Compare Marriott Credit Cards to Find the Best Fit

If you're a loyal Marriott fan, you're likely considering one of their credit cards to maximize your rewards. The Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card offers 75,000 bonus points after spending $3,000 in the first 3 months.

With so many options available, it can be overwhelming to choose the right one. The Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card, for example, offers 3 free night awards annually, each valued up to 35,000 points.

Consider your spending habits and travel style before making a decision. The Marriott Bonvoy Business American Express Card, on the other hand, offers 6x points at U.S. restaurants and U.S. gas stations.

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The Marriott Credit Card Benefits are a major draw for travelers and shoppers alike. With features like Baggage Delay Insurance, you'll be covered in case your luggage takes a detour.

These cards also offer Trip Delay Reimbursement and Lost Luggage Reimbursement, giving you peace of mind when you're on the go. Plus, you can use them all around the world without paying any foreign transaction fees.

With Purchase Protection, you'll be covered if items you buy don't work as advertised or get lost or stolen. The Marriott Bonvoy Boundless card even takes it a step further with extra coverage for purchases that don't meet expectations.

Travel Purchase Protection is a lifesaver. The Marriott Bonvoy Bold and Boundless Credit Cards offer Baggage Delay Insurance, which can reimburse you for expenses incurred while waiting for your delayed luggage.

These cards also provide Trip Delay Reimbursement, so you can get back on your way even if your trip is delayed. Plus, you won't have to worry about lost luggage, as Lost Luggage Reimbursement is also included.

You can use these cards anywhere in the world without paying foreign transaction fees, making international travel a breeze. The Boundless card even offers Purchase Protection, which covers items that are lost, stolen, or don't work as advertised.

This protection gives you peace of mind when making purchases, knowing you're covered in case something goes wrong.

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If you highly value free night certificates, consider the Ritz card for its 85K certificates, or the Brilliant card for automatic Platinum elite status.

If you'll use the 35K free nights each year, cards with annual fees of $95 to $125 are a good bet, but don't use them for everyday spend.

You can consider getting or keeping more than one of these cards to get more than one free night per year, but keep in mind you won't get your first free night until you've had the card for a year.

If you're not sure you'll use the free night each year, don't carry these cards, as there are more rewarding alternatives for everyday spend.

American Express offers a Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant Card with a $300 annual fee, while Chase offers a Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card with a $95 annual fee.

The Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant Card has a 75,000-point bonus after spending $3,000 in the first 3 months, whereas the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card offers a 75,000-point bonus after spending $3,000 in the first 3 months.

Both cards have a 6x points earning rate on Marriott purchases, but the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant Card also offers a $300 Marriott credit per year.

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American Express and Chase are two of the most well-known credit card issuers in the US, with a long history of providing financial services to consumers.

AMEX offers a range of rewards programs, including Membership Rewards, which allows cardholders to earn points that can be redeemed for travel, merchandise, and other rewards.

Chase, on the other hand, offers Ultimate Rewards, a rewards program that allows cardholders to earn points that can be redeemed for travel, cash back, and other rewards.

AMEX is known for its premium rewards credit cards, such as the Platinum Card, which offers a generous sign-up bonus and high earning rates on travel purchases.

Chase offers a range of credit cards, including the Chase Sapphire Preferred, which offers a generous sign-up bonus and high earning rates on travel purchases.

AMEX cards often come with high annual fees, but they also offer a range of benefits, including airport lounge access and travel insurance.

Chase cards also come with annual fees, but they often offer more flexible rewards redemption options and lower fees than AMEX cards.

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The Brilliant American Express card is a top-tier choice for those who frequently stay at Marriott properties. It comes with a hefty $650 annual fee, but its perks more than make up for it.

One of the standout benefits of this card is the up to $300 statement credit each year for eligible restaurant purchases. That's a significant amount of money that can be used towards dining expenses.

The card also offers an annual credit of up to $100 for a two-night stay at Ritz-Carlton or St. Regis hotels, which can be a huge bonus for those who frequent these properties.

Additionally, cardholders enjoy complimentary Platinum Elite status, a Free Night Award every year after their card renewal month (up to 85,000 points), and up to $100 in credits toward Global Entry or TSA PreCheck and Priority Pass Select lounge access.

