Is the Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful annual fee worth it?
Editor's note: This is a recurring post, regularly updated with new information and offers.
In 2022, Marriott Bonvoy revamped its credit cards lineup and introduced a card with an annual fee we'd never seen.
Broadly speaking, most hotel credit cards can be considered "basic" (carrying annual fees under $100) or "luxury" (carrying annual fees of $400 or more). However, the Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful™ Credit Card from Chase has an annual fee of $250, sitting right in the middle.
At first glance, you might assume that it has $150 worth of additional features when compared to more basic cards, but is this really the case?
Let's take a closer look at what you get for the $250 annual fee on the Bountiful so you can decide whether the annual fee is worth it.
The information for the Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Welcome bonus
New applicants can earn 85,000 bonus points after making at least $4,000 in purchases on their new card in the first three months from account opening. These bonus points are worth roughly $723, according to TPG's June 2024 valuations.
Note that Marriott uses dynamic pricing for its award nights, making it more challenging to know how many points you'll need to book your trip.
Additionally, if you've had Marriott Bonvoy credit cards from Chase or American Express in the past, there are restrictions that will limit your ability to receive a sign-up bonus. Before applying, check out our chart to help you understand which card(s) you may be eligible for.
Related: How to redeem points with the Marriott Bonvoy program
Elite status and related perks
Bountiful cardholders receive complimentary Gold Elite status with Marriott Bonvoy each year that they have the card. At this level, you'll receive benefits like upgrades to preferred rooms (but not suites), a welcome gift of bonus points at check-in and late checkout. Gold Elite status is a valuable mid-tier hotel status that can help you justify the card's annual fee each year if you're able to get value from your status.
Cardholders also receive 15 elite night credits deposited into their Marriott Bonvoy account each year. Elite night credits are what you need to attain higher levels of status with Marriott, and you can stack them if you also hold a Marriott Bonvoy business credit card.
For example, if you hold the Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card, this card will give you another 15 elite night credits, allowing you to start the year with a total of 30 elite night credits automatically.
To qualify for Platinum Elite status — where you'll find benefits like suite upgrades and free breakfast — you need 50 nights per year with Marriott Bonvoy. Having the Bountiful and the Amex Bonvoy Business simultaneously would put you more than halfway there, thanks to having 30 nights in your account to start with each year.
However, unlike many hotel credit cards, there's no path to achieving higher levels of elite status by spending lots of money on your Bountiful each year. You can't spend your way to Platinum Elite status, no matter how much money you spend on this card. You can earn a free night award by spending a high amount on the card; after spending $15,000 in purchases, Bountiful cardholders will receive a free night award valued at up to 50,000 points (certain hotels have resort fees).
It's worth pointing out, though, that you can get automatic Platinum Elite status with the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card, but that card comes with a significantly higher annual fee of $650 (see rates and fees).
Related: Here's why you need both a personal and business Marriott Bonvoy credit card
1,000 bonus points for each stay
Bountiful cardholders receive 1,000 bonus Marriott Bonvoy points for each paid stay at a hotel or resort participating in Marriott Bonvoy. Using TPG's valuations, 1,000 points are worth $8.50.
Unfortunately, these bonus points are not available on stays where you redeem points or free night awards for an award stay. This bonus doesn't provide much value for those who don't stay with Marriott multiple times a year.
Related: How to earn lots of Bonvoy points
Annual free night certificate
Many hotel credit cards offer a free night award, deposited automatically into your account on your cardholder anniversary each year. Unfortunately, that's not the case on the Bountiful.
Bountiful cardholders who spend $15,000 or more on their cards during a calendar year can receive a free night award worth up to 50,000 points (certain hotels have resort fees). Great uses for these awards include properties like The Ritz-Carlton Bali, St. Regis Langkawi in Malaysia and the Westin Hapuna Beach Resort in Hawaii.
Due to Marriott's dynamic pricing, you should perform a calendar search for flexible dates in order to find nights that cost 50,000 points or less. Typically, the most difficult times to use these free night awards will be on or near holidays. However, if you want to use your free night award at a pricier hotel, you can do this by adding up to 25,000 points for additional redemption options.
