Wynn Rewards & My Journey to the Black Tier
Before jumping into a discussion of the Wynn Rewards program, if you somehow don’t already know this, Wynn is my favorite place to stay in all of Las Vegas—and I’ve stayed at 28 different properties (at least) so far, so I’m just a bit biased. My first comped stay at Wynn was in July 2020, during the height of COVID times and right when Vegas had opened back up. And as of this moment, I currently have Wynn Black Tier status, which I earned almost entirely through my craps play—with just a wee bit o’ Heidi slots thrown in there.
From Red Card to Wynn Rewards
At the end of 2020, Wynn announced that it was switching to a tiered rewards program. Before that, Wynn’s rewards program, Red Card, was very simple. It had one tier. The new program, Wynn Rewards, created three separate tier levels, Red, Platinum, and Black. Existing Red Card holders were slotted into one of the three tiers (presumably largely based upon play history). I was slotted right into the Platinum tier. So, as we started 2021, here I was, a newly minted #WynnFanBoy with Platinum status and ready to roll. You can probably guess what happened next. Just as Wynn hoped, I earned 7,000 tier credits (Platinum status) on my first trip. With that success, the race to 70,000 (Black) was on! But was it worth it?
As you’ll see below, some really nice perks come your way if you can reach Black. But, I think Platinum also offers some very nice benefits and is much, much easier to reach.
Wynn Rewards Benefits
Like most casino rewards programs, Wynn Rewards offers multiple benefits.
- possibility of comped or discounted rooms
- food and beverage credit
- priority restaurant seating
- exclusive special events and promotions.
In looking at each tier level, I’ll touch on what I find to be some of the more valuable aspects of each tier and just a bit about what it might take as a craps player to reach the higher tier level.
Red Tier – 0-6,999 Tier Credits
Because you get Red status just by having a Wynn Rewards card, the benefits at this level aren’t that exciting. You can, of course, earn Wynn FREECREDIT AND COMPDOLLARS through your play, but that’s really about it as far excitement. That’s not to say, however, that your play isn’t important to Wynn even with Red status. If you believe your play justifies it, it never hurts to swing by the host desk to see what they might be able to offer you. You never know, you might actually get a host even before you reach Platinum. I had a Wynn host before I even had a history of play, and so did Chris.
Platinum Tier – 7,000-69,999 Tier Credits
If you’re someone who’s comfortable playing at Wynn table limits, I think it’s relatively easy to earn Platinum status. As a craps player, if your average bet is close to $250 or higher, you can probably reach Platinum with about 10-15 hours of solid play. And Platinum is where the real benefits of Wynn Reward start to kick in. Platinum members get a $100 Spa credit. If you’ve never been to the Wynn spa, I’d highly recommend checking it out. Although $100 isn’t likely to cover a full spa treatment, it’ll knock a good chunk off the cost for a really nice massage.
The same goes for the $150 birthday dinner credit you get when you reach Platinum. You can put that to great use at Sinatra or SW (two of my favorite restaurants at Wynn) or, if you really want to do Vegas like I do, put that money toward a lovely room service meal. (As a reminder, you must use your birthday dinner credit during your birthday month.)
And although I haven’t tried them, Platinum members also receive two complimentary Wynn Master Classes (each for two guests). I’ve heard amazing things about the Wynn Master Classes and can see how they would be a fantastic perk for some. The upcoming Wynn Master Class—Cooking Frank’s Favorites, His Way—has my mouth watering.
Description: Join Sinatra executive chef Theo Schoenegger for a lively cooking demonstration on how to prepare some of Frank’s favorite dishes – his way. A casual lunch will be served, together with Chef Theo’s memories of cooking for Frank in New York City.) In my opinion, it’s benefits like this that set Wynn apart.
Black Tier (70,000+ Tier Credits)
I reached Black status in the fall of 2021, and I’m very proud of it— it was hard work. For better or for worse, I behaved exactly as the marketers wanted me to. Once I knew that my level of play made reaching Black possible, I set out to make it. Having never reached the highest status at any property, I was bound and determined to do it at Wynn.
As a table games player, I’ll tell you that trying for Black status is not for the faint-of-heart. With an average bet in craps of $350-$450, it’ll take at least 70-100 hours of play to reach Black. But if you can do it, it definitely offers some very nice perks. Black members get a $200 Spa credit, a $300 birthday dinner credit, and four complimentary Wynn Master Classes (each for two guests). Wynn Black also gets you a complimentary round of golf (for two guests) at Wynn Golf Club. That benefit alone has a value of over $500 per round.
Black status also gets you complimentary hotel stays and complementary late checkouts (something I always take advantage of). You also get complimentary room upgrades to Wynn Tower Suites (based on availability). And even though the base room in Tower Suites is the same as the standard Wynn room, there’s something nice above having your own check-in desk, elevator, etc. It’s important to note that Wynn values its room product greatly, and in their eyes, these are very valuable perks.
One of my favorite things that comes from having Black status is complementary airport transportation. You might end up in a luxury SUV or limo, but if you’re really lucky, you’ll get to ride in one of their Rolls Royce Phantoms. And if you’re like me and love a little of The Buffet at Wynn, having the Black card lets you bypass the line (and no reservation needed). There are a couple more benefits of Black status that I think are worth mentioning.
- First and foremost, if you don’t already have a host at Wynn (which you probably should if you’re already gambling at the levels sufficient for Black status), you’ll have a host assigned when you make it to Black. And Wynn hosts, from my experience, are the best in the business. To learn even more about hosts and what to expect, check out Chris article on hosts by Clicking Here.
- Second, once I made it to Black, I started to receive offers from Wynn that were better or different than those I had received before. For example, I occasionally receive an offer for a nice amount of promotional chips (for use at the craps table) or a nice gift card for the shops at Wynn. But the one that sticks out most was my invitation to be a guest of Wynn at the Academy of Country Music Awards (including at the red-carpet event).
Wrap it up, Josh
At risk of sounding like a broken record (and at risk of repeating myself), some of the benefits that I’ve talked about really set Wynn Rewards apart in my eyes. Was achieving Black status expensive? Yes. Am I trying to get there again this year? Absolutely yes! Remember, at the end of the day, your play at any property matters even more than card level. You can be hosted without having Black status, you can get comped rooms, and you can get complimentary transportation. It isn’t necessary to be like me and chase Black status to be treated the way you want to be, but it sure is nice to have it.
Learn more about Wynn Rewards, or even sign up, at https://www.wynnlasvegas.com/