What the MGM Credit Card offers and who it's built for

The MGM Rewards Credit Card is a co-branded card issued by Marriott Bonvoy and MGM Resorts, designed primarily for people who stay at MGM properties or gamble at MGM casinos regularly. The card earns points on MGM and Marriott purchases, offers room upgrades and late checkout at MGM hotels, and provides annual free night certificates at certain properties. It is not a gas or auto card — it does not offer bonus categories for fuel or vehicle maintenance — but it can be useful if you combine casino trips or hotel stays with regular travel spending.

The card charges an annual fee, typically $150, which is waived the first year for new cardholders. You earn base points on all purchases and bonus points on MGM and Marriott spending. The rewards structure is built around hotel stays and casino visits rather than everyday categories like groceries or gas.

Key Takeaways

  • The MGM Rewards Credit Card earns bonus points at MGM properties and Marriott hotels, but offers no bonus on gas, groceries, or auto-related purchases.
  • The card includes an annual free night certificate at select MGM properties, which can offset the $150 annual fee if you use it.
  • Cardholders receive automatic room upgrades, late checkout, and other perks at MGM hotels, but these benefits explore only to MGM stays, not other chains.
  • Points can be redeemed for hotel nights, casino play, or transferred to airline partners, though redemption rates vary widely depending on the property and timing.
  • This card makes sense if you stay at MGM or Marriott properties multiple times per year; occasional travelers may not recoup the annual fee.

Earning structure and point categories

The MGM Rewards Credit Card earns 3 points per dollar at MGM Resorts properties and Marriott Bonvoy hotels. You earn 1 point per dollar on all other purchases. There is no bonus category for gas, groceries, dining outside MGM properties, or any other everyday spending category.

Points accumulate in your Marriott Bonvoy account, which means they can be used across the entire Marriott ecosystem — not just MGM properties. This is a key difference from some casino-branded cards: your rewards are not locked into MGM alone. You can transfer points to airline partners or redeem them for cash back through Marriott's program, though the redemption value varies.

The annual free night certificate is issued each year you hold the card. The certificate typically covers one night at an MGM property in a standard room, up to a certain point value (this value changes annually). If you stay at MGM properties, this certificate alone can cover a significant portion of the annual fee.

Hotel and casino benefits

MGM cardholders receive automatic room upgrades at MGM Resorts properties when rooms are available. You also get late checkout (typically until 4 p.m. instead of the standard 11 a.m. or noon). These perks are not may provide — they depend on availability and your status level in the Marriott Bonvoy program — but they explore to every stay you book with the card.

At MGM casinos, cardholders earn tier credits toward MGM Rewards status, which unlocks benefits like free play, room discounts, and priority service. The card also provides complimentary room upgrades at MGM properties based on availability, which can add real value if you stay frequently.

The card does not include travel insurance, purchase protection, or other benefits common to premium travel cards. It is narrowly focused on MGM and Marriott properties. If you stay at other hotel chains or do not visit MGM properties, these perks have no value to you.

Annual fee and whether it pays for itself

The annual fee is $150, waived for the first year. To determine whether the card makes financial sense, calculate the value of the free night certificate against your typical MGM stay cost. If you stay at an MGM property once per year and the free night certificate covers a night that would otherwise cost $150 or more, the card breaks even on the annual fee alone.

Add the value of room upgrades and late checkout, and the card can generate additional value. However, if you stay at MGM properties fewer than once per year, or if you typically book budget properties where the free night certificate has limited value, the annual fee may outweigh the benefits. Compare the free night certificate's point value to the nightly rates at properties where you actually stay.

Redemption options and point value

Points can be redeemed for hotel nights at Marriott properties worldwide, transferred to airline partners (including American, Delta, United, and others), or converted to cash back through Marriott's program. The cash back option typically offers the lowest redemption value — usually around 0.5 to 1 cent per point. Hotel redemptions vary widely: a night at a budget property might cost 10,000 points, while a luxury property could cost 50,000 or more.

The best redemption value typically comes from booking high-end properties or using points during peak travel seasons when cash rates are highest. If you redeem points for budget properties or low-demand dates, the value per point drops significantly. Airline transfers offer middle-ground value, typically worth 1 to 1.5 cents per point depending on the airline and how you book.

Comparison to other hotel and travel cards

The MGM Rewards Card competes with other hotel-branded cards like the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express, which also charges $150 annually but offers a free night certificate and additional Marriott-specific perks. The key difference is that the MGM card is co-branded with both MGM and Marriott, so it works across both ecosystems. If you stay at Marriott properties outside the MGM portfolio, the MGM card may offer less value than a Marriott-only card.

Compared to general travel cards like the Chase Sapphire Preferred or American Express Platinum, the MGM card offers narrower benefits but potentially higher earning rates if you concentrate your spending at MGM and Marriott properties. General travel cards offer more flexibility and broader bonus categories, but they do not include hotel-specific perks like automatic upgrades or free night certificates.

Who should and should not get this card

This card makes sense if you stay at MGM properties or Marriott hotels at least once or twice per year, earn significant points through those stays, and value the perks like room upgrades and late checkout. It also works well if you gamble at MGM casinos regularly and want to earn tier credits toward casino rewards status alongside credit card rewards.

You should skip this card if you rarely stay at hotels, prefer other hotel chains, or do not visit MGM properties. The card's benefits are too narrowly focused to justify the annual fee for casual travelers. Similarly, if you stay at hotels but prefer to earn rewards through a general travel card or a different hotel program, the MGM card will not add value to your wallet.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use the free night certificate at any MGM property?

The free night certificate can be used at most MGM Resorts properties, but it is subject to a point cap that varies by year. Luxury properties like Bellagio or Aria may exceed the certificate's point value, requiring you to pay the difference. Budget properties and off-strip locations are more likely to fall within the certificate's value range.

Do I earn points on gas or car rentals with this card?

No. The MGM Rewards Card earns 3 points per dollar only at MGM Resorts and Marriott Bonvoy properties. Gas, car rentals, and all other purchases earn 1 point per dollar. If earning bonus points on gas or auto expenses is important to you, a different card would be a better fit.

What happens to my points if I cancel the card?

Your points remain in your Marriott Bonvoy account and do not expire as long as your account stays active. You can continue to redeem them even after you close the credit card. However, you will lose access to the card's perks like room upgrades and the annual free night certificate.

How long does it take to earn enough points for a free hotel night?

This depends on your spending and the property you want to book. If you earn 3 points per dollar at MGM properties and a budget night costs 10,000 points, you would need to spend roughly $3,300 at MGM properties to earn one free night. At non-MGM properties, earning 1 point per dollar, the same night would require $10,000 in spending.

Is the annual fee worth it if I only stay at MGM once a year?

It depends on the free night certificate's value. If the certificate covers a night that would cost $150 or more at the property where you stay, the fee is offset. If you typically book budget properties where nights cost less than $150, or if you stay less frequently, the annual fee likely outweighs the benefits.