Earning MGM Gold and Platinum Status in 2026 – Hurdy Gurdy Travel Podcast
Ready to earn comped cruises, waived resort fees, dining credits, and more?
Justin Vacula and returning co-host Darren break down practical paths to MGM Gold and Platinum for 2026, how the MGM credit cards fits in, and smart stacking with myVEGAS and other casino loyalty programs.
What you’ll learn:
Clear requirements and realistic timelines for MGM status in 2026
How to use credit card spend responsibly for tier credits and perks
Where myVEGAS, cruise comps, and status matches can stack value
When the MGM Iconic card makes sense alongside other travel cards
Practical tips to avoid fees, get lounge and dining value, and stack promos
Chapters
00:00 Intro to low-cost travel with points and miles
00:32 Meet the hosts and upcoming events
01:50 Chicago Seminars Heritage Edition recap
03:30 How to earn MGM status in 2026
04:34 MGM Gold benefits
08:25 MGM Platinum benefits
12:10 Tier credit earning strategies
12:31 MGM Iconic card overview
20:29 MGM Rewards MasterCard overview
23:02 Maximizing MGM credit card benefits
25:28 ZorkFest 2025 preview
25:37 Current promos and limited-time offers
26:04 Chicago Points Travel Festival 2026
27:14 CardPointers and monthly meetups
29:01 Atlantic City updates and MGM Gold
30:13 Stacking rewards and benefits
32:37 Cruise benefits and status matching
34:05 Chase Sapphire Reserve Edit Credit with Park MGM
43:26 MGM National Harbor and future plans
47:42 Wrap-up and key takeaways
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Rough Transcript:
Theme Song: [00:00:00] Travel at low cost with points and miles. Credit card rewards bring the smiles. Many adventures tales to be told, make and save money, the world will unfold.
Fight the war on happiness. Pick up the gold. Hurdy Gurdy Travel Podcast breaks the mold
Justin Vacula: You’re listening to the Hurdy Gurdy Travel Podcast, I’m your host, Justin Vacula, here to help you make money, save money, and travel the world, and next to no cost with credit card points, miles, benefits, and loyalty programs. Returning co-host Darren joins me to talk about earning MGM status through credit card spending in 2026 for comped cruises, waived resort fees, dining credits, airfare credits, casino and cruise tier matching, and much [00:01:00] more.
Visit meetup.com/PhillyMilesAndPoints to RSVP for monthly Greater Philadelphia Travel Credit Miles and points meetups I host in Willow Grove, Pennsylvania. The next meetups are November 23rd and December 21st, 2025. Find a link in the show notes for more content between episodes. Follow Hurdy Gurdy Travel Podcast on Facebook and x follow Justin Vacula on Instagram.
Subscribe to Hurdy Gurdy Travel podcast on YouTube for daily content, including travel videos, podcast clips, and posts. Find more information including select episode transcripts at HurdyGurdyTravel.com. On with today’s episode recorded, October 28th, 2025. Welcome back to the show,
Darren: Darren. Thanks Justin. Always.
Good to be back. Speaking of just being back, you’re just back from Chicago.
Justin Vacula: That’s right. We had the Heritage Edition Chicago Seminars at Holiday Inn, [00:02:00] IHG. It’s going to happen again next year. So listeners tune in for a special promo code later in the episode for next year’s event. But it was great. It exceeded my expectations for sure.
I think there were about 400 people. The venue maybe would’ve held 300, so next year there’re gonna be fewer tickets. So a high demand item. Great meeting fans of the show. Talking to listeners, hearing a lot of, oh, I recognize your voice. Oh, I’ve been following you for a while and people were bringing up, I thought, obscure things that they were remembering things that happened from years ago.
Oh yeah, that’s right. We did talk about that.
Darren: Oh, that’s always dangerous, Justin, when your fans have a better memory than you do.
Justin Vacula: I remembered it, but then they mentioned it and then I thought, oh yeah, I did share that on the podcast. That’s right.
Darren: Yeah. It sounds like a great,
Justin Vacula: yeah, it was a great time and hopefully you’ll be there for next year.
And there were a lot of people asking me about past podcast Guest Purple Princess Perry as well, and she recorded a special message for [00:03:00] fans, so that was nice of her. And we hope to see her next year and at Miles and Points events as well.
Darren: Yeah, it’d be a great crossover event. Obviously she’s a big fan of trains and not that we’re gonna talk about today, Justin, but yeah, there’s a great Amtrak card out there floating around that.
We could do a little spending on and get some free Amtrak trips
Justin Vacula: and MGM monorails in Las Vegas. There
Darren: you go. For
Justin Vacula: the Aria Express tram,
Darren: that’s the pro podcaster I know. Bringing that back around to today’s topic. Excellent.
Justin Vacula: Yes. So last year we recorded and chatted about earning MGM status in 2025. So we’re almost through 2025 now.
We’re going to do the 2026 episode in 2025. I think the argument for earning MGM status, the value proposition is even better because MGM made various enhancements to their program we talked about in past episodes. We’ll revisit here, most notably, adding an additional complimentary cruises with MGM Gold status.
And you [00:04:00] can also earn MGM Tier and rewards or comps when you’re playing or gambling on cruises booked with MGM. So now we have the potential for two comp cruises instead of just one at the higher status level.
Darren: Yeah. Let’s get right into it. I know MGM has made a number, like you said, of enhancements and usually when people say enhancements, Justin, they don’t actually mean enhancements, but in this case it seems to be actually true.
