All content was accurate at the time of publication. Check issuer’s site for most up to date information.
Katiestraveltricks.com site has partnered with CardRatings for our coverage of credit card products. Katiestraveltricks.com and CardRatings may receive a commission from card issuers. This compensation may impact how and where links appear on this site. This site does not include all financial companies or all available financial offers. Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Enrollment may be required for select American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more. For Capital One products listed on this page, some of the above benefits are provided by Visa® or Mastercard® and may vary by product. See the respective Guide to Benefits for details, as terms and exclusions apply.
Marriott Bonvoy Credit Card Guide
Marriott is one of the largest hotel brands out there. In fact, they have more locations than any other brand! With hotels in over 140 countries, you can probably find a Marriott to stay in no matter where you want to go.
If you’re looking to save money on a hotel stay with Marriott, signing up for a Marriott Bonvoy credit card is one of the best ways to do it. That’s because holding a Marriott co-branded credit card is the easiest way to earn a lot of Marriott points or free night certificates quickly.
With six total cards to choose from that earn Marriott Bonvoy points, it can be hard to pick one! Here’s a breakdown of all the Marriott cards to help you choose.
What’s most important to note is that the application rules for the Marriott cards are the most complicated and confusing of any hotel card family! You can’t simply just get all of these cards over time.
Key Differences
- Which bank issues the card
- Annual fees
- Free night awards
- Automatic status
- Additional benefits
- Point multipliers
- Welcome offers
Banks
Both Chase and American Express offer Marriott Bonvoy credit cards.
Annual Fees
The annual fees on the Marriott cards range from $0 all the way up to $650.
Free Night Awards
Some of the cards come with a free night award every year and some don’t. Some of the cards require you to spend a certain amount before earning a free night award and with other cards, you get the award automatically on your card member anniversary.
Another major difference is in how many points your free night award is worth. Your card may earn a free night award for a hotel night worth up to 35,000, 50,000, or even 85,000 points per night.
Automatic Status
All of the cards give you some level of elite status with Marriott. The higher annual fee cards give a higher status. Holding status can be useful to take advantage of benefits like free room upgrades, late check out, free breakfast, etc.
Additional Benefits
The benefits offered on each individual card vary. You can generally expect to get more benefits from a card with a higher annual fee, but take a look at the benefits before signing up for a card to see if you’ll be able to utilize them.
Paying a higher annual fee can make sense if you’re getting a lot of value out of the card. It doesn’t make as much sense to pay a high annual fee for benefits you won’t use.
Similarities
- Extended warranty and purchase protection (though policies vary depending on the issuer)
- None of the cards charge foreign transaction fees.
- All of the cards give you 15 elite night credits each year to help you earn the next level of status faster.
- All of the cards offer some travel protections. The exact benefits you get depend on the bank issuing the card.
All of the Chase cards include: Reimbursement for lost luggage, reimbursement for trip delays, and delayed baggage insurance.
All of the American Express cards include: Car rental loss and damage insurance, baggage insurance, and trip delay reimbursement. Terms apply.
Personal Credit Cards
Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card from Chase
Annual Fee: $0
Key Benefits:
- Earn up to 14X total points per $1 spent at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy®
- Earn 2x points for every $1 spent at grocery stores, select food delivery, rideshare, select streaming and internet, cable and phone service purchases
- Automatic Silver Elite Status
- After holding this card for 1 year, you can upgrade to the Ritz Carlton card, which is a good option for families to get airport lounge access.
The information related to the Chase Ritz-Carlton® Card was collected by Katie’s Travel Tricks and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer of this product/card. Product details may vary. Please see the issuer website for current information. Katie’s Travel Tricks does not receive commission for this product.
This is a nice starter card for Marriott. When you spend with your card at Marriott, you get up to 14 points for every dollar spent. 3x points just for using the card, up to 10x points for being a Marriott Bonvoy member, and up to 1x points for holding Silver Elite status (which you get automatically when you hold the card.)
non affiliate link
Current offer:
30,000 points
Earn 30,000 Bonus Points after spending $1,000 on eligible purchases within the first 3 months from account opening
(Reader Referral) The information related to the Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Card was collected by Katie’s Travel Tricks and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer of this product/card. Product details may vary. Please see the issuer website for current information. Katie’s Travel Tricks does not receive commission for this product.
Annual Fee:
$0
Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card from Chase
The information related to the Marriott Bonvoy Boundess® Credit Card was collected by Katie’s Travel Tricks and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer of this product/card. Product details may vary. Please see the issuer website for current information. Katie’s Travel Tricks does not receive commission for this product.
