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If you enjoy gambling, you may have heard of M life Rewards. Specifically, M life Rewards is the loyalty program of MGM Resorts.
But, even if you don't gamble frequently, you may still find value in the M life Rewards program. After all, M life Rewards is a World of Hyatt partner and there are plenty of non-gaming opportunities to earn and redeem points within the M life Rewards loyalty program. Here's everything you need to know about MGM's M life Rewards program.
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What is M Life Rewards?
M life Rewards is a loyalty program offered by MGM Resorts. Members can earn rewards on slot and table play at MGM Resorts locations across the U.S. You can also earn on hotel, dining, entertainment and spa experiences at MGM Resorts nationwide.
Specifically, you can earn M life points and perks at the following MGM Resorts:
- Bellagio
- ARIA
- Vdara at ARIA
- MGM Grand
- The Signature at MGM Grand
- Mandalay Bay
- Delano Las Vegas
- Park MGM
- NoMad Las Vegas
- The Mirage
- New York-New York
- Luxor
- Excalibur
- MGM Springfield
- Beau Rivage
- MGM National Harbor
- Gold Strike
- MGM Grand Detroit
- Borgata
- Empire City Casino
- MGM Northfield Park
However, as you'll see in this guide, the earnings and benefits vary based on your elite status tier as well as the MGM property you visit.
Related: How to get to Las Vegas on points and miles
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M Life Rewards structure
As an M life Rewards member, you can earn points, Express Comps and Tier Credits at MGM Resorts nationwide. You'll earn Tier Credits on most spending with M life Rewards. And, Tier Credits are how you requalify for tier status.
You'll earn Express Comps and points on select gaming activities. And, you'll also earn points from spending on the M life Rewards Mastercard. Express Comps are a cash-like currency that can be redeemed for select expenses, while points can be redeemed for free slot play or exchanged for Express Comps.
If you are new to M life Rewards, it can be confusing to determine how to earn and redeem each type of reward. So, let's take a closer look at points, Express Comps and Tier Credits.
M Life Express Comps
As an M life member, you will earn Express Comps when you play slots and video poker at MGM Resorts. At select MGM Resorts outside of Las Vegas, you'll earn Express Comps on table play based on your average bet and time played.
M life Rewards elites get an Express Comps bonus based on status tier:
- Pearl members – 10% bonus
- Gold – 20% bonus
- Platinum – 30% bonus
- NOIR – 40% bonus
You can redeem Express Comps for hotel accommodations, dining, entertainment, M life Rewards Moments and more.
You may lose your Express Comps if you don't earn any points or Tier Credits for six months as a Sapphire Member or for 12 months as a Pearl, Gold, Platinum or NOIR Member. So, it's generally best to use your Express Comps soon after you earn them. For example, you may want to apply your Express Comps to pay for your lodging when you check out.
Related: Reopened Las Vegas betting on deals as base rooms start at just $10
M Life Rewards points
You'll earn M life Rewards points when you play slots or video poker machines at MGM Resorts. You can also earn M life Rewards points by spending on the M life Rewards Mastercard.
M life Rewards elites earn additional bonus points, depending on status tier. Bonus points are similar to
- Pearl members – 10% bonus
- Gold – 20% bonus
- Platinum – 30% bonus
- NOIR – 40% bonus
You can redeem M life Rewards points for free slot play at MGM Resorts. To do so, just select POINTPlay from the menu at any slot machine. Or, you can convert M life Rewards points to Express Comps at any M life Rewards desk.
Finally, if you don't earn any points or Tier Credits for six months as a Sapphire Member or 12 months as a Pearl, Gold, Platinum or NOIR Member, you may lose any accumulated points. So, it's generally best to use your points soon after you earn them.