Tell us about MGM Gold really at the target level. I think for anyone that’s interested in acquiring MGM status or at least the lowest target level, how about that?
Justin Vacula: Yes, MGM Gold, you need 75,000 tier credits, and we’ll talk about earning those a bit later. I think it’s a very reasonable goal for people, especially those who are more intermediate to advanced in the Points of Miles game with lots of spending.
MGM Gold, if you earn the status through credit card spending online play, we’ll talk about a little later, you get a five night complimentary cruise with celebrity or [00:05:00] Royal Caribbean. I took this with celebrity in the past and had a really great experience. You get a $100, what they call a dining credit.
So this is simply balance they add to your comp total, so you can use this not just for one meal, you can spread it out across many or use it for other things like shows taxes and fees, whatever you would like. You get the waived resort fees, which is a really big one, saving you 40, $50 a night. And these fees that may or may not give you things like long distance calling that everyone is a fan of and priority line access, possible room upgrades and the potential to match MGM Gold status to other programs for even more great benefits with other casino loyalty programs.
Darren: Wait, Justin, did you say long distance calling? Did 1983 is do we have a time warp ear and we’ve gone back to the future. What’s going on?
Justin Vacula: Yes, these resort fees, they’ll list all kinds of [00:06:00] interesting alleged perks. So to waive the resort fee, especially when you’re not using these benefits, is really great.
I don’t think I’ve used a hotel phone to make calls for years because I just used my cell phone or WhatsApp or other mechanisms. That’s
Darren: great. I love that the resort fee includes long term, or excuse me, long distance calling, or I guess maybe even regular calling. Who knows?
Justin Vacula: Yeah, maybe only local calling, but yeah, that my idea is that the resort fees usually have a lot of junk attached to it, so being able to waive that with MGM Gold status is really nice.
And you’ll also get parking, complimentary parking with pearl status, one of the lower levels. But MGM Gold includes that as well. So waiving the resort fees, waiving parking is a lot of people Lament. Oh, Las Vegas is expensive. Oh, they’re nickel dimming you. I think we can outline a pretty easy way to earn status to get around these fees.
Darren: Does gold status still offer complimentary valet parking? Justin, I feel like when I used to have that. Ooh,
Justin Vacula: [00:07:00] yes. I think so. I think so. Yes. Complimentary valet with gold should be the case, although maybe some properties will require a higher status, but I believe gold will do it, at least it does at Borg Gata.
But when I’m in Las Vegas. I am almost never renting a car, or I don’t have a car in Vegas, but I’ve used it before for parking with other people’s cars. Yeah, good question though. Yeah, no, I
Darren: seem to remember the, when I was status matching back in the day, being able to be able to do that and it made a big difference.
I had young kids and we’ve talked about previously using Las Vegas as a home base for some of the outdoor adventure out there in the southwest, so it was a great way to save a few bucks and make it convenient not have to. Get the little kids out the door and walk all the way to the car, which we know can be quite a hike through the casino and then out to the parking lot.
Justin Vacula: Yes. And past podcast guest, Mandy informed me today that she’s gonna be using Vegas as a pit stop. She’s going to be going from Boston home of the MBTA, of course, [00:08:00] to Hawaii, and stopping at Vegas in the middle. So she’s going to use some perks staying there and taking advantage of that MGM status rather than making a really long day of flying.
Darren: I know how you feel about stopping in Vegas whenever you’re flying, so I’m sure it made sense to you for sure.
Justin Vacula: Yes, I almost went to Vegas after Chicago, but I figured I would save that for December instead. But that’s MMGM gold status. The next level is MGM Platinum status, which is 200 K tier credits.
Very doable through credit card spend. Again, for the more advanced listeners, but even possible for the intermediate listeners out there, I would think MGM Platinum. Is very appealing because it gives you a seven night complimentary cruise, a balcony cruise. This is earned status as well. So you get the benefits of gold and platinum.
So you’re able to get two complimentary cruises a year. You have to book the cruises by January 31st. Take them before April 31st, has [00:09:00] been the standard play. That’s Royal Caribbean and Celebrity once again. You also get a $200 tier celebration credit. So this is added to your comp balance. So you’d get the 100 at gold, the 200 at platinum, you get a $600 air travel credit.
So you simply have to bring a receipt with a cash rate of a round trip flight to Vegas, or other destinations are on the list as well. Atlantic City, Bo Ravage, maybe some others, but they give you $600 air travel credit and they pay it out in comps or free play. You get late checkout, likely more room upgrades.
And more status matching potential. So if we’re to value the 600, same as cash, the dining credit or comps or a free play is same as cash. That’s 800 and a complimentary cruise for a platinum status. So I think those are some of the better benefits and quite appealing to make. You want to spend a lot on the MGM credit cards that we’ll get into and [00:10:00] online play in order to get these statuses.
Darren: Yeah, I seems quite a deal there if you can. If you can get that, and I’m sure there are a lot of creative ways to get that $600 air travel credit back. You mentioned about the book Booking the Cruise, which I know a number of people will be interested in. You said what book by January 31st?
Justin Vacula: Yes. So if you earn say, gold status in maybe March or April.
Of 2026, then you get until January 31st to book the cruise and then April to take the cruise. If you’re in the status at the end of the year, that’s fine too, but you still have to take the cruise before April so you get a few months at least. At least. It’s not only one month to make and book the cruise.
That makes
Darren: sense. Yeah. I was just making sure that it was earned. Earned status in 26 and have to book by January 31st, 27.
