The Best Marriott Bonvoy Credit Cards: Comparing Benefits & Perks [2023]

When it comes to earning rewards, free nights, travel benefits, and perks that make your hotel stay more comfortable, nothing beats a hotel-branded credit card.

And if you’re a fan of Marriott’s Bonvoy program, you’ll have several cards from which to select, all of which deliver generous levels of Marriott-centric benefits.

While both Chase and American Express issue Marriott Bonvoy-branded credit cards, there are several consistent earning and benefit offerings.

All Marriott Bonvoy-branded credit cards that charge an annual fee offer accelerated earnings at Marriott properties, complimentary elite status, annual free hotel night certificates, and plenty of flexible redemption options for your points.

However, one of the Marriott Bonvoy-branded cards may be a better fit for you than the others. Let’s take a look at what each of these cards has to offer by comparing earning power, benefits, and overall value.

There are 6 Marriott Bonvoy-branded cards from which to select. Each offers its own package of earning rates, redemption options, and stay benefits — let’s take a look at the highlights.

Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant^® American Express^® Card

If you’re looking for a premium Marriott Bonvoy-branded card with equally premium benefits, the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant card checks those boxes. The card comes with statement credits for Marriott purchases, worldwide airport lounge access, a valuable Free Night Award, Marriott Bonvoy elite status, and much more.

Let’s look at what you can expect from this card designed specifically for the traveler who stays frequently at Marriott properties.

Why We Like This Card

• 6x points per dollar spent at participating Marriott Bonvoy hotels
• Annual 85,000-point Free Night Award
• Automatic Marriott Bonvoy Platinum Elite status
• 25 Elite Night Credits each year towards Marriott Bonvoy elite status
• $100 property credit at Ritz-Carlton or St. Regis properties
• $25 monthly dining credit
• Free premium Wi-Fi

Additional Card Benefits

• 3x points at restaurants worldwide, takeout/delivery in the U.S., and on flights purchased directly with the airline
• 2x points on all other purchases
• Priority Pass lounge membership upon enrollment
• Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application/renewal fee statement credit
• No foreign transaction fees (rates and fees)

Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express^® Card

The new American Express-issued Marriott Bonvoy Bevy card slots in between some of the lower-end options and the premium (and very expensive) Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant card. It provides an easy way to get elite status in the Marriott Bonvoy program, given that cardholders receive complimentary Gold Elite status as a perk of the card.

Why We Like This Card

• 6x points per dollar spent at participating Marriott Bonvoy hotels
• Automatic Gold Elite status
• 15 Elite Night Credits each year
• 1 Free Night Award (up to 50,000 points) when you spend $15,000 on the card in a year

Additional Card Benefits

• 4x points on dining and at U.S. grocery stores
• 2x points on all other purchases
• 1,000 bonus points per paid stay
• No foreign transaction fees (rates and fees)

Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful™ Credit Card

The also-new Marriott Bountiful card offers essentially the same suite of perks as the Marriott Bonvoy Bevy card, but it is issued by Chase. Like its Amex-issued counterpart, it also offers cardholders complimentary Gold Elite status in the Marriott Bonvoy program.

Why We Like This Card

• Up to 18.5x points per dollar spent at participating Marriott Bonvoy hotels
• Automatic Gold Elite status
• 15 Elite Night Credits each year
• 1 Free Night Award (up to 50,000 points) when you spend $15,000 on the card in a year

Additional Card Benefits

• 4x points on dining and at U.S. supermarkets (on up to a combined $15,000 in purchases)
• 2x points on all other purchases
• 1,000 bonus points per paid Marriott stay
• No foreign transaction fees

Marriott Bonvoy Boundless^® Credit Card

With complimentary Marriott Bonvoy Silver Elite status, accelerated earnings, and an annual Free Night Award, the Marriott Boundless card can be a staple for the Marriott Bonvoy traveler.

The card has a lower annual fee and offers good value, even if you stay at a Marriott just a few times per year.

Why We Like This Card

• Up to 17x points per dollar spent at participating Marriott Bonvoy hotels
• Annual 35,000-point Free Night Award
• Automatic Marriott Bonvoy Silver Elite status
• Spend $35,000 on the card in a calendar year to receive Gold Elite status
• 15 Elite Night Credits towards elite status each year, plus earn 1 Elite Night Credit towards Elite Status for every $5,000 you spend on the card

Additional Card Benefits

• 3x points on the first $6,000 spent in combined purchases each year on grocery stores, gas stations, and dining
• 2x points for all other purchases
• No foreign transaction fees

Marriott Bonvoy Bold^® Credit Card

If you’re looking for a Marriott Bonvoy-branded card that offers elevated earnings at Marriott properties but you’d rather avoid paying an annual fee, the Marriott Bold card could be a match.

