There is a whole lot more value coming to Marriott Bonvoy this fall. The leading loyalty program from Marriott International has inked a new 20-year partnership with MGM Rewards that will see Marriott Bonvoy become MGM’s exclusive hospitality loyalty partner in the United States. Here’s what you need to know:
MGM and Marriott Bonvoy Ink New Partnership
World of Hyatt and MGM Rewards ended their decade-long partnership earlier this week, but Hyatt’s loss is Marriott’s gain. Announced almost concurrently, the ending of the Hyatt deal was joined by the announcement of a new, 20-year partnership that will have 17 MGM resorts and casinos joining the 9,000+ Marriott Bonvoy properties worldwide this fall.
Through the new partnership, the Marriott Bonvoy loyalty program become the exclusive hospitality loyalty program partner of BetMGM in the United States and Canada. Beyond taking over the day-to-day operations of the loyalty program, the 20-year agreement will allow Marriott Bonvoy members to earn Marriott Bonvoy points on certain BetMGM transactions and participate in exclusive games and experiences on the BetMGM platform. In addition, BetMGM Rewards members will have the opportunity to exchange their MGM rewards points for Marriott Bonvoy points.
MGM Collection with Marriott Bonvoy to Launch this October
Under the new partnership, select MGM properties will be available to Bonvoy members when the partnership officially launches in October 2023. Four MGM properties will join the existing Marriott Bonvoy collection of brands, broken down as follows:
- Bellagio will join the Luxury Collection
- ARIA will join the Autograph Collection
- The Cosmopolitan will remain in the Autograph Collection
- Park MGM will become part of the Tribute Portfolio
As announced in a press release, the new partnership will also see the creation of the MGM Collection with Marriott Bonvoy. Eight MGM resorts will join the MGM Collection, including Vdara, MGM Grand, NoMad, The Signature at MGM Grand, Mandalay Bay, New York-New York, the Luxor, and Excalibur. An additional five resorts elsewhere in the United States will also join the collection, including Borgata in Atlantic City, Beau Rivage in Biloxi, MGM Grand Detroit in Michigan, MGM National Harbor in Maryland, and MGM Springfield in Massachusetts.
Marriott Bonvoy already provides exceptional variety for frequent travelers. The loyalty program covers more than 9,000 global properties spread out across more than 20 brands, including the following recognizable names:
| AC Hotels | Element | JW Marriott | Ritz-Carlton |
| Aloft | Fairfield Inn | Le Meridien | Sheraton |
| Autograph Collection | Four Points | Marriott Hotels & Resorts | SpringHill Suites |
| Bulgari Hotels | Gaylord Hotels | Renaissance Hotels | Regis |
| Courtyard by Marriott | Homes & Villas by Marriott | Residence Inn | TownePlace Suites |
| Westin | W Hotels | ||
Reciprocal Benefits
The MGM and Marriott partnership appears to be of a much more reciprocal nature than the casino and resort brand’s previous arrangements with Hyatt. Because of this, MGM and Marriott Bonvoy rewards members can anticipate greater status matches, tier credits, resort benefits, and more. It appears that MGM points will be transferrable to Marriott, one of the richest loyalty programs available.
Marriott Bonvoy points are versatile thanks to the program’s numerous transfer options. Members can transfer points to over 40 airline frequent flyer programs or other loyalty programs, including:
| Aegean Airlines | Asiana Airlines | Frontier Airlines | Lufthansa |
| Aeroflot | Avianca | Hainan Airlines | Qantas |
| Aeromexico | British Airways | Hawaiian Airlines | Qatar Airlines |
| Air Canada | Cathay Pacific | Iberia | Saudi Airlines |
| Air China | China Eastern Airlines | Japan Airlines | Singapore Airlines |
| Air France | China Southern Airlines | Jet Airways | South Africa Airways |
| Air New Zealand | Copa Airlines | JetBlue | Southwest |
| Alaska Airlines | Delta Air Lines | KLM | TAP |
| All Nippon Airways | Emirates | Korean Air | Thai Airways |
| American Airlines | Etihad | LATAM | Turkish Airlines |
| Virgin Atlantic | Virgin Australia | United Airlines |
Scaling the Relationship
Both MGM and Marriott were quick to trumpet the news of the new partnership:
“This is a very robust relationship, not just a typical franchise agreement,” said Tony Capuano, President and CEO of Marriott International, Inc., at a press conference on July 17. “That’s really illustrated by the creation of The MGM Collection with Marriott Bonvoy. This is a relationship that allows us to take full advantage of the breadth of the entertainment, culinary, and sports offerings that MGM enjoys, and in turn, allows MGM and its loyalty members to take full advantage of our global portfolio.”
“This historic, long-term agreement brings together two of the most trusted and iconic brands in hospitality and entertainment,” added Bill Hornbuckle, President and Chief Executive Officer of MGM Resorts. “We’ve seen first-hand the strong demand from Marriott International customers through our existing relationship at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, and this new agreement will enable us to further optimize our overall profitability. We’re thrilled to now scale the relationship and offer Marriott Bonvoy members greater distribution access to our award-winning resorts as well as exclusive event and entertainment opportunities in Las Vegas and across the U.S.”
Additional Value for MGM and Marriott Cardholders
Perhaps the biggest winners in this new arrangement are the co-branded credit cardholders of the MGM and Marriott Bonvoy credit cards. MGM offers the MGM Rewards Mastercard® through FNBO, while Marriott offers several credit cards through American Express and Chase.
Cardholders will benefit from even greater options when traveling to resort hotspots across the United States. For frequent Vegas guests, the occasional high roller, or just the companies with business in Las Vegas, adding so many iconic resorts to the Bonvoy program is a major boost – especially so thanks to MGM Rewards’ gaming benefits.
Related Article: The Ultimate Guide to Gambling & Credit Cards
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