That didn’t take long.
Just after MGM Resorts and World of Hyatt announced their split, the former said, “I do!” to a partnership with Marriott Bonvoy.
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(Quick caveat: I love that one of our readers sort of sniffed this one out last week!)
Not much is yet known about the long-term license agreement (as they’re calling it). The announcement is a lot of rah-rah and back-slapping.
Program members can start booking “several MGM Collection with Marriott Bonvoy resorts” in October.
Points for either program will be redeemable at each other’s properties. BetMGM — MGM Resorts’ online gaming platform — is also in on the action, allowing members to redeem BetMGM points for Bonvoy points.
Collect ’em All (or Most?)
Seventeen (17) MGM Rewards properties will find homes in various Collections. Unless otherwise noted, all locations are in Las Vegas (well, technically Paradise, Nevada).
- Marriott’s The Luxury Collection
- Marriott’s Autograph Collection
- ARIA Resort & Casino
- The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas (already an Autograph Collection property)
- Marriott’s Tribute Portfolio
- Park MGM
- MGM Collection with Marriott Bonvoy
- Beau Rivage (Biloxi, Mississippi)
- Borgata (Atlantic City, New Jersey)
- Excalibur Hotel & Casino
- Luxor Hotel and Casino
- Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino
- MGM Grand Detroit (Michigan)
- MGM Grand Hotel & Casino
- MGM National Harbor (Oxon Hill, Maryland)
- MGM Springfield (Springfield, Massachusetts)
- New York-New York Hotel & Casino
- NoMad Las Vegas
- The Signature at MGM Grand
- Vdara Hotel & Spa
One notable absentee: Delano Las Vegas.
Status Matches
If you’re like me, one of the first things you thought of when hearing this news was, Will there be status matches between MGM Rewards and Bonvoy?
That information isn’t yet available.
If status matches are offered, I doubt MGM would offer Bonvoy members anything higher than Gold. (And, really, vice versa.) MGM Rewards Gold was the most elevated status that World of Hyatt members could match — even Globalists.
For comparison: World of Hyatt says it has 36 million members. Marriott Bonvoy boasts five times as many: 180 million. The highest available status on a World of Hyatt credit card is Explorist.
But several credit cards offer Marriott Bonvoy Gold elite status as part of their perks:
I’m not getting my hopes up about MGM Rewards doing a “Gold for Gold” match (but hopefully will be pleasantly surprised). That’s potentially a bunch of waived resort fees, folks in priority lines at check-ins and select restaurants, and complimentary room “upgrades” (read: better views).
The card_name features Bonvoy Platinum for its holders. I won’t be surprised if that’s the requirement for MGM Rewards Gold. But with its annual_fees annual fee, I’m not sure how many people would bite just for MGM Rewards Gold status. (card_name)
Again, we don’t even know if there will be status matches.
Final Approach
Marriott Bonvoy and MGM Rewards will form “MGM Collection with Marriott Bonvoy,” which offers each program’s members opportunities to redeem points at each other’s properties.
Status matches (if any), loyalty program benefits, and other information are set to be announced in the coming weeks and months.
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The press release and FAQs on the Marriott website are all about earning and redeeming points, not status benefits or recognition. Look at the existing MGM-Marriott relationship with the Cosmopolitan. Basically, no elite status benefits.
I would be mad if I were the owner of an existing Las Vegas-area Marriott property. Thinking about the Renaissance, JW Marriott, Westin, etc. They’re going to have to do something now to be competitive with MGM’s appeal for those who want points and also want to be at a casino property.
We’ve seen this in Southeast Asia where existing owners have sued, claiming Marriott additions are diluting their brand and contract.
Marriott should brand these as MGM Collection instead of using current brands and applying them to MGM.
I’m a Gold Elite Bonvoy member and I called the MGM property that we will be staying at in Las Vegas and was told that nothing is happening until their new collaboration is launched in October.