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The Points Guy believes that credit cards can transform lives, helping you leverage everyday spending for cash back or travel experiences that might otherwise be out of reach. That's why we publish a variety of editorial content and card comparisons: to help you find a great card to turn your goals into reality.
Our site may earn compensation when a customer clicks on a link, when an application is approved, or when an account is opened with our partners, and this may impact how or where these products appear. While we don't cover all available credit cards, our editorial team creates and maintains all of the analysis of these cards, and our content is not influenced nor subject to review by any credit card company, bank or partner prior to (or after) publication. Please view our advertising policy and product review methodology for more information.
Guides
Is the Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful annual fee worth it?
Ryan is a former TPG credit cards writer who has been around points and miles for several years and has published content at Miles to Memories, AwardWallet and The Points Guy. His wife joins him on many of his trips, and they enjoy snowboarding, diving, and seeing animals in the wild. When not traveling, Ryan is probably answering questions from his family about how he travels so much and whether this points & miles stuff is illegal.
Emily Thompson specializes in beginner content as a credit cards editor. She taps into her prior experience as a high school English teacher to help others demystify credit scores and unlock experiences that credit card rewards can make possible.
also contributed to this story
June 28, 2024 • 7 min read
The cards we feature here are from partners who compensate us when you are approved through our site, and this may impact how or where these products appear. We don't cover all available credit cards, but our analysis, reviews, and opinions are entirely from our editorial team. Terms apply to the offers listed on this page. Please view our advertising policy and product review methodology for more information.Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author's alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.
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Quick summary
A mid-tier hotel credit card offers a blend of benefits, including mid-level elite status and bonus points for each paid stay at participating hotels.
Cardholders receive 15 elite night credits annually, which can be combined with a business version of the card for a head start toward higher status.
A free night award is available after meeting a significant annual spend threshold, but is not provided automatically each year.
The card includes travel and purchase protections, as well as access to targeted merchant offers.
What to consider
Restrictions may apply to earning a welcome bonus if you have or have had other hotel credit cards from the same loyalty program.
Free night awards require a high annual spend and are subject to dynamic pricing and possible resort fees.
Bonus points for stays are only awarded on paid nights, not on award or free night stays.
What you'll miss from the article
A detailed comparison of mid-tier versus basic and premium hotel credit cards, including which benefits justify the higher fee.
Generated by AI with support from our editorial team.
Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.
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.
THE POINTS GUY
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.
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.
The Ritz-Carlton Perth. ERIC ROSEN/THE POINTS GUY
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).
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.
The St. Regis New York. SUMMER HULL/THE POINTS GUY
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.
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.
Westin Hapuna Beach Resort near Kona, Hawaii. JT GENTER/THE POINTS GUY
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.
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.
MARRIOTT
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.
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.
By commenting, you agree to our Community Guidelines to help create a positive space for conversation. The responses below are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser, our partners, or The Points Guy (“TPG”). They have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any of these parties. All responses are submitted by individual contributors, and neither the bank advertiser, our partners, nor TPG are responsible for ensuring that all posts and/or questions are answered.
