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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.
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Are you eligible for a new Marriott Bonvoy card? This chart tells you yes or no
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.
Chris Nelson is a credit cards writer for TPG. He specializes in budget travel, hotels, earning elite status through minimal spending and redeeming points for maximum value.
also contributed to this story
April 7, 2026 • 14 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 note: This is a recurring post, regularly updated with new information and offers.
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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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.
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Quick summary
Marriott Bonvoy is one of the largest hotel loyalty programs, allowing members to earn and redeem points at nearly 10,000 properties worldwide.
There are currently six co-branded cards available to new applicants, each offering different welcome bonuses and elite status benefits.
Eligibility for welcome bonuses is complex, depending on current and previous card ownership, as well as specific time-based restrictions.
A detailed chart helps applicants determine their eligibility for each card's bonus based on their card history.
What to consider
Eligibility rules include restrictions based on cards you currently have or previously had, with waiting periods such as 30 days, 90 days or 24 months before qualifying for some bonuses.
Some cards are no longer open to new applicants, but past or current ownership of these products can still affect your eligibility for current offers.
Certain issuers have additional rules, such as a limit on the number of new cards opened in the past 24 months or a once-per-lifetime bonus policy.
What you'll miss from the article
A comprehensive guide to navigating the eligibility chart and understanding how past card ownership impacts your ability to earn new welcome bonuses.
Generated by AI with support from our editorial team.
Comments
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.
When Marriott acquired Starwood Preferred Guest, it merged three separate loyalty programs — SPG, Ritz-Carlton Rewards and Marriott Rewards — into Marriott Bonvoy in 2019. This combination has resulted in one of the largest loyalty programs worldwide, with over 235 million members worldwide (as of early 2026) who can earn and redeem points at almost 10,000 properties.
Right now, Marriott Bonvoy offers new applicants six credit cards — one business and five personal — from two issuers: American Express and Chase.
If you’re interested in acquiring one of the six Bonvoy-branded cards currently available to new applicants, use this cheat sheet to see if you’re eligible for a welcome bonus based on which cards you’ve had or currently have — including cards that are no longer open to new applicants.
Before we begin, let’s review the current welcome offers on all six of Marriott’s credit cards:
Marriott Bonvoy Bevy American Express Card
Welcome offer: New Marriott Bonvoy Bevy® American Express® Card applicants can earn 85,000 bonus points after spending $5,000 on purchases in the first six months of card membership.
TPG's October 2026 valuations peg Marriott points at 0.75 cents each, making this bonus worth $638. Cardholders also receive automatic Gold Elite status with Marriott Bonvoy. The card’s annual fee is $250 (see ).
Welcome offer: New Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card (see ) applicants can earn 45,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.
Orlando World Center Marriott. TARAH CHIEFFI/THE POINTS GUY
This bonus is worth $338 per our valuations. Cardholders also receive automatic Silver Elite status with Marriott Bonvoy. The card has no annual fee.
Welcome offer: New Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card (see ) applicants can earn three free night awards* after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening. Additionally, earn up to $100 in statement credits (up to $50 biannually) after spending $500 on eligible airline purchases (through June 30, 2027).
*Valued at up to 50,000 points; certain hotels have resort fees.
The welcome bonus on this card is worth up to $1,225 (including the statement credit). Cardholders also receive automatic Silver Elite status with Marriott Bonvoy. The card has a $95 annual fee.
Welcome offer: New Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful® Credit Card applicants can earn 85,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 in purchases in the first three months from your account opening.
This Chase-issued card offers a welcome bonus worth $595 per our valuations. Cardholders also receive automatic Gold Elite status with Marriott Bonvoy. The card has an annual fee of $250.
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.
Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card
Welcome offer: New Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express Card applicants can earn 100,000 bonus points after spending $6,000 on purchases in the first six months of card membership.
Marriott Cancun, An All-Inclusive Resort. LYNDSEY MATTHEWS/THE POINTS GUY
Per our valuations, this bonus is worth $750. Cardholders also receive automatic Platinum Elite status, 25 elite night credits and an annual free night award up to 85,000 points (certain hotels have resort fees). The card has an annual fee of $650 (see ).
