Since MGM is not currently matching (unless you know that has changed at the time you read this, this is now dead. Leaving the post up in case MGM matches come back and I may not think to come back to this post and update it.)
One of my favorite things about the Status Match Merry Go Round™ is that ever since its discovery right here at MilesTalk, it’s evolved like crazy.
And I’m not even the only one that evolves it. Readers always write in with tips, which is how the whole South Florida “tangent” came about.
When we lost the Caesars to MGM Gold match, it was also readers and group members that first advised on the way you can still do it in Atlantic City, the long way (see that Status Match Merry Go Round™ post for how) and also that for a brief window, you could still match to MGM Gold at Excalibur in Las Vegas (now dead).
Well, today Southern California reader and MilesTalk group member Kelvin K. details in this group post (access for members only) how to match by starting in San Diego and ending in Las Vegas with the now standard Merry Go Round “On Ramp” of the Wyndham Business Earner card –> Caesars Diamond.
You won’t get the free MSC Cruise and Wynn nights that you would get if you matched in Atlantic City from Ocean Casino, but you get the MGM Gold and Hyatt Explorist statuses and thereby lock in (for as long as it all lasts) Caesars Diamond, Wyndham Diamond, MGM Gold and Hyatt Explorist. And if you are SoCal based, this sure beats a cross country flight!
It’s still some work, though. Let’s see how Kelvin pulled this off!
First, Kelvin opened the Wyndham Business Earner card and matched to Caesars Diamond (online).
Then, in San Diego, he did as follows:
- Harrah’s Resort Southern California – pick up Caesars physical card
- Caesars Diamond > Sycuan Club Sycuan Elite (no perk)
- Club Sycuan Elite > Club Barona Platinum (no perk)
Then he drove to Las Vegas and took these steps:
- Club Barona Platinum > MGM Gold
- MGM Gold > Mirage Unity Icon + $100 dining credit good for 6 months
- MGM Gold > Resorts World Genting A-lister (no perk besides free parking)
As Kelvin says, “this works because MGM matches the California casino Club Barona Platinum to MGM Gold per their website.”
(Note: This MGM match is scheduled to end June 30, 2023, so this post may be outdated after that unless updated.)
Want proof? He’s got that too 🙂
I love everything about this.
I love that Kelvin was so creative in reverse engineering how he could pull this off locally!
Keep those tips coming!
Questions?
Let me know below in the comments, on Twitter, or in the private MilesTalk Facebook group. And don't forget to follow me on Instagram for all sorts of tips on miles, points, credit cards, and travel.
If this post helped you, please consider sharing it!
You can find credit cards that best match your spending habits and bonus categories at Your Best Credit Cards.
New to all of this? My “introduction to miles and points” book, MilesTalk: Live Your Wildest Travel Dreams Using Miles and Points is available on Amazon and at major booksellers.
Let see if we can get a Norcal Edition of this.
Is there anyway to do this only in Vegas?? At least the MGM Gold from Caesar’s/Wyndham Earners card. Or is that a hard dead end only in Vegas now. I go there semi frequently but extremely rarely to San Diego…
Dead. That’s why he came up with this…
Caesars Diamond also matches to Hard Rock and Palms. I haven’t seen a way to get to MGM Gold from Caesars Diamond, though.
I think the next easiest way to get MGM Gold is to leverage the Bilt/Hyatt status challenge and bonus points promo. You still need to mattress run 10 nights for Explorist (20 for Globalist), so it’s not easy (but it can be done for a reasonable amount of points/cash if you have a category 1 hotel nearby). Then you can status match to MGM.
Btw, the back and forth MGM-Hyatt status match means that you can maintain those elevated statuses for the life of the partnership without having to earn it again. Personally I have Explorist status (from when Hyatt reduced their required nights during the pandemic lockdown), so I’ve been able to maintain my MGM Gold that way. I don’t have any category 1 Hyatt hotels near me, so I’m not going for Globalist.
