The Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card wins our pick for best Marriott credit card thanks to its excellent value. It offers a stellar welcome bonus, hotel perks such as elite status and a free anniversary night, plus elevated rewards on everyday spending, easily offsetting a modest annual fee.
| Credit Cards | Our Ratings | Annual Fee | Rewards Rate | Welcome Offer | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card*
|
Winner/Best for beginners
|
$95 | 2X - 17X points
| 5 Free Night Awards
Earn 5 Free Night Awards worth up to 50,000 points each after spending $5,000 on eligible purchases within 3 months of account opening.
| |
Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card
|
Best for luxury
|
$650 | 2X - 6X points
| 150,000 points
Earn up to 150,000 Marriott Bonvoy® bonus points. Earn 100,000 points after you spend $6,000 and an extra 50,000 points after you spend an additional $2,000 in purchases on the Card within your first 6 months of Card Membership.
| |
Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card*
|
Best for no annual fee
|
$0 | 1X - 14X points
| 60,000 points
Earn 60,000 Bonus Points + 1 Free Night Award after spending $2,000 on eligible purchases within the first 3 months from account opening.
| |
Marriott Bonvoy Bevy® American Express® Card
|
Best for Gold Elite status
|
$250 | 2X - 6X points
| 135,000 points
Earn up to 135,000 Marriott Bonvoy® bonus points. Earn 85,000 points after you spend $5,000 and an extra 50,000 points after you spend an additional $2,000 in purchases on the Card within your first 6 months of Card Membership.
| |
Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful credit card*
|
Runner up for Gold Elite status
|
$250 | 2X - 10X points
| 85,000 points
85,000 Bonus Points after you spend $4,000 in purchases in your first 3 months from your account opening.
| |
Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card
|
Best for small businesses
|
$125 | 2X - 6X points
| 3 Free Night Awards
Earn 3 Free Night Awards after you use your new Card to make $6,000 in eligible purchases within the first 6 months of Card Membership.
| |
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
 Apply Now
on Chase's secure site Rates & Fees |
Best for staying at other hotels
|
$95 | 1X - 5X points
| 75,000 points
Earn 75,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
|
Apply Now
on Chase's secure site Rates & Fees |
Chase Sapphire Reserve®
Apply Now
on Chase's secure site Rates & Fees |
Best luxury card across brands
|
$795 | 1X - 8X points
| 100,000 points
Earn 100,000 bonus points + $500 Chase Travel℠ promo credit after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
|
Apply Now
on Chase's secure site Rates & Fees |
To bring you the list of best Marriott credit cards, we use an objective rating and ranking system that compares features across a large set of credit cards (over 200 of them from over 50 issuers). We use calculations to estimate the value of each card for the average cardholder, based on LendingTree and U.S. Bureau of Labor statistics.
We rank cards based on the following criteria:
We calculate the value of rewards and perks for the average cardholder using Bureau of Labor statistics data and an annual spend of $20,000, minus the annual fee. This value includes the card’s sign-up bonus, annual bonus (including free night certificates) and travel perks like lounge access and travel credits. We look at the average rewards earned over two years to balance out a card’s ongoing value with its first-year value.
We consider how easy the rewards are to use, looking at factors like expiration dates, minimum thresholds to redeem, blackout dates and the availability of flexible redemption options like travel statement credits and cash back.
We also compare a card’s benefits, such as purchase protections, travel protections and elite status benefits against benefits from other cards.
Note that our ratings are a starting point for comparing and choosing the best travel credit card for Marriott. However, your needs may be different from the average cardholder’s. You should consider the amount you’re likely to spend in a card’s bonus categories and which benefits you value to choose the best card for you.
How LendingTree Rates Credit Cards?
Our experts rate credit cards based on several factors including card benefits, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers do not influence or have a say in our card ratings. Read our credit card methodology here.Welcome offer: Earn 5 Free Night Awards
The Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card is a top Marriott rewards credit card offering a premium card experience for a reasonable annual fee. It comes with Marriott credit card benefits that will make you feel like a VIP and a rewards boost on both Marriott stays and everyday spending.