Justin Vacula: Yes. If you earn the status in 2026. Then you have until January 31st in 2027 to book the [00:11:00] cruise and April 31st in 2027 to take the cruise.
Darren: That makes perfect sense. Thanks for walking us through that Justin.
Justin Vacula: All the years were time traveling.
Darren: Maybe we can call and we can call long distance ahead and ask
Justin Vacula: the chat GPT realtime voice.
Darren: Yeah, that’s good. But there is one more, right? Is there one more above platinum or no?
Justin Vacula: One? One more is no more. No more. Yes. Most people aren’t going to get invited to noir. I am not.
It’s gonna require a significant amount of in-person play at higher betting units. Unfortunately, you can’t credit cards, spend your way or online spend your way to noir. As far as I know, and I’m coming on 300,000 tier credits and I still didn’t get my no war invite, and I’ve heard of people with half a million tier.
And up and still not getting that invite either. So they’re not enough of high rollers or whales or degenerates or whatever kind of adjective you would like to use. Yeah,
Darren: seems like a lot of [00:12:00] spend for a questionable return there, but of course we don’t advocate whaling out or being degenerates, at least not in the gambling side of the podcast here.
Justin. So tell us about your strategy in accruing these tier reward, what do you call ’em? Sorry, tier. Tier credits. Yeah. Tell us about your strategy in accruing these tier credits.
Justin Vacula: Yes, once again, it’s 75 tier credits needed for MGM Gold. This is the progress towards status and 200 K tier credits for MGM Platinum.
So in 2025, the first National Bank of Omaha, everyone’s favorite bank, most loved bank, they released a new credit card called the MGM Iconic Card. Previously, there was only a no annual fee card. That was known as the MGM Rewards MasterCard, but now we have the iconic card. At the time of recording, it’s a 30,000 point welcome bonus.
So that’s $300. You get six x on MGM spend, and with this X you’re [00:13:00] getting tier and comps or free play. So if you’re to spend say, a hundred dollars on hotel night, including taxes, whatever, then you would get 600 tier credits. And $6 in comps or free play, I say in comps or free play because the credit card, it’s a bit of quirky earning the earnings post when the statement closes and when the statement closes.
The rewards show up as slot dollars, otherwise known as free play. You could play that through in video poker or other electronic games, or you could just convert it to comps and get the full value in food or shows or. Whatever, rather than free play where maybe you’re playing a game that returns 97 to 98% in the long run, then you’re getting a little bit less than 1%.
But anyway, it’s six X tier and comps are free. Play. On MGM spend, you get two x on hotels, dining, gas, and grocery. So two X hotels, not that interesting. Two x dining. Pretty underwhelming considering [00:14:00] many other credit cards. So I would only use this for MGM hotels personally with all other cards, bonusing travel in hotels.
But the two x gas and grocery is interesting for those listeners who might spend a lot at gas and grocery stores for maybe prepaid cards and gift cards, I think is the way to go with this. So you’re getting the two x, which is the two X tier, and the two x comps are free play. So it’s not just like a 2% cash back.
It’s a lot better than that as the main point of this is getting the status, which is quite valuable. The card also gives you what they’re calling a $200 resort credit. This is an interesting one because I went to the MGM Rewards desk just weeks after getting the card, and they said the resort credit is on your account.
Would you like to add it? So they added this $200 resort credit to my comp balance. So I was able to later use that for food and got to use it as I wanted instead of all at once. So that largely offset the card’s, $250 annual fee. So you’re paying [00:15:00] the two 50 annual fee, but getting 200 back, so it’s an effective $50 annual fee.
Pretty good as long as you go to MGM once per year to add it and use it, of course. But I would hope listeners would go many more times than one, hopefully at least a handful of times to Las Vegas, Atlantic City, MGM Grand in Detroit or other properties. And you also get a $250, what they’re calling a comp night.
On your account. So allegedly, if you spend $25,000 on this card in a calendar year, they add a complimentary night to your account. I haven’t seen this just yet. And you also get a bonus 10,000 tier credits when you spend $25,000. So I think a pretty good card for those. Considering MGM, I think the $250 annual fee well worth it, especially getting the $200 credit.
And finally when you get approved for the credit card, you automatically get pearl status, which gives you the free parking and some other minor [00:16:00] benefits.
Darren: Nice. And Justin, this is a card you hold, correct?
Justin Vacula: Yes. I have the MGM iconic card. I’ve had the no annual fee, MGM Rewards MasterCard for several years.
But when they made the announcement of this, I was super excited to apply and now I have both credit cards. They have an odd provision that. You have to wait a year between signup bonuses. So if people are brand new to MGM and they get the iconic, they would have to wait a year after the Iconic to get the MGM Rewards.
MasterCard, the no annual fee card, and I have both of these cards because more credit limit makes it a lot easier to get status and the extra benefits on the Iconic are quite nice. And both cards have the ability to load to BET MGM for online gambling. So no cash advance, it just codes as a purchase and you’re getting one X back in tier and comps or free plan.
Oh six
Darren: x Justin, come on. We were all hoping to let six x
Justin Vacula: oh, [00:17:00] unfortunately not the six x and unfortunately not three x. There have been three X promotions in the past, but I haven’t seen any in 2025. So hopefully we’ll see some in 2026 or maybe they’ll throw us a bone. At the end of the year, but you get one one x back.
So even if you’re playing a game like blackjack with surrender, you’re giving up about a half percent house edge. So I’d use the card to load and fund online gambling, which of course Dave Ramsey would love using credit and gambling together and win loser draw all just cash out the money. And it’s been a very good year for blackjack as I’m right around that half percent expectation.
