World of Hyatt and MGM Rewards are ending their strategic relationship: Here’s what you need to know

If you’ve been enjoying reciprocal perks between World of Hyatt and MGM Rewards, this news will hit hard. Unfortunately, the strategic relationship between these two programs is ending, effective Sept. 30, 2023.

As a World of Hyatt Globalist member who also has MGM Rewards Gold through the soon-to-end partnership, I’ve been enjoying waived resort fees on stays at MGM Rewards properties in Las Vegas when I book directly with MGM Rewards. And I’ve enjoyed earning World of Hyatt points and tier-qualifying nights on these stays. I even wrote about how I earned a Hyatt elite qualifying night for just $24 in 2022, thanks to an inexpensive weeknight rate at an MGM Rewards property in Las Vegas.

But now the days are numbered for World of Hyatt and MGM Rewards’ strategic relationship.

Here’s what you need to know.

Status matches

Through July 14, World of Hyatt members can still status match to MGM Rewards. In particular, entry-level World of Hyatt members can match to MGM Rewards’ base-level Sapphire status. And World of Hyatt elite members can match to MGM Rewards tiers as follows:

Discoverist: MGM Rewards Pearl
Explorist: MGM Rewards Gold
Globalist: MGM Rewards Gold

If you match your World of Hyatt status to MGM Rewards between Feb. 1 and July 14, 2023, you’ll keep your matched MGM Rewards tier status through Jan. 31, 2024. Likewise, if you match your MGM Rewards status to World of Hyatt between March 1 and July 14, 2023, you’ll keep your matched World of Hyatt tier status through Feb. 29, 2024.

I’ve enjoyed having MGM Gold status because I get to enjoy free self-parking (and waived valet parking charges at select MGM resorts), waived resort fees when booking hotel rooms directly with MGM, and access to a priority check-in line at the front desk of MGM resorts. These benefits have saved me at least an hour and hundreds of dollars over the last year and a half, so I’m sad I’ll lose these perks when my matched MGM Rewards status expires Jan. 31, 2024.

New and existing reservations

The end of the strategic relationship between World of Hyatt and MGM Rewards means the end of reciprocal earning and redeeming on stays.

In particular, World of Hyatt members won’t be able to make new reservations at participating MGM Rewards destinations in Las Vegas through Hyatt channels on or after Sept. 30, 2023. Existing and new reservations made before Sept. 30, 2023, will be honored. You can redeem Hyatt points for stays at participating MGM Rewards destinations in Las Vegas until Sept. 30, 2023.

Hyatt members won’t be able to earn World of Hyatt points or tier-qualifying nights for stays at MGM Rewards destinations in Las Vegas with checkout after Sept. 30, 2023. Similarly, MGM Rewards members won’t earn MGM Rewards tier credits for stays at Hyatt hotels and resorts with checkout after Sept. 30, 2023.

MGM Rewards’ frequently asked questions page about the end of this strategic relationship states the following:

MGM Rewards Gold members who achieved their Tier Status through the tier match benefit between February 1, 2023, and July 14, 2023, will have their resort fees waived for direct bookings made through MGM Resorts through January 31, 2024.

So, you can still book stays at participating MGM properties directly with MGM Rewards to enjoy waived resort fees through Jan. 31, 2024, if you have MGM Rewards Gold status that you matched from World of Hyatt.

Bottom line

This is disappointing news for World of Hyatt elite members. But you can still match your status (in either direction) through July 14, 2023. And your matched status will continue to provide benefits into early 2024.

If you are looking to make a trip to Las Vegas to snag some inexpensive World of Hyatt elite-qualifying nights, book through MGM Rewards (to get waived resort fees if you have MGM Rewards Gold status or higher) and check out by Sept. 30, 2023. But you can still enjoy waived resort fees in Las Vegas on stays through Jan. 31, 2024, if you have MGM Rewards Gold status through a match from World of Hyatt and book directly with MGM Resorts.