Targeted: Earn a $700 welcome bonus on the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant Amex
Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.
Over the year or so since the launch of the Marriott Bonvoy loyalty program, we've seen a number of different welcome bonuses on the various Marriott cobranded credit cards. Almost all of these offers have allowed new applicants to earn bonus points or Marriott free nights, but as reported by Doctor of Credit, there's a new highly targeted offer available on the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card.
Targeted applicants will have the ability to earn a $700 cash statement credit after spending $15,000 on their new card within the first six months. This offer ends Dec. 16. 2019.
Currently, the public offer on the Bonvoy Brilliant is for 75,000 Marriott points after spending $3,000 in the first three months. While this targeted offer requires 5x more spending, it also offer a much better value. TPG values Marriott points at .8 cents each, meaning the 75,000 point bonus is only worth $600. Or to put it another way, the $700 statement credit offer is equivalent to receiving about 87,500 Marriott points.
The Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant is one of my favorite all around cards, and for frequent Marriott customers it offers an amazing value proposition. The $450 annual fee (see rates and fees) is heavily offset by a $300 annual Marriott statement credit, valid on room rates as well as incidental charges like food, drinks and spa treatments. To me that credit is as good as cash, and lowers the out of pocket cost for this card down to $150 a year. In exchange for that you get an anniversary free night certificate worth up to 50,000 points, which is enough for some high-end St. Regis and Ritz Carlton properties around the world.
Bonvoy Brilliant cardholders also receive complimentary Marriott Gold elite status, and the ability to upgrade to Platinum by spending $75,000 a year on their card. The Bonvoy Brilliant earns 6x points per dollar on Marriott stays, 3x at U.S. restaurants and on flights booked directly with the airline, and 2x everywhere else.
Bottom line
We've seen a number of different welcome bonuses on the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant over the last year and change, but this is the first version to offer cash back instead of points or free night certificates. While this offer is highly targeted, the $700 statement credit is much better than the current offer of 75,000 points, so if you're planning on applying for the Bonvoy Brilliant you should check to see if you're targeted.
For rates and fees of the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant, please click here.
