Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Credit Card

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The Marriott Bonvoy program is a safe option for frequent business or leisure travelers who want to enjoy the benefits of a hotel loyalty program. The chain’s more than 7,000 locations in 131 countries are virtually guaranteed to find accommodation wherever you travel. Marriott’s ultra-premium credit card The Marriott Bonvoy Premier American Express Credit Card is designed to provide a useful tool for individuals who travel frequently at Marriott hotels, desire Bonvoy status and want to earn the most points per stay.

The card includes a great welcome bonus: 75,000 Marriott Bonvoy Rewards points after spending $3,000 with the card in the first 3 months.

Many people may initially be reluctant to pay the $450 annual fee on a hotel credit card, but when you use the full value of the $300 on your statement as an eligible Marriott Bonvoy purchase (including hotel room rates), the fee is reasonable. Additionally, the card offers a free night at any bookable hotel with a redemption tier of 50,000 points or lower each account anniversary year following the cardholder’s renewal month.

For guests who choose to book directly through The Ritz-Carlton or St. Regis, receive a $100 credit for every two-night stay or when booking with a special cardholder code, which can be used for services such as room service or spa.

Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express offers many of the extras you’d expect from a premium travel card. The card provides Priority Pass Select Lounge membership upon registration, allowing you and up to two traveling companions access to the lounge. It also offers up to $100 in credit for signing up or renewing Global Entry or TSA PreCheck. Finally, the card comes with a host of additional travel-related insurance benefits common to premium travel credit cards: second rental loss and damage coverage, trip cancellation and trip interruption coverage, and other protections and supports that may come in handy. Run away from home again.

At first glance

Earn 6 Marriott Bonvoy points per dollar spent at participating hotels in the Marriott Bonvoy™ program, 3 points per dollar on U.S.
restaurants and flights booked directly with airlines, and at all other eligible 2 points per dollar spent
15 Elite Night Points awarded annually
Free Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite Status
At hotels participating in the Marriott Bonvoy program, the annual bill can be up to $300.
One free night per year after the renewal month (up to 50,000 Marriott Bonvoy points).
Second Taxi Loss and Damage Insurance
Trip Cancellation and Interruption Insurance
No foreign transaction fee
$450 annual fee.

Remuneration

Earn rewards

This card offers a three-tier rewards structure: 6 Marriott Bonvoy points per dollar spent at participating hotels in the Marriott Bonvoy™ program, and every dollar spent at U.S. restaurants and flights booked directly with airlines 3 points, plus 2 points per dollar on all other eligible purchases.

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There’s also a great welcome bonus: 75,000 Marriott Bonvoy bonus points after you spend $3,000 with the card in the first 3 months.

Please note that applying for another Marriott Bonvoy credit card within the past 24 months, receiving a welcome bonus on another Marriott Bonvoy credit card, or holding that credit card may no longer be eligible for a welcome bonus. Read the offer terms to determine if you qualify for the welcome bonus. American Express may show you a pop-up warning when you apply for Brilliant. At this point, you can exit the application without receiving a credit deduction

Redeem rewards

Marriott Bonvoy points can be redeemed for any available standard room at Marriott. Free Night Redemption points start at just 5,000 points for Category 1 Off-Peak Reward Nights and up to 100,000 points for Category 8 Hotels during Peak Free Nights. .Sometimes, some hotels offer off-peak savings rewards that can be redeemed for even lower than standard cards, but with limited availability.

Marriott also offers a cash + points redemption option for as low as $55 and 1,500 Bonvoy points for a free night. Cash + Points reward rates vary by hotel category and off-peak/standard/peak rates.

Marriott Bonvoy members can redeem points at travel partners such as airlines, cruise lines and car rental companies. In most cases, the airline partner’s connecting rate is 3 Bonvoy points per mile, but there are some exceptions. Check out the full list of Marriott Bonvoy Airlines transfer partners for the latest transfer values.

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Marriott Bonvoy Points can also be redeemed for Marriott Bonvoy Moment events and entertainment packages. These activity packages have different point requirements and can be found at Marriott-owned properties worldwide. Some events also give you VIP access and benefits.

Reward Potential

Using data from various government agencies, Forbes consultants estimated how much households making up 70 percent of income spend in different categories each year. We assume self-employed individuals in this income range. 70% of working families have an annual income of $100,172 and can pay $26,410 by credit card. These numbers are used to estimate the potential returns of the card.

Assuming our sample households spent an average of $683 on a Marriott stay that year, they would have earned 4,098 Marriott Bonvoy points. The average family can also earn more points for annual bookings of $1,755 (5,265 points) and restaurant fees for $4,406 (13,218 points).

The remaining $19,566 that can be reasonably withdrawn from the credit card will generate 39,132 Bonvoy points, for a total annual income of 61,713 Bonvoy points on top of the welcome bonus for the first year.