Annual Fee: $95
Key Benefits:
- 1 Free Night Award annually after your card account anniversary (up to 35,000 points)
- Earn up to 17X total points per $1 spent at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy®
- Automatic Silver Elite status
- After holding this card for 1 year, you can upgrade to the Ritz Carlton card, which is a good option for families to get airport lounge access.
If you like Marriott, this is a solid card to get and then hold on to — we find that the annual free night is easy to redeem at hotels that cost $250+ per night. That’s a half price hotel!
The welcome offer on this card fluctuates from 75,000 bonus points and up. Sometimes the offer is 3 or 5 free night awards for a room up to 50,000 points per night. Note that personal referral offers often don’t match the best available offer.
community referral
Current Offer:
Earn 3 free nights (up to 50k)
Earn 3 Free Nights valued up to 150,000 points (up to 50,000 per night) after spending $3,000 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening with the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Card.
The information related to the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card was collected by Katie’s Travel Tricks and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer of this product/card. Product details may vary. Please see the issuer website for current information. Katie’s Travel Tricks does not receive commission for this product.
Annual Fee:
$95
(Terms Apply)
Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful® Credit Card from Chase
The information related to the Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful® Credit Card was collected by Katie’s Travel Tricks and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer of this product/card. Product details may vary. Please see the issuer website for current information. Katie’s Travel Tricks does not receive commission for this product.
Annual Fee: $250
Key Benefits:
- Earn a free night award (up to 50,000 points) after spending $15,000 on the card in a calendar year
- Up to 18.5X total points per $1 spent at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy®
- Automatic Gold Elite status
The annual fee on this card is high, especially compared with the benefits you get. For most people, the Boundless is going to be a better value. This card doesn’t come with a free night certificate automatically, but you can earn one after spending $15,000 on the card in a calendar year. Gold Elite status is a nice perk if you stay at Marriott regularly.
Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express® Card
Annual Fee: $250
Key Benefits:
- Earn a free night award (up to 50,000 points) after spending $15,000 on the card in a calendar year
- Earn up to 18.5X total points per $1 spent at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy®
- Earn 4x points at restaurants including takeout and delivery
- Automatic Gold Elite status
Like with the Bountiful card, you have to spend $15,000 on the card in a calendar year to earn a free night certificate. 4x points on dining is a nice perk if you eat out a lot. Even still, the benefits on this card probably won’t justify the hefty annual fee for most people.
It’s important to note that if you have or have opened a Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card, you wont’ be eligible for this welcome offer due to Amex “family” restrictions.
Welcomeoffer:
155,000 Marriott Bonvoy® points
Earn 155,000 bonus Marriott Bonvoy points after you use your new Card to make $5,000 in purchases within the first 6 months. Offer ends 05/14/2025.
All information about this card has been collected independently by Katie’s Travel Tricks. This card is no longer available through Katie’s Travel Tricks.
Annual Fee:
$250
The Ritz-Carlton™ Credit Card
The information related to the Chase Ritz-Carlton® Card was collected by Katie’s Travel Tricks and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer of this product/card. Product details may vary. Please see the issuer website for current information. Katie’s Travel Tricks does not receive commission for this product.
This card is not available for new sign ups but is available as an upgrade option if you open either of the Chase personal Marriott cards and hold it for a full year. Read more about the perks of the The Ritz Carlton Credit™Card here.
Annual Fee: $450
Key Benefits:
- A Free Night award worth up to 85,000 points each year on cardmember anniversary (instead of the 35,000 per night certificate that comes with the Boundless card)
- $300 annual travel credit to use for airline incidentals like baggage fees, seat upgrades, airport lounge memberships, and more.
- Priority Pass membership for yourself and all authorized users of the card – including all lounges and experiences (restaurants are excluded). Guests are unlimited (though may be limited by the lounge itself) and authorized users are free to add.
- Access to the Chase Sapphire Lounges for yourself and unlimited guests (same for authorized users) — this is a very valuable perk if you live or travel to JFK, LGA, BOS, PHX, or SAN which all have Chase Sapphire Lounges.
In addition — if you upgrade to the Ritz card and wait 24 months since you earned the Boundless bonus, you’ll be able to apply for the American Express Marriott cards — or for this card again.
Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card
Annual Fee: $650
Key Benefits:
- Up to $300 each year (up to $25 statement credit per month) for eligible purchases at restaurants.
- Credit for Global Entry or TSA Precheck
- Earn a free night award (up to 85,000 points) every year after your card renewal month
- Automatic Platinum Elite status
- Priority Pass membership for lounge access
This card has a high annual fee, but it also comes with more perks than any of the other Marriott cards. The $300 restaurant credit is easy to use if you dine out regularly. If you’re able to use the full credit, it effectively brings the annual fee down to $350.
