Las Vegas Status Match Merry Go Round™ – April / May 2024 Edition

OK folks, I just did the dirty work and flew to Las Vegas for a day and a half to run through this new Merry Go Round option. It will only work through May 31, 2024 since that is when the Wynn match ends as you will see below. 

Comment below if you find anything has changed from what I’m writing as things can and do change at any time. 

I’m listing out two Merry Go Round options. The first is what 99.9% of you will do, starting from a Wyndham Business Earner credit card for Wyndham Diamond status that you’ve matched to Caesars Diamond – essentially assuming you are already on, in some way, the original Status Match Merry Go Round™.

I’ll put right up front that many of you will be interested in the free holland America cruise Wynn offers Platinum members, but not without some effort. However, I believe that simply having a Wynn Platinum card through January 2025 is likely to present other opportunities. 

The second is for if you happen to already have a higher status, such as Caesars Diamond Elite or MGM Platinum, you can skip to the second match.

Match for the 99.9% of Matchers

Step 1 – Wynn Las Vegas

Hopefully, you already have Caesars Diamond status from the Wyndham Business Earner credit card (or, if you actually earned Wyndham Diamond status organically – but a status match from another hotel chain to Wyndham won’t qualify). This match ends May 31, 2024.

Note: Even Caesars Platinum status qualifies for Wynn Platinum, so if you can’t get a Wyndham Business Earner card approved, you could conceivably get the otherwise horrifying Caesars Rewards Visa credit card which would give you Platinum status and this on ramp.

Take this status to Wynn Las Vegas where you will be awarded Wynn Platinum status through January 31, 2025. The status will only be valid at Wynn / Encore Las Vegas and not at Wynn’s Encore Boston Harbor. This expiration date is awesome as it does leave the door open for onward matches later in the year or the start of 2025.

Main Wynn Platinum Benefits

• $100 Spa Credit (do not have to be staying at Wynn to use)
• $150 Birthday Dinner credit. You can use this on any day during your birthday month (Not available at Cipriani, Urth Caffé, Delilah and La Cave)
• 2 Complimentary Wynn Master Classes for two guests (these are upscale educational classes available at Wynn Las Vegas throughout the year and can be booked on their website / app when logged in or via a host.
• 7 Day Holland America Cruise. This is garnering a lot of excitement and a lot of questions. Here is what the Terms and Conditions say:

To redeem (1) complimentary Holland America Line cruise for member and one (1) guest in one (1) double-occupancy Oceanview Stateroom, Platinum Tier members must have completed (2) non-consecutive hotel stays at Wynn Las Vegas during the previous or current calendar year.  Additionally, Platinum Tier members must complete the Cruise Request Form at link to authorize Carnival outreach and acknowledge the one-time cruise redemption per year policy. Destination and duration options: Maximum seven (7) day cruise to the Caribbean, Mexico, California Coastal, Alaska, Canada-New England, or Northern Europe. Members receive $100 Onboard Credit per stateroom and one (1) welcome amenity selected by Carnival.

This is easily worth a couple thousand dollars on a higher-end cruise line however I want to call out that some of the destinations don’t actually have 7 day or less cruises. For instance, Alaska is included as a sail inclusion, but no sails are 7 days or less. So, you might want to browse the holland America website for cruises that even match both what you care about and the inclusions above before going through the effort involved. 

To be clear, to use this benefit, you would need to stay two separate times in 2024 and though it’s not said here, the two stays must have a 72 hour buffer in between. If you check out May 7th, you could not check back in until May 10th. One day is sufficient as far as I know as that counts as a stay. If you had two stays in 2023 with 72 hours in between, that would also qualify you.

The stays must be booked direct through Wynn. Nobody has yet been able to confirm if FHR stays count. I would assume not unless we hear definitively otherwise. 

I don’t yet know the sail-by date. One member in the Facebook group says they were told June 2025 as the sail by date but that is just one data point and I’m looking to see how far out I can book so I’ll see what I found out and update this post – and post in the MilesTalk group.

This match is the biggie. Wynn has only done one other tier match in recent history, in 2021, and this match is a really big deal. Wynn Platinum is sure to help out with other matches as it’s not an easy one to get.

Here’s the full benefits chart that I already had in my Wynn Status / Tier Match article:

• * Subject to availability and discretion of Personal Casino Host.
• ** Subject to availability.
• *** Not available at Cipriani, Urth Caffé, Delilah and La Cave.
• **** Subject to availability. Excludes Wynn Field Club.
• ^ Platinum tier members must have completed (2) non-consecutive hotel stays at Wynn Las Vegas during the previous or current calendar year.

And here is the brochure:

Step 2: Fontainebleau 

Take your Wynn Platinum card next door to the brand new Fontainebleau (this match ends September 2, 2024  June 2, 2024) and match to Gold status. 