Here's a comparison of the annual fees for the Marriott Bonvoy American Express cards:

While the Brilliant card's high annual fee may be a deterrent for some, its benefits make it a valuable choice for those who can take advantage of them.

If you're in the market for a business credit card, the Marriott Bonvoy Business American Express Card is definitely worth considering. It has an annual fee of $125, but offers a generous rewards rate on a variety of spending outside of just travel and hotel stays.

One of the standout features of this card is its rewards rate - you can earn 4 points per dollar on restaurants, U.S. gas stations, U.S. wireless, or U.S. shipping. This is a great option for business owners or entrepreneurs who spend a lot in these categories.

The card also unlocks several perks, including automatic Gold Elite status, Free Night Awards, Elite Night Credits, and more. This can be a huge benefit for frequent travelers.

The Marriott Bonvoy Business American Express Card also offers a few business-specific perks, like the ability to connect to QuickBooks, designate an account manager, access a year-end summary, and monitor employees' card usage.

One of the benefits of this card is that applying for it won't affect your 5/24 status. This can be a big advantage for those who are trying to maintain a good credit score.

Here are some of the key benefits of the Marriott Bonvoy Business American Express Card:

If you mainly stay at Marriott hotels, a Marriott credit card might make sense. However, if you prefer to try different hotels or look for the best price, a more flexible travel credit card may be a better fit.

Consider your hotel loyalty and whether you want to earn points mostly via hotel spending or everyday purchases like dining, groceries, and gas. The Bonvoy Bountiful and Marriott Bonvoy Bevy American Express Card offer Gold Elite status, but they come with a pretty high annual fee.

Here's a quick comparison of the Bonvoy Brilliant and Ritz-Carlton cards:

The Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card offers Automatic Platinum Elite status and an 85K free night certificate each year upon renewal, but its high annual fee might not be worth it for everyone.

The Free Night Award is a game-changer for travelers. If you have the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Card, you'll receive a Free Night Award each year on your cardmember anniversary, redeemable at participating Marriott Bonvoy hotels, with a redemption level up to 35,000 points.

You can use this award to extend your vacation, and it's especially useful if you want to spend an extra day enjoying a beachside drink in paradise. The Boundless Card offers this benefit, but the Marriott Bonvoy Bold Card does not.

The Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant Card offers an even more generous Free Night Award, an 85K free night certificate each year upon renewal. However, it comes with a higher annual fee of $650.

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Elite Status is a key benefit of choosing the right Marriott Bonvoy credit card. You'll get Silver Elite status with both the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card and the Marriott Bonvoy Bold Credit Card, which includes perks like bonus points, late checkout, and complimentary Wi-Fi.

The Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card has an added bonus: spending $35,000 each calendar year can get you to Gold status. You'll also earn one Elite Night Credit for every $5,000 you spend, helping you move up to the next level of Elite status.

The Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card offers Platinum Elite status, which can be extremely valuable at certain Marriott properties, especially St. Regis hotels. This card also includes a Free Night Award every year after your card renewal month (up to 85,000 points).

Here's a comparison of the Elite status benefits offered by these cards:

The Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card also offers 15 Elite Night Credits, which can help you reach the next level of Elite status.

Earning bonus points is a great way to accelerate your rewards balance. With the Marriott Bonvoy Bold Card, you'll earn up to 14X points for every $1 spent at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy.

The Marriott Bonvoy Bold Card also offers 2X points for every $1 spent on all other travel purchases and 1X point for every $1 spent on anything else. This means you can earn points on a wide range of travel-related expenses.

The Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card takes bonus points to the next level, offering up to 17X points for every $1 spent at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy. This is a significant increase from the Bold Card's 14X points.

You can also earn 3X points for every $1 on the first $6,000 you spend each year on grocery store, gas station, and dining purchases with the Boundless Card. This makes it a great option for frequent diners or those who spend a lot on groceries and gas.

Every dollar counts, and earning bonus points can add up quickly. With the Boundless Card, you can earn 2X points for every $1 spent on all other spending, which is one more point than the Bold Card offers.

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The Bonvoy Brilliant and Ritz-Carlton cards are both ultra-premium options that offer a range of benefits. The annual fee for the Bonvoy Brilliant is $650, while the Ritz-Carlton card has an annual fee of $450.

