Whether it’s across the world or around the corner, you may be planning your next vacation. And since the Marriott hotel chain has such a large presence both domestically and globally, it’s worth considering whether a Marriott credit card makes sense for you. Both American Express and Chase issue Marriott cards, and each card has its own features and welcome offer, so there are six options to consider.
Let’s first look at the Amex offers first. Currently, the Marriott Bonvoy Bevy? American Express? Card (terms apply, see rates and fees)is offering new card members 85,000 Marriott Bonvoy bonus points after spending $5,000 in purchases within the first six months of card membership. Although the card comes with a higher annual fee than what we think it’s worth, this is a solid offer for new cardmembers.
Or, if you are a small business owner, you can earn a potentially more valuable Marriott Bonvoy Business? American Express? Card * The information for the Marriott Bonvoy Business? American Express? Card has been collected independently by CNN Underscored. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. bonus. With this offer, you can earn?3 Free Night Awards after spending $6,000 in eligible purchases within the first six months of account opening
All information about Marriott Bonvoy Business? American Express? Card has been collected independently by CNN Underscored.
There’s then the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant? American Express? Card (terms apply, see rates and fees), which offers Earn 95,000 Marriott Bonvoy? bonus points after you use your new Card to make $6,000 in purchases within the first 6 months of Card Membership.. If you’re in the market for a luxury credit card, offering many VIP perks, right now is a good time to jump on the card. This card has a very high annual fee, but is a great choice if you’re a Marriott fanatic and travel frequently.
On the Chase side, you have the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless? Credit Card * The information for the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless? Credit Card has been collected independently by CNN Underscored. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. , which is offering a five free night certificates (each night valued at 50,000 points) after spending $5,000 on the card within the first three months.
But if you prefer a straight point-earning offer on a Chase card, you have two options. You have the Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful? Credit Card * The information for the Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful? Credit Card has been collected independently by CNN Underscored. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. which is offering 85,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 in purchases in your first 3 months from your account opening. There’s then the no-annual-fee Marriott Bonvoy Bold? Credit Card*, which is currently offering 30,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 on purchases in the first three months after account opening.
You’ll get excellent value with all six of these card offers, so deciding which offer to choose probably depends on which card is right for you. However, you’ll find that for the cards offering points as part of their offer, we’ve seen better offers in the past. With that being said, the two cards offering free night awards are quite strong offers, but you just need to make sure you have a particular redemption in mind. But for now, let’s dive into the details of each card.
The Marriott Boundless credit card: A low annual fee and complimentary annual free night
At just $95 a year, the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless? Credit Card * The information for the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless? Credit Card has been collected independently by CNN Underscored. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. remains a great option. In addition to its current welcome offer, the card offers many other benefits, making it a nice choice to hold onto year after year if you plan to stay at Marriott hotels on a regular basis.
When you use the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless? Credit Card * The information for the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless? Credit Card has been collected independently by CNN Underscored. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. to pay at Marriott hotels, you’ll earn 6 points for every dollar you spend, plus additional points for being a Marriott loyalty member and a Marriott elite member. You’ll also earn 3 points per dollar on the first $6,000 spent in combined purchases each year on grocery stores, gas stations and dining, and then 2 points per dollar after that, along with 2 points per dollar on all your other purchases.
With the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless? Credit Card * The information for the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless? Credit Card has been collected independently by CNN Underscored. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. , you’ll receive complimentary Marriott Silver elite status for as long as you’re a card holder. Silver status gets you late checkout and a 10% bonus on points earned during your Marriott stays. Although this is Marriott’s lowest elite status tier, having some sort of status is better than no status at all, and it could potentially even get you a better room during check-in (though improved rooms are not guaranteed).
Or, if you’re looking to earn a higher level of elite status, the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless? Credit Card * The information for the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless? Credit Card has been collected independently by CNN Underscored. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. also comes with 15 annual elite night credits. Alternatively, you can also earn Marriott Gold elite status by spending $35,000 on the card each account year. And the card also earns 1 elite night credit for every $5,000 you spend, with no cap on the number of credits you can earn.
The Marriott Bonvoy Boundless? Credit Card * The information for the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless? Credit Card has been collected independently by CNN Underscored. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. also has its own annual complimentary award certificate. Starting at your first yearly account renewal — meaning one year after you opened the card — and every year thereafter, you’ll receive a certificate that can be used at any Marriott hotel for one night costing 35,000 points or less.
Other great perks include baggage delay insurance, lost luggage reimbursement, trip delay reimbursement and purchase protection. And with the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless? Credit Card * The information for the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless? Credit Card has been collected independently by CNN Underscored. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. carrying only a $95 annual fee, you can easily come out well ahead with all these card holder perks. In fact, if you can use the card’s complimentary award night each year for a room that would otherwise cost $95 or more, you’ll easily make the card worth it.
