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Post Updated 2020-05-13: Good news! This deal has been extended and is now valid until January 2021!
Why not treat you and your loved one to a surprise vacation a the Atlantis Hotel and Casino in the Bahamas!
This trip must be taken by January 31, 2020, so start planning now to take advantage of this American Express Platinum Card travel hacking loophole, reported here first, by PointsWise!
This travel hack now works with the Amex Gold Rewards Canada Card too, since you’ll now receive automatic Gold Elite status with this Card as well!
The Offer: A 4 Night Complimentary Stay at Atlantis, Bahamas
- Complimentary 4-night stay in the Beach Tower, including hotel room taxes
- Up to 2 additional nights at a Special Casino Rate of $65/night; plus taxes & fees
- $100 Free Slot Play
- Atlantis Casino Experience Pass
- Access to Aquaventure, a one-of-a-kind 141-acre waterscape with 20 swimming areas and 11 pools
See the details of this offer here.
Visit the Atlantis Paradise Island website to learn more about the resort.
This offer does NOT include your flights! However, if you sign up for an American Express Platinum card, you’ll receive a welcome bonus of points.
This is a promotion from Wyndham and Total Rewards to match your status. Your Diamond status will only be active until January 31, unless you re-qualify by earning 15,000 tier credits, so this trip must be redeemed by that date, as well as any other Diamond benefits. So if you plan to do this trip, start the process to gain your loyalty status with Total Rewards NOW (as outlined below)!
American Express Platinum Canada Cardholders, This Is For You!
So how do you get this offer simply by being an Amex Platinum or Gold Rewards Cardmember in Canada? I thought you’d never ask.
You’ll simply need to match your loyalty status in a few easy steps. I’ll explain step-by-step below. This whole process took me a total of half an hour to fill out a few forms, and a few days wait time for my loyalty accounts to be linked. I’d say that’s an exceptionally good use of time and beats trying to work your way up to Diamond status the hard way.
Step 1: Apply for an American Express Platinum Card
You’ll need an Amex Platinum or Gold Rewards Card for this travel hacking loophole. I consider these cards to be Canada’s premier travel rewards cards, and this trick is just one reason why.
If you’re already an Amex Platinum or Gold Rewards Cardmember, then that’s great, carry on with the next steps!
Step 2: Create Your Marriott Bonvoy Account
Marriott Bonvoy is Marriott’s hotel loyalty program. You’ll need to create your Marriott Bonvoy account if you don’t have one already.
Marriott Bonvoy is a “frequent travel partner” with American Express, which means points you earn on your Amex card can be transferred to Marriott Bonvoy so you can pay for hotels with points!
Marriott Bonvoy has 6 loyalty tiers:
- Member Status: Stay 0-9 nights in a year
- Silver Elite: Stay 10+ nights in a year
- Gold Elite: Stay 25+ nights in a year
- Platinum Elite: Stay 50+ nights in a year
- Platinum Premier Elite: Stay 75+ nights in a year
- Platinum Premier Elite with Ambassador: Stay 100 nights in a year and have a $20K annual qualifying spend
Notable benefits with Marriott Gold Elite Status include:
- Room upgrade (subject to availability)
- Late checkout of 2 pm
Once you’ve created your Marriott Bonvoy account, take note of your login info, including your Membership number. This can be found on your “Profile” page within your account. Click on your name in the top-right corner and you’ll see a navigation menu with a link to your “Profile”.
Now we’re going to use our Marriott Gold Elite status to fast track our way to elite loyalty status with other hotel brands.
Hotel loyalty status is a lesser-known trick for those new to travel hacking and one I will always make sure I look into before booking a hotel stay! Hotels want your loyalty, and if they see if are a loyal customer to a different brand, they will try their best to get your loyalty by offering the same benefits you’re used to.