One key difference between the two cards is their authorized user fee, which is $0 for both cards. If you're planning to add authorized users, this is a cost you won't have to worry about.

The Bonvoy Brilliant offers an 85K free night award upon renewal, which is the same as the Ritz-Carlton card. However, the Ritz-Carlton card offers platinum status with $75K calendar year spend, whereas the Bonvoy Brilliant card offers platinum status.

The Bonvoy Brilliant has 25 elite nights, while the Ritz-Carlton card has 15. If you're trying to earn elite status, this is an important consideration.

Here's a summary of the benefits of these two cards in a table:

The Bonvoy Brilliant offers a $25 per month reimbursement for dining charges, while the Ritz-Carlton card offers a $300 per calendar year for airline incidental fees. If you're a frequent traveler, these benefits may be more valuable to you than the others.

Choosing the right credit card can be a daunting task, but it's worth taking the time to get it right. The Marriott credit card options are numerous, but the best one for you will depend on your specific needs.

Hotel loyalty is a key factor to consider. If you mainly stay at Marriott hotels, a Marriott credit card makes sense. However, if you prefer to try different hotels or simply look for the best price, a more flexible travel credit card may be a better fit.

Cost is another crucial consideration. Marriott cards offer a wide range of annual fees, so you'll need to decide how much you're willing to pay and what benefits make an annual fee worth it.

Elite status is important to some people, but not others. If you want to unlock Gold Elite status, you'll want to look at the Bonvoy Bountiful or the Marriott Bonvoy Bevy American Express Card, both of which come with a pretty high annual fee.

Rewards categories are also worth thinking about. If you want to earn points mostly via hotel spending, a Marriott credit card is a good choice. However, if you want to earn points on everyday purchases like dining, groceries, and gas, you may want to consider a different card.

Here are some of the key Marriott airline partners you can earn and transfer points for flights with:

The Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card is the only card that includes airport lounge access, but it's also the most expensive of all the Marriott Bonvoy cards, so it might be worth looking at other premium travel cards for this particular perk.

Choosing more than one card can be a great way to get more rewards, with some cards offering sign-up bonuses of up to $1,000 for new cardholders.

The Chase Sapphire Preferred Card offers a 60,000-point bonus after spending $4,000 in the first 3 months, which can be redeemed for travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards.

Some cards offer 5x points on specific categories, like the Chase Freedom Unlimited Card, which earns 5x points on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards.

The Citi Double Cash Card offers 2% cash back on all purchases, making it a great option for everyday spending.

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The Chase Boundless card is a great option for travelers who want to earn elite nights and a free night certificate. It offers a 35K free night certificate each year, which can be a huge perk.

This card is also a stepping stone to the Ritz card, allowing you to upgrade after a year of having the Boundless card.

The Marriott credit card options are numerous, but each has its own unique benefits. The Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card offers 6x points at Marriott properties and 3x points on flights booked directly with airlines.

If you're looking for a more affordable option, the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card is a great choice, offering 6x points at Marriott properties and 2x points on other purchases. It also comes with a free night award every year after your account anniversary.

The Marriott Bonvoy Bold Credit Card offers 3x points at Marriott properties and 2x points on other purchases, making it a solid option for those who want to earn rewards without breaking the bank.

The Amex Bonvoy card, ranked #5, has a $95 annual fee and offers a 35K free night certificate each year upon renewal. This card is not available new, but you might be able to product change to it from the Bonvoy Bevy or the Bonvoy Brilliant after a year.

If you're planning to switch, consider waiting until January 2025, as you might have travel already booked this year that you won't be able to use the $300 credit for.

The Marriott Bonvoy Bold Credit Card comes in at #7 on our list. It's a fee-free card that offers a decent rate for earning points on Marriott stays, especially for those who are already Marriott Bonvoy members.

You can earn up to 14X points on Marriott stays, with a base rate of 3X points for spending on Marriott Bonvoy properties, plus up to 10X points if you're a Marriott Bonvoy member. This is a great rate for a card with no annual fee.

However, this card doesn't offer any way to earn a free night certificate, which might be a drawback for some travelers.