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Big changes to Marriott Bonvoy credit card line-up: New cards, new perks and new bonuses
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.
September 22, 2022 • 11 min read
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Quick summary
Several major changes have been announced for a leading hotel loyalty program's cobranded credit cards, including two new mid-tier options with similar perks and benefits.
Key updates include enhanced elite status, annual free night awards (with spend requirements), and bonus points for qualifying hotel stays.
A premium card in the lineup now offers higher elite status, more annual elite night credits, and a more valuable free night certificate, but with a significantly increased annual fee.
Existing cardholders of a discontinued luxury card will receive a more valuable free night award without a fee increase, while three other cards feature elevated introductory offers for a limited time.
What to consider
Some offers and benefits are only available for a limited period, with specific end dates for certain bonuses.
Annual free night awards on new mid-tier cards require substantial yearly spending, unlike some competitors that provide certificates automatically.
Point values for this hotel program are estimated at 0.84 cents each as of September 2022 per TPG's valuations.
What you'll miss from the article
A detailed comparison of how these changes stack up against similar products from other hotel loyalty programs and which card benefits are best suited to different traveler profiles.
Generated by AI with support from our editorial team.
Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.
Let's walk through the changes to Marriott credit cards happening today, one piece at a time.
2 new Marriott cobranded credit cards
There are two new Marriott credit cards launching today: one from American Express and one from Chase. These are the Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express® Card and the Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful™ Card from Chase.
THE POINTS GUY
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.
Both cards are very similar. They include the following perks and benefits:
An annual free night award (worth up to 50,000 points) after spending $15,000 on the card a cardmember year. Note that certain hotels have resort fees.
15 elite night credits added to your Marriott Bonvoy account per year, helping you reach or requalify for elite status faster.
$250 annual fee (see rates and fees for Bevy).
The W Maldives. NICKY KELVIN/THE POINTS GUY
Furthermore, the Marriott Bonvoy Bevy card and the Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful card both have the same earning structure, earning points at the following rates:
4 points per dollar on the first $15,000 in combined spending per year at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets (then 2 points per dollar thereafter).
2 points per dollar on all other eligible purchases.
The Bonvoy Bevy and Bonvoy Bountiful cards both have the same welcome offer for new applicants. You can earn 125,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 on eligible purchases within the first three months of card membership. TPG values Marriott Bonvoy points at 0.84 cents apiece, meaning this bonus is worth $1,050.
This welcome offer runs through Jan. 11, 2023 for the Amex Marriott Bonvoy Bevy card. The offer for the Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful card will also end in January 2023, although we don't have a specific date right now.
Earlier this year, we covered the change to the up-to-$300 in annual credits available on this card. As of today (Sep. 22, 2022), Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant cardholders no longer receive up to $300 in credits for spending with Marriott hotels. Instead, this credit is now available as an up-to-$25 credit per month for dining purchases.
New cardmembers can also earn 150,000 bonus points after spending $5,000 on eligible purchases within the first three months of cardmembership. This welcome offer ends on Jan. 11, 2023. TPG values Marriott Bonvoy points at 0.84 cents apiece, meaning this bonus is worth $1,260.
Improved free night award on the Ritz-Carlton card
It's more positive news for those who still hold the Ritz-Carlton card (no longer available to new applicants), as they too will see a more valuable free night award going forward. Currently, cardholders receive an annual free night award worth up to 50,000 points. On your next account anniversary, you'll receive a free night award worth up to 85,000 points.
However, the $450 annual fee on the card is staying in place, so this is an entirely positive update to the card.
A view from Domes of Elounda, an Autograph Collection property in Crete. NICK EWEN/THE POINTS GUY
Three additional Marriott Bonvoy credit cards have elevated welcome offers at present.
The Marriott Bonvoy Business American Express Card has an elevated welcome offer, running through Nov. 2, 2022. New applicants can receive 100,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 on eligible purchases within the first three months of cardmembership. TPG values Marriott Bonvoy points at 0.84 cents apiece, meaning this bonus is worth $840.
New applicants for the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card can also enjoy a sign-up bonus of 100,000 welcome bonus points after spending $3,000 in the first three months from account opening. This card has a $95 annual fee. Check out our full review of the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless card for more details.
Additionally, applicants for the Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card can earn 30,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 on purchases within three months of account opening. According to our latest valuations, the 30,000 bonus points are worth $252. There is no annual fee on this card. Check out our full review of the Marriott Bonvoy Bold card for more details.
The Marriott Bonvoy Bold and Boundless cards are offered by Chase, while the Marriott Bonvoy Business card is offered by American Express. Each bank has its own credit card application rules and restrictions, so be sure to read about those before submitting your application.
Walt Disney World Swan hotel in Florida. SUMMER HULL/THE POINTS GUY
Quick thoughts on the changes
The benefits and perks of the new Amex Marriott Bonvoy Bevy card and the Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful card take over some of what the Bonvoy Brilliant card previously offered, such as 15 elite night credits and complimentary Gold status. These perks are now available at a lower fee ($200 less than what you previously paid in annual fees).
However, the cards don't offer an annual free night automatically; you must spend $15,000 per year to earn this free night award. This is in sharp contrast to the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless card, which offers a 35,000-point certificate automatically upon renewal.
It's also worth comparing this to other chains' corresponding cards. As an example, the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card awards a free night after spending $15,000 in a calendar year, but that's valid at virtually any participating property. The card also has a lower $95 annual fee (see rates and fees), and the automatic Hilton Gold status on the Surpass card is notably more valuable than the Marriott Gold status offered on these two new products.
On the other hand, the change to the Ritz-Carlton card is entirely positive. Without increasing its annual fee, one of the main benefits of the card is improving. While the product isn't open to new applicants, it is available for those who change from another Marriott cobranded credit card to this card.
The most complicated part of this news is the myriad of changes to the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant card. The new perks could be great for some travelers, but others may be turned off by the higher annual fee and the monthly dining credits — which require more energy to maximize than the old $300 Marriott credit. Thankfully, existing cardholders have some time to consider whether it's worth paying the higher annual fee.
Bottom line
Marriott is out with some massive changes to its cobranded credit card lineup today — and it's a lot to digest.
The key takeaways are that two new mid-tier Marriott credit cards are launching, and the benefits are improving on the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant Amex — but the latter corresponds with a $200 increase in the card's annual fee. Furthermore, Ritz-Carlton cardholders will get a more valuable annual free night going forward, while the three other Marriott credit cards have launched elevated welcome offers.
You can count on TPG to keep you updated on these changes by providing new analyses of these cards to see whether their annual fees are worth it. We'll also be updating our detailed reviews of each card in the coming weeks, so look out for those if you're interested in applying for one of these cards or already have one (or more) in your wallet.
Apply here: Earn 125,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 on eligible purchases within the first three months of card membership on the Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express® Card. Ends Jan. 11, 2023.
Apply here: Earn 150,000 bonus points after spending $5,000 on eligible purchases within the first three months of card membership on the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card. Ends Jan. 11, 2023.
Apply here: Earn 100,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 on eligible purchases within the first three months of card membership on the Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card. Ends Nov. 2, 2022.
Apply here: Earn 100,000 welcome bonus points after spending $3,000 in the first three months from account opening on the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card.
Apply here: Earn 30,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 on purchases within three months of account opening on the Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card.
For rates and fees of the Marriott Bonvoy Bevy Amex, click here.
For rates and fees of the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant Amex, click here.
For rates and fees of the Marriott Bonvoy Business Amex, click here.
For rates and fees of the Hilton Honors Surpass card, click here.
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.