Related: 8 things to know about a reopened Las Vegas
M Life Rewards elite status
The Tier Credits earned in a tier status-earning year define your elite status level. Specifically, there are five elite status tiers:
| Status tier | Tier Credits required through Dec. 31, 2020 | Incremental standout benefits at this tier |
|---|---|---|
| Sapphire | None | Earn points and Express Comps Mobile check-in Personalized offers and room discounts |
| Pearl | 20,000 (normally 25,000) | 10% bonus on points earned playing slots Extended points expiration Dedicated line at participating buffets |
| Gold | 60,000 (normally 75,000) | 20% bonus on points earned playing slots Priority hotel check-in line |
| Platinum | 160,000 (normally 200,000) | 30% bonus on points earned playing slots Priority access for valet and taxi service Annual complimentary cruise |
| NOIR | By invitation | 40% bonus on points earned playing slots. Guaranteed advance hotel and restaurant reservations Complimentary limo service to/from the nearest airport |
However, M life Rewards benefits vary by region. So, check the chart on the M life Rewards website to see the benefits for MGM Resorts in each region.
M Life Rewards Tier Credits
M life Tier Credits determine your status in the program. You'll earn Tier Credits for most of your spending at MGM Resorts. This includes slot play, video poker, table games, hotel accommodations, dining, entertainment and spa services.
At Las Vegas MGM Resorts, you'll earn 25 Tier Credits per dollar spent on non-gaming spending. At regional MGM Resorts excluding Borgata, you earn eight Tier Credits per dollar spent on non-gaming spend. However, the Tier Credit earning-rate for slots and table games varies by region. So, check with the M life Rewards desk at your destination for a complete list.
You can also earn eight Tier Credits per dollar spent with World of Hyatt hotels and resorts. To do so, simply add your M life and Hyatt rewards number to your reservation and opt to earn M life Rewards Tier Credits at check-in.
Generally, your tier status earning year is Jan. 1 to Dec. 31. However, due to the pandemic, the tier status earning year is now from Oct. 1, 2019 through Dec. 31, 2020.
Meanwhile, the M life Rewards tier status benefit year is Feb. 1 through Jan. 31. But, if you reach a higher status tier at any time, you'll enjoy those benefits at least one year.
Finally, due to COVID-19, elite status benefits have been extended through Jan. 31, 2022. So, members who earned NOIR, Platinum, Gold or Pearl status from Oct. 1, 2018 through Dec. 31, 2020 will keep this status until Jan. 31, 2022.
Related: How to skip the lines in Las Vegas
How much are M Life Rewards points worth?
M life Rewards points are worth 1 cent each and can only be redeemed through the M life Rewards program. You can redeem M life Rewards points for free slot play or you can convert M life Rewards points to Express Comps. But, in either case, you'll need to visit an MGM Resort to use your points.
Keep in mind that if you don't earn any points or Tier Credits for six months as a Sapphire Member or 12 months as a Pearl, Gold, Platinum or NOIR Member, they will expire. Luckily, one easy way to earn points and keep your account active is with the M life Rewards Mastercard.
M Life Rewards card
If you frequently stay at MGM properties or game at their casinos, you may want to consider the M life Rewards Mastercard. This card offers a sign-up bonus of 10,000 points when you spend $1,000 in your first three billing cycles.
Beyond this, you'll earn three points and Tier Credits per dollar spent at M life Rewards destinations when you pay with your card. Plus, you'll earn two points and Tier Credits per dollar spent on gas and supermarket purchases. All other purchases earn one point and Tier Credit per dollar spent.
As a cardholder, you'll automatically be upgraded to M life Rewards Pearl status. You'll retain this status as long as you have the card. You also won't pay any foreign transaction fees when using your card for purchases outside the U.S.
Is the M Life Rewards credit card worth it?
The M life Rewards credit card may be worth it for some consumers. The card has no annual fee, so there's no cost to keeping it in your wallet. But, there are a few aspects to the card that generally make it a sub-par option.
First, the earning rates are low. Specifically, since M life Rewards points are worth one cent each, this means you'll get a return of 3% at M life Rewards destinations, 2% on gas and supermarket purchases and 1% on everything else.
You can get higher earning rates at M life Rewards destinations using one of the best credit cards for travel purchases such as the Chase Sapphire Reserve or American Express® Green Card. You can also get a better return on other purchases using one of the best credit cards for everyday spending, such as the Citi® Double Cash Card.
The information for the Amex Green Card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Second, the rewards earned by the M life Rewards credit card must be used at M life Rewards destinations. In a time where cash is king for many consumers, you may prefer to use a cash back rewards credit card. Interestingly, only those aged 21 and up qualify for this card.