More card benefits

Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite Status: Cardholders automatically earn Gold Elite status, usually with a 25-night stay. This benefit offers a 25% points bonus per stay, room upgrades (if available), expanded internet access and free 2pm. Late check out. All Marriott Bonvoy Elite members benefit from a special Elite Reservation Hotline and the Ultimate Reservation Guarantee, which provides reimbursement and payment for nearby accommodations if Marriott is unable to honor a reservation for any reason. Gold Elite members will also receive a welcome gift with points ranging from 250 to 500 depending on the item chain.
15 Elite Nightly Points: Earn 15 Elite Nightly Points each calendar year for Marriott Bonvoy Elite status. The 15-night Elite Stay will be credited to your account within 60 days of account opening.
$100 Marriott Bonvoy Hotel Credit: Book direct with Marriott at a discounted rate, stay at least two nights at the Ritz-Carlton or St. Regis, and earn up to $100 in qualifying expense credits.
Marriott Bonvoy Platinum Elite Status Upgrade: Spend $75,000 in any calendar year to enroll in Marriott Bonvoy Platinum Elite status.
Access to Priority Pass Select Lounges: Once you sign up, you’ll have access to over 1,200 lounges in over 130 countries, no matter which airline or class you’re flying on.
Global Entry or TSA PreCheck Application Fee Refund: You will receive $100 in Global Entry points or $85 in TSA PreCheck points. TSA PreCheck can speed up security checks, and Global Entry can reduce US Customs wait times at select airports. If you have a global entry permit, you can also access TSA PreCheck. Only one credit will be awarded within four years of Global Entry or 4.5 years of TSA PreCheck, whichever application fee is charged to your card first.
Hotel Premium Internet Access: Enjoy enhanced Internet access at participating Marriott Bonvoy properties.
Rental Loss and Damage Insurance: If you book with your card at the rental car company counter and pay the entire rental fee and decline the collision damage waiver, you can get secondary coverage for damage or theft of the rental vehicle within the insurance area.
Travel Protection and Insurance: Trip Cancellation and Interruption Insurance can help you recover non-refundable purchases made with the same Eligible Card, up to $10,000 per trip, and up to $20,000 per Eligible Card for 12 consecutive months. You can also insure lost, damaged or stolen luggage when you purchase the full price of a shared ticket (such as a plane, train, ship or bus). Checked baggage is covered up to $2,000, and checked and carry-on bags are covered up to $3,000.
Buyer Protection: Provides protection if newly purchased items are stolen, accidentally damaged, or lost within 90 days of purchase.
Extended Warranty: For qualifying purchases, the original manufacturer’s warranty is 5 years or less, and can be extended by up to one year. Coverage is up to the actual amount of the item charged to your card, up to a maximum of $10,000; up to $50,000 per cardholder account per calendar year.
Return Protection: Up to $300 per item can be refunded if a US retailer fails to return an eligible item within 90 days of purchase. The maximum coverage per card account is $1,000 per calendar year.
Free ShopRunner Membership: Offers free two-day shipping at a range of online retailers.
Global Assist® Hotline: Helps you prepare for travel with customs information and more. Provides coordination and assistance services such as lost passport replacement, translation services, lost luggage assistance, and emergency legal and medical referrals when traveling more than 100 miles from home. Cardmembers are responsible for fees charged by third-party providers.

Beautifully printed

Interest expense

Regular APR: 15.99% – 24.99% variable
Purchase introductory APR: Not applicable
Introduction to Balance Transfer APR: N/A

Cost

Annual fee: $450
Balance transfer fee: Not applicable
Cash Advances: $10 or 5% of the amount of each cash advance, whichever is greater.
Foreign purchase transaction fee: none

How the cards are stacked

Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant™ American Express® Card compared to American Express’ Platinum Card®

The $695 per year American Express Platinum Card (conditions apply. See rates and fees) has a higher annual fee than the Marriott Bonvoy Premier American Express Card, but in return, you can earn flexible membership bonus points. These points can be used to stay at any hotel brand (or any flight, cruise or rental car).

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The card also provides broader lounge access, including the exclusive Centurion Lounge and Delta Sky Club. The American Express Platinum Card also includes complimentary Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite and Hilton Honors Gold Elite upon registration.

The American Express Platinum Card earns 5 bonus points per dollar on flights booked directly through the airline or through American Express Travel, up to a maximum of $500,000 per calendar year, and per dollar on prepaid hotels booked through American Express Travel 5 points, 1 point per dollar on other airlines on eligible purchases.

Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant™ American Express Card and American Express Hilton Honors Aspire Card*

If your goal is to achieve elite hotel status and have no brand preference, the Hilton Honors Aspire American Express Card will propel you to the top with its highest-tier diamonds. At this tier, you earn 100% bonus points on every Hilton hotel purchase, room upgrades and other benefits.

There’s a great welcome bonus: 150,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points after you spend $4,000 in card purchases within the first 3 months of membership.

The Hilton Honors Aspire American Express Card also includes $250 in Hilton Resorts Points, a free weekend night on the card’s anniversary, and $250 in annual airline credits on the partner airline of your choice to help cover applicable fees. Priority Pass Select membership and travel protection and insurance are also included in the benefits.

Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant™ American Express® Card and Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

Unless you’re a road warrior or globetrotter, it probably doesn’t make sense to spend a fortune on a premium travel rewards card. With the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card, you can still get some perks and extras without paying exorbitant prices.

Annual fee of $95, earns 5 points per dollar on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards®, 3 points per dollar on dining, 2 points per dollar on all other travel purchases, and 1 point per dollar on all other purchases. Rewards are flexible and can be redeemed for Chase Travel for a 25% points bonus, cash back, or transferred 1:1 to a hotel or airline transfer partner.

The Chase Sapphire Preferred also comes with travel protection and insurance, including major auto damage collision coverage and trip cancellation and interruption service, as well as welcome bonuses that rival more expensive cards. New cardholders have the opportunity to earn 80,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 within the first 3 months of account opening.

Is this card right for you?

This card is for Marriott Bonvoy Super Loyalists who stay with Marriott Bonvoy multiple times a year and want premium benefits and extras. If you prefer J.W. Marriott, Ritz-Carlton, or St. Regis trying to choose between this card or the Marriott Bonvoy Unbounded Card, know that stays of 25 nights or more per year are already eligible for Marriott’s Gold Elite spending .

The Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant Card, which gives you free nights, night credits and quick access to higher elite tier benefits, can be worth more than the annual fee if you take full advantage of all the benefits. If you’re not loyal to any particular brand, you’re better off with a card that deserves more flexible rewards that allow you to stay wherever you want.