Summary
The Marriott Bonvoy credit cards offer a great opportunity to earn a large influx of rewards and earn free hotel stays.
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If you’re a fan of any of the many Marriott hotel chains around the world, Marriott Bonvoy credit cards offer a great opportunity to earn a large influx of Marriott points and free hotel stays.
To start, the no-annual-fee Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card is offering a 30,000-point welcome bonus after you spend $1,000 in the first three months, while the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card (carrying a $95 annual fee) offers an opportunity to earn three Free Nights Awards after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first three months. Plus, the card earns 10 points per dollar on up to $2,500 in combined purchases at grocery stores, restaurants and gas stations within the first six months.
The luxury Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card is now offering 75,000 points if you spend $3,000 in the first three months, plus up to $200 statement credits for eligible U.S. restaurant purchases within the first six months.
Finally, the Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card gets you a 75,000-point welcome bonus after you spend $3,000 in the first three months and a $150 statement credit on eligible purchases made within the first three months of card membership.
Read on to see how much these bonuses are worth and which card is the best fit for you.
See related: How to earn Marriott points
Comparing Marriott Bonvoy cards
The Marriott Bonvoy cards share several similarities, including a good earning rate on Marriott Bonvoy hotel purchases. The Bold, Brilliant and Business cards, however, offer bonus points on additional categories, including U.S. restaurants.
| Card |  |  |  Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card |  Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card |
| Rewards rate |
|
|
|
|
| Introductory bonus | 30,000 points when you spend $1,000 in first 3 months |
|
|
|
| Annual fee | $0 | $95 | $450 | $125 |
| Estimated earnings in first year ($15,900 spend) | $382 | $449 (Free Night Awards not factored in) | $637 | $963 |
Although the Brilliant card has the highest annual fee among these cards, it also offers valuable hotel perks and travel credits that can more than make up for the fee. Plus, the 3-point bonus at U.S. restaurants and on flights booked directly with airlines is an ideal perk for cardholders who travel and dine out frequently.
The Boundless card, on the other hand, does not carry a bonus rate on dining or flights. However, it does offer a generous welcome bonus and a much lower annual fee – making it the best option for the first year of card membership and a good choice for those who want to earn Free Night Awards quickly and take advantage of Marriott perks but don’t want to spend $450 on annual fees. Additionally, the three-night offer can be worth up to 150,000 total points – that’s $1,200 in value.
Meanwhile, cardholders who opt for the no-annual-fee Marriott Bonvoy Bold card will earn a smaller introductory bonus than other Marriott cards but won’t have to worry about earning enough rewards to offset the card’s cost.
See related: Are credit card annual fees worth it?
Recent changes to the Marriott Bonvoy cards
The Marriott Bonvoy Bold card is the newest addition to Marriott’s co-branded cards, and it currently offers an introductory bonus of 30,000 points for cardholders who spend $1,000 in the first three months. This is down from the card’s most recent offer of 50,000 points for spending $1,000 in the first three months and matches some of the earlier bonuses.
The new welcome offer on the Marriot Bonvoy Boundless beats the previous one in value. The card had offered 100,000 points after spending $3,000 in the first three months, but now the free nights alone can be valued up to 50,000 points each. That means the three Free Night Awards you’ll earn when you spend $3,000 in the first three months are worth up to 150,000 points in total.
The 10-point-per-dollar boost on grocery stores, restaurants and gas stations (up to $2,500 in combined purchases) within the first six months drives the bonus value even further.
Meanwhile, the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant and Business have decreased their previous generous intro offers of 125,000 points and 100,000 points respectively to 75,000 points for both, significantly lowering these cards’ value in the first year. Both, however, kept statement credits as a part of their welcome offers.