The Marriott Bold credit card with no annual fee
If you’re looking to earn Marriott points but don’t want to pay for a credit card, you might want to consider the Marriott Bonvoy Bold Credit Card, which is the only Marriott credit card with no annual fee. However, you’ll earn fewer points on your everyday spending, as the card only earns 3 points per dollar at participating Marriott hotels instead of the 6x points of the other Marriott cards, and 2 points per dollar on all other purchases.
You still get some of the same card benefits as the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless? Credit Card * The information for the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless? Credit Card has been collected independently by CNN Underscored. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. , such as complimentary Silver elite status, baggage delay insurance, lost luggage reimbursement, trip delay reimbursement and purchase protection. But with the Marriott Bold card, you won’t receive the highly valuable 35,000-point complimentary night certificate after your first year.
Despite a no-annual-fee card, we ultimately prefer the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless? Credit Card * The information for the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless? Credit Card has been collected independently by CNN Underscored. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. over the Marriott Bold, as long as you’re able to use all its benefits, especially the annual complimentary night certificate. However, if a quick bump in Marriott points and automatic Silver elite status is all you’re looking for, the Marriott Bold card could check the box.
Luxury perks with the Marriott Brilliant credit card
The Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant? American Express? Card is a card for people who frequently find themselves at Marriott hotels, as it comes with a slew of elite perks but also a high $650 annual fee. However, one of the best features of the card is the opportunity to earn up to $300 in statement credits annually for dining purchases at restaurants worldwide, which are doled out in portions of up to $25 per month. If you can use those credits in full each year, you’re effectively only paying a net annual fee of $350.
Another strong benefit of the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant? American Express? Card is that, starting with the second year you have the card and every year thereafter, you’ll receive a Free Night Award as part of your card perks. This award can be used at any Marriott for a night that would normally cost up to 85,000 points, which opens up most Marriott properties worldwide (although certain hotels have resort fees).
You can also use up to 15,000 additional points from your account to top off an award, meaning you can theoretically book a room that would cost up to 100,000 points for a night. Just keep in mind that Marriott uses a dynamic pricing system, so the redemption cost for a room varies from day to day, depending on the cash price of the room.
You’ll earn 6 points for every dollar you spend with the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant? American Express? Card on eligible purchases at participating Marriott Bonvoy hotels, 3 points per dollar at restaurants (now worldwide instead of just within the US) and on flights booked directly with airlines, and 2 points per dollar on all other purchases.
Plus, with the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant? American Express? Card, you’ll get automatic Platinum elite status, which includes a 50% bonus on points earned from eligible Marriott hotel purchases, enhanced room upgrades (including suites), 4 p.m. late checkout and breakfast at participating properties. The card also features 25 elite night credits per year, which can help Marriott road warriors climb the ladder to an even higher level of status.
Other benefits include cell phone protection, an application fee credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck, Priority Pass Select membership (enrollment required), up to a $100 property credit for qualifying charges at The Ritz-Carlton, Ritz-Carlton Reserve or St. Regis brands when you book direct using a special rate for a two-night stay or longer and an Annual Earned Choice Award after making $60,000 in purchases on the card.
Finally, new Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant? American Express? Card members can earn Earn 95,000 Marriott Bonvoy? bonus points after you use your new Card to make $6,000 in purchases within the first 6 months of Card Membership. (certain hotels have resort fees).
Two new card options with the Marriott Bonvoy Bevy Amex and the Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful
The relatively new Marriott Bevy Amex and Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful come with the exact same perks and bonus categories, along with an identical annual fee of $250 (terms apply, see rates and fees for the Marriott Bonvoy Bevy Amex and Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful card members also receive a Free Night Award after making $15,000 in purchases per year, which can be redeemed at properties that cost up to 50,000 points per night (certain hotels have resort fees). This is, frankly, a disappointing feature, as all of the other existing Marriott credit cards that have annual fees include a Free Night Award as an automatic annual benefit without having to meet a spending threshold of any kind.
The Marriott Business credit card for small-business owners
Alternatively, if you’re a small-business traveler who’s often on the road and you’re looking for a business credit card, you can earn 3 Free Night Awards after spending $6,000 in eligible purchases within the first six months of account opening. Frequent flyer website The Points Guy values Marriott points at 0.84 cents apiece, so at that rate, the bonus is worth more than $1,260 in travel. You’ll also want to keep in mind that the card comes with a $125 annual fee (see rates and fees).
