Even in high-cost destinations like Barcelona, you don’t always have to redeem points to make a luxury stay affordable.
Over the past couple of years, I haven’t felt much sticker shock from flights or car rentals — it’s hotel prices that feel like they’ve climbed the most. So, I now spend more time squeezing value out of accommodation than I do on flight redemptions.
With a little planning and some smart promotion stacking (using multiple offers that could all be applied to the same stay), I recently turned a $650 two-night cash stay into more than $290 worth of points value, a 45% return.
Here’s how I combined multiple World of Hyatt offers and the right credit card to make my money go further — and how you can do the same.
The math: How I earned 25 points per dollar
This month, I stayed at a Mr & Mrs Smith property in Barcelona called Antiga Casa Buenavista, where hotel rates can easily top $300 per night. Normally, I’d redeem points for a stay like this, but a unique combination of stackable promotions made paying cash much more rewarding.
Here’s how the math worked out on my $650 stay:
That adds up to 25.5 points per dollar, for a total of 16,575 points earned (13,975 Hyatt points plus 2,600 Chase Ultimate Rewards points).
Using TPG’s November 2025 valuations (Hyatt points at 1.7 cents and Chase Ultimate Rewards points at 2.05 cents) that’s worth $291, a 45% return on my booking.
Reward your inbox with the TPG Daily newsletter
Join over 700,000 readers for breaking news, in-depth guides and exclusive deals from TPG’s experts
And those points will go a long way. When I visit friends and family in Australia this March, I plan to use 12,000 of the Hyatt points for a free night at The StandardX, Melbourne. This hotel is one of only two StandardX properties currently open, which will help me earn a Brand Explorer award (a free night you get after staying at five different Hyatt brands).
How to stack World of Hyatt promotions
Hyatt regularly runs global and regional promotions, and they can be stacked together if the terms allow it. The key is reading the fine print and timing your registration carefully.
For this stay, I combined two offers:
- A targeted triple-points promotion valid for 90 days from registration for stays of two nights or more
- A double-points offer for properties in Europe, the Middle East and Africa, whose terms and conditions explicitly stated it could be combined with other promotions
Because I have other Hyatt stays planned in the near future, I waited until about a week before my Barcelona trip to register for the triple-points offer. That delayed the start of my 90-day earning window, allowing me to earn bonus points on upcoming bookings as well.
You can find current and targeted offers in the My Offers section of your World of Hyatt account, either online or in the app. Registration isn’t automatic, so it’s worth checking regularly and opting in whenever a new offer appears.
Which credit card I use for Hyatt stays
Earlier this year, I used my World of Hyatt Credit Card (see rates and fees) to pay for Hyatt stays and quarterly estimated tax payments to reach the $15,000 spend threshold. That’s the sweet spot that earns a Category 1-4 free night certificate and six elite night credits.
Since reaching Globalist status in July, I’ve switched to my Chase Sapphire Reserve, which earns 4 Ultimate Rewards points per dollar spent on hotels booked directly. That keeps my earning rate high while giving me flexibility. I can transfer those points to Hyatt at a 1:1 ratio or to other valuable Ultimate Rewards partners like Air Canada Aeroplan or Air France-KLM Flying Blue.
If you’re chasing elite nights or the annual free night certificate, stick with the Hyatt card. If you already have status and prefer more flexible points, the Sapphire Reserve is the smarter choice.
The value of Globalist status
Globalist status adds even more to your return. The 30% bonus on base points increases your earnings, and perks like complimentary breakfast, room upgrades and late checkout make stays more rewarding.
However, not all Hyatt-affiliated properties honor the full slate of on-property elite benefits. Mr & Mrs Smith hotels, for example, don’t provide complimentary breakfast or most of the usual Globalist perks even though they participate in World of Hyatt. You’ll still earn points and elite night credits for eligible stays, but these properties are best treated as points-earning opportunities rather than ones that really showcase Hyatt’s elite benefits.
Related: World of Hyatt elite status: What it is and how to earn it
Bottom line
By stacking promotions, leveraging elite bonuses and using the right card, I turned an expensive Barcelona stay into a 45% return in points value. Paying cash for this $650 stay earned me more than 16,000 points worth over $290, effectively cutting my real cost by almost half.
Before your next Hyatt booking, check the Promotions page, time your registration strategically and make sure you’re using the card that maximizes your earnings. A little homework can make even the priciest cities feel like a rewarding deal.
To learn more, read our full review of the World of Hyatt Credit Card.
Related: Maximize your Hyatt points: 5 smart award redemption strategies