The blend of features on this card will allow you to get a taste for the world of Marriott Bonvoy rewards, and you can always upgrade to a luxury card later. In the meantime, you’ll enjoy one of the best credit card sign-up bonuses available today, at an estimated value of $1,050. And your automatic Silver Elite status can be converted to Gold status if you spend $35,000 annually on the card. Don’t forget you get a free anniversary night, which more than makes up for the cost of the card. This is a great choice if you only stay at Marriott once or twice a year, or want to earn rewards without the high annual fee.
How LendingTree Rates Credit Cards?
Our experts rate credit cards based on several factors including card benefits, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers do not influence or have a say in our card ratings. Read our credit card methodology here.Welcome offer: Earn up to 150,000 points
The Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card comes packed with an array of luxury perks that more than offset the high annual fee for Marriott loyalists who travel and dine frequently. The more you use the premium Marriott credit card benefits, such as the Marriott Bonvoy® Platinum Elite Status and the Priority Pass Select membership*, with unlimited visits to 1,200 airport lounges around the world, the more value you’ll reap from this card.
If you’re unsure whether the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card is worth it, given it has one of the highest annual fees on the market, the welcome offer (with an estimated value of $1,350) allows you to try it for a year with little risk. But there are hoops to jump through to take full advantage of some benefits. For example, the dining credit can only be redeemed in monthly increments.
How LendingTree Rates Credit Cards?
Our experts rate credit cards based on several factors including card benefits, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers do not influence or have a say in our card ratings. Read our credit card methodology here.Welcome offer: Earn 60,000 points
The Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card is the ultimate entry-level card for individuals who want to earn rewards toward free hotel stays without paying a fee. And although it doesn’t offer as many perks as other Marriott cards, the card still gives you a taste of Marriott elite status with automatic Silver Elite status.
This Marriott credit card has a decent sign-up bonus with a relatively low spending requirement. You also can earn up to 14X total points for every $1 spent at thousands of hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy® and 2X points for every $1 spent at grocery stores, rideshare, select food delivery, select streaming, and internet, and cable and phone services. Plus, earn 1X point for every $1 you spend on all other purchases.
How LendingTree Rates Credit Cards?
Our experts rate credit cards based on several factors including card benefits, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers do not influence or have a say in our card ratings. Read our credit card methodology here.Welcome offer: Earn up to 135,000 points
If you’re seeking the best credit card for Marriott points, you should know the Marriott Bonvoy Bevy® American Express® Card doesn’t have the most extensive list of Marriott benefits, especially considering its $250 annual fee. However, it might be a good choice if you want complimentary Marriott Gold Elite Status and you travel enough to take advantage of the perks that come with that status.
Along with a generous welcome offer, the Marriott Bonvoy Bevy® American Express® Card lets you earn 6X Marriott Bonvoy® points for each dollar of eligible purchases at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy®. Earn 4X points at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on up to $15,000 in combined purchases at restaurants and U.S. supermarkets per calendar year, then 2X points). Earn 2X points on all other eligible purchases with the Marriott Bonvoy Bevy® Card. And with no foreign transaction fees, it’s a good credit card for international travel.
How LendingTree Rates Credit Cards?
Our experts rate credit cards based on several factors including card benefits, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers do not influence or have a say in our card ratings. Read our credit card methodology here.Welcome offer: Earn 85,000 points
Earn 85,000 Bonus Points after you spend $4,000 in purchases in your first 3 months from your account opening.
The Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful credit card is similar to the Marriott Bonvoy Bevy® American Express® Card, as both cards offer automatic Gold Elite status. The Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful credit card also offers an elevated earning rate for hotel stays — up to 6X points on Marriott purchases (plus a 25% bonus on stays with Gold status), and Marriott Bonvoy members can also earn up to 10X points. You can also earn higher bonus rewards for restaurants, U.S. takeout and U.S. supermarket purchases.
But with its $250 annual fee, this card may only be worth it if you’re determined to gain the complimentary automatic Gold Elite Status quickly, and you travel enough to use the benefits that come with it.
How LendingTree Rates Credit Cards?
Our experts rate credit cards based on several factors including card benefits, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers do not influence or have a say in our card ratings. Read our credit card methodology here.Welcome offer: Earn 3 Free Night Awards
If your company’s annual budget includes line items for Marriott hotel stays and dining, the Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card may be the Marriott business credit card for you. This Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card allows you to earn valuable rewards for award stays at Marriott properties and can be especially beneficial if multiple employees use cards, allowing you to pool points and boost your rewards balance faster. Between the business card’s welcome offer, a discount on eligible bookings and ongoing rewards for card spending, there’s more than enough value to outweigh the annual fee.
The Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card allows small business owners to earn 6x Marriott Bonvoy Points on each dollar of eligible purchases at hotels participating in the Marriott Bonvoy® program. 4x points at restaurants worldwide, at U.S. gas stations, on wireless telephone services purchased directly from U.S. service providers and on U.S. purchases for shipping. 2x points on all other eligible purchases. Cardholders also get complimentary Gold Elite status, with benefits including priority late checkout when available and 25% bonus points on paid hotel stays.
How LendingTree Rates Credit Cards?
Our experts rate credit cards based on several factors including card benefits, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers do not influence or have a say in our card ratings. Read our credit card methodology here. Apply Now
Welcome offer: Earn 75,000 points
Our top pick for the best Chase credit card on the market, the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card offers flexible travel rewards and perks, including a $50 hotel credit for stays purchased through Chase TravelSM, plus a complimentary DoorDash DashPass subscription for a minimum of one year. It’s geared toward frequent travelers who want versatile travel rewards they can use with multiple brands — including Marriott.
Like many top rewards credit cards, the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card comes with a substantial welcome bonus if you meet its spending requirement. It also features elevated rewards rates in multiple spending categories, like travel and dining. Points earned with the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card have even more value (up to 75% more) when redeemed through Chase TravelSM. Plus, cardholders earn credit card bonus points annually equal to 10% of total purchases made the previous year. Before you apply, remember the Chase 5/24 rule, which may prevent you from being approved if you’ve opened five or more accounts with any bank in the past 24 months.
How LendingTree Rates Credit Cards?
Our experts rate credit cards based on several factors including card benefits, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers do not influence or have a say in our card ratings. Read our credit card methodology here. Apply Now
Welcome offer: Earn 100,000 points
The Chase Sapphire Reserve® is one of the best travel credit cards on the market, with an array of luxury benefits that can easily make up for the annual fee. The $300 flexible travel credit, one of the most valuable benefits on any travel card available, goes a long way toward paying for the card. On top of that, the welcome bonus, airport lounge access, trusted traveler program reimbursement and everyday rewards earning potential combine to make this card a lucrative choice for anyone who travels frequently enough to take full advantage of its benefits.
The Chase Sapphire Reserve® is a good option for Marriott loyalists who occasionally stay at other properties and value flexibility above hotel-specific benefits. The card earns Chase Ultimate Rewards® points, which transfer to Marriott Bonvoy at a 1:1 ratio, making it a snap to move your rewards without losing any value. The card also offers excellent travel insurance benefits.
→ See our other picks for credit cards with travel insurance.
Marriott’s elite status program allows frequent Marriott guests to enjoy perks on their stays, including late checkout and room upgrades (based on availability.) However, elite status benefits depend on the level of status you qualify for, so lower-tier members may get only a few basic perks. The Marriott Bonvoy program also allows members to earn more points on paid hotel stays with the brand, which paves the way to more free award nights. If you don’t stay exclusively at Marriott properties, you may also want to consider joining other popular hotel loyalty programs where you often stay, such as:
Co-branded Marriott hotel credit cards offer automatic elite status, from Silver Elite status with the Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card and Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card to Marriott Bonvoy® Platinum Elite Status with the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card*. Automatic elite status can help you get some perks right away, and make it easier to climb to higher status tiers with paid hotel stays.
As a Marriott Bonvoy member, you get an Elite Night Credit for each qualifying night you stay. You also can get Elite Night Credits annually as a benefit on some Marriott credit cards, and you can stack credits from one personal and one business card. If you accumulate enough Elite Night Credits, you may reach a higher level of status the following year. For example, to get to Gold Elite Status, you need 25 to 49 Qualifying Nights and to get Platinum Elite Status, you need 50 to 74, while 75+ gets you Titanium Elite Status.
A free night certificate is an exclusive benefit on select Marriott cards. This benefit is redeemable for one night at a Marriott hotel, although these certificates limit the number of points a free night award can cost.
Free night certificates are awarded on your card anniversary with a 12-month expiration date, and unused certificates don’t roll over from one year to the next.