So things are working out math wise because of course. America loves math and we’re in it for the long game. Yeah,
Darren: it sounds like we just need a little more help from MGM. We just need ’em to get in the game here a little bit and help us out, but that’s okay. It’s okay. We’ll soldier through. I’ll make this work.
Justin Vacula: Yes, with both cards it’s easier to get the status, but only having one. It gets to be tough to get platinum, especially if they give you a lesser credit [00:18:00] limit or a lower credit limit. But I got about 20 K worth of credit limit even with having the no annual fee before. So combined both cards about 40 K credit limit.
So it’d be very easy to get gold early in the year having both cards, but for people who are new, you have the year to get status. There’s no super rush probably to get it, although it is nice to activate those waved resort fees and benefits. Probably best to apply for the iconic early in the year, and sometimes they throw you a tier as part of the signup bonus.
Right now they don’t have tier as part of the signup bonus. Applying in November wouldn’t be great because then the tier you would earn in November and December would apply to the current calendar year. If you want to apply in December, that’s okay too because say you got approved on December 10th, for example, then your statement would cut on January 10th and you’d start the year with a big infusion of tier credits.
Darren: [00:19:00] Yeah, I think a lot of people are familiar with the Southwest Companion Pass, Justin, and how you need to make sure that your points post in the correct calendar year in order to acquire that particular reward. I think this is the same thing, right? We have a calendar year that defines the status of for MGM, and we wanna make sure that our points are posting at the correct time.
Probably not a big deal to do it a little early, right? Like you say in December, if folks are doing some holiday shopping and have some spend coming up, they could certainly put it on that. But otherwise, you wanna make sure you don’t meet the minimum spending before the end of the year. Make sure that posts in after January 1st, 2026, so that you’re able to utilize and apply those reward credits towards the your status in 2026.
Justin Vacula: That’s right. Yeah. If the tier were just posting day by day, then things would be a little bit different. But if you apply in mid-December, then you have that advantage of starting the year [00:20:00] with a lot of tier. So that’s interesting. But I think it’s fair to just keep it easy. Wait until January, the ball drops and you apply for a bunch of credit cards because of course.
The answer to everything is more critical.
Darren: Absolutely. Absolutely. And don’t forget to spend your Amex Fine Hotel and Resorts credits and your airline incident. Also, make sure you get all those done on New Year’s Day
Justin Vacula: as
Darren: well.
Justin Vacula: Yes. Lots of benefits are gonna reset at the start of the year, so looking forward to that for sure.
And it brings us into the other credit card, the MGM MasterCard. This is the no annual fee card. As time of recording, it’s a 10,000 bonus point. Welcome offer three x on MGM, spend lesser than the six x on the other card, two x gas, and grocery also pearl status. So it’s just a lesser version of the iconic card.
But again, I like having both cards for more tier credits, more spending more credit limits. So for those just starting with us who have no [00:21:00] cards with MGM, probably best to start with the iconic card. Then a year after, get the no annual fee MGM card. So for ease, if you just do the first application, January 1st, 2026, and then January 1st, 2027, go for the other card.
Or depending on how FNBO is counting, maybe just add a few days just to be sure
Darren: and reminder that FNBO issues both cards. You’ve had success getting both cards despite already having one or the other. Also holding another card. The Amtrak aforementioned Amtrak credit card.
Justin Vacula: Yeah, that’s right. They’re pretty generous with the credit limits.
Good with the approvals. Years ago when I tried to get the no annual fee card, they told me too many recent inquiries, too many open accounts. So maybe wait about six months after applying for a bunch of other cards if you’re applying for a bunch of cards at a time. The classic aara. But I cooled it for six months and then applied for this card and I was good to go.
And the [00:22:00] iconic card wasn’t a problem or on or around July of 2025. I applied for multiple cards in January of 2025, waited until July, and then I was good to go. So it’ll be interesting in 2026. I’ll start the year with both of the cards, and I suppose I’ll get super platinum status, although unfortunately that’s not an option.
Darren: Sadly not an option.
Justin Vacula: No, no worries.
Darren: Any lifetime language here. Is it possible to churn these cards? You could cancel one and alternate back and forth a new one each year?
Justin Vacula: I wouldn’t recommend that. I think the signup bonus is just so low, and the main idea is just to spend, to get status. So just keeping the card rather than canceling it.
Reapplying, then you’re spending a hard inquiry for just a small signup bonus, open account for just a small signup bonus. And FNBO could be quirky and then not approve you. Like you can cancel the card, try to apply again, and then they don’t approve you for whatever reason. So probably best to just keep the card rather than canceling, and then just apply for other [00:23:00] cards with other issuers.
Darren: So if we do the math here on the iconic card, Justin say I decide to apply for the kind of card in 2026, I know you would fully support that decision. January 1st, and we know America loves math, so we do a Quick America Loves Math moment here. If I spend, say most of the 70 5K in order to get 70 5K reward credits, I would need at two x.
At two XI would need what, 37 and a half thousand? Your credits. Your credits, excuse me. Credit, not reward credits. Yeah. Goodness. The tier credits. So I would’ve to spend 37 and a half thousand dollars in order to generate that. Not quite right because I get a 10 K bonus at 20 5K spend. Is that right?
Justin Vacula: That’s right. You would get that 10 K bonus. So now maybe we’re down to needing 60 5K because America loves math. Maybe it’s about 30 K at grocery, but over the whole year. But that’d be less if you’re also playing on BE MGM and getting the [00:24:00] one X on the load, then you’re getting some tier credits from the actual play.
