FNBO MGM Credit Cards Overview ($400/$100 Welcome Bonus)

MGM Rewards is one of the most popular loyalty programs on the Las Vegas Strip, with flagship hotels such as Bellagio and Cosmopolitan, making it a top choice for travelers visiting Sin City. In addition to the no-annual-fee MGM Rewards Mastercard, MGM has also recently launched a new premium credit card: the MGM Rewards Iconic World Elite Mastercard. Let’s take a look at both today.

MGM No-Annual-Fee Card

This no-annual-fee card offers some basic benefits plus MGM perks, so there is not much to analyze here. The most useful benefit from the complimentary MGM Pearl status is free self-parking.

MGM Iconic Credit Card

The new card will officially launch on April 17, 2025, with a $249 annual fee, a big jump from the existing no-annual-fee card.

MGM Benefits

• $200 annual resort credit: Available when the account is opened and on each cardmember anniversary. You need to stay at an MGM hotel and redeem it at an MGM Rewards desk.
• $250 hotel stay certificate: After spending $25,000, you can earn a complimentary stay worth up to $250, but it likewise requires a stay at an MGM hotel and redemption at the service desk.
• MGM Rewards Pearl: Cardholders are automatically upgraded to MGM Rewards Pearl status, which includes perks such as free self-parking.
• 10,000 tier credits: For cardholders looking to move up in status, the card awards 10,000 tier credits each year after $25,000 in spending.

Travel Benefits

• One Global Entry or TSA PreCheck benefit every four years.
• Priority Pass airport lounges: The card includes access to Priority Pass lounges, but each visit costs $35, which is not especially compelling.
• No foreign transaction fee
• World Elite Mastercard benefits, including trip cancellation and interruption insurance, trip delay protection, discounts on services such as Peacock, and MasterAssist travel emergency support
• Limited-edition metal card design, available only to select existing MGM Rewards Mastercard cardholders and new Iconic cardholders.

MGM Program

Points redemption: You need to stay at an MGM hotel and redeem through an MGM Rewards desk, where the points can be applied directly against room charges. You can also charge other expenses to your room and redeem against those as well.

Elite program: Status tiers are tied to tier credits. Gold requires 75,000 tier credits, and Platinum requires 200,000 tier credits. If you have a credit card that earns tier credits, then in theory you can keep earning them through ongoing spending.

There are not that many benefits overall, but Gold and above gets the resort fee waived, which is quite nice.

Pearl gets free parking, while Gold includes valet parking.

My Take

These two cards are not especially broadly useful, but if you stay at MGM properties frequently and want to work toward higher elite status, the Iconic card could make sense. The annual $200 hotel credit offsets most of the annual fee, and if you spend $25,000, you can also earn back a $250 hotel stay benefit and 10,000 tier credits, which is pretty solid.

Application

• With a smaller bank like FNBO, application outcomes vary a lot from person to person, so there is no firm rule.
• Reportedly, FNBO applications are fairly sensitive to IP address. Applying from a public IP may trigger additional review, so using your home Wi-Fi is recommended.

Application Links

• FNBO MGM Rewards Credit Card
• FNBO MGM Rewards Iconic Credit Card