Match Hyatt status to MGM Rewards again

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Update 2/28/23: Reminder that it’s time to match back from Hyatt to MGM again to stay on the merry-go-round. Many people will have earned easy Globalist status in 2021 which is expiring tomorrow (March 1), so matching that status to MGM today will allow you to then match to Hyatt Explorist status from March 1. You should be able to click through now, choose “learn more”, log in to Hyatt and then click “opt in” to recommend your Hyatt account to your MGM Rewards account. In the past it would say that your status would be updated within about 24 hours, but your MGM status immediately updated to Gold. It’s worth doing this to stay on the merry-go-round for future years even if you don’t anticipate needing the MGM status right away (and for waived resort fees in Las Vegas).

Reminder: It is now time to match your Hyatt elite status back to MGM Gold status if you have not already done so.

a group of cards with text

Status match basics

As a reminder, those with Hyatt Explorist or Hyatt Globalist status can match to MGM Rewards Gold status. 

Link your accounts to match status here

You can find the full MGM Rewards Gold status benefits here. MGM Rewards Gold doesn’t necessarily look like much on paper, but it can be worthwhile to have for a few reasons:

 

  • Free parking. You get both free self-parking and free valet parking at MGM casinos. Now that Las Vegas strip properties have started charging for parking, this is a valuable benefit to have if you’ll be renting a car. The valet lines can get kind of ridiculous at popular times, but at those times you can just use self-parking. I also recall some resorts having dedicated “Gold and Platinum” parking areas near the front of the parking garages. Update 2022: You now only get free parking at participating MGM Rewards destinations.
  • Waived resort fee when you book direct. This can easily add up to hundreds of dollars in savings over a multi-night stay.
  • Better room rates. This benefit isn’t spelled out in the program terms, but I often find that the rates I see when logged in to my MGM account are much better than what I can find elsewhere.
  • Dedicated check-in area at most properties. This can be yuge on a busy day. See this photo from Mandalay Bay a couple of years ago.
    a group of people in a large room
    The normal check in line goes out of frame to the right and wraps around and around. The Gold check in area is where you can maybe make out an employees way down at the far end of the counter on the left. As you can see, there is
    no line at all down there. This can easily save you an hour. Frustratingly, my preferred property (Delano) does not have this for Gold members, but I’ve stayed at Bellagio, Mandalay Bay, Mirage, Luxor, and checked in once at Excalibur (cheap Hyatt mattress run) and they all have an elite member check in line that’s rarely much of a line.

You also get to skip the line at buffets and maybe you can save something at the gift shop or something like that. The three benefits above are the ones that mean the most to me.

Status match-go-round

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Of course, the other benefit of MGM Gold status is that it matches to Hyatt Explorist status. Hyatt’s elite year runs on a different calendar, with qualification based on stays from January to December and elite status resetting on March 1st. MGM’s status year resets on February 1st.

This means that if you are a Hyatt Explorist today, you can match to MGM Gold status right now and that MGM Gold status is good until January 31, 2024. If you are not going to re-qualify for Hyatt Explorist based on your stay activity this year, you definitely want to do this match right now. That’s because on March 1st, when your Hyatt status reverts to “none” (or Discoverist), you can at that point match your MGM Gold status to Hyatt Explorist status that will be good until March 2024. At least, that’s the way it has worked for the past several years. Things could always change, but that’s why I’d recommend positioning yourself to take advantage of this while you can.

Hyatt Explorist status isn’t incredibly useful, especially because matching from MGM Gold will no longer get you any club access awards (you’ll need to stay 20 nights to get two of those and then 30 nights to get two more). 

However, as an Explorist you will get a few more points on paid stays. More importantly for me, Hyatt Explorist members get a guaranteed 2pm late checkout (which I find that most Hyatt hotels honor without question, though there are times when I’ve had to push back to get it). I often find myself needing a late check out for one reason or another, so having a guaranteed late checkout is sometimes really important to me. 

Bottom line

Hopping on – or staying on – the status match go round now makes sense, whether that’s to get/maintain MGM M life status and/or Hyatt Explorist status.

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43 Comments
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Mitch Rosenwasser

I’m set up to get Hyatt Explorist status on April 17 through the Bilt Rewards match, and I’ve got a trip planned to Vegas in mid May. Will I be able to share match to MGM rewards Gold prior to my trip through that explorist status that I have for 90 days?