[fusion_button link=”https://fxo.co/6cPp” text_transform=”” title=”” target=”_blank” link_attributes=”nofollow” alignment=”center” modal=”” hide_on_mobile=”small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility” class=”” id=”” color=”default” button_gradient_top_color=”” button_gradient_bottom_color=”” button_gradient_top_color_hover=”” button_gradient_bottom_color_hover=”” accent_color=”” accent_hover_color=”” type=”” bevel_color=”” border_width=”” size=”” stretch=”default” shape=”” icon=”fa-external-link-square-alt fas” icon_position=”left” icon_divider=”no” animation_type=”” animation_direction=”left” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_offset=””]Create Your Marriott Bonvoy Account[/fusion_button]
Step 3: Link Your American Express and Marriott Bonvoy Accounts
You’ll need to phone American Express Card Services (1-800-263-1616). Simply tell the representative you’d like to link your Platinum or Gold Rewards card to your Marriott account. Just let them know your Marriott Bonvoy membership number as noted in the previous step.
This step may take up to a couple of days to complete, so be patient.
Step 4: Create a Wyndham Rewards Account
Wait. You might be wondering how this is relevant? Wyndham Rewards is Hyatt’s loyalty program. They are also partnered with Caesars Entertainment Total Rewards loyalty program, which is our end game. We’ll talk more about this shortly.
For now, create your Wyndham Rewards account here. Wyndham Rewards has 4 loyalty tiers, and I’m going to show you how to easily obtain Diamond status, their top loyalty tier just long enough to take advantage of this Bahamas promotion.
- Blue: At enrollment
- Gold: after 5 nights
- Platinum: after 15 nights
- Diamond: after 40 nights
When you first create your account, you’ll be a Blue member, but we’ll change that in the next step.
[fusion_button link=”https://pointswise.ca/go/wyndham-rewards/” text_transform=”” title=”” target=”_blank” link_attributes=”nofollow” alignment=”center” modal=”” hide_on_mobile=”small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility” class=”” id=”” color=”default” button_gradient_top_color=”” button_gradient_bottom_color=”” button_gradient_top_color_hover=”” button_gradient_bottom_color_hover=”” accent_color=”” accent_hover_color=”” type=”” bevel_color=”” border_width=”” size=”” stretch=”default” shape=”” icon=”fa-external-link-square-alt fas” icon_position=”left” icon_divider=”no” animation_type=”” animation_direction=”left” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_offset=””]Learn More About Wyndham Rewards And Signup![/fusion_button]
Step 5: Link Your Marriott Bonvoy and Wyndham Rewards Accounts
Remember how we got Marriott Gold Elite status a few steps back? By this point, hopefully, you should see that reflected in your Marriott Bonvoy account. When you click on your name in your account dashboard you should see “Gold Elite” beside it. If not, you might need to wait a little longer for the accounts to be linked. You’ll need it to move forward.
Now we need to status match our Marriott Gold Elite status with our Wyndham Rewards account to obtain Diamond status with Wyndham!
Side note, I originally tried to match my Platinum status with Le Club Accor Hotels (Fairmont) with Wyndham Rewards and they only gave me Gold status! Yuck. When I tried again with my Marriott Gold Elite status I was rewarded with Diamond.
Some notable benefits with Wyndham Rewards Diamond status include:
- Late checkout
- Early check-in
- Welcome amenity
- Caesars Entertainment Total Rewards status match
- Suite upgrades
Note: Because this is a limited time promo, you’ll only have Diamond status with Wyndham Rewards for 3 months, unless you re-qualify and stay 14 nights at Wyndham properties during that time.