The free night certificate that comes with this card is good for a room that costs up to 85,000 points per night. You can easily use that to cover a room that costs between $500-$800 per night if paying cash.
Platinum Elite status is the mid-level membership tier that includes 4 p.m. checkout and guaranteed lounge access/complimentary breakfast at any of the participating hotel brands, based on availability.
welcome offer:
185,000 Marriott Bonvoy® Bonus points
Earn 185,000 Marriott Bonvoy® bonus points after you use your new Card to make $6,000 in purchases within the first 6 months of Card Membership. Ends 5/14/2025
All information about this card has been collected independently by Katie’s Travel Tricks. This card is no longer available through Katie’s Travel Tricks.
Business Credit Cards
Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card
Annual Fee: $125
Key Benefits:
- Earn a free night award (up to 35,000 points) every year after your card renewal month
- 4x points on 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
- Automatic Gold Elite status
- 7% discount on eligible bookings made directly with Marriott at participating properties
Since this card is a business card, it won’t show up on your credit report as an account and therefore won’t add to your 5/24 count. This can be a huge asset if you have a specific strategy you’re working on like opening cards for a Southwest Companion Pass or focusing on earning Chase Ultimate Rewards® and don’t want to lose a 5/24 slot.
Sometimes, if you’re already an American Express customer, you won’t even see a hard pull on your credit report if you apply for an American Express business card.
welcome offer:
Earn 3 Free Night Awards
after you use your new Card to make $6,000 in eligible purchases within the first 6 months of Card Membership.† Each Free Night Award has a redemption level up to 50,000 Marriott Bonvoy® points, for a total potential value of up to 150,000 points, at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy®
(Personal Referral) All information about this card has been collected independently by Katie’s Travel Tricks. This card is no longer available through Katie’s Travel Tricks.
Table Comparing Marriott Bonvoy Credit Cards
| Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card from Chase | Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card from Chase | Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful® Credit Card from Chase | Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express® Card | Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card | Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card |
The Ritz-Carlton™ Credit Card |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annual Fee | $0 | $95 | $250 | $250 | $650 | $125 | $450 |
| Free night award | None | Worth up to 35,000 points after card account anniversary each year | Worth up to 50,000 points after spending $15,000 on the card in a calendar year | Worth up to 50,000 points after spending $15,000 on the card in a calendar year | Worth up to 85,000 points every year after your card renewal month | Worth up to 35,000 points every year after your card renewal month | Worth up to 85,000 points every year after your card renewal |
| Automatic Status Level | Silver Elite | Silver Elite | Gold Elite | Gold Elite | Platinum Elite | Gold Elite | Gold Elite |
| Earning Rates |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Additional Benefits |
|
|
|
Marriott Card Eligibility
Marriott cards have some of the most complicated eligibility requirements of any cards. That’s because they are issued by both Chase and American Express.
For a quick history lesson — Chase used to issue all the Marriott credit cards and American Express used to issue all the Starwood Preferred Guest credit cards. In 2016, Marriott and SPG merged and the banks had to come up with some agreement about who issued these different cards. New card products were introduced and eligibility requirements were made more complicated.
For a complete guide on eligibility with a chart, check out this post here by Frequent Miler.
Every single Marriott card has different eligibility rules that take into consideration the other Marriott cards you may have or may have had in the past. You’ll want to read the offer terms closely before applying to any of them.
Amex Pop Up and Chase 5/24 Eligibility
Beyond these card eligibility terms, you may not be eligible for one or other cards due to either the Amex Pop Up or Chase 5/24 rule.
Amex Pop-Up
If American Express decides it doesn’t want to give you a bonus, it will give you a pop up window before you submit your application that states this.
You may see this pop-up because you’ve gotten a bonus on this card in the past 7 years, or for any other number of reasons. The pop-up is not related to the additional guidelines pertaining to Chase cards — those you have to check on your own.
The Chase 5/24 rule
I have a full guide on the Chase 5/24 rule that you can read here. Essentially it means that if you have five or more new cards reporting to your credit report from any issuer in the past 24 months, you will very likely be denied for a new credit card from Chase.
Learn More
This guide should give you a solid foundation for choosing the best Marriott credit card for your needs. Remember to always compare your options and consider your individual travel style. If you want to compare the Marriott membership tiers, you can do that here. I hope this information helps you make the most of your Marriott rewards!
Want to learn more about maximizing your travel rewards? Sign of for my free course.
Table of Contents
Related Posts
Responses are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser. Responses have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by the bank advertiser. It is not the bank advertiser’s responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered.