Holy sh!t Just when I thought my MGM Gold was in the dust I saw this post. Off I go to follow this yellow brick road to MGM gold 🙂
Does anyone know when kelvin K did this match run? Was it recent? The article was posted 3/23 but was the status match run recent as well? I would like to know how likely this would be a success. Seems like the long pole for me is casesar diamond to sycuan elite. That’s not written on their website
The date of the post – March 23, 2023
Planning on doing this. People have confirmed that going through this way also allows them to keep Hyatt explorist and mgm gold indefinitely as long as the partnership lasts? Or does the Hyatt explorist also reset early in June just like mgm does for this match
I’m not seeing Club Barona on this list anywhere from MGM website for Vegas….are we 100% sure this does (and still) works? Getting ready to head to SoCal next week and try this…any way to find out which MGM casino he specifically matched Borona at? Thanks
Has anyone successfully done this recently? Planning on trying some time this month.
Hi Matt, except for Resorts World as I ran out of time, I was able to complete this merry go round about two weeks ago with one minor hiccup at Sycuan. All other casinos will process the tier match request at the Rewards desk whereas Sycuan requires you to go speak with a Casino Host after getting their card.
My wife did the socal run last Saturday and mgm gold on Sunday.
Hi JB, PC, what did you have to the host at Sycuan to get the correct tier (Sycuan Club Elite?) to be matched? Any push backs?
You have to go in the high roller area and do the match with a host (more like a concierge) was still very easy and quick. no push back for me
Did the run this weekend. Everything was easy no hard time. Once I had mgm gold I linked my account to my brother (same last name and address) and he got gold and then worked backwards to Caesars diamond( they require an mgm card with printed expiration date). Did mgm match at the bellagio, no push back and very quick.
For SoCal some small things to note:
-Syucan card has no date but I was able to pull it up on the app and the barona desk took that (ymmv) might want to see if they can print on card when there.
-Barona only allows a once in a lifetime status match (shouldn’t need to do a second time)
Early June update. MGM Gold is just until July 31 now. Also got $10 Freeplay at Sycuan. No issues with San Diego leg and still completing the rest of the Vegas leg.
Mid June Update.
The run still works. Did the San Diego run mid May.
Caesar Diamond > Sycuan Elite > Barona Platnium and now Just completed the Las Vegas > Mlife Gold.
My MGM card says until 2024, but the MGM desk agent told me multiple times my Gold status was only until July 31. Did they tell you the same thing? I did my match at Park MGM as I saw no line as I was passing through.
Hyatt match was instant for me from MGM. Hopefully will be able to match back to Gold when mine drops supposedly on August 1.
Has anyone tried this recently or is it all dead? Looking at MGM page it seems the status challenge etc was only till September 2023… Don’t know what’s the current status
This is now dead. I did the San Diego part fine. Tried status matching at Park MGM and was told they are not tier matching at the moment.
I take back what I said. While Park MGM didn’t do status Match, MGM Grand was able to match me to gold. Although its only till end of the year. I wonder if I can match to someone and match back without having to drive to Vegas again..
This is very interesting. MGM Grand used to be a casino that, on its own and outside of the broader MGM framework, would occasionally do status matches.
Your expiration date is Jan 2024?
Head over to Mirage now for your match to ICON and some free credit.
If MGM Grand matches come February that would be a game changer.
Makes me wonder if MGM Springfield might start again as well.
What did you match from again?
FYI. Went to match Barona and Sycuan today as my MGM Gold and Caesars Diamond are expiring January 2024. Sycuan gave me Elite through 7/31/2024 as temporary status. Only benefit is 20% off F and B.
I took that to Barona which gave me Platinum only through 3/31/24. They said after 2 days, I can get free food court food daily or trade that for daily access to their VIP lounge which has food. You also get 30% off f and b I believe as well as VIP parking. 2 months is better than nothing, but going to try to take this back to Vegas and renew my cards if they open up matches again.
Hope it works out! That was exactly my plan until I had to scuttle my SoCal trip 🙁