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Our “must read” on credit cards: The Pros and Cons of Credit Cards
A few weeks ago, we published an article about “buying” entry to the Caesars Laurel Lounges (often referred to as the Diamond Lounges). The presumption of the article was, of course, that you had Diamond Status. But what if you don’t? Let’s start the conversation with the concept of a hotel status match before we discuss a match to Caesars Diamond.
Status matches are most prevalent among hotel programs, although airlines do offer them on a limited basis, as well.
Never Fear, Status Matches Are Here!
The easiest way to get to Caesars Diamond is through a “hotel status match.” The term is just what it sounds like: If you have elite status with one company, its competitors will frequently offer to match you to a comparable status in their own programs. Status matches are most prevalent among hotel programs, although airlines do offer them on a limited basis, as well. It could happen in one of a couple of ways:
- You may get an outright match, no strings attached (NSA). Best Western is one example. Got Diamond status at Hilton, for instance? They’ll match it to their Diamond Select. Take a NSA deal if you can get it. Be sure to check out the hotel status match Status Match…No Catch® program.
- The company may also offer you a challenge. You’ll receive the status for a limited time, but have to stay a certain number of nights in a particular time period (usually 90 days) to keep it. In some cases, you’ll have to complete the stays before you get the match. A good example of current a hotel status match program (challenge) is the match to Hilton Elite Status. The IHG Status Match Program is also another good option.
Want to learn more about the hotel status match and also airline status matches? Visit God Save The Points and read ELITE STATUS MATCH: 10 AIRLINE, HOTEL AND CAR RENTAL MATCHES + FAST TRACKS…
What a Match to Caesars Diamond Gets You
As a quick reminder, here are some of the best benefits that Caesars Rewards Diamond status will get you:
- An annual $100 celebration dinner
- Lounge access
- Waived resort fees (Caesars Rewards comp and revenue rooms, in most cases, even when booking rooms via an online travel agent)
- Free parking
- Expedited lines, including those at the taxi (skip the line), cage (cashier), restaurants and check-in
- Show tickets in Vegas (varies quite a bit, free and discounted)
How To Get to Caesars Diamond Through Wyndham
The most direct match to Caesars Diamond is through Wyndham Rewards, which has an official reciprocity agreement. If you have Diamond at one, they’ll match you to Diamond at the other.
And if you don’t have Diamond status with Wyndham Rewards? That’s okay, you can match to Wyndham from another lodging company! Even better, they make it easy to pick up their Wyndham Rewards top-tier status. Among others, you can match to Wyndham from Marriott (Gold, Titanium or Ambassador), Hilton (Gold or Diamond) and IHG (Platinum or Spire), as well as five other programs.
Final Important Step: Now match your Wyndham Diamond status to Caesars Diamond Status
How To Get To Caesars Diamond By Starting From Scratch
But what happens if you have no status, or insufficient status to get you to Wyndham Diamond? Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered there, as well. Here are two of our favorite methods.
Buy It
IHG, parent of several brands including InterContinental and Holiday Inn, will sell you membership in its IC Ambassador Program for $200. Even without the potential status match, it’s still a pretty good deal. You’ll get:
- A free weekend night, which is valid on the second night of a paid weekend stay.
- A one-category upgrade on every stay.
- Free internet and mineral water.
- A 4pm late checkout and $20 F&B credit on every stay.
- Free IHG Platinum status.
It’s that last point that will get you your Caesars status. Wyndham will match your IHG Platinum status to its own Diamond status. Then, continue on to Caesars.
Pro-Tip: You can upgrade to the IC Ambassador Program on site for an upcoming stay. This upcoming stay could even be your free night from the IHG Rewards Club Premier Credit Card or a points stay. Hotels like to “sell” upgrades to the program and often will be willing to give you a better than usual upgrade. This is also good to mention in the pre-arrival Intercontinental welcome email.
Charge It
There’s a second way to hit Wyndham Diamond, and it could actually turn out to be profitable. A few credit cards give you mid-tier elite status just for signing up, and those are good enough to status match to Wyndham Diamond. I’m going to list the three that I know of, in order of preference.
The Hilton Honors Surpass Card is the clear front-runner. It comes with a free weekend night and, through August, 130,000 points as a sign-up bonus, which is the highest that I’ve ever seen with this card ($500 – $600 value). It also comes with automatic Gold status, which matches to Wyndham Diamond. The card has a $95 annual fee.
The IHG Premier Credit Card actually has some great benefits, but a different mix of hotels at which to use them. It comes with an 80,000 point sign-up bonus ($300 – $500 value) and a free anniversary night at a lower category property. You’ll get automatic Platinum status, which matches to Wyndham Diamond. The annual fee is $89.
The Radisson Rewards Premier Signature Visa card rounds out the three. It offers an 85,000 point sign-up bonus ($200 – $400 value) and a free night e-cert for every $10,000 that you spend, up to three. It comes with automatic Gold status, which matches to Wyndham Diamond. The annual fee is $75.
What Else Should I Know?
Remember to time your status match well. Companies will rarely let you do it more than once, so make it count. Don’t plan on doing it again the following year. And if there’s a challenge, you might as well do it early in the year, so that you get the status for the entire year. Still have questions? Be sure to check out the LVA Travel Forum (message board) and LVA Travel Facebook Group to continue the discussion and get great advice from the community.
- GUIDE TO POINTS AND MILES: Just the BASICS
- BEGINNERS GUIDE TO POINTS AND MILES: FOUR STEPS TO AIRLINE POINTS
- AIRLINE FREQUENT-FLIER PROGRAMS – MAJOR US CARRIERS
- HOTEL REWARDS PROGRAMS – THE BIG FOUR