All of that being said, there are two primary reasons you may want to carry and use the M life Rewards credit card. First off, using this card at least once a year can keep your points and Express Comps from expiring. Second, this card allows you to earn Tier Credits via card spending. So, if earning and maintaining a high level of M life Rewards status is important to you, you may benefit from using the M life Rewards credit card.
Related: 10 easiest credit card sign-up bonuses to earn
M Life Rewards and World of Hyatt
M life Rewards and World of Hyatt have a partnership that can benefit elites in both programs. Specifically, members of each program can earn points when staying with the other program. Elites in each program can status match to gain status in the other program.
M Life perks for World of Hyatt members
World of Hyatt members receive the following benefits from this partnership:
- Earn 5x World of Hyatt Base Points at participating M life Rewards properties
- Earn Qualifying Night and Base Point credit toward World of Hyatt elite status when staying at select M life Rewards properties
- Book select M life Rewards properties through Hyatt, including the option to redeem World of Hyatt points for select stays
- Matched World of Hyatt status to M life Rewards
- World of Hyatt member matches to M life Rewards Sapphire
- Discoverist matches to M life Rewards Pearl
- Explorist and Globalist match to M life Rewards Gold
- Earn M life Rewards Tier Credits instead of World of Hyatt Base Points for eligible stays at select Hyatt properties.
If you have a World Of Hyatt Credit Card, you can get automatic Discoverist status and earn additional elite night credits via credit card spending. You could leverage this status to get matched to M life Pearl.
Since M life Rewards has a status benefit year of Feb. 1 through Jan. 31, you'll want to match your World of Hyatt status to M life Rewards in early February each year.
Related: Use the World of Hyatt credit card to earn Globalist elite status
World of Hyatt perks for M Life Rewards members
M life Rewards members receive the following benefits from the partnership with World of Hyatt:
- Earn 8x M life Rewards Tier Credits at select Hyatt hotels and resorts
- Earn 5x World of Hyatt points at select M life Rewards destinations in Las Vegas
- Receive matched World of Hyatt elite status
- M life Rewards Sapphire matches to World of Hyatt member
- Pearl matches to World of Hyatt Discoverist
- Gold, Platinum and NOIR match to World of Hyatt Explorist
So, you'll want to match your M life Rewards tier level to World of Hyatt now if you don't already have higher elite status with World of Hyatt. And, since World of Hyatt has a status benefit year of March 1 through the end of February, you'll want to match your M life Rewards status to World of Hyatt in early March each year.
Related: What are hotel and airline status matches and how do you get one?
Should I join M Life Rewards?
If you are staying with MGM or gaming at an MGM property, you might as well join M life Rewards. After all, even the base M life Rewards Sapphire status tier provides perks such as discounts on hotel rooms. And, you'll earn points, Express Comps and Tier Credits on your spending.
If you have status with World of Hyatt, it can also make sense to join M life Rewards and then status match. But, in some circ*mstances, you may not want to join M life Rewards quite yet.
For example, if you have premium status with another casino loyalty program, you may want to wait to join. This is because new M life Rewards members can status match to M life Rewards Gold status at the Borgata in Atlantic City if they have status with the following programs:
- Caesars Entertainment: Diamond, Diamond Plus, Diamond Elite or Seven Stars Card
- Golden Nugget: Billionaire's Club
- Resorts: Red Carpet Card
- Tropicana Atlantic City: Platinum or Black Card
- Hard Rock Atlantic City: Rock Royalty
To status match, simply visit the M life Rewards Desk at the Borgata in Atlantic City.
Related: There's a new method to match your way to top-tier casino status
Bottom line
While M life Rewards is a casino loyalty program, you may still get significant value from it if you don't stay at MGM Resorts or gamble frequently. Through M life Rewards' partnership with World of Hyatt and status matches offered by select MGM properties, you may be able to snag M life Rewards elite status with minimal effort.
However, many aspects of the M life Rewards program vary by location and the earning and redeeming details and rates can be opaque. But, since there's no cost to join and even entry-level status provides some discounts and perks, you may want to join M life Rewards before your next MGM visit.
Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.