Main Fontainebleau Gold Benefits

You’ll get a $150 dining credit and a $150 spa credit. Both are valid though 2024 and each must be used in one shot – meaning when you ask to use your $150 dining credit, your meal before tax and tip must be $150 or more to use it all.  

At the spa, you do not have to be a hotel guest (you did originally but that is no longer a requirement) but note that the credit will not be applied towards the mandatory 20% service charge. This is good to know when selecting your service as only the base cost counts.

In both cases, the tip is yours so assuming 20%, you’re in for a minimum of $30 in each spot. That certainly shouldn’t bother anyone but I like to let you know anyway. 

If you stay at Fontainebleau, you will get the $45+tax resort fee waived, get a 2pm late checkout, and get a Suite upgrade as high as a Noble suite based on availability. 

I did happen to stay there and enjoyed a Royal Suite upgrade. The room was over 900 square feet and I absolutely loved it.

I also visited the Lapis spa for a treatment and not only enjoyed the massage, but also the amenities (multiple saunas, steams, jacuzzis, and a pool with a water circuit (IYKYK).

Step 3: MGM Gold (optional)

Now, any time before June 30, 2024 you can go ahead and get back that MGM Gold status you had for as long as the Hyatt partnership existed. You can do this at any of the many on-strip MGM properties or even outside Vegas if more convenient for you.

You’ll get it for exactly three months and the expiration date printed on the card will indeed reflect that. Still, the Gold status will extend any comp credits you have with MGM and you’ll have the opportunity to use the fantastic Amphora lounge at Borgata for $12.50 in comps per person. You’ll also get waived resort fees, free valet parking at most locations and priority check-in / late checkout. It’s worth it if you stay at MGM properties. 

Admittedly, without the Hyatt partnership, some of you non-gamblers may skip this altogether. 

Step 4: Mirage / Hard Rock (REALLY Optional)

I’m mentioning this because you’ll ask 😉

The Mirage is no longer giving out any free credits with a match – just an ICON card. And it’s a once-per-lifetime match except (currently!) in Atlantic City. Unless you’ll use the card to stay and get the benefits like no resort fee, I’d wait to see if Mirage brings back “extras” or I’d try to match in Atlantic City where you get two free any night of the week stays and $50 free play. 

Note: A MilesTalk group member reports still getting a $50 F&B credit so if you really don’t care about burning the match and/or are passing through anyway, it may be worth asking.

And with a Wynn Platinum card in your pocket, I doubt you’ll really need an ICON card for any matches. 

Honorable Mention: Resorts World (REALLY Optional)

I’ll also note that you may be able to match at Resorts World from Platinum (and let me know if you do!) to Monarch tier, but that comes with no intro bonus and pretty much zero benefits. You’ll only be able to match at the rewards desk if you have never matched before. High rollers can ask for a rematch via a host.

Of course there may be other matches available, and I’d welcome your comments if you’ve figured one out.

Hopefully this works out for you!

Now…

Match for the 0.01% of Matchers

Let’s say you already have MGM Noir status or Seven Stars. Maybe you took big advantage of all the online betting arbitrage people did last year and earned one of these.

Well, things get more interesting.

Caesars Seven Stars and MGM Noir match directly to WYNN BLACK and Fontainebleau Royal. Wynn Black is a monster status and I’ll explain in a second. 

If you somehow managed Resorts World Las Vegas Imperial status (an otherwise unimpressive top tier), you could also match to Wynn Black and Fontainebleau Royal.

At Fontainebleau, Royal will get you an extra $100 on each bonus – meaning $250 spa credit and $250 food and beverage. They still all need to be used at once. You;’d get a 4pm checkout. And you also technically get airport transfers but that would be up to a host and your play in reality. 

Now at Wynn, Wynn Black is basically the pinnacle of statuses in the casino world.

Your Holland America cruise becomes up to 12 days and requires no hotel stays (relevant only because you could match and not stay, technically!).

You get a $200 spa credit (vs. $100 with Platinum) and a $300 birthday month dining credit vs. $150. You’ll also have access to four Wynn Master Classes for two, a round of golf, and a free complimentary stay. As best I can tell that is 3 nights at Wynn Las Vegas in a Tower Suite or 1 night at Wynn Boston Harbor and the one you get is the *opposite* of your home market. I can’t even tell you if that is based on where you live or earned status but if you can level up to Black, they’ll tell you! It has to be booked through your host, anyway.

Oh, and don’t forget your free entry for two to the nightclub 😉 

And of course, then you’d have Wynn Black through January 31, 2025!

Summary

Really, I don’t imagine anyone here will qualify for anything but the Match for the 99.9%ers and that’s still amazing. Personally, I think having such a powerful card for onward matches is lure enough, but then add on the $100 spa credit, the $150 birthday dinner credit, the Holland America cruise if the two Wynn stays don’t put you out too much, and the $300 in total credits at Fontainebleau (plus MGM Gold for 3 months if you want it!) is pretty, pretty good!

How do you look at this match!

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Thoughts?

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