And if you were to gamble in person. Then you would also get some tier credits with that. But I just don’t see an argument to gamble in person with MGM. If we can just get the status from credit card spend, it might be a little bit more challenging for those that don’t have the online gambling in their state, but it’s still possible, very possible to get the gold status, at least through credit card spending.
Darren: Yeah, it’s a good reminder about those folks that do live in a, an online gambling state. Certainly with the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. We’re very fortunate in that regard. For those that don’t. There’s also opportunities for sports betting or arbitrage betting. Even if you don’t have online casinos, you may have online sports books, which can increase your spend on the credit card and or your tier credits.
Justin, that’s what I’m trying to say.
Justin Vacula: Yeah, warrant happiness there. You can probably buy cigarettes, alcohol, bet on the lottery, bet on horses, but no, you can’t have online [00:25:00] blackjack.
Darren: Yeah, it’s funny what different states and people decide what is and is not an appropriate risk that people are allowed to take.
Justin Vacula: Who makes the rules?
Darren: Chauncey Billups does not make the rules, Justin, so that’ll be, that will not be an evergreen comment. But for those that are listening currently, you could bet on that. You can bet on that and yeah. Or bet under that. Exactly.
Justin Vacula: All right, we’ll take a break for some messages from our sponsors and then come back.
Talk more about MGM. Join us at Zork Fest 2025 in Las Vegas, December 5th through the seventh at M Resort Casino Hotel. Zork Fest, combines miles points and gambling content all in one weekend. I’ll be there speaking and connecting with podcast listeners. Buy your ticket at Zorkfest.travelzork.com. Use promo code HurdyGurdy to support the show.
I’ll also be speaking at Chicago Seminars Hyatt Regency O’Hare november 7th through the ninth, 2025, use [00:26:00] promo code HurdyGurdy when buying a ticket to support me. The event formerly known as Chicago Seminars Heritage Edition at Holiday Inn will now be the Chicago Points Travel Festival held October 16th through the 18th 2026.
Use promo code HurdyGurdy for early bird discounts $60 off through November 1st. $40 off November 1st through the 30th. So what do you think, Darren? The Chicago Points Travel festival.
Darren: Justin, you know how much I love a string of words put together that says the same thing. So just like the Greater Philadelphia Points and Miles group, which I can never
Justin Vacula: Greater Philadelphia Travel Credit Miles.
That’s
Darren: exactly the group I’m talking about. Justin.
Justin Vacula: I look FI look forward
Darren: fun names. I look forward to many years of getting those names all wrong. But hey, the Chicago Points
Justin Vacula: Travel
Darren: Festival, I appreciate that there were [00:27:00] two Chicago seminars and now there will only be one Chicago seminar, so that’s helpful.
At least.
Justin Vacula: I also liked the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta. That was a fun name too. And still is.
Darren: Yeah,
Justin Vacula: still is. Absolutely. This episode is also supported by CardPointers. If you have multiple credit cards like me, because of course the answer to everything is more credit cards, card pointers helps you automatically activate bank offers and knows which card to use
for maximum rewards CardPointers saves me time and money. Use my link CardPointer.com/HurdyGurdyTravel for a discount on annual and lifetime plans to support the show and yourself. I also host monthly travel and points meetups in Willow Grove, Pennsylvania. Our next meetups are November 23rd, and December 21st, 2025.
If you’re local or wanna make the trip, it’s a fun, casual way to talk point strategies. Meet like-minded travelers and share ideas. RSVP at meetup.com/PhillyMilesAndPoints. [00:28:00] In our last meetup, we had about 15 people and you were there. I was, I agree. It’s a great,
Darren: it’s a great session every time I go.
There’s a good blend of folks that have been doing this game for a while, or in the game for a while, I guess is the way to say it. Some new folks but that have really dove in and have great experience and questions. And sometimes it’s the newer folks that ask questions that many of us haven’t thought about in a while or maybe have passed over and forgotten about that brings things back.
So you’ve done a wonderful job in getting a good group of folks together and yeah, it’s enjoyable and educational every time I go.
Justin Vacula: Thanks. And we have people driving in from New York and New Jersey, so thanks to them for taking the drive and being part of the meetup and enjoying online blackjack in the state of Pennsylvania as well.
Darren: Absolutely. And I know you’ve done a couple offsite meetups outside of Willow Grove. I can’t imagine why. You would spend any time outside of Giant Justin, but apparently you do. I guess when you have the M amphora la, what is it? The Amphora lounge.
Justin Vacula: Amphora [00:29:00] Lounge, yes. We got a great benefit of MGM Gold status 1250 for all you can eat and drink one of the best deals in Atlantic City.
People talk about happy hours. I don’t care. I’m just going to the lounge. People paying $15 for a single alcoholic drink. No thanks. I’ll pay $12 and 50 cents for all I can drink and eat.
Darren: Yeah, so I think you’re gonna be in Atlantic City here in a little bit, and maybe your schedule Yes.
Justin Vacula: November 2nd and we go, there you go.
Yeah. It’s going schedule a meet
Darren: up there for those folks that might be interested in driving down or in that are gonna be in Atlantic City anyway.
Justin Vacula: That’s right. And finally, I’ll be speaking with Frequent Traveler University in Irving, Texas, just outside of Dallas from May 1st through the third 2026 at theNYLO Las Colin as Hotel by Hilton. Join me and community members for social events and educational sessions. Ticket sales are now live, $200 for FTU, frequent Traveler University members [00:30:00] and 249 for non-members. You can grab an FTU annual membership for online courses, seminars, member perks, event discounts, and more.
