If You’re Losing Your Hyatt Status, Here’s A Trick To Keep It

by Gary Leff

Jan 08 2022

Hyatt and MGM have a partnership that dates back to 2013. They each offer members in the other program status matches – not one time matches, but rather status in one program ‘equals’ status in the other.

And the status year in each program ends at a different time. This creates an opportunity to still have status with one program, after your status has ended in the other, and to use that to ‘match back’ to regain status – in perpetuity, or as long as this tactic has continued to last (and it’s lasted for years).

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MGM Resorts Adds Suite Upgrades, Airfare Credit And Celebration Dinners As Elite Benefits

by Gary Leff

mandalay bay
Jan 07 2022

The suite upgrade and celebration dinners are new, as are the formalized air travel credits though those betting to achieve top tiers wouldn’t normally be paying for things so the credits are a bit redundant. The elimination of resort fees for mid-tier elites is similarly welcome.

In making elite status harder to earn through non-gambling spend, though, it represents a strategic pivot away from using the program to attract families and other leisure guests that’s been a focus in recent years.

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Woman In Red Bikini Goes Berserk When Diamond Guest Checks In Ahead Of Her

by Gary Leff

Jan 07 2022

A woman in a red bikini became enraged when a black man approached the Diamond line at the front desk of the Hilton Rio de Janeiro Copacabana on December 30th.

She can be seen on video circulating in social media yelling at hotel employees. The woman’s partner, who was reportedly drunk, insisted they were in line first and took offense at elites cutting in line.

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Unvaccinated American Airlines Employees Won’t Be Required To Test For Covid-19

by Gary Leff

Jan 07 2022

Starting January 17, unvaccinated American Airlines employees – whether they have an approved vaccine exemption or not – will face new protocols.

For unvaccinated employees working in offices it’s effectively a masking requirement. For unvaccinated employees who work in airports and on planes this amounts to completing a ‘well for work’ survey once a week. They currently have to mask under federal rules anyway.

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Marriott Choice Benefits Have To Be Claimed By Friday – But What If Your 2021 Stays Haven’t Posted Yet?

by Gary Leff

outside marriott hotel
Jan 06 2022

If you earned Platinum (50 night) or Titanium (75 night) elite status with Marriott in 2021 you only have until January 7th to make your ‘choice benefit selections. If you miss the deadline, you miss out on benefits like suite upgrade priority and free nights.

A reader shares they have a missing stay from December 27 that would push them over the threshold to earn Titanium. And Marriott won’t take a missing stay submission for that until January 10.

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