Why We Like This Card

• Up to 14x points per dollar spent at participating Marriott Bonvoy hotels
• 15 Elite Night Credits per year, enough for Marriott Bonvoy Silver Elite status

Additional Card Benefits

• No annual fee
• 2x points on travel
• 1x point on all other purchases
• No foreign transaction fees

Marriott Bonvoy Business^® American Express^® Card

If you have a business, regardless of size, the Marriott Bonvoy Business card might be just the ticket for earning free hotel nights to offset business expenses or for a personal vacation. Having the card is also a way to enjoy Gold Elite status with Marriott Bonvoy during all your travels.

Why We Like This Card

• 6x points per dollar spent at participating Marriott Bonvoy hotels
• Complimentary Gold Elite status
• Annual 35,000-point Free Night Award
• Additional free night after spending $60,000 on the card
• 15 Elite Night Credits each year

Additional Card Benefits

• 4x points at restaurants worldwide, U.S. gas stations, on wireless telephone services purchased directly from U.S. service providers, and on U.S. purchases for shipping
• 2x points on all other purchases
• No foreign transaction fees (rates and fees)

Hot Tip: You’ll be able to triple dip on points earned when using your Marriott-branded card to pay for your stay. Earn up to 6x points for each dollar spent on your card, 10x points per dollar spent on the property during your Marriott stay, plus up to 75% bonus points for having Marriott Bonvoy elite status. 

Earning Power Comparison

Marriott Bonvoy-branded cards offer accelerated earnings when used for purchases at the affiliated hotel properties. Here’s a breakdown of the additional earning potential for each card.

Finding a balance between earnings that match your spending profile and paying an annual fee with which you’re comfortable could be a primary decision when selecting a Marriott Bonvoy-branded personal card.

If you have a small business and Marriott Bonvoy is your hotel brand of choice, it may be prudent to consider the additional earnings on the Marriott Bonvoy Business card.

Bottom Line: For bonus earnings on everyday purchases (up to $6,000 in purchases each year), the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless card may be a good choice. If you’re a business owner, the Marriott Bonvoy Business card with a collection of 4x earning categories for typical business purchases offers the greatest additional earning potential. And, for the frequent traveler who values lounge access, a generous statement credit for Marriott purchases, and Platinum Elite status, the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant card could be the right match. 

A Faster Path to Elite Status

While most Marriott Bonvoy-branded cards come with complimentary elite status, all Marriott Bonvoy-branded cards come with 15 Elite Night Credits towards elite status each calendar year.

These 15 nights are enough to automatically earn you Marriott Bonvoy Silver Elite status and can get you well on your way to the next levels of status.

Here is a list of the annual qualifications for achieving each level of Marriott Bonvoy elite status:

The following Marriott Bonvoy credit cards come with complimentary elite status. Select cards also offer an option to spend your way to higher elite status.

Silver Elite status comes with:

• Member-only hotel rates
• Fifth consecutive reward night free
• 2 p.m. late checkout
• Free internet
• Earn 10% bonus points on qualifying hotel purchases
• Welcome bonus points

Gold Elite status receives all Silver Elite benefits plus room upgrades, 25% bonus points on qualifying purchases, and a 4 p.m. late checkout.

Once you reach Platinum Elite status, you’ll receive all of the above and additional perks like complimentary executive lounge access, free breakfast, room upgrades including suites (when available), 75% bonus points, and an annual Choice Benefit.

Titanium Elite status grants you all of the above and additional perks like 75% bonus points and a Choice Benefit selection of a Free Night Award, suite upgrades, and more.

Hot Tip: If you hold both a Marriott-branded personal card and a Marriott-branded business card, you’ll receive a total of 30 Elite Night Credits that count toward elite status. This benefit translates into only needing 20 additional nights stayed at Marriott properties in a calendar year to achieve Platinum Elite status.

Annual Free Night Award

One of the most valuable benefits of Marriott Bonvoy-branded credit cards is the annual Free Night Award. It is granted after you pay your annual fee each year, and once added to your Marriott Bonvoy account, it can be used throughout the world at any one of Marriott’s 7,000+ properties.

The Free Night Award normally expires 1 year from the issue date and is good for a free hotel night up to a specified point limit in value. One exciting new feature introduced by Marriott Bonvoy is the ability to add up to 15,000 Marriott Bonvoy points to your certificate to cover the cost of a higher-priced room.

The following Marriott Bonvoy cards offer Free Night Award:

Bottom Line: The annual Free Night Award can offer tremendous value and alone can be worth the annual fee on the Marriott Bonvoy-branded card. 

Travel Benefits and Protections

In addition to benefits such as elite status, lounge access, statement credits, and earning rewards, you’ll find Marriott Bonvoy-branded cards offer additional travel benefits and protections.

The car rental collision and damage insurance waiver can save you plenty when you rent a vehicle. Pay for the entire rental with your card, decline the rental agency’s CDW/LDW insurance, and have coverage if the rental car is damaged or stolen.

Chase’s coverage is superior because it is primary coverage outside the U.S., not secondary. This means that you do not first have to file a claim with your own insurance company before coverage kicks in, as you would with secondary coverage. However, you will have the option with Amex to purchase Premium Protection for 1 low price that covers the entire rental period. Prices range from $12.95 to $24.95.