The signup link for membership and FTU Dallas is in the show notes. So with that, we’ll return to our discussion about earning MGM status in 2026 and why you should care about it
Darren: as someone that spends quite a bit of time in Atlantic City and Las Vegas. Justin, how are you using status to save money and increase your enjoyment while visiting and not actually sitting at the poker table?
Justin Vacula: Yes, there will be some sitting at poker tables, but outside of that, there are a lot of stacking opportunities. The M four lounge in Atlantic City, that’s a great benefit, but there are also great benefits from the My Vegas games. These are free to play mobile games. I have a YouTube video if you search Dy Gardy Travel, my Vegas.
These are free to play mobile games. I have the phone Army set up auto spinning to win on these games. [00:31:00] Or in some cases you just get rewards by being logged into the games. So you earn a lot of these points. Past podcast guest Tammy thinks it’s easy to earn about a million a month if you’re on it. And you could use something like a hundred thousand points to get comp nights in Atlantic City, Las Vegas, and other destinations.
So these comp nights now have no resort fees if you earned the MGM status and then you could use the MyVegas food deals like 25 off of 50, 20 off of 40. Buy one get one deals in Las Vegas. And when you use the comps earned from spending on the credit card, you also don’t pay taxes. So it’s interesting that the comp use waives taxes so you get even more value out of the comps.
So I think a lot of stacking with MGM status, the comps earned from the credit card and the games.
Darren: I was just gonna, I was just gonna say stacking Justin, it’s like a lot of deals in this hobby. You start to put a couple different deals together or a [00:32:00] couple of different ways to approach savings for a particular event or stay, and all of a sudden, like you say, it does not cost a lot of money to, to spend a night or even a week in Las Vegas for you with all the different stay credits, food deals, all the things now, and certainly long distance calls maybe
Justin Vacula: even
Darren: though yeah.
Justin Vacula: Yeah, it’s wild to hear all these takes about how Vegas is expensive when there are just so many opportunities to save, especially through MGM. It is just really generous. They’re offering all these great opportunities and using Vegas as a pit stop. Always fun. I’ve done that before cruises as well, and the stacking with the MGM status is matching that to other programs for complimentary cruises status with other cruise lines, and then matching the cruise offers for other offers.
So getting the celebrity balcony offer through MGM Platinum or the Celebrity or Royal Ocean View offer [00:33:00] through MGM Gold, I was able to contact other cruise companies like Virgin Voyages, princess Carnival Margaritaville at Sea, some people matching to MSC as well, and even other options getting one comp cruise with this on-ramp of MGM.
It can lead you to get four or five other complimentary cruises. So I think a nice stack there.
Darren: Absolutely. It’s like the platinum, or excuse me, it’s like the status matching that we used to do the status merry-go-round. You don’t even necessarily have to go and do the status matching in person. It sounds like you can just apply from one cruise line to the other.
Is that correct?
Justin Vacula: Yes. You can just contact online and the MGM status is just guaranteed that you can earn it through the credit card. Rather than having to rely on matches that may or may not go away. So I’ve been advocating for years of having the MGM no annual fee card, and now I can advocate to have both the iconic and the no [00:34:00] annual fee in time.
Once you get the iconic first. And now there are some new opportunities. I use the edit credit with Chase. This is a $300 twice a year credit. So new or existing Chase Sapphire Reserve Cardholders. Have the access to book two nights. Stay to get this credit through. Chase Hotels with the edit collection or the edit.
I found two nights at Park MGM in Las Vegas, December 2nd through the fourth, $829 for the two nights. But I get $300 off effectively with the edit statement credit. And you’re able to use points to offset the rest of it. So it took me, because America loves math once again, 28 k. Ultimate rewards with the points boost feature.
I believe it got about 2 cents per point with that. So 8 29 minus [00:35:00] 300. So we’re talking 5 29 for two nights, but it’s also the a hundred dollars dining credit. Complimentary daily breakfast for two, and maybe I’ll get extra benefits with my platinum status. I’ve stayed at Park MGM on comp nights before and they would give me a $50 dining credit to go with it, A dining coupon, so that was not charged the room.
It was just a separate thing, and instead of paying the 529, I used 28 K ultimate rewards, and if I were to cash out 28 K at 1.25 cents per point. Then that would be worth $350. So 350 for two nights, the a hundred dollars dining credit, and complimentary daily breakfast for two. Not too bad. And I’m also going to put this next to another stay with Park MGM through the My Vegas games.
So I’ll stay there for four nights and avoid a hotel [00:36:00] hop. I think one of the least desirable moments of having to just pack up all your things, take a ride, share, go somewhere else. Then unpack again. So this will save some time and avoid that. Checking in and checking out.
Darren: Yeah. It sounds like you said, you had another opportunity to stack some deals together to use some of the new credits on a credit card that you, I’m sure signed up for as part of a signup bonus, and now are trying to offset some of that annual fee.
So yeah, it, I think anytime that you can start putting these things together, it makes sense.
Justin Vacula: Yes, and I might get lucky and they could possibly refund resort fee because the resort fee was built into the booking through Chase. So since it’s not directly booked with MGM, they charge that resort fee. So there is a possibility that they’ll refund it.
