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Marriott Bonvoy Bold vs. Hilton Honors American Express Card: Comparing hotel cards with no annual fee
Credit card writer Danyal Ahmed is an avid traveler, averaging about 100,000 aeronautical miles per year. He regularly applies that knowledge and his expertise in credit cards to his role as a credit card writer at TPG.
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
November 8, 2025 • 11 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.
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Quick summary
Two major hotel loyalty programs offer entry-level cobranded cards with no annual fee, providing basic elite status and travel protections.
Both options allow cardholders to earn points at hotels and select merchants, with one card excelling in travel protections and the other in everyday earning categories.
Redemption options include dynamic award pricing and a fifth-night-free benefit for longer stays, with both programs offering broad hotel networks.
The best choice depends on your preferred hotel brand and which set of perks aligns with your travel habits.
What to consider
Entry-level elite status is included, with one card offering an easier path to higher status without a minimum spending requirement.
Both cards waive foreign transaction fees, making them suitable for international travel.
Point values differ between programs, with one program's points valued at 0.75 cents each and the other's at 0.4 cents each as of September 2026 per TPG's valuations.
What you'll miss from the article
A detailed side-by-side comparison of travel protections, elite status benefits and redemption strategies for each entry-level hotel card.
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.
If you stay at a hotel even semi-frequently, a cobranded hotel card can be a great option. These hotel cards have annual fees that range from zero to several hundred dollars. Although cards with annual fees tend to have better earning rates, no-annual-fee options still provide value.
Both cards get you entry-level elite status and have comparable bonus categories to help you earn points with every purchase.
Let's compare the Marriott Bonvoy Bold to the Hilton Honors Amex and determine which one is best suited for your needs.
Marriott Bonvoy Bold vs. Hilton Honors Amex comparison
Card
Marriott Bonvoy Bold
Hilton Honors Amex
Welcome offer
Earn 45,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.
Earn 70,000 bonus points and a free night reward after spending $2,000 on purchases in the first six months of card membership.
Annual fee
$0
$0
Earning rates
Up to 14 points per dollar spent on eligible Marriott stays: Up to 10 points per dollar for being a Marriott Bonvoy member, 3 points per dollar as a Bonvoy Bold cardholder and up to 1 point per dollar from Marriott Bonvoy Silver Elite Status
2 points per dollar spent on groceries, ride-hailing services, select food delivery services and select streaming, internet, cable and phone services
1 point per dollar spent on all other purchases
7 points per dollar spent on eligible purchases made directly with hotels and resorts within the Hilton portfolio
5 points per dollar spent on dining at U.S. restaurants (including takeout and delivery), groceries at U.S. supermarkets and gas at U.S. gas stations
3 points per dollar spent on all other purchases
Per-point value (based on TPG's August 2026 valuations)
0.75
0.4
Benefits
Automatic Silver Elite status
5 elite night credits annually toward the next level of Marriott Bonvoy status
No foreign transaction fees
Baggage delay insurance
Trip delay reimbursement
Purchase protection
Lost luggage reimbursement
Visa Concierge
Travel Now, Pay Later no-interest payment plans
Automatic Silver status, with a path to Gold status after spending a certain amount in a calendar year
No foreign transaction fees (see )
Access to special tickets and presales to events such as live sports, music and theater through Events with Amex
Extended warranty*
Purchase protection*
Car rental insurance**
*Eligibility and benefit levels vary by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for details. Policies are underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company.
**Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company. Car Rental Loss or Damage Coverage is offered through American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc.
Marriott Bonvoy Bold vs. Hilton Honors Amex welcome offer
New Marriott Bonvoy Bold cardholders can earn 45,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.
The Bold's welcome bonus is worth $338, per TPG's September 2026 valuations.
THE POINTS GUY
On the other hand, new Hilton Honors Amex cardmembers can earn 70,000 bonus points and a free night reward after spending $2,000 on purchases in the first six months of card membership.
According to TPG's September 2026 valuations, the Hilton Honors Amex's welcome bonus is worth $280 (plus the value of the free night reward).
Winner: Tie. It depends on your preference for Marriott or Hilton properties, although Marriott's bonus is worth more.
Marriott Bonvoy Bold vs. Hilton Honors Amex benefits
Both cards provide entry-level elite status, which is helpful when getting started with a loyalty program. TheMarriott Bonvoy Bold provides automatic Silver Elite status, which includes basic perks like a 10% bonus on points earned for Marriott stays, priority late checkout (when available) and complimentary Wi-Fi.
Luckily, both cards also offer a pathway to higher elite status. The Bonvoy Bold gives you five elite night credits annually to help you earn a higher status. The elite night credits earned from this card can be stacked with elite night credits earned from the Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card to bring you closer to higher elite status with Marriott.
The Hilton Amex grants cardmembers automatic Gold status through the end of the next calendar year after they spend $20,000 on the card in a calendar year.
