Marriott Bonvoy Bevy® American Express® Card Review: Why It's Not Worth the Annual Fee

The Marriott Bonvoy Bevy® American Express® Card can be worth it for Marriott loyalists looking to earn a solid welcome offer and rack up points quickly. But with several other Marriott credit cards to choose from, this may not be the best choice. If you stay at Marriott properties only on occasion, lower-annual-fee options, including the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless^® Credit Card and Marriott Bonvoy Bold^® Credit Card, likely make more sense for you, as the Marriott Bonvoy Bevy® American Express® Card is light on perks.

On the other hand, if you’re a hardcore Marriott fan, you might want to consider the higher-tier Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant^® American Express^® Card. Despite its $650 annual fee (see rates & fees), it comes with several other perks and credits that the Marriott Bonvoy Bevy® American Express® Card lacks. These perks can help you cover the cost of the annual fee.

Recommended credit: Credit scores ranges may vary. Your individual chance at approval may vary due to factors such as creditors using a particular variation at their discretion Good / Excellent

Rewards Rate: 2X - 18.5X points

• Earn up to 18.5X Marriott Bonvoy® points for every $1 spent on eligible purchases at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy.
• Earn 6X points with the Marriott Bonvoy Bevy® American Express® Card.
• Earn up to 10X points from Marriott Bonvoy for being a Marriott Bonvoy member.
• 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 up to 2.5X points from Marriott Bonvoy with the 25% Bonus Points on Stays, a benefit available with your complimentary Gold Elite status.
• Earn 2X points on all other eligible purchases.

Welcome offer: 85,000 points

• Earn 85,000 Marriott Bonvoy® bonus points after you use your new Card to make $5,000 in purchases within the first 6 months of Card Membership.

Rates

• Intro purchase APR: N/A
• Regular purchase APR: 19.74%-28.74% Variable
• Intro balance transfer APR: N/A
• Regular balance transfer APR: N/A
• Regular cash advance APR: 28.99% Variable
• Penalty APR: 29.99% Variable

Fees

• Annual fee: $250
• Balance transfer fee: N/A
• Cash advance fee: Either $10 or 5% of the amount of each cash advance, whichever is greater.
• Foreign exchange fee: None
• Late fee: Up to $40

Other benefits

• Complimentary Marriott Bonvoy^® Gold Elite status
• 15 Elite Night Credits each year (terms apply)
• 1,000 Marriott Bonvoy bonus points per eligible stay
• Free night award after spending $15,000 in a calendar year (terms apply)

• Valuable rewards rate

  You can earn up to 18.5X Marriott Bonvoy® points for every $1 spent on eligible purchases at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy. Earn 6X points with the Marriott Bonvoy Bevy® American Express® Card. Earn up to 10X points from Marriott Bonvoy for being a Marriott Bonvoy member. 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 up to 2.5X points from Marriott Bonvoy with the 25% Bonus Points on Stays, a benefit available with your complimentary Gold Elite status. Earn 2X points on all other eligible purchases.

  The card’s elevated rate on Marriott stays and other common spending categories lets you earn points quickly. Just be aware that some of its reward categories have a spending cap.

• Generous welcome offer

  The Marriott Bonvoy Bevy® American Express® Card lets you earn 85,000 Marriott Bonvoy® bonus points after you use your new Card to make $5,000 in purchases within the first 6 months of Card Membership.

  This can cover anywhere from two to five nights or more at certain properties and locations. Make sure to time your application for the card so you’re able to earn and redeem the welcome offer before you book your next trip.

• Complimentary Marriott Bonvoy® Gold Elite status

  You’ll get complimentary Marriott Bonvoy^® Gold Elite status with the Marriott Bonvoy Bevy® American Express® Card. That comes with perks including 25% more points on every eligible hotel purchase, priority late checkout as late as 2 p.m. pending availability and enhanced room upgrades, also pending availability (terms apply).

  → Learn more about Marriott Bonvoy Elite status

• 15 Elite Night Credits

  You’ll receive 15 Elite Night Credits each calendar year with the Marriott Bonvoy Bevy® American Express® Card (terms apply). Earning Elite Night Credits helps you reach the next elite status tier. With 15 Elite Night Credits and the card’s Gold Elite status, you’ll need 10 more eligible nights to reach Platinum Elite status.

  Platinum Elite status comes with perks such as 50% more points on every eligible hotel purchase, enhanced room upgrades (including select suites) pending availability and a welcome gift of your choice upon arrival. Options for your welcome gift may include points, breakfast offerings or an amenity.

• 1,000 bonus Marriott Bonvoy points per stay

  Earn an extra 1,000 Marriott Bonvoy points per paid eligible stay (terms apply). Nights must be booked directly with Marriott Bonvoy properties. If you stay frequently enough, this can help you rack up even more points.

• Free night award after spending

  Although the card doesn’t come with an automatic free night perk, you can earn a free night award at a Marriott Bonvoy property after spending $15,000 on eligible purchases in a calendar year. The free night award has a cap of 50,000 points. Keep in mind that some hotels may have resort fees you need to cover.

• $250 annual fee

  The Marriott Bonvoy Bevy® American Express® Card has a high $250 annual fee. This may not be worth it for infrequent travelers. If you’re looking for Marriott perks with a $0 annual fee, the Marriott Bonvoy Bold^® Credit Card would be a better choice.

• No automatic free night

  Unlike some other hotel credit cards with high annual fees, the Marriott Bonvoy Bevy® American Express® Card doesn’t come with an automatic free night. Instead, you have to spend $15,000 to earn the free night award — and even when you do earn it, there is a maximum 50,000 points cap.

• Limited ways to redeem points

  The most valuable way to use your Marriott points is on Marriott stays. There are other options to redeem your points, such as cruises, car rentals, gift cards and more, but this option may mean your points decrease in value.

  If you want to have more