Welcome offer: New Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card applicants can earn 100,000 bonus points and a free night award (valued at up to 50,000 points) after spending $8,000 on purchases in the first six months of card membership. Resort fees apply.
This bonus is worth up to $1,125 per TPG's valuations. Cardmembers also receive automatic Gold Elite status. The card has an annual fee of $125 (see ).
Across the top, you will find the names of the Marriott credit cards you can currently receive a welcome bonus on. Down the left side, you’ll find the names of current and previous Marriott credit cards you may have or may have had in the past.
Here’s what the information in the chart indicates:
OK: You should be able to get the welcome bonus from this card if you apply and are approved.
N/A: You already have this card or have had this card before.
30 days: You cannot have or have had this card in the past 30 days.
90 days: You cannot have opened this credit card in the last 90 days (but you can have the card if it was opened more than 90 days ago).
24 months: You cannot have received a welcome bonus or upgrade bonus on this card in the last 24 months (but you can have the card).
Not eligible: You cannot currently have this card or have had this card.
Close: You cannot currently have this card or have received a welcome bonus for it in the last 24 months.
*The information for these cards has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Reminder about previous SPG credit cards
If you’re wondering where the SPG credit cards from American Express are on the above chart, remember that those were converted to Bonvoy-branded cards. The three Amex cards near the bottom of the far-left column are the SPG cards with their updated branding. As a refresher, here’s how the SPG Amex cards converted to Bonvoy Amex names:
The Starwood Preferred Guest Card from American Express became the Marriott Bonvoy American Express Card (no longer open to new applicants).
Keep in mind that Amex and Chase offer card bonus qualification tools on their websites. These should let you know whether you can successfully apply for a card and earn the welcome bonus before the system runs your credit and you officially apply.
But a sound travel rewards card strategy includes some planning, so if you’re interested in one of these cards, you might as well consult the chart above.
From the chart above, you probably noticed that six cards across the top are available for new applications, yet the left-hand column lists many more cards. That’s because multiple cards are no longer available to new applicants.
A good example is The Ritz-Carlton Credit Card. This card is no longer available to new applicants, but you can product change to it from another Marriott credit card. Even though it’s not open to new applicants, cards like the Ritz-Carlton credit card and other Marriott-branded or SPG-branded cards you had in the past can still play a role in determining which current Marriott credit cards you’re eligible for.
MARRIOTT
Chase 5/24 rule
Another restriction to be mindful of is Chase’s infamous 5/24 rule. No matter how high your credit score is, you likely won’t qualify for any Chase-issued card — in this case, the Boundless, Bountiful or Bold — if you’ve opened five or more credit cards in the past 24 months.
HOTEL TERRESTRE/MARRIOTT
If you’re currently over your 5/24 slots, you could still qualify for the Brilliant, Bevy or Business cards from Amex — so long as you meet the other eligibility restrictions noted above.
Amex eligibility pop-up window and bonus restrictions
If you decide to apply for a card with American Express, there is a bonus eligibility pop-up window that will advise you — before submitting your application — if you aren’t eligible for a welcome offer on a card. That way, you can decide whether to continue with the application if you won’t be able to receive the welcome bonus.
This can be helpful if you aren’t sure whether you’re eligible for a new cardmember offer with American Express and want to start an application to find out, but don’t want to submit it until you’ve confirmed your bonus eligibility.
BEN SMITHSON/THE POINTS GUY
Additionally, remember that Amex has once-per-lifetime offer restrictions. That means that you may not be able to get a bonus on a credit card application if you had that card in the past. This can even apply to previous versions of a credit card, such as potentially being ineligible for an offer on the Bonvoy Brilliant Amex card if you previously had the SPG Luxury card from American Express.
Marriott offers several great cards with strong welcome bonuses and incredibly valuable free night certificates. Unfortunately, the application rules are complicated, as you must balance issuer-specific rules with additional restrictions around the Marriott card family. The chart above can help clarify whether you’re eligible for a welcome bonus on a Marriott credit card.
For rates and fees of the Marriott Bonvoy Bevy Amex, click .
For rates and fees of the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant Amex, click .
For rates and fees of the Marriott Bonvoy Business Amex, click .
