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Let’s play a recreation known as Marriott Bonvoy bank card or outdated British warship. Right here’s the listing:
So, are these playing cards or ships? When you guessed “both,” you’d be largely appropriate. The reply is: all 5 are Marriott Bonvoy playing cards, and weirdly, three of them are additionally British warships (the HMS Bountiful, Sensible and Daring).
And similar to a naval fleet dealing with down Napoleon, the Marriott Bonvoy playing cards even have their very own flagship. Consider it or not, it’s not the ultra-premium $650-annual-fee Bonvoy Sensible, though that card has loads of deserves in its personal proper.
So let’s discover the perfect playing cards for Marriott in 2024 — and consider which one might be proper for 90% of Marriott followers.
Overview of the 5 greatest bank cards for Marriott in 2024
Finest general: Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit score Card
Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit score Card
Intro bonus
Earn 5 free nights (valued at 50,000 factors for every night time) after spending $5,000 on purchases throughout the first three months of account opening.
Annual charge | $95 |
Common APR | 21.49%–28.49% variable |
Why we like this card: Merely put, the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless is a free night time machine. Proper from the beginning, it gives a welcome bonus of 5 free nights (valued at 50,000 factors for every night time) after spending $5,000 on purchases throughout the first three months of account opening. Or, to place a greenback quantity on it, probably round $2,250 in whole worth.
To place that into perspective, the Marriott Bonvoy Sensible instructions a $650 annual charge ($555 greater than the $95 charged for carrying the Boundless) and gives a welcome bonus of “just” 185,000 bonus factors after spending $6,000 on purchases throughout the first six months from account opening (90,000 factors larger than standard).
On high of that, you’ll rating one other free night time keep in a lodge as much as 35,000 factors (yearly after account anniversary), in addition to immediate Silver Elite standing, 15 Elite Night time Credit — which means you’ll begin every year simply 10 nights away from Gold Elite — and 6X on Marriott purchases. Mix that with the 10X you’ll get only for being a Marriott Bonvoy member and 1X for being Silver Elite and also you’ll generate 17X on Marriott stays, which ain’t unhealthy.
Plus, when you think about that award stays begin at simply 7,500 factors, you may probably earn sufficient factors on your seventh free night time of the 12 months after spending as little as $450.
Regardless of the identify, the Boundless does nonetheless include a considerably ironic restriction — your 5 welcome bonus nights can solely be value as much as 50,000 factors every, and your free anniversary night time is capped even decrease at 35,000 factors.
That’s nonetheless a generously excessive bar to cross (for instance, the well-known four-star Atlanta Marriott Marquis begins round 38,000 factors) however since you may’t simply select to obtain factors as an alternative of nights, there’s no approach to spend your bonus on a weekend keep on the Ritz.
Even nonetheless, the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless is a extremely sensible and massively beneficiant rewards bundle that may delight the overwhelming majority of Marriott followers.
Try our full assessment of the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless card.
Finest no-annual-fee Marriott card: Marriott Bonvoy Daring® Credit score Card
Intro bonus
Earn 30,000 factors after $1,000 in purchases throughout the first three months from account opening.
Annual charge | |
Common APR | 21.49%–28.49% variable |
Why we like this card: Although the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless appears like an objectively whole lot on paper, typically you simply don’t wish to decide to a $95 annual charge. Generally you simply desire a journey rewards card that you need to use while you want it for the additional factors — and retailer in a drawer till it’s time for one more Marriott reserving.
That’s the place the Marriott Bonvoy Daring is available in. You’ll get a welcome bonus of 30,000 factors after $1,000 in purchases throughout the first three months from account opening (value probably round $270 in redemption worth) and earn 4X on Marriott spending as a cardholder as much as a complete of 14X when you consider 10X factors for being a Marriott Bonvoy member at 1X for having Silver Elite standing.
Sadly, the Daring’s listing of advantages is getting… much less daring in 2024, with Chase eradicating the 2X price on journey, 15 Elite Night time Credit and complimentary Silver Elite standing beginning on 7/10/24 (paradoxically, the financial institution calls these deletions “new enhancements”).
However at the same time as a really lite model of the Boundless card, the Daring is value making use of for if all you need is factors for a free night time or two plus elevated earnings on Marriott bookings.
Try our full assessment of the Marriott Bonvoy Daring card.
Finest no-annual-fee card with versatile factors: Bilt Mastercard
Bilt Mastercard®
Particular characteristic
The Bilt Mastercard gives the distinctive capacity to earn factors on lease.
Annual charge | $0 |
Common APR | See phrases |
Why we like this card: The Bilt Mastercard rewards you for paying lease. Full cease. Even when your landlord doesn’t settle for bank cards (most don’t), Bilt will ship them a test in your behalf or allow you to pay in your landlord’s on-line portal by offering you an account quantity and a routing quantity like a checking account would have, and also you’ll generate 1X per greenback for lease.
