As the MGM-Hyatt relationship winds downs, be warned: you can no longer check-in on the MGM mobile app. It seems clear that someone at Hyatt or MGM got tired of all the “guests” who never actually set foot on its Las Vegas properties.
No Mobile Check-In At MGM Hotels If Hyatt Number Attached
For years, it has been possible to pad your Hyatt elite qualifying nights with cheap stays at MGM-affiliated properties in Las Vegas. That was even more lucrative when MGM started waiving the resort fee for Gold level (and above) members of its loyalty program and World of Hyatt members could easily status match to MGM. In short, for $25/night on weekdays, you can stay at the Excalibur and earn elite night credits. You do the math…Globalist was within reach for everyone.
But this was still an arduous endeavor, which required in-person check-in…until the pandemic. To promote social distancing, the hotel began allowing online check-in on its app, which would generate an electronic room key. All of a sudden, you could “mattress run” from anywhere around the world.
That led to abuse, at least in the eyes of MGM and Hyatt. Housekeeping found room (after room after room) “occupied” but actually untouched. The problem was that low-end hotels like Excalibur or Luxor offset the cheap rooms on ancillary purchases from guests (gambling, food, drink, shows). But no money is to be made when guests do not actually show up.
The MGM-Hyatt relationship ends on September 30, 2023 (MGM will partner with Marriott next). Ahead of that (and apparently since around the end of July), mobile check-in is not possible at MGM properties if your Hyatt number is attached to the reservation.
So if you were thinking about a last-minute mattress run before the end of September to pad your Hyatt account, you will need to do it in-person. Some have reported success in calling the front desk, having your Hyatt number removed, checking in on the app, then calling again to add it, but this is a risky move and as more do it, the “loophole” will be shut.
CONCLUSION
Hyatt and MGM (it is not clear which entity, if not both) have cracked down on Hyatt mattress runners at MGM properties in Las Vegas. If you do intend to obtain some cheap elite nights prior to the end of September, it will likely have to be in-person.
This was also done to earn AA status using “bookaahotels” until recently when they made the change to Rocketmiles. Multiplier’s of up to 45x spend was being used for Excalibur and Rio in Vegas. And since you never checked in, the resort fee never came into play. So the room costs were as low as $25 a night for 1000 or more points. Basically you could buy ExP if you wanted for less than $5,000.
The new system offers miles and loyalty points based on status, and at much lower levels than before.
Since last week, the app is no longer allowing mobile checkin, regardless of whether your Hyatt number is attached to the reservation. So ghost stays are fully dead.
Just to cut down on ghost stays or was there another reason? I hate long check-in lines…
ETA: doesn’t seem to be the case.
https://twitter.com/at_lv61/status/1690816585060225025?s=20
Actual travel news get such low engagements here lol 😀
You see my pain.
I just stayed at Mandalay for a conference AUG 9-13th. I checked in via the MGM app on the ride to the hotel, Hyatt number was attached from previous MGM stays, No problem checking in with the app, got a room assigned, though the digital-key never worked and I had to pick one up from the MGM check-in desk. Might have been an issue with NFC on my Samsung phone.