I think it’s a low one, but we’ll see what happens, especially since I have high status with platinum status. So maybe they’ll say something. We can’t refund the 80 to a hundred in resort fees, but we can add an extra credit to your account. We’ll see about that. I think unlikely, but. At least it’s a [00:37:00] possibility.
So booking and staying with MGM, if rates are equal, I think I’ll stay with MGM rather than staying somewhere else. And it also did ask for the MGM loyalty number, so I might get some rewards in tier with the stay as well. So that’ll give me a little bit of a rebate. Although at this point the tier isn’t gonna do much for me because I already have the platinum status and requalified.
But we’ll see. I think a good opportunity here.
Darren: Yeah, let us know how it works out. I was just gonna ask whether it allowed you to enter your rewards number. You’d think since it did, it would recognize your status and then Yeah, like you say, either automatically or maybe it’s an opportunity when you check in the special platinum line, I’m sure right.
To say, Hey, I saw there was a resort fee. I don’t know if you guys can refund that, but like you say, could you put that on my comp credit so I could to use it somewhere on the resort this week?
Justin Vacula: Yeah, possibility. So I’m looking forward to that. I also have the Chase [00:38:00] exclusive tables benefit, so I can use that in Las Vegas as well at a place like Hell’s Kitchen.
And I used my Chase StubHub credit to see Wizard of Oz at Sphere Las Vegas. Another favorite of past podcast guest Purple Princess Perry really likes. She really likes Wicked and Wizard of Oz, so it’ll be interesting to see that show in Las Vegas. I think I ended up paying about $9 for the ticket because of the StubHub credit.
So Wow. I think a really good deal. And that’ll be my first time at Sphere or thus Sphere. Maybe both are acceptable.
Darren: Yeah, probably both are acceptable for now until you get there and someone corrects you. But yeah, that, that sounds like I’ll be a fantastic show to see there, so whatever we’re gonna call it.
Justin Vacula: Yes. There was a sign at Paris Las Vegas that said, welcome to the Paris. I don’t approve of that at all.
Darren: The Paris, huh? Yeah. I don’t,
Justin Vacula: that’s an RIP Daryl moment. Yeah, for sure. For sure. Paris, VA, Paris. Paris. I’m going to va Paris. [00:39:00]
Darren: If you’re going to the Paris, my guess is I’m
Justin Vacula: going to the, I say, I’m
Darren: gonna say if you’re going to the Paris, I don’t think anyone thinks it’s the hotel in Vegas, right?
Like it’s the place in France, let’s be honest.
Justin Vacula: Oh, wow. No, I hope nobody would say that about that either. That’d be wild. I’m going to the Poland to eat the chicken noodles soon. The Speedway hut. Okay, those might work, but the Paris not so much. No, not that situation. Yeah, so some fun in Vegas. Said Vegas continues to innovate.
The Wizard of Oz Show. Very successful and interesting to see these chase partnerships with Las Vegas locations. So what do you think Darren, have I convinced you to get this iconic credit card in January to pursue MGM at least gold status?
Darren: I’m a solid, maybe Justin. I earned Caesar’s Platinum status this year and I have a bunch of free nights and a bunch of comps and I have used zero of them so far.
So we’ll see how that goes for next year and [00:40:00] whether I will continue to be able to use those. I’m hesitant to. Rack up more credits and comps and benefits that I’m not able to use. So we’ll see what that looks like as there plans unfold next year.
Justin Vacula: You said some Atlantic City trips would be likely, and then if you take that once or twice a year to Las Vegas, I think that can come into play.
And with Caesars you got the diamond status, so even higher the 15 K tier for Diamond. You’re
Darren: right, I did get diamond status. See, I’ve used it so infrequently, I can’t even remember the correct status.
Justin Vacula: You didn’t have to do much extra to get it. This was an opportunity earlier in the year with online gaming, online blackjack, sports betting, and so on, right?
Darren: Yeah, a hundred percent online. Some combination of blackjack and video poker. At the time, there was a online tier multiplier that I was able to take advantage of and earn it organically. First time I’ve had it a few years since the Wyndham and Caesars status match went away.
Justin Vacula: And some special cashback that we used to be able to get [00:41:00] and some bonuses that the Caesar site used to give.
But since those bonuses have been tremendously throttled, there’s all the tees for you where usually it would be something like play through 2000, get $10 credit, but now they’re wanting additional play through the blackjack. Doesn’t count for a hundred percent. So they’ve definitely gone rogue on us with Caesars, but we had a good run at it.
And I’m almost seven star status with Caesars. Thanks to a lot of online opportunities earlier in the year that are now mostly closed, but nice to have these casino statuses, MGM Caesars, and potentially other programs we might see in 2026 if we’re able to match MGM to other loyalty programs. Looking forward to see what will happen.
Darren: Absolutely, and I think this, that’s how this game works, right? There’s. New opportunities rise up and evolve and we find them and other ones die away and we don’t. We’re not able to utilize or leverage them anymore. That’s what makes the job well, the [00:42:00] job, your job, but my hobby fun. That’s what allows us to continue to engage and as miles ER and burn says, always be probing.
Justin Vacula: Yes. And an interesting opportunity to get the cruises here because I don’t know of other credit cards that allow you to get complimentary cruises through spending on them. And the cruise Cobra co-branded credit cards are usually terrible. The signup bonus, very low. I think one of them allows you to spend a very high amount and get a cabin upgrade, but I haven’t seen complimentary cruises.
So to get this, to get two complimentary cruises a year with a high amount of spend, I think many will consider that maybe they won’t be in casinos too much in all cases or some cases. But they still want the cruises, so hopefully they’d still be able to use some of these benefits by going to Vegas once or twice a year.