Related: 13 ways to redeem the Marriott 50,000-point free night award
Other cardholder perks
Earning points on the Bountiful card closely mirrors what you'll find on other Marriott credit cards. Cardholders earn 6 points per dollar at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy, 4 points per dollar on the first $15,000 per year (then 2 points per dollar) in combined purchases at grocery stores and on dining — including takeout and delivery — and 2 points per dollar on other purchases.
Using TPG's June 2024 valuations, that's a return of 5.1% on Marriott purchases, 3.4% on dining and grocery stores and a 1.7% return on everyday spending. Those rates aren't mind-blowing but aren't bad for a cobranded hotel credit card.
Cardholders also have travel and purchase protections on their Bountiful cards that may prove useful. Benefits include baggage delay insurance of up to $100 per day for a maximum of five days (which takes effect after a delay of six hours or more), purchase protection for 120 days, trip delay reimbursement (which kicks in when you're delayed overnight or for 12 hours or more) for up to $500 per ticket and lost luggage reimbursement of up to $3,000 per passenger.
Cardholders can also take advantage of Chase Offers, which can provide discounts or bonus points through targeted promotions.
Related: Best cards with trip delay reimbursement
Bottom line
The Bountiful comes with some perks that Marriott travelers will find helpful, but it's unlikely to give you the best bang for your annual fee buck. The Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card (see rates and fees), for instance, provides automatic Silver Elite status, 15 elite night credits and a free night award for just a $95 annual fee.
To learn more, see our full review of the Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful. And for other cards you may want to consider, check out our list of the best Marriott credit cards.
For rates and fees of the Amex Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant card, click here.
TPG featured card
at American Express's secure site
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees.
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 5X | New! Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App, or purchased directly from airlines. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases. |
Pros
- Valuable dining and food-related credits
- Flexible rewards with airline and hotel transfer partners
- Multiple travel and purchase protections
- No foreign transaction fees
- Access to Amex Offers for additional savings (enrollment required)
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- New! Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App, or purchased directly from airlines.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- Pay It® lets you tap in the American Express® App to quickly pay for small purchase amounts throughout the month and still earn rewards the way you usually do. Plan It® gives you the option to split up big purchases into equal monthly payments with a fixed fee. You’ll know upfront exactly how much you’ll pay.
- Updated! $120 Dining Credit: Earn up to a total of $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the Gold Card at Grubhub (including Seamless), Buffalo Wild Wings, Five Guys, The Cheesecake Factory, and Wonder. This can be an annual savings of up to $120. Enrollment required.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year at over 10,000 qualifying U.S. Resy restaurants after you pay for eligible purchases with the American Express® Gold Card. That’s up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: Earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin’ locations. Enrollment required.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Enjoy up to $120 in Uber Cash annually with your Gold Card. Just add your Card to your Uber account and you'll get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an Amex Card for your transaction.
- New! As an American Express® Gold Card Member, you can enjoy complimentary Hertz Five Star® Status. Enjoy benefits like skipping the counter at select locations, adding an additional driver at no additional cost*, and vehicle upgrades**. Benefit enrollment and Hertz Gold+ registration are required. *Additional drivers must meet standard rental qualifications and must be a spouse or domestic partner to qualify as complimentary. Other additional drivers subject to fees. **Benefits are subject to availability and vary by location. Additional Hertz program Terms and Conditions including age restrictions apply.
- Take advantage of a $100 credit towards eligible charges* at over 1,300 upscale hotels worldwide when you book The Hotel Collection through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App **. *Eligible charges vary by property. **The Hotel Collection requires a two-night minimum stay.
- Book your travel through the Amex Travel App with added peace of mind – backed by American Express® service and support. Only for American Express® Card Members.
- Whenever you need us, we're here. Our Member Services team will ensure you are taken care of. From lost Card replacement to statement questions, we are available to help 24/7.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.