The actual limits, terms, and conditions of these additional benefits are expressly spelled out in the benefits guide that comes with each card.

Shopping Benefits and Protections

For full shopping benefits and protections, be sure to access the Guide to Benefits for the specific card.

Bottom Line: While you wouldn’t select a credit card based on shopping protections and benefits alone, it’s good to know which coverages are offered on which cards to utilize these benefits, should the situation arise. 

What Can You Do With Marriott Bonvoy Points?

Marriott Bonvoy-branded credit cards allow you to accelerate rewards earning. With generous welcome bonuses, elevated earnings at the Marriott family of properties, and every purchase you make earning points, rewards add up fast.

Fortunately, the Marriott Bonvoy loyalty program offers several options for redeeming your points for hotel nights, transferring your points to airline partners, and more.

Let’s take a look at what you can do with your Marriott Bonvoy points.

Free and Discounted Hotel Nights

There are several ways to redeem your points for free hotel nights:

• PointSavers — Discounted award stays, based on availability
• Free Hotel Nights — Reward redemptions based on dynamic pricing
• Cash and Points — Use a combination of cash and award points
• Fifth Night Free — Book 5 consecutive award nights and pay for 4
• Points Advance — If you don’t have enough points to book your stay you can “borrow” from Marriott Bonvoy and pay them back up within 60 days of booking
• Top Off Your Free Night Award — If you have a Free Night Award, you can add up to 15,000 points to secure a more expensive or higher category room

Whether you’re looking for a luxury experience, a single night at an airport hotel, or a convenient venue to conduct business, you’ll be able to use your rewards points to book a room.

Transfer to Travel Partners

When it comes to redeeming points, it’s best to have options. In addition to using them for free hotel nights, Marriott Bonvoy points can be transferred to airline partners and subsequently used to purchase award tickets.

It’s easy to turn Marriott Bonvoy points into miles — there are dozens of airline partners to choose from. Points generally transfer at the ratio of 3 Marriott Bonvoy points to 1 airline mile. Plus for every 60,000 points you transfer to most partners, you’ll receive a 5,000-mile bonus (the exceptions are American Airlines, Avianca Airlines, and Delta Air Lines).

• For example: transfer 60,000 miles to partner Alaska Airlines and receive 25,000 miles (60,000 points = 20,000 miles + 5,000-mile bonus)

Other Redemption Options

Here are some additional ways to redeem your Marriott Bonvoy points:

• TSA PreCheck — 25,000 points for a $78 certificate
• Gift Cards — A common redemption value would be 5,000 points for a $10 retail gift card or 10,000 points for a $25 gift card
• Merchandise — Redeem your Marriott Bonvoy points for retail merchandise (generally not a good value)
• Marriott Bonvoy Moments such as concerts, festivals, sporting events
• Flights and Rental Cars (generally not a good value)
• Donate your points to charity

Some redemption options provide far less value than others. Generally, the best redemption options for your points are hotel stays, and transferring Marriott Bonvoy points to airline partners.

Final Thoughts

There is value to be found in this group of Marriott Bonvoy-branded credit cards for the traveler who is loyal to Marriott.

While you’ll have to pay an annual fee with most of these cards, you’ll find plenty of perks and benefits that can help offset that cost, including things like statement credits, lounge access, complimentary Marriott Bonvoy elite status, generous welcome bonuses, and Free Night Award that can deliver enough value on their own to make the fee more than worth it.

And remember, you could qualify for more than 1 Marriott Bonvoy-branded credit card — a personal card and a business card.

If you frequent Marriott properties, you’ll want to be a cardholder to earn free nights, enjoy the benefits of elite status, and take advantage of all the other perks that come with Marriott Bonvoy-branded credit cards.

For the car rental collision damage coverage benefit of the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant card, Marriott Bonvoy Bevy card, and Marriott Bonvoy Business card, eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company. Car rental loss or damage coverage is offered through American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc. For the trip cancellation and interruption insurance and trip delay insurance benefits of the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant card, Marriott Bonvoy Bevy card, and Marriott Bonvoy Business card, eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company. For the baggage insurance plan benefit of the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant card, Marriott Bonvoy Bevy card, and Marriott Bonvoy Business card, eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company. For the extended warranty and purchase protection benefits of the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant card, Marriott Bonvoy Bevy card, and Marriott Bonvoy Business card, eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company. For the return protection benefit of the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant card, Marriott Bonvoy Bevy card, and Marriott Bonvoy Business card, eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details.

The information regarding the Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful™ Credit Card was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer.
The information regarding the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless^® Credit Card was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer.
The information regarding the Marriott Bonvoy Bold^® Credit Card was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer.
The information regarding The Ritz-Carlton™ Credit Card was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer.

For rates and fees of the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant^® American Express^® card, click here.
For rates and fees of the Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express^® Card, click here.
For rates and fees of the Marriott Bonvoy Business^® American Express^® Card, click here.