For anyone who plans to use either card frequently, this can be a great option to unlock an elite tier that's much more rewarding. However, you might be sacrificing value by not making those purchases with a card that's good for everyday spending.
BYMURATDENIZ/GETTY IMAGES
Similarly, both cards have no foreign transaction fees, so you can use either card when traveling outside the U.S. without incurring fees. Both cards also come with a decent list of travel and purchase protections, with the Marriott Bonvoy Bold taking the lead.
That's especially true when considering that no-annual-fee cards typically don't come with extensive travel protections.
*Eligibility and benefit levels vary by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for details. Policies are underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company.
**Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company. Car Rental Loss or Damage Coverage is offered through American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc.
Winner: Marriott Bonvoy Bold. It has more travel protections and an easier path to higher elite status without a minimum spending requirement.
Earning points with the Marriott Bonvoy Bold vs. Hilton Honors Amex
With the Marriott Bonvoy Bold and being an Elite member, you can earn more points on Marriott stays. This increases the earning potential for Marriott purchases to 14 points per dollar spent when using the Bonvoy Bold.
ORBON ALIJA/GETTY IMAGES
Meanwhile, the Hilton Honors Amex earns 7 points per dollar spent on eligible purchases made directly with Hilton portfolio properties. This includes paying for the room and on-site spending at U.S. restaurants and spas.
Like the Bonvoy Bold, the Hilton Honors Amex earns more than just the base points with Hilton purchases. Thanks to their complimentary Hilton Honors Silver status, cardmembers also earn an additional 12 points per dollar spent, for a total of 19 points per dollar spent.
The Hilton Honors beats the Marriott Bonvoy Bold on non-hotel spending as you earn 5 points per dollar spent at U.S. restaurants (including takeout and delivery), U.S. supermarkets and U.S. gas stations and 3 points per dollar spent everywhere else.
Despite Hilton Honors points being valued slightly less than Bonvoy points, the card offers more opportunities to earn points. However, we don't recommend using a hotel credit card for nonbonus spending unless you're trying to earn elite status or a welcome bonus.
Winner: Hilton Honors Amex. It comes with better earning rates in popular spending categories.
Marriott has a dynamic pricing model for its redemptions, which means rates fluctuate based on various factors, including cash rates. To stretch your points further, you can maximize the Marriott Cash + Points rate, which allows you to split the cost between points and cash. If you're short on points, this can help you cover your entire stay.
Best of all, Marriott also provides a free night benefit on award bookings. When redeeming points for a stay of five consecutive nights, you'll be eligible for the "Stay for 5, Pay for 4" benefit, which gives members the lowest-cost award night for free.
CARLY HELFAND/THE POINTS GUY
TPG credit cards writer Chris Nelson recently got great value redeeming 136,000 Bonvoy points for a seven-night stay at the AC Hotel Cape Town Waterfront and used the fifth-night-free perk to get one night free, which would have cost over $2,000 for the total stay.
Hilton Honors redemptions are quite similar to Marriott Bonvoy's, since award nights are also dynamically priced.
The Hilton Honors program also offers a fifth free night on award stays to elite members, so it's best to research different dates for your preferred property to maximize the value of your hard-earned points. Unlike Marriott Bonvoy, Hilton Honors has a nifty tool, Points Explorer, to help you find award prices based on location or types of vacations you're interested in.
TPG credit cards writer Augusta Stone recently redeemed 130,000 Hilton Honors points for a two-night stay at Canopy by Hilton London City. This is a great redemption as the property is within walking distance of the Tower Bridge.
As a rule of thumb, make sure to calculate how many points you'll need for a stay to help determine if redeeming points is worth it versus paying cash. I've amassed nearly 800,000 Bonvoy points and am contemplating redeeming them for a stay in the super pricey Maldives or transferring my points to an airline to redeem for premium-cabin airfare.
Winner: Marriott Bonvoy Bold. Marriott has more properties in total, so it should be easier to find redemptions for your points.
Should I get the Marriott Bonvoy Bold or Hilton Honors Amex?
The Marriott Bonvoy Bold and Hilton Honors Amex are entry-level cobranded hotel cards that offer decent value for being no-annual-fee credit cards. If you're not after top-tier elite status and are looking for just the basics or are just starting out with a hotel credit card, you can't go wrong with either option. The choice comes down to which brand you prefer and whether either card's limited perks will be of use to you.
Frequent travelers may find it worthwhile to consider adding a cobranded card with a higher annual fee to their wallet for access to more benefits.
As a frequent traveler, I do not have a cobranded hotel card. However, I do have the American Express Platinum Card®, which provides me with Gold elite status with both Marriott and Hilton and makes the card worth it (enrollment required). This could be a card worth considering if you want elite status with both brands and premium travel perks. However, these cards are a solid choice to start your loyalty journey with either program.
