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With summer just around the corner, three Marriott Bonvoy credit cards — the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card, Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card and Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card — are offering lucrative welcome offers with perks such as free nights and up to 100,000 Marriott Bonvoy points to help consumers reduce the cost of future hotel stays. Below, Select breaks down the three updated welcome bonuses, as well as each card’s unique features and how you can use each one to its full potential.
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Marriott’s new credit card welcome bonuses
Hotel co-branded rewards cards provide an easy way for any type of traveler to earn points to use for free stays. Whether you’re a road warrior for work or you only plan to stay somewhere twice a year, the welcome bonuses from these three cards can help save you hundreds, or even thousands, of dollars in hotel costs. And with Marriott Bonvoy’s robust portfolio of more than 7,000 hotels spanning 30 brands across 131 countries, you’ll be hard-pressed to find somewhere without a location to cash in your hotel rewards. Here’s a look at the welcome bonuses and unique benefits of each Marriott Bonvoy credit card: Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card The Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card is now offering the opportunity to earn three free nights after spending $3,000 within the first three months of card membership. Note that the three free nights represent a value of 150,000 Marriott Bonvoy points, with each night being redeemable for a stay of up to 50,000 points per night. Cardholders will also be able to earn the following by spending with the card: Up to 17X points per dollar at participating Marriott Bonvoy properties—that’s 6X points per dollar for using your card, 10X points per dollar for bring a member of Marriott Bonvoy® and 1X points per dollar for your included Silver Elite Status
3X points per dollar on the first $6,000 you spend each year in combined purchases on dining and at grocery stores and gas stations
2X points per dollar on other purchases, travel-related or otherwise Cardmembers will also earn one elite night credit for every $5,000 spent, as well as a free night certificate, worth up to 35,000 points, each year following your account anniversary. You’ll also score automatic Silver Elite status with Marriott Bonvoy and be eligible to receive 15 Elite Night Credits each calendar year. This card is a great fit for someone who travels a few times per year and doesn’t want to pay a hefty annual fee. There is a $95 annual fee, while other benefits include trip delay insurance, baggage delay insurance, lost luggage and trip delay reimbursement, purchase protection, complimentary Visa Concierge service, no foreign transaction fees and access to complimentary premium Wi-Fi at participating Marriott Bonvoy properties. Points also won’t expire if you keep your account active by making purchases every 24 months.
Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card Learn More On Chase’s secure site Rewards Earn 3X Bonvoy points per $1 on the first $6,000 spent in combined purchases each year on grocery stores, gas stations, and dining; 1 Elite Night Credit towards Elite Status for every $5,000 spent; up to 17X total points for every $1 spent at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy®, and 2X points for every $1 spent on all other purchases
Welcome bonus Earn 3 Free Nights (each night valued up to 50,000 points) after qualifying purchases
Annual fee $95
Intro APR None
Regular APR 16.24% to 23.24% variable on purchases and balance transfers
Balance transfer fee Either $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater
Foreign transaction fee None
Credit needed Excellent/Good Terms apply.
Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card The Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card is a step up from the Boundless card in terms of benefits and features. After being approved, you’ll have the opportunity to earn 100,000 Marriott Bonvoy points and one Free Night Award, redeemable up to 85,000 points, after spending $5,000 in eligible purchases within the first three months of account opening. Cardholders will also be able to earn: 6X points per dollar at participating Marriott Bonvoy properties
3X points per dollar on dining, takeout and delivery at U.S. restaurants, as well as in-flight meals booked directly with the airline
2X points per dollar for all other purchases The card is loaded with travel benefits, including the following perks: Automatic Gold Elite status and premium Wi-Fi access
A $300 Marriott Bonvoy statement credit each year of membership
1 Free Night Award each year following your card renewal month, redeemable for a stay of up to 50,000 points
A $100 Marriott Bonvoy property credit to use toward qualifying charges when you book a stay of at least two night at participating St. Regis or Ritz-Carlton properties
15 Elite Night Credits to use toward achieving your next level of elite status
Priority Pass Select membership, allowing access to more than 1,200 lounges in over 130 countries
A statement credit to use for TSA PreCheck or Global Entry enrollment
*Baggage, trip cancellation and interruption insurance; trip delay insurance; rental car loss and damage insurance; and access to the Premium Global Assist Hotline. While this card does have a $450 annual fee (see rates and fees), if you fully take advantage of its many benefits and earn the welcome bonus responsibly, the perks can definitely outweigh the price.
Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant™ American Express® Card Learn More On the American Express secure site Rewards 6X Marriott Bonvoy points for each dollar spent on eligible purchases at hotels participating in the Marriott Bonvoy™ program, 3X points at U.S. restaurants and on flights booked directly with airlines, 2X points on all other eligible purchases
Welcome bonus Earn 100,000 Marriott Bonvoy bonus points and 1 Free Night Award after you use your new card to make $5,000 in purchases within the first 3 months.
Annual Fee $450
Intro APR None
Regular APR 16.49% – 25.49% Variable
Balance transfer fee N/A
Foreign transaction fee None
Credit needed Excellent/Good See rates and fees, terms apply.
Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card While the Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card is the lowest-tier card on our list, it can still be valuable for those who don’t travel as frequently. The card is currently offering a welcome bonus of 30,000 Marriott Bonus points after you spend $1,000 within the first three months of account opening. Cardholders will be able to earn the following: Up to 14X points per dollar at participating Marriott Bonvoy hotels — that’s 3X points for using your card, 10X points for being a member of Marriott Bonvoy and 1X points per dollar for your included Silver Elite Status
2X points per dollar on travel-related purchases
1X point per dollar spent everywhere else This card also gives you 15 Elite Night Credits per year, which will qualify you for Silver Elite Status. It also comes with many of the same travel and protection benefits as the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless card, such as travel insurance, baggage delay insurance, trip delay and lost luggage reimbursement and no foreign transaction fees — all without an annual fee.
Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card Learn More On Chase’s secure site Rewards Earn up to 14X total points for every $1 spent at over 7,000 participating Marriott Bonvoy ® hotels, 2X points on other travel purchases (from airfare to taxis and trains) and 1X point on all other purchases
Welcome bonus Earn 30,000 Bonus Points after you spend $1,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening
Annual fee $0
Intro APR None
Regular APR 16.24% to 23.24% variable on purchases and balance transfers
Balance transfer fee Either $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater
Foreign transaction fee None
Credit needed Excellent/Good Terms apply.
How to maximize Marriott Bonvoy points
As you start to rack up Marriott Bonvoy points, it’s important to keep a few things in mind to ensure you’re getting the biggest bang for your buck. Stretch the value of each Marriott Bonvoy point Do your best to redeem your points for the highest cost per point available. Generally, Marriott Bonvoy points are worth roughly 0.8 cents per point, according to several travel rewards websites, so as you’re searching for hotels, keep the following formula in mind: (The cost of the hotel stay including taxes and fees) / (the number of points) = the cost per point. If you can get this value to 0.8 cents per point or above, it’s considered to be a worthwhile redemption. For example, in May 2022 you can use around 97,000 to 115,000 Marriott points per night to stay at the The Ritz-Carlton Maldives, Fari Islands, a luxurious resort in the Maldives with overwater villas. However, cash prices during this same timeframe are anywhere from $1,700 to $4,000 per night. This would give you well over 1 cent per point in value and would make for a fantastic redemption. Redeem five nights for the price of four Keep in mind that as you redeem your rewards, you can get one night free if you pay for a stay of at least five nights completely with Marriott Bonvoy points. For example, if a stay at your desired Marriott hotel goes for 20,000 points per night, a five-night stay will only end up costing you 80,000 points, giving you a 20% boost in the value of your points. Put those points to use Remember that all points and miles earned through airline, hotel and travel brands are susceptible to devaluation. This happens when the brand itself requires more points for the same booking, which results in your points suddenly becoming less valuable, and often without any notice. To fight back against this, it’s best to try and use your hard-earned points and miles regularly. Whether you’re taking a trip for yourself or booking a hotel room for a friend, it’s not wise to hold onto a large sum of points for a long period of time since their value could drop at any given time.
Bottom line
These three updated Marriott Bonvoy credit card welcome bonuses are among the most valuable available right now. Before you apply, it may be advantageous to check your credit score, as all of the cards mentioned above require at least a good credit score in order for you to be approved. Should you decide to apply, be sure you have a plan that lets you earn the welcome bonus responsibly. It’s never advised to make more purchases on a credit card just to earn a welcome bonus. If you need help earning one, consider talking to friends or family about making some purchases on their behalf and then getting reimbursed. Catch up on Select’s in-depth coverage of personal finance, tech and tools, wellness and more, and follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter to stay up to date.
For rates and fees of the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card, click here. *Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/ benefitsguide for more details. If approved and coordinated by Premium Global Assist Hotline, emergency medical transportation assistance may be provided at no cost. In any other circumstance, Card Members may be responsible for the costs charged by thirdparty service providers. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company. Car Rental Loss or Damage Coverage is offered through American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc.
Editorial Note: Opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the Select editorial staff’s alone, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any third party.