You’ll simply need to take a screenshot of your Marriott Bonvoy Account showing you have Gold Elite status. Once you’ve taken a screenshot of your account, you can upload it to Wyndham Rewards here:
[fusion_button link=”https://www.wyndhamhotels.com/wyndham-rewards/status-match” text_transform=”” title=”” target=”_blank” link_attributes=”nofollow” alignment=”center” modal=”” hide_on_mobile=”small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility” class=”” id=”” color=”default” button_gradient_top_color=”” button_gradient_bottom_color=”” button_gradient_top_color_hover=”” button_gradient_bottom_color_hover=”” accent_color=”” accent_hover_color=”” type=”” bevel_color=”” border_width=”” size=”” stretch=”default” shape=”” icon=”fa-external-link-square-alt fas” icon_position=”left” icon_divider=”no” animation_type=”” animation_direction=”left” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_offset=””]Status Match Marriott Gold Elite with Wyndham Rewards[/fusion_button]
Step 6: Create a Caesars Entertainment Total Rewards Account
Now you’ll need to create a Caesars Entertainment Total Rewards account. This is the account that’s going to give us the 4-night complimentary stay at the Atlantis in the Bahamas. When you first sign up, you’ll be a “Gold” member, but we’ll upgrade that to “Diamond” in the final step to follow.
Total Rewards has 4 tiers in their loyalty program:
- Gold: 0+ tier credits
- Platinum: 5,000+ tier credits
- Diamond: 15,000+ tier credits
- Seven Stars: 150,000 tier credits
You can view all of the benefits with the Total Rewards loyalty program here, and of course, sign up for your Total Rewards loyalty account!
[fusion_button link=”https://pointswise.ca/go/caesars-total-rewards/” text_transform=”” title=”” target=”_blank” link_attributes=”” alignment=”center” modal=”” hide_on_mobile=”small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility” class=”” id=”” color=”default” button_gradient_top_color=”” button_gradient_bottom_color=”” button_gradient_top_color_hover=”” button_gradient_bottom_color_hover=”” accent_color=”” accent_hover_color=”” type=”” bevel_color=”” border_width=”” size=”” stretch=”default” shape=”” icon=”fa-external-link-square-alt fas” icon_position=”left” icon_divider=”no” animation_type=”” animation_direction=”left” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_offset=””]Create Your Total Rewards Account[/fusion_button]
Step 7: Link Your Wyndham Rewards Account With Caesars Entertainment Total Rewards
The last step in the process to match our hotel loyalty status! Now that you have Diamond status with Wyndham Rewards, you can link that with your Caesars Entertainment Total Rewards account. This may take up to a couple of days. When I matched my status, I didn’t receive an email notification, I just happen to log in to my account and see my status was upgraded to Diamond, so you may want to keep on eye on it.
[fusion_button link=”https://pointswise.ca/go/total-rewards-to-wyndham-rewards-status-match/” text_transform=”” title=”” target=”_blank” link_attributes=”” alignment=”center” modal=”” hide_on_mobile=”small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility” class=”” id=”” color=”default” button_gradient_top_color=”” button_gradient_bottom_color=”” button_gradient_top_color_hover=”” button_gradient_bottom_color_hover=”” accent_color=”” accent_hover_color=”” type=”” bevel_color=”” border_width=”” size=”” stretch=”default” shape=”” icon=”fa-external-link-square-alt fas” icon_position=”left” icon_divider=”no” animation_type=”” animation_direction=”left” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_offset=””]Link Your Wyndham Rewards Account With Caesars Entertainment Total Rewards[/fusion_button]
Step 8: Call to Book Your 4 Night Complimentary Stay at the Atlantis, Bahamas!
Once you see you have “Diamond” status in your Total Rewards account, that’s great news!
You’ll now be able to book your 4-night complimentary stay at the Atlantis, Bahamas! To learn more about this benefit, check out the Total Rewards promo page.
Just call Atlantis Casino VIP Services at 800-752-9711 and tell them you’d like to book the Diamond package to receive:
- Complimentary 4-night stay in the Beach Tower, including hotel room taxes
- Up to 2 additional nights at a Special Casino Rate of $65/night; plus taxes & fees
- $100 Free Slot Play
- Atlantis Casino Experience Pass
- Access to Aquaventure, a one-of-a-kind 141-acre waterscape with 20 swimming areas and 11 pools
For more details of what to expect at Atlantis, check out this excellent trip report of the comped experience at the Atlantis from ‘Dem Flyers.