The Marriott Bonvoy program has a “Stay for 5, Pay for 4” promotion that helps members stretch their rewards points. Essentially, this program lets members redeem points for five consecutive award nights for the cost of four award nights. If you book five nights at a property that costs 50,000 Marriott Bonvoy points per night, for example, the stay would set you back only 200,000 points instead of 250,000.
You’ll have to spend the five consecutive nights at the same property, although it can be a traditional Marriott hotel or resort or an all-inclusive property. However, the free night award will be the one that costs the fewest amount of points during your stay. This is important, since free nights over the course of five consecutive nights may all require different point values.
While free night awards are always going to be the best redemption for Marriott Bonvoy points, members do have the option to turn their rewards into airline miles. The Marriott Bonvoy program will even add 5,000 miles for every 60,000 points you turn into frequent flyer miles. The exception is with the United MileagePlus program, where you’ll get 10,000 additional miles for each 60,000 points you transfer.
There are currently 38 participating frequent flyer programs, and most come with a transfer ratio of 3:1. This means that 30,000 Marriott Bonvoy points turn into 10,000 frequent flyer points with most programs.
Marriott cardmembers are automatically enrolled in the Marriott Bonvoy loyalty program, which includes free in-room Wi-Fi for all members.
Marriott cardholders, as Marriott Bonvoy members, will automatically get discounted member rates when booking a stay. They also get priority for late checkout (Silver Elite) or late checkout at 2 p.m. (Gold Elite) or 4 p.m. (Platinum Elite.)
When deciding amongst Marriott credit card offers, you’ll need to consider your goals and travel style. The best Marriott Bonvoy credit card for you will depend on your spending habits and goals. Since different types of credit cards also come with different perks, you’ll also want to think over the benefits you want and how much you’re willing to pay in annual fees.
Consider whether any of these statements apply as you search for the right card:
You don’t want to pay an annual fee.
The Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card might be the right fit for you, since it’s a no-annual-fee card that comes with automatic elite status, helps you earn extra hotel points and also has no foreign transaction fees.
You want premium travel benefits.
If you want perks like airport lounge access or annual travel credits, you should check out the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card* or the Chase Sapphire Reserve®.
Elite status is your top priority.
If you want the highest possible elite status, the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card comes with Marriott Bonvoy® Platinum Elite Status. Other Marriott cards offer Gold Elite or Silver Elite status.
Flexibility is your main objective.
Co-branded cards can be rewarding if you stay with Mariott often, but points can’t be used to book stays with other brands. If you want to earn rewards at other hotels, check out cards with flexible points like the Chase Sapphire Reserve® and the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card.
→ See LendingTree’s picks for the best hotel credit cards.
Having a Marriott credit card can help you secure elite status and earn rewards for free hotel stays. Use these tips to get the most out of your card.
You’ll generally need to have good to excellent credit to qualify for a Marriott card.
You can have more than one Marriott credit card. However, you’ll want to be careful of rules that limit new bonuses on additional cards from the brand. You should also note that some cards may have overlapping benefits you can’t earn more than once (for example, automatic Gold Elite status).
You’ll typically need at least 15,000 to 100,000 Marriott points to pay for a free night. The number of points for an individual stay varies based on the destination, dates and hotel. That’s because the Marriott Bonvoy program uses dynamic award pricing, which bases rates for free night awards on factors like demand. In addition, if you use points to pay for five consecutive nights, you’ll get the cheapest night for free.
You can transfer Marriott points to another person who has a Marriott Bonvoy loyalty account. To do so, log into your account and use the points transfer tool. You must transfer points in 1,000-point increments, and there are monthly, yearly and point transaction limits, as well as other rules.
No, you can’t transfer Marriott Bonvoy points to Chase Ultimate Rewards. However, you can transfer Chase Ultimate Rewards points into your Bonvoy loyalty account at a 1:1 ratio.
To see rates & fees for American Express cards mentioned on this page, visit the links provided below:
The information related to the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card, Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card and Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful credit card has been independently collected by LendingTree and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer of this card prior to publication. Terms apply.
The content above is not provided by any issuer. Any opinions expressed are those of LendingTree alone and have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any issuer. The offers and/or promotions mentioned above may have changed, expired, or are no longer available. Check the issuer's website for more details.