Last edited 1 year ago by Mitch Rosenwasser
Kris

I was just in Vegas last weekend, and was able to match my temporary Explorist (from Bilt) to MGM Gold at the Park MGM desk. I am fairly new to this game and didn’t even realize this match was a possibility until after I checked out at the end of a two night stay…and just happened to run across a FM post. I showed the Explorist status on my phone, and they swiftly and graciously matched me to Gold and reimbursed all of my resort fees. (Excellent customer service at the rewards desk, by the way).
So my question is…can I use MGM Gold to rematch to Hyatt Explorist sometime after this temporary status expires? Can I stay on the merry-go-round if I time everything correctly? Or do I have to earn it through stays after this? Thanks so much for all the valuable info!

Yin

Lucky you, congratulations, I think you should be able to

DSK

For anyone searching for your password for MGM Rewards and not finding it, try M Life. That’s where I found mine. Think that’s the old name.

whocares

got 2 years of explorist….with match.

Tex

How do you match back from MGM Gold to Hyatt explorist? My globalist ends today.

Billy Bob

Today’s my last day as Hyatt Globalist, but it matched to MGM Gold. We’ll see how long that lasts.

Matthewsf

Waived resort fee when you book direct. This can easily add up to hundreds of dollars in savings over a multi-night stay.

Nick-correct me if I’m wrong but if you book directly with MGM (with their Gold status) to get the resort fees waived, then you can’t get stay night and point credits with WOH. It’s one or the other. I one previous stay I booked through WOH to get the credits but had to pay the resort fees, as expected. Seem like you have to decide what’s more important or valuable.

Stevenson

any other ways to get MGM status? i am trying to submit in order to get a “free” Holland America Cruise and currently only have Caesars Diamond status (& free Carnival cruise offer) to submit.

Yin

I think one can use MGM gold to match either Carnival cruise or Holland cruise.
Caesar can only match to Carnival.
Is that correct?

unsure

If I match from MGM Gold to Hyatt Explorist, do I still need to hit 60 days for Globalist or will I only need 30 days?

Stookey

You will need 60 Elite Qualifying Nights. There is no “head start” by status matching to Explorist.

some guy

I don’t have a hyatt account yet. once I do, can I match my MGM rewards GOLD to Globalist ?

Stookey

Explorist Match.

Michael C

Great info. Please update this in late 2022 so we can prepare our stays and status matches in 2023. I am Globalist now til Feb ’23. So does a stay at an MGM property get your Hyatt points/stay credits to help one regain status with Hyatt (for early 2023)?

Mike C

Thanks. Confirming as need points for overseas travel.

Larry K

So is there a way to book MGM properties and get the resort fee waived but also get Hyatt elite credit for the stay?

Larry K

Ahh. Ok, I didn’t know it was recent. I guess I’m wondering what might happen if, say, a person did not want to stop at the front desk. Maybe the person is a computer nerd who loves apps. Maybe the person is actually a few miles away. Maybe the person is actually quite a few miles away . . . Just sayin. Some pretty low rates at Excalibur without the resort fee.

Larry K

I don’t think I’d try it then. I’m too cheap even to risk the $29. But the dropping of resorts fees and ability to get Hyatt elite credit makes this a really viable option for anyone that can get to Vegas for the right promotion. At the rates they charge, it’s even better than some of the strategies that involve finding category 1 hotels to book using points.

I’m imagining the conversation with my P2 though– “no I am really just going there to check into a hotel, not for gambling.”

Teresa

Thank you

katien

My Hyatt Explorist status is valid until through the end of this month, Feb 29. Should I match my Mlife Gold status now to extend the Hyatt Explorist status or do I have to wait until it expires? Thank you!

Alex

I have an upcoming stay at Bellagio in March. Booked via Hyatt, it was a mistake rate. I’m Hyatt Discoverist which is matched to MLife Pearl.

Can I keep the reservation under my Hyatt number but still get MLife Pearl benefits? The only one I really care about is free self-parking.

Fred

Thanks. Just took your advice. My MLife Gold expired. I am planning a trip to Atlantic City next week. Glad to have Gold back.