With the Marriott Bonvoy Business? American Express? Card * The information for the Marriott Bonvoy Business? American Express? Card has been collected independently by CNN Underscored. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. , you’ll earn 6 points per dollar on eligible purchases at hotels participating in the Marriott Bonvoy? program, 4 points per dollar at restaurants worldwide, at U.S. gas stations, on wireless telephone services purchased directly from U.S. service providers and on U.S. purchases for shipping and 2x Marriott Bonvoy Business? American Express? Card points on all other eligible purchases.
All information about Marriott Bonvoy Business? American Express? Card has been collected independently by CNN Underscored.
The Marriott Bonvoy Business? American Express? Card * The information for the Marriott Bonvoy Business? American Express? Card has been collected independently by CNN Underscored. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. also has the same 15 annual elite credits as the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless? Credit Card * The information for the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless? Credit Card has been collected independently by CNN Underscored. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. and the two new Marriott cards, which you can “stack” together for a total of 30 elite nights if you also hold one of those personal Marriott cards (or even 40 elite nights if you stack it with the Marriott Brilliant). However, you’ll automatically earn Gold elite status just for being a Marriott Bonvoy Business? American Express? Card * The information for the Marriott Bonvoy Business? American Express? Card has been collected independently by CNN Underscored. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. member.
All information about Marriott Bonvoy Business? American Express? Card has been collected independently by CNN Underscored.
Also, just like with the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless? Credit Card * The information for the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless? Credit Card has been collected independently by CNN Underscored. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. , you’ll receive a complimentary award night each year with the Marriott Bonvoy Business? American Express? Card * The information for the Marriott Bonvoy Business? American Express? Card has been collected independently by CNN Underscored. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. starting with your second card member year, which can be used at Marriott properties with a redemption level up to 35,000 points. Unfortunately, Marriott changed its redemption system in 2022, so property prices now fluctuate from night to night. You can also earn a second award night after you spend $60,000 in purchases on the card in a calendar year.
All information about Marriott Bonvoy Business? American Express? Card has been collected independently by CNN Underscored.
Lastly, Marriott Bonvoy Business? American Express? Card * The information for the Marriott Bonvoy Business? American Express? Card has been collected independently by CNN Underscored. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. members get a 7% discount off the standard rate when booking directly with Marriott — just sign into your Marriott account once you have the card and you should see the “Amex Biz Card Member Rate” option. However, the discounted rate might not be available for all hotels during all dates.
All information about Marriott Bonvoy Business? American Express? Card has been collected independently by CNN Underscored.
Is a Marriott credit card right for you?
Marriott has about 30 different brands under its umbrella, which means there are plenty of opportunities across the globe to redeem your Marriott points or use free nights. Whether you want to stay at an ultra-luxury beach destination in the Caribbean or a few miles down from your favorite amusement park, there’s generally a Marriott property for everyone.
Obviously, if you don’t stay at Marriott hotels very often, then a Marriott credit card probably isn’t a good fit. But if you do expect to be at a Marriott even a few times in 2023 and beyond, then any of the Marriott credit cards that come with annual complimentary award certificates starting with the second year you have the card are worth considering, not only for their welcome offers but also to keep on an ongoing basis.
Truthfully, we aren’t too excited about the new-ish Marriott Bonvoy Bevy Amex and the Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful cards. With high annual fees and a spending requirement to earn an annual free night certificate, there are better options in the Marriott credit card family.
But, if you’re a Marriott fanatic who can use all the perks — and the up to $300 in annual statement credits — grab the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant? American Express? Card. Or, small businesses with an owner or employees that make a lot of Marriott stays can choose the Marriott Bonvoy Business? American Express? Card * The information for the Marriott Bonvoy Business? American Express? Card has been collected independently by CNN Underscored. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. .
All information about Marriott Bonvoy Business? American Express? Card has been collected independently by CNN Underscored.
Alternatively, if you want to get Marriott points without having to pay an annual fee each year, the Marriott Bold card from Chase is a great opportunity. And if you’re looking for a Marriott card that’ll potentially get you the most value, the current sign-up bonus on the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless? Credit Card * The information for the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless? Credit Card has been collected independently by CNN Underscored. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. will help you jump-start your next Marriott vacation quite quickly.
To view rates and fees for Marriott Bonvoy Bevy? American Express? Card, please visit this page.
To view rates and fees for Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant? American Express? Card, please visit this page.
All information about Marriott Bonvoy Boundless? Credit Card, Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful? Credit Card and Marriott Bonvoy Business? American Express? Card has been collected independently by CNN Underscored.
Editorial Disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author's alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airlines, hotel chain, or other commercial entity and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of such entities.
This content is for educational purposes only and is not intended and should not be understood to constitute financial, investment, insurance or legal advice. All individuals are encouraged to seek advice from a qualified financial professional before making any financial, insurance or investment decisions.
Note: While the offers mentioned above are accurate at the time of publication, they're subject to change at any time and may have changed or may no longer be available.
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