct. 1.
Instead, I’ll likely transfer a modest number of Chase points to Hyatt while I can still get a 1:1 ratio, then supplement my balance by buying Hyatt points when there’s a compelling sale. Once that balance runs low, I’ll likely apply for the Chase Sapphire Reserve. Paying a $795 annual fee primarily to preserve 1:1 Hyatt transfers sounds a bit ridiculous, but given how frequently I redeem Hyatt points — and how much flexibility I’d retain by keeping my Ultimate Rewards points with Chase until I need them — I think this is the best path for me.
Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.
Source: thepointsguy.com