Get Your $100 Dining Credit for Caesars Properties
This travel hack is also useful if you plan to visit Las Vegas before January 31, 2019, because with your Total Rewards Diamond status you’ll also get a few other notable perks that can help you at the casinos including:
- No resort fees
- $100 USD dining credit (“celebratory dinner” for reaching Diamond status)
So if nothing else, make sure to take advantage of your free $100 dining credit to be used at Caesars properties! You can visit any Total Rewards center at Caesars Resorts to claim your prize.
Enjoy Your Bahamas Vacation!
I hope you Canadian travel hackers can take advantage of this amazing opportunity just by being an Amex Platinum or Gold Rewards Canada Cardmember! Be sure to let us know your experience with booking your comped stay at Atlantis in the Bahamas, or simply using your $100 dining credit at Caesars Entertainment properties!
Jay
Definitely not first reported. This loophole has been floating around since start of October.
Brittany Menard
Hi Jay,
If you’re able to provide a link to the post showing American Express Platinum cardholders step by step how to go through the process of status matching I’d be happy to add a link! Just because the opportunity has been around since October doesn’t mean everyone who is eligible is aware of it. This article is intended specifically for Amex Platinum cardholders.
Sarah
I didn’t this 3 months ago and posted on my website flysmarter.ca. But Wyndham only matched me to platinum for my Marriott gold. I will try again and see if they will up my status. Thanks for spreading the word on this path.
Brittany Menard
Oh weird! Well that happened to me when I tried to match my Accor Platinum status, but then I was successfully matched to Wyndham Diamond when I tried again with Marriott Gold Elite status. Feel free to try again and let us know how it goes, good luck!
Alex
Is this also available for American Express Business platinum? Thanks
Brittany Menard
It sure is! :)
Abid
Hi Brittany,
What is the link to status match with Fairmont as mentioned in your side note above?
Britt
Hi Abid, just take a screenshot of your Fairmont status in your Le Club Accor dashboard, then login to Wyndham Rewards and go to this page to upload the screenshot: https://www.wyndhamhotels.com/wyndham-rewards/status-match
Abid
Hey Britt,
Thank you for this info. Really appreciate it.
Btw, it turns out the deal gets renewed each year. It got extended to Jan 2020. FYI.
The process is painful though. A lot of waiting game.
Britt
Hi Abid,
Glad you found it useful! And good call on the renewal, to my surprise I just saw that yesterday as well, and will be doing a post about it. That’s super exciting and unexpected. What exactly was painful? Booking the trip, or just getting Diamond status renewed?
Abid
Hi Britt,
Well, I started step 1 in this post on Jan 8th, 2019. Total Rewards did not get my Diamond status until Feb. 5th, 2019 (Step 8). So, I could not book flights or hotels without knowing availability. Initially we wanted to go end of January but that did not happen because Total Rewards delayed sending their list to Atlantis but that is when I discovered that you can also book it later in the year. Also, many award availability flights were taken up by the time all was said and done. So I guess the moral of the story, patience and planning. :P
Britt
Hi Abid,
Ahh, sorry you had so much trouble! Were you able to finally get your trip booked? And yes, planning and patience is definitely needed with travel hacking!
Thanks for your feedback! Britt
Abid
Yes, we are going next week March 29 – Apr 3 from Calgary, with 1 night stop over in Houston and 2 nights in New York on the way back.
Ben
I have Caesars diamond status with only 324 tier credit. So do I qualify for this offer or is there a min tier credit threshold?
Britt
Hi Ben,
As long as your diamond, you should be good to go!
Amy
Can you clarify this statement:
“Note: Because this is a limited time promo, you’ll only have Diamond status with Wyndham Rewards for 3 months, unless you re-qualify and stay 14 nights at Wyndham properties during that time.”
Does this mean I need to book the trip within 3 months?
Thanks for the info!
Al
Is this deal extended to 2021 ?
Britt
Hi Al, yes it is!
Stephane
As march 2020, is it still possible to have the 4 nights?
Britt
Yes!
Stephane
Is this still valid?
Britt
Yes it is!