If I Were Starting From Zero: 2 Cards That Earn Hyatt Points With No to Low Annual Fees

My family has stayed at five resorts — Hyatt Ziva Cap Cana, Hyatt Ziva Cancun, Grand Hyatt Baha Mar, Hyatt Regency Lost Pines, and Hyatt Regency Hill Country — and paid $0 for all of them. Based on comparable-season cash rates, those five stays would have cost an estimated $13,905. One of the top questions I get asked is "which card should I start with?" The answer is never straightforward because it depends on your goal, but if your goal is Hyatt points while paying no or a low annual fee, this is what I would suggest.

Here's the breakdown of what those five stays would have cost in cash:

• Hyatt Ziva Cap Cana: $2,325 (4 nights, Junior Suite)
• Hyatt Ziva Cancun: $2,960 (4 nights, Ocean View King)
• Grand Hyatt Baha Mar: $3,310 (4 nights, King Room)
• Hyatt Regency Lost Pines: $1,710 (2 nights, Junior Suite)
• Hyatt Regency Hill Country: $3,600 (3 nights, Hill Country Suite)

These are estimates based on comparable-season cash rates for two adults and one toddler — the Ziva rates are all-inclusive.

My suggested setup costs $95 a year in annual fees. That's it — the Sapphire Preferred's $95, and the Bilt Blue is free.

The goal: Hyatt points

Everything I booked — Ziva Cap Cana, Ziva Cancun, Baha Mar, Lost Pines, Hill Country — was with World of Hyatt points. Hyatt points are the single best hotel currency for families because the award chart is published and capped by category — each hotel has set points prices across five levels — Lowest, Low, Moderate, Upper, and Top — instead of points rates that float up and down with cash prices the way they do at most other hotel chains.

Only three programs transfer to Hyatt: Chase Ultimate Rewards, Bilt Rewards, and Rove Miles. Rove isn't a credit card — it's a free travel portal where you earn miles on hotels and flights you book through it, transferring 1:1 to Hyatt. The two-card starter strategy below covers the first two; Rove is free money on top whenever you're booking travel anyway. If you want to sign up for Rove, I would love it if you could use my referral link below. You will earn 500 miles instantly upon signing up.

Card 1: Chase Sapphire Preferred — for the welcome bonus

The current offer as of September 30, 2026: 75,000 bonus points after spending $5,000 in the first 3 months. That is the fastest way to go from zero to a real stash of Hyatt points.

• $95 annual fee
• 3x on dining, streaming, online groceries, and gas
• 5x on travel booked through Chase Travel
• $100 annual hotel credit (this already offsets the annual fee)

One honest caveat: starting October 2026, the Sapphire Preferred will transfer to Hyatt at 4:3 instead of 1:1 — so 100,000 Chase points become 75,000 Hyatt points. (The Ink Business Preferred, Ink Plus, and Corporate Flex cards got the same change.) The points are still flexible across 13 other airline and hotel partners, and the welcome bonus is still the biggest shortcut from zero — just go in knowing the Hyatt rate.

Card 2: Bilt Blue — for everything else, especially rent

This is the $0-annual-fee card, and it's why I tell renters they have no excuse not to be earning.

• No annual fee, ever
• Transfers to Hyatt at 1:1
• Earns points on rent or mortgage payments — a 3% fee applies if you want to earn points on the payment, but you can wipe it out with Bilt Cash earned from everyday spending (4% back on non-housing purchases, so $750 in regular spending covers the fee on a $1,000 housing payment)
• 1x on everyday spending, 2x on everything on Rent Day (the 1st of each month, up to 1,000 bonus points)

The Bilt Blue isn't trying to be your everything card. It's just the card that quietly turns money you're already spending on rent or a mortgage into Hyatt nights.

Why these two stack instead of compete

The Chase Sapphire Preferred gives you the big upfront stash — 75,000 points in 3 months. The Bilt Blue gives you the slow, steady drip on the expense that's already your biggest. One gets you there fast; the other keeps you earning forever, for free.

The fine print you should know

• Only transfer points to Hyatt when you have an actual booking in mind. Transfers are one-way.
• Welcome offers change. Verify the current bonus before you apply.
• Don't carry a balance. Ever. Interest wipes out every point you earn.

Down the road, the Sapphire Reserve keeps the 1:1 Hyatt ratio — but at a $795 annual fee, it's not a starter card. Start with these two cards, earn your first free night, and go from there.

Ready to start?

If you found this helpful, I'd love it if you'd use my referral links. I receive a small referral bonus if you apply here and are approved for either card:

• Chase Sapphire Preferred: https://www.referyourchasecard.com/19y/FMD6DYZGI7
• Bilt Blue: https://www.bilt.com/card?invite=ER26RXCE
• Rove: https://www.rove.com/?signup&referralCode=FNZ7PES9