I had some questions for Hyatt, some of them reader questions after my post sharing the news about the new benefits between Hyatt Gold Passport and MGM’s M Life Resorts in Las Vegas.

So I followed up with Hyatt Gold Passport to get some answers. They were surprisingly forthcoming.

In general, details of how MGM Resorts work will be simply following MGM’s policies. In the case of how the two programs interface, there are things they simply don’t know yet — the elite status matching starts in August, and things like re-upping that status will happen sometime later still. So the nitty gritty technology? They’re still ironing out details, and they were candid about that.

Here’s the Q&A:

If I match my Diamond status to M Life Platinum, what happens after a year? Do I match again? Is my status re-upped automatically?

We are still working out the specific details of tier reciprocity. When each person is matched in the reciprocal tier, the program’s terms apply… We are still working out the details of how this will work and the process for matched members, but we’ll have more to share in August. … You can imagine that there are many moving pieces when two companies come together on an effort like this.

What if I want to make M Life’s top tier? Do I have to earn enough tier points to go from the level I’m matched to up to top tier, or do I have to earn enough points to go from zero all the way to top tier? In other words, does starting out at the second to top tier help me at all in my quest for top tier status (other than of course getting better treatment along the way)?

If you’re matched to an elite tier, you will get the benefits associated with that tier, but you will not receive the stays/night/Tier Credits in your account. To advance to a higher tier, you would need to earn the required status (starting from zero or whatever you have already earned through stays or spend). As you know, elite membership is valuable and takes effort to earn, so we both programs are committed to maintaining the value of that status.

So, let’s say you’re an HGP Diamond and you’re matched with M life Platinum. You will receive the benefits associated with M life Platinum when you stay at participating MGM Resorts destinations, but not the 200,000 Tier Credits in your account. The same is true of eligible stays and nights for those matched to Hyatt Gold Passport membership.

Since resort fees apply when redeeming Gold Passport points at MGM resorts in Las Vegas, are those fees eligible charges for earning Gold Passport points?

Yes, as long as you have membership in both programs and ensure that both numbers are on your reservation/folio when staying at MGM Resorts destinations in Las Vegas.

Hyatt generally awards stay and night credit for American Express Fine Hotels and Resorts bookings. Properties like Bellagio participate in Amex FHR. Will those be eligible for stay/night credit in the Gold Passport program?

Still confirming details – will follow up.

Does Hyatt’s best rate guarantee apply to MGM bookings at Hyatt.com?

MGM Resorts International has its own best rate guarantee, and that will apply to hyatt.com bookings.

Are all rates booked on MGM websites eligible for points/elite credit? (They run lots of promotions/promo codes)

Again here we follow M life’s program for eligible rates and spend. If it is eligible for earning Tier Credits, then you may earn HGP points as well as stay/night credit.

No doubt there will be more questions as we dig through the new opportunities for Gold Passport (and M Life) members.

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