Plus, the Bilt Mastercard additionally generates 3X on eating, 2X on journey, 1X on different spending. Remember lease earnings are capped at 100,000 factors per calendar 12 months. Additionally, to earn factors, you need to use your Bilt Mastercard no less than 5 occasions per billing cycle.
The Bilt factors you earn can switch to Marriott Bonvoy at a price of 1:1 (together with different airline and lodge chains for a complete of effectively over a dozen switch companions). So, for instance, should you pay $2,000 in lease monthly totaling $24,000 per 12 months, you may generate 24,000 Marriott Bonvoy factors yearly — seemingly sufficient for an in a single day keep at a Residence Inn.
As well as, should you switch no less than 20,000 Bilt Rewards factors in a single transaction, you’ll get a 5,000-point bonus. So all advised, the cardholder in our hypothetical may generate 29,000 factors probably value about $260 towards a Marriott keep, only for paying lease on time.
The Bilt Mastercard additionally contains helpful journey insurance coverage corresponding to journey cancellation and interruption safety, journey delay reimbursement and an auto rental collision harm waiver (main protection apart from New York state residents).
And, in contrast to the Marriott Bonvoy Daring card, you too can redeem Bilt factors for money again within the type of an announcement credit score should you’re in a pinch. We don’t advocate doing that, nevertheless, as a result of the worth of utilizing your rewards for an announcement credit score is simply 0.55 cents per level.
By rewarding you for paying lease — and rewarding you once more for transferring your factors to Marriott — the Bilt Mastercard simply earns a spot on our listing of the perfect playing cards for Marriott in 2024.
You even have the choice of reserving lodge stays via Bilt’s journey portal, however remember reserving via an issuer portal often means you may’t reap the benefits of any elite standing you’ve gotten with the lodge chain.
Try our full assessment of the Bilt Mastercard.
Finest premium rewards card: Marriott Bonvoy Sensible
Marriott Bonvoy Sensible® American Categorical® Card
Intro Bonus
Earn 185,000 bonus factors after spending $6,000 on purchases throughout the first six months from account opening (90,000 factors larger than standard).
Annual charge | $650 |
Common APR | 20.99%–29.99% variable |
Why we like this card: On the flip aspect of issues, should you’re devoted sufficient to the Marriott model to pledge $650 per 12 months to the appropriate bank card, you’re in all probability searching for the Marriott Bonvoy Sensible.
Positive, it might price roughly as a lot as some Taylor Swift tickets, however the Sensible card gives loads of worth in return. For starters, there’s a welcome bonus of 185,000 bonus factors after spending $6,000 on purchases throughout the first six months from account opening (90,000 factors larger than standard). Plus, take pleasure in as much as $25 monthly in eating assertion credit ($300 whole), Platinum Elite standing, a $100 Marriott property credit score good on the Ritz or St. Regis, Precedence Move Choose and 25 Elite Night time Credit to speed up your climb to Titanium Elite (75 nights).
You’ll additionally get a free anniversary night time, because the Boundless card, however with the Sensible it’s value as much as 85,000 factors (for context, the Atlanta Ritz-Carlton and St. Regis begin round 66,000 factors and 84,000 factors, respectively). The cherry on high is that the Sensible contains the perfect journey insurance coverage of the Marriott playing cards, with automotive rental loss and harm insurance coverage, baggage insurance coverage, journey delay protection and journey /cancellation/interruption insurance coverage.
Cardholders also can get reimbursed as much as $100 after placing the appliance charge for World Entry or TSA PreCheck on this card.
For a $650 card the rewards are just a little humdrum, with simply 6X factors on Marriott purchases (21X whole with Bonvoy membership + Platinum Elite standing), 3X on eating/flights and 2X factors on all different eligible purchases. However should you’re the kind who values airport lounge entry in your approach to the native Ritz, the Sensible could also be an important match on your journey pockets.
Try our full assessment of the Marriott Bonvoy Sensible card.
Finest for normal journey use: Chase Sapphire Most well-liked® Card
Chase Sapphire Most well-liked® Card
Intro bonus
60,000 bonus factors after spending $4,000 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening
Annual charge | $95 |
Common APR | 21.49%–28.49% variable |
Why we like this card: As a lot as we like the present lineup of Marriott Bonvoy playing cards, the primary disadvantage to utilizing lodge rewards playing cards on the whole is that your scope of redemption choices is fairly restricted. For probably the most half you’ll be producing lodge factors towards lodge stays, and most don’t have a cash-back redemption possibility.
So should you’d like a card that rewards you for reserving Marriott stays however with way more versatile factors, you’re in all probability searching for the Chase Sapphire Most well-liked® Card. The cardboard generates 5x factors on journey bought via Chase Final Rewards®, 3x factors on eating, 2x factors on journey purchases not booked via Chase and 1x factors on different purchases.