I think that’s reasonable. Atlantic City or some other properties, I think there’s some huge incentive for this and for those who are in between signup bonuses, they have a lot of spend. I think this can be super appealing.
Darren: I [00:43:00] agree. I think it certainly has a great spot for those folks that are interested in doing some traveling.
Spent some time in casinos and yeah, Vegas, but also Washington dc I know you’ve spent some time at MGM National Harbor.
Justin Vacula: Oh yes,
Darren: there’s a,
Justin Vacula: yeah, that’s a good one. Great
Darren: spot. Good old MGM in Detroit. And then there’s also, I think, one down in Biloxi. So there’s a few different opportunities for those folks that are not in the Northeast or in California out west.
Justin Vacula: Yeah, the MGM National Harbor, a really nice property. Lots going on in that area. And they’re also on my Vegas too. The last time I went there, it was something like $50 credit at the Asian restaurant, ginger, the food court usually has a bunch of credits. The Diablo’s Cantina Mexican restaurant is often on there too.
So being able to stack my Vegas with the comps earned from the credit card and status, I think is very strong. And perhaps you would even cruise out of Baltimore. So maybe hop to MGM National Harbor the night before a cruise. Make a little [00:44:00] trip out of that. And combine MGM with MGM.
Darren: Yeah, it’s gotta be better than customer service.
Talking to customer service, right?
Justin Vacula: Yes. That happened with me recently with Verizon. I’m gonna have to call Synchrony and what aren’t the rewards with you? What do they have to do with it? But that’s a story for another episode, unfortunately. But yes, MGM, national Harbor, lots of promise there. And allegedly on the cruise, there’s supposed to be this MGM rewards integration, some pop-up desk, or maybe an MGM representative on board in the casino.
So I’m excited to see what will happen with that in my next cruise with MGMA celebrity or Royal Caribbean. And allegedly there’s a new onboard amenity and free play that you get with the cruise offers as well. So we’ll see how that goes.
Darren: Yeah, that sounds like an interesting popup opportunity there. Let us know how that goes. I do think it’s funny that the best way to get a free cruise is not sign up for a cruise credit card, oh, yep. Yeah. Kinda maybe the best way to sign up, the best way to get a free flight [00:45:00] is not necessarily to sign up with the airline credit card that you’re, that you wanna fly.
So it’s a funny game we play.
Justin Vacula: Yeah, the casino credit card is much stronger than the cruise cards. Although I did meet some representatives from Carnival in Chicago and perhaps. They will release a more premium credit card in the future. We’ll see about that. But yeah, this is a very reliable way to get comp cruises and even my Vegas has comp cruises right now we’re recording at the end of October.
I’ve seen complimentary cruises with celebrity, about 1.5 million loyalty points, and I have about 31 million so I can cruise even more, but I’ve been declining. Opportunities, this first world problem of, I’ve gone on many of these routes before and I’m just looking to see different things and preferably take better quality cruises rather than the interior or inside room.
It’s a
Darren: different kind of travel
Justin Vacula: hackers dilemma. Oh yes, usually travel’s, interfering with other travel, but now we have too many opportunities for travel and we [00:46:00] don’t want to take them all, or we want to prioritize where we’re going to go. I don’t know. Maybe give up my apartment in 2026. We’ll reevaluate that at a later time.
But so far keeping it just travel on cruises. I met with Derek Tenet, the comedian Derek Te, who was at Chicago, and he said that he gave up his apartment and he’s been cruising a lot, both as a comedian slash performer and just outright taking cruises on his own. So I told him about this and hopefully he’s listening us episode for some more insight on this topic.
Darren: Yeah. You hear of people retiring to cruises, right? Do they sell their house or they downsize and then they just. Go on a cruise and you can sign up for one cruise as the other one ends and off you go again. Yeah, it’s with a little interest, a little venture. It can make things pretty exciting, pretty easy.
Justin Vacula: Yes, and you could find Derek at the website, 14 sleeves.com. He says he owns or jokes about having seven shirts, one saying Monday, the other [00:47:00] one saying Tuesday, and so on. So it’s 14 sleeves.com.
Darren: It’s it’s pretty good. Not as good as, everyone must have a promo code, but it’s not bad. It’s not bad.
Justin Vacula: I must have a promo code 20, but now promo code her 30.
Darren: I know, I saw
Justin Vacula: wherever you may go. It was sad. And if MGM or First National Bank of Omaha want to partner, let us know. We’ve been promoting you for a long time. Unfortunately. No affiliate link with them just yet. But yeah, let us know MG maybe next time, maybe 2026. That’s right. The super platinum level.
Darren: Super platinum. Yeah. We need a, we need somewhere between platinum and no R. Somewhere we can slide into.
Justin Vacula: All right. Anything else? Any other thoughts on MGM
Darren: and MGM? Six. No. Good, good episode. Always a good chat with you. It, I hope our listeners enjoy it as much as you and I do.
Justin Vacula: We’ll have to revisit the earning Caesar status in 2026 in a future episode.
Darren: I was just gonna say, it sounds like the next episode we need to do, maybe, [00:48:00] although you never know, breaking news might be next.
Justin Vacula: Yeah, we might see another silly comment section in the New York Times or some interesting news. All right. Thanks everyone for listening and stay tuned for future episodes. For more content between shows, follow Hurdy Gurdy Travel Podcast on Facebook and x.
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Darren: Always a pleasure.
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