Staying at Marriott hotels and wondering if you should get one of the chain's co-branded credit cards? With six different cards currently available (from not one but two different banks), there's plenty to pick from … almost too many. We're here to help you choose.
With some of the biggest and best offers ever, now's as good a time as any to add one of these cards to your wallet. Thanks to new, limited-time offers from American Express, you can now earn up to 185,000 Marriott Bonvoy points or three free night awards (worth up to 50,000 Bonvoy points apiece), depending on which version of the card you choose.
Even if you're not a die-hard Marriott fan, these big welcome offers as well as the ongoing perks are well worth your attention. Here's a breakdown of the current offers:
- *bonvoy brilliant*: bonus_miles_full
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- *bonvoy business*: bonus_miles_full
- Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card: Earn three free night awards (up to 50,000 points each) after spending $3,000 within the first three months of opening the card.
- Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful
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Credit Card: Earn 85,000 Marriott Bonvoy points after spending $4,000 within the first three months of opening the card. - Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card: Earn 60,000 Marriott Bonvoy points and one free night award (up to 50,000 points) after spending $2,000 within the first three months of opening the card.
Each of these cards also comes with additional perks like instant Marriott elite status, annual free night awards, and bonus elite night credits just for having the card. So beyond those bonuses, this can make them keepers for the long term.
Just remember: Credit cards are serious business. You should never apply for a credit card if you're already in debt, and never charge more to a credit card than you can afford to pay off immediately. However many Marriott points you can earn, they're not worth it.
Read on to learn more about each of these cards and the bonus offers that come with them.
Having trouble deciding which card is right for you? Read our master guide to Marriott Card eligibility!
Overview of the Marriott Bonvoy Cards
Full Benefits of the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express Card
- Welcome Offer: *bonvoy brilliant bonus*
- Free Night Certificate: Get a free night certificate each year on your cardmember anniversary, eligible at properties that cost up to 85,000 points. This benefit starts in your second full year of card membership.
- Complimentary Marriott Bonvoy Platinum Elite status.
- Get up to $300 in annual credits to use at restaurants worldwide. These will be available in up to $25 monthly increments – and you lose any unused amount each month.
- 25 elite night credits towards Bonvoy elite status each year you hold the card.
- Priority Pass Lounge Access: Enjoy unlimited airport lounge visits when you enroll in a Priority Pass Select membership. This comes complimentary with the card, and enrollment is required.
- Earn 6x Marriott Bonvoy points per dollar spent at hotels participating in the Marriott Bonvoy rewards program.
- Earn 3x Marriott Bonvoy points per dollar spent at restaurants worldwide and on flights booked directly with airlines.
- Earn 2x Marriott Bonvoy points per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $650 Annual Fee (see rates & fees).
Learn more about the *bonvoy brilliant*
Full Benefits of the Bonvoy Bevy![™]()
American Express Card
- Welcome Offer: *bonvoy bevy bonus*
- Earn 6x Marriott Bonvoy points per dollar spent at hotels participating in the Marriott Bonvoy rewards program.
- Earn 4x Marriott Bonvoy points per dollar spent on up to $15,000 spent in a calendar year on combined purchases at worldwide restaurants and at U.S. supermarkets.
- Earn 2x Marriott Bonvoy Points per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- Get 1,000 Marriott Bonvoy Bonus Points with each qualifying stay.
- Complimentary Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status.
- Earn 15 elite night credits each calendar year toward Marriott Bonvoy Elite status.
- Earn a free night award certificate for properties that cost up to 50,000 points per night after spending $15,000 in eligible purchases each calendar year.
- $250 Annual Fee (see rates & fees).
Learn more about the *bonvoy bevy*
Full Benefits of the Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card
- Welcome Offer: *bonvoy business bonus*
- Free Night Certificate: Get a free night certificate each year on your cardmember anniversary, eligible at properties that cost up to 35,000 points. This benefit starts in your second year of card membership.
- Earn 6x Marriott Bonvoy points per dollar spent at hotels participating in the Marriott Bonvoy rewards program.
- Earn 4x Marriott Bonvoy points per dollar spent at restaurants worldwide, at U.S. gas stations, on U.S. wireless telephone services, and on U.S. purchases for shipping.
- Earn 2x Marriott Bonvoy Points per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- Complimentary Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status.
- Earn 15 elite night credits each calendar year toward Marriott Bonvoy Elite status.
- Get a 7% discount on standard room rates at hotels participating in the Marriott Bonvoy rewards program.
- $125 Annual Fee (see rates & fees).
Learn more about the *bonvoy business*.
Full Benefits of the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Card from Chase
- Welcome Offer: Earn three free night awards (worth up to 50,000 points each) after making $3,000 in purchases during the first three months of opening the card.