You can too earn a considerable welcome bonus of 60,000 bonus factors after spending $4,000 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening. Factors have a base worth of 1 cent every when redeemed for money again, and when used to e book journey within the Chase portal, are value 25% extra. Meaning 60,000 factors are value a whopping $750 in journey booked through Chase Final Rewards.
An essential caveat is that reserving Marriott stays via the Chase journey portal disqualifies you from incomes lodge factors or standing. When you e book instantly with Marriott (and also you’re a Marriott Bonvoy member) you’ll earn 10X with Marriott and 2X with Chase, which isn’t a foul return and could be the higher possibility if incomes factors and elite standing with the lodge is essential to you.
Sapphire Most well-liked cardholders also can switch their Chase factors at a 1:1 price to greater than a dozen airline and lodge companions, together with Marriott Bonvoy.
All issues thought of, whereas the CSP (because it’s popularly recognized) could not generate the mixed 17X that the Boundless card does, the factors you earn are way more versatile in case you want them for a flight, rental automotive or *gasp* a Hyatt or IHG keep.
Try our full assessment of the Chase Sapphire Most well-liked card.
Honorable point out: Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful™ Card and Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Categorical® Card
Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Categorical® Card
Intro Bonus
Earn 155,000 bonus factors after spending $5,000 on purchases throughout the first six months from a account opening (70,000 factors larger than standard).
Annual charge | $250 |
Common APR | 20.99%–29.99% variable |
Why we (type of) like these playing cards: To preface, the Bountiful and the Bevy are just about an identical. The chief distinction is that the Bountiful is obtainable by Chase and the Bevy is an Amex. In any other case, they’re twins.
However in contrast to Venus and Serena Williams, there’s no wholesome sibling rivalry right here driving each events to the next commonplace. There’s a free anniversary night time value as much as 50,000 factors, however you gained’t earn it till you spend $15,000 in a calendar 12 months. The playing cards additionally provide complimentary Gold Elite standing.
When it comes to rewards, these sibling playing cards generate 6X on accommodations (as much as 18.5X whole while you consider Marriott Bonvoy membership and Gold Elite standing), 4X on eating and groceries on as much as $15,000 spent, and 2X on all the pieces else.
The Bountiful comes with a ho-hum welcome bonus of 85,000 factors, earned after spending $4,000 within the first three months. The Bevy does exceed its twin right here, providing a welcome bonus of 155,000 factors after you spend $5,000 within the first six months.
Up to now, you would possibly suppose these playing cards are viable alternate options to the Boundless. There’s no free anniversary night time, positive, however they arrive with higher larger standing (Gold vs. Silver). To some, that alone may be value it.
However the hassle is that the Boundless prices a $95 annual charge and the Bevy/Bountiful cost $250. And to be trustworthy, we’re undecided why you’d pay $155 extra for fewer advantages.
Nonetheless, the Bevy and the Bountiful earn an honorable point out attributable to one, quirky standout characteristic: you’ll earn 1,000 bonus factors with every qualifying keep, no matter size. Meaning should you do overnights at Marriott properties as soon as every week, you’ll earn an additional 52,000 factors per 12 months, probably value practically $470 — greater than sufficient to cowl the $250 annual charge.
Try our full assessment of the Marriott Bonvoy Bevy assessment.
Often requested questions
What bank card is related to Marriott?
On the time of this writing there are six Marriott Bonvoy-branded bank cards. The Marriott Bonvoy Daring, Marriott Bonvoy Boundless and Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful are from Chase and the Marriott Bonvoy Bevy, Marriott Bonvoy Sensible and Marriott Bonvoy Enterprise are from American Categorical. That stated, by way of sensible variations there are basically 5 Marriott playing cards — the Bountiful and the Bevy are twins from totally different issuers.
How a lot is 50,000 Bonvoy factors value?
50,000 Marriott Bonvoy factors is value roughly $450 towards future Marriott purchases, assuming a mean redemption price of 0.9 cents per level.
Is it exhausting to get a Marriott Bonvoy card?
Chase and American Categorical don’t publish the precise required credit score scores to qualify for his or her rewards playing cards, however on the whole, lodge rewards playing cards require a FICO Rating of 700 or larger for robust possibilities of approval.
Which Marriott playing cards give lounge entry?
The Marriott Bonvoy Sensible card contains Precedence Move Choose (enrollment required), which grants limitless entry to over 1,200 airport lounges worldwide for you and as much as two friends. It additionally contains Platinum Elite standing with Marriott Bonvoy, which incorporates lodge lounge entry and complimentary breakfast at collaborating manufacturers.
Please word that card particulars are correct as of the publish date, however are topic to vary at any time on the discretion of the issuer. Please contact the cardboard issuer to confirm charges, charges, and advantages earlier than making use of.
Eligibility and Profit degree varies by Card. Phrases, Circumstances, and Limitations Apply. Please go to americanexpress.com/advantages information for extra particulars. Underwritten by Amex Assurance Firm.