Marriott Bonvoy Bold Credit Card bonus history
| Change date | Introductory bonus |
| Nov. 4, 2021 | 30,000 points if you spend $1,000 in the first 3 months |
| June 17, 2021 | 60,000 points if you spend $2,000 in the first 3 months (Limited time offer ended Nov. 3, 2021) |
| April 22, 2021 | 50,000 points if you spend $1,000 in the first 3 months |
| Oct. 15, 2020 | 30,000 points if you spend $1,000 in the first 3 months |
| July 23, 2020 | 50,000 points if you spend $1,000 in the first 3 months |
| March 5, 2020 | 30,000 points if you spend $1,000 in the first 3 months |
| Jan. 13, 2020 | 50,000 points if you spend $2,000 in the first 3 months |
| Previous | 30,000 points if you spend $1,000 in the first 3 months |
Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card bonus history
| Change date | Introductory bonus |
| Nov. 4, 2021 |
|
| June 17, 2021 |
|
| April 22, 2021 | 100,000 points if you spend $3,000 in the first 3 months |
| Oct. 29, 2020 | 75,000 points if you spend $3,000 in the first 3 months |
| Oct. 15, 2020 | 5 free nights after spending $5,000 in the first 3 months |
| July 23, 2020 | 100,000 points if you spend $3,000 in the first 3 months |
| March 5, 2020 | 75,000 points if you spend $3,000 in the first 3 months |
| Jan. 13, 2020 | 100,000 points if you spend $5,000 in the first 3 months (limited-time offer) |
Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express® Card bonus history
| Change date | Introductory bonus |
| Nov. 4, 2021 |
|
| May 13, 2021 |
|
| March 18, 2021 |
|
| Oct. 15, 2020 |
|
Marriott Bonvoy Business American Express® Card bonus history
| Change date | Introductory bonus |
| Nov. 4, 2021 |
|
| May 13, 2021 |
|
| March 18, 2021 |
|
| Oct. 15, 2020 |
|
Best way to use 75,000 Marriott Bonvoy points
Depending on the Marriott card you choose, the up to 75,000-point introductory bonus can go a long way. In addition to hotel nights and room upgrades, cardholders can redeem points for Cash + Points, travel packages, car rentals, experiences, charity and more.
We value Marriott points at 0.8 cents per point – but this value can vary depending on how you redeem your rewards. For example, each point is worth 0.8 cents when redeemed for standard hotel rooms but worth only 0.4 cents when redeemed for merchandise.
| Redemption options | Average point value | Value of 75,000-point bonus |
| Standard rooms | 0.8 cent | $600 |
| Upgraded rooms | 0.7 cent | $525 |
| Cash + Points | 0.6 cent | $450 |
| Point transfer | Varies by the airline you use | Varies |
| Travel packages | Varies by the airline you use | Varies |
| Instant redemption | 0.2 cent | $150 |
| Cruises | 0.4 cent | $300 |
| Car rentals | 0.4 cent | $300 |
| Marriott Moments | Varies | Varies |
| Merchandise | 0.4 cent | $300 |
| Donation | 0.3 cent | $225 |
To get the most value from your points, we recommend redeeming them for standard hotel rooms. Plus, each time you redeem points for five consecutive nights, you’ll get the lowest-priced night discounted from your stay.
See related: Which hotel programs offer fifth night free awards?
Who is eligible for the bonus?
The Marriott Bonvoy cards’ bonuses are available to individuals who currently do not have or who have not had the card in the past. The number of American Express cards you have opened and closed may also be considered when determining your eligibility.
Additionally, you will not be eligible for the welcome bonuses if you meet any of the following:
Marriott Bonvoy Bold bonus restrictions
| Credit card | Not eligible if you… |
| Marriott Bonvoy Bold™ Credit Card | Currently have or have earned a new cardmember bonus in the last 24 months with any of the following cards:
Currently have or have had any of the following cards in the past 30 days:
Have acquired any of the following cards in the past 90 days:
Have received a bonus or upgrade offer for any of the following in the past 24 months:
|
Marriott Bonvoy Boundless bonus restrictions
| Credit card | Not eligible if you… |
| Marriott Bonvoy Boundless™ Credit Card | Currently have or have earned a new cardmember bonus in the last 24 months with any of the following cards:
Currently have or have had any of the following cards in the past 30 days:
Have acquired any of the following cards in the past 90 days:
Have received a bonus or upgrade offer for any of the following in the past 24 months:
|
Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express bonus restrictions
| Credit card | Not eligible if you… |
| Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant™ American Express® Card | Currently have or have had any of the following cards:
Currently have or have had any of the following cards in the past 30 days:
Have acquired any of the following cards in the past 90 days:
Have received a bonus or upgrade offer for any of the following in the past 24 months:
|
Marriott Bonvoy Business American Express bonus restrictions
| Credit card | Not eligible if you… |
| Marriott Bonvoy Business™ American Express® Card | Currently have or have had any of the following cards:
Currently have or have had any of the following cards in the past 30 days:
Have acquired any of the following cards in the past 90 days:
Have received a bonus or upgrade offer for any of the following in the past 24 months:
|
Should you apply now?
Currently, the intro bonuses on the Bonvoy Brilliant and Business aren’t as attractive when compared to their previous generous offers. However, it may be a good time to apply for the Bold or Boundless as they offer their highest welcome bonuses to date. You should also keep in mind that American Express has a limit of once per lifetime for earning the bonus on a particular card.
If you frequently stay at Marriott hotels and are interested in earning a large influx of rewards, the Marriott Rewards Premier Plus card is a great option. Along with a 75,000-point sign-up bonus, cardholders earn one free night at eligible hotels each year.
Editorial Disclaimer
The editorial content on this page is based solely on the objective assessment of our writers and is not driven by advertising dollars. It has not been provided or commissioned by the credit card issuers. However, we may receive compensation when you click on links to products from our partners.
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