- Free Night Certificate: Receive a free night certificate each year on your cardmember anniversary for properties that cost up to 35,000 points. This benefit starts in your second year of card membership.
- Earn 6x Marriott Bonvoy points per dollar at hotels participating in the Marriott Bonvoy rewards program.
- Earn 3X Marriott Bonvoy points per dollar on the first $6,000 spent in combined purchases each year at grocery stores, gas stations, and dining.
- Earn 2x Marriott Bonvoy Points per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- Complimentary Marriott Bonvoy Silver Elite status.
- Earn 15 elite night credits each calendar year toward Marriott Bonvoy Elite status.
- $95 Annual Fee.
Learn more about the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card (for full disclosure: this is not an affiliate link).
Full Benefits of the Bonvoy Bountiful![™]()
Card from Chase
- Welcome Offer: Earn 85,000 Marriott Bonvoy points after making $4,000 in purchases in the first three months of opening the card.
- Earn 6x Marriott Bonvoy points per dollar spent at hotels participating in the Marriott Bonvoy rewards program.
- Earn 4x Marriott Bonvoy points per dollar spent on up to $15,000 in combined dining and grocery purchases per calendar year.
- Earn 2x Marriott Bonvoy Points per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- Get 1,000 Marriott Bonvoy Bonus Points with each qualifying stay.
- Complimentary Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status.
- Earn 15 elite night credits each calendar year toward Marriott Bonvoy Elite status.
- Earn a free night award certificate for properties that cost up to 50,000 points per night after spending $15,000 in eligible purchases each calendar year.
- $250 Annual Fee.
Learn more about the Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful
Credit Card (for full disclosure: this is not an affiliate link).
Full Benefits of the Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Card from Chase
- Welcome Offer: Earn 60,000 Marriott Bonvoy points and one free night award (up to 50,000 points) after spending $2,000 within the first three months of opening the card.
- Earn 3x Marriott Bonvoy points per dollar spent at hotels participating in the Marriott Bonvoy rewards program.
- Earn 2X Marriott Bonvoy points per dollar spent on travel (from airfare to taxis and trains).
- Earn 2x Marriott Bonvoy Points per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- Complimentary Marriott Bonvoy Silver Elite status.
- Earn 15 elite night credits each calendar year toward Marriott Bonvoy Elite status.
- No Annual Fee.
Learn more about the Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card (for full disclosure: this is not an affiliate link).
Are You Eligible to Open a Marriott Card?
Determining whether or not you're eligible for one of these new welcome offers is about as confusing as trying to read Egyptian hieroglyphs. Actually, the rules might make more sense if they were written in hieroglyphs.
And on top of Marriott's convoluted eligibility rules, you'll also be subject to the Chase 5/24 Rule for the Bonvoy Boundless and Bonvoy Bold Cards.
This 5/24 Rule is a restriction that Chase rolled out years ago to limit card applicants from opening credit cards for the sole purpose of earning bonus rewards. If you've opened five or more five credit cards with any bank (not just Chase) in the past 24 months, you will not be approved for new Chase credit cards, regardless of your credit score or history with Chase. The rule does not count credit inquiries, but rather new cards that you have applied for and been approved for.
Read our master guide to see which Marriott cards you're eligible for!
Marriott Credit Card Application Rules
First off, if you've never had a Marriott or Starwood Preferred Guest Credit Card, you're good to go. Don't bother yourself with trying to decipher the rest of these rules.
For those that previously had, or currently have a Marriott co-branded credit card, you'll want to ensure you're eligible before applying for one of these increased offers. Since Marriott and their bank partners have made it a challenge to know exactly which card you're eligible for, we created a handy card eligibility matrix to help make sense of it all.
Below you'll find the specific terms and limitations for each of the cards with increased offers.
- Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant: You are not eligible for this welcome offer if you have or have had the Ritz-Cartlon card in the last 30 days. You're also ineligible for the welcome offer if you've opened the Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful, Boundless, or Bold from Chase in the past 90 days. Finally, it needs to be more than 24 months since you received a welcome or upgrade bonus on the Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful, Boundless, or Bold from Chase.
- Marriott Bonvoy Bevy: You are not eligible for this welcome offer if you have or have had the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant Card or any Marriott credit card from Chase in the last 30 days. Additionally, you're ineligible if you received a welcome or upgrade bonus on the Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful, Boundless, or Bold cards from Chase in the past 24 months.
- Marriott Bonvoy Boundless: You are not eligible for this welcome offer if you have or have had the Marriott Bonvoy® American Express® Card (no longer open to new applicants) in the last 30 days. Additionally, you're ineligible if you opened any of the following cards within the past 90 days, or if you received a new cardmember or upgrade bonus in the past 24 months on any of the American Express Marriott Bonvoy Cards – Marriott Bonvoy Business, Brilliant, or Bevy.
- Marriott Bonvoy Bold: You are not eligible for this welcome offer if you have or have had the Marriott Bonvoy® American Express® Card (no longer open to new applicants) in the last 30 days. Additionally, you're ineligible if you opened any of the following cards within the past 90 days, or if you received a new cardmember or upgrade bonus in the past 24 months on any of the American Express Marriott Bonvoy Cards – Marriott Bonvoy Business, Brilliant, or Bevy.
Related reading: Which Marriott Credit Card Am I Eligible For?
Best Uses for Marriott Points & Free Night Awards
There are plenty of ways to use your Marriott points and Free Night Awards. Whether you want to book a few free nights at a Marriott property or transfer your points to airlines, you'll discover Marriott points and Free Night Awards yield incredible value for travelers.
Book a Marriott Hotel Stay
Years ago, Marriott ditched their award chart in favor of dynamic pricing, so it's anyone's guess as to what a property will charge for an award stay. That said, there's still plenty of value when using Marriott Bonvoy points for a free night around the globe.
Take an aspirational property like the Le Méridien Maldives for example. Thrifty Traveler co-founder Nick had a chance to stay at this property recently and found the overwater villas, spa treatments, and mile after mile of uninterrupted ocean views to be a solid choice for anyone checking the Maldives off their bucket list for a bargain.
Although Nick was able to book his stay before Marriott completely scrapped their award chart, it's not uncommon to find dates at this property for under 50,000 Bonvoy points per night. Considering all Bonvoy members get a fifth-night free on award stays of five consecutive nights, you'd have enough points to spend five nights in the Maldives from the *bonvoy brilliant* welcome offer alone.
By timing it right, you may even be able to use the Bonvoy Brilliant's annual 85,000-point free night certificate to spend an extra day in paradise.
If the beach isn't your style, maybe you'll feel more at home in the heart of the Sacred Valley of the Incas at Tambo del Inka, a Luxury Collection Resort & Spa. This hotel offers dramatic views of the Andes Mountains and is situated along the Incan Path, providing the perfect gateway to the royal city of Machu Picchu.
As of publication, there are many nights this fall bookable for just 43,000 Marriott Bonvoy points per night. This means that you'd be able to use the current welcome offer on the *bonvoy business* to book three free nights at this mountain oasis. Not bad for a hotel that often goes for $500 or more per night.
Thrifty Tip: Tambo del Inka, a Luxury Collection Resort & Spa property, has a private train station for anyone starting the journey between Urubamba and Machu Picchu.
Or if you really want to ball out, you'd have nearly enough points from the Bonvoy Brilliant Card for two nights at the JW Marriott Masai Mara Lodge. This all-inclusive luxury safari lodge is comprised of just 20 ensuite tents – each with a private deck (complete with personal jacuzzi) overlooking the Talek River and the Masai Mara National Reserve. A stay here includes everything from meals to game drives, and even your airstrip transfer.
While a two-night stay might not seem like much, it would be one of the most valuable ways to use the points from the current welcome offers. Cash rates at this high-end property go for more than $3,000 per night.
Read our safari planning guide for more info on a trip to Masai Mara!
Turn Your Bonvoy Points into Airline Miles!
Although not a credit company like Chase or Amex, Marriott Bonvoy surpasses the banks with a whopping 40-plus airline transfer partners. You could argue that Bonvoy points are some of the most flexible in the points and miles world. And that only increases their value.
The only caveat is that they transfer at a 3:1 ratio to most airlines. Still, this one of the few (if not the only) hotel point currencies that can make sense to transfer to airlines. Marriott goes further by adding a 5,000-mile bonus for every transfer of 60,000 Marriott points you transfer.
However, a few airlines won't provide that 5,000-mile bonus. If you are transferring points to American Airlines AAdvantage, Delta SkyMiles, or Avianca LifeMiles, you won't get that bonus.
If you have some extra Marriott points laying around and need another way to earn airline miles, this is a highly underrated method that has become one of my favorite way to keep earning miles.
Bottom Line
Marriott is out with elevated welcome offers on a handful of co-branded cards. With the current offers, you can earn up to 185,000 Bonvoy points – or three free nights – and get perks like elite status, free night certificates, and monthly dining credits.
If you're in the market for more Bonvoy points (who isn't?) and are eligible for any of these cards, now is a great time to pick them up and take advantage of these bigger welcome offers. Just be sure to apply before the limited-time offers expire!
Hotel photos courtesy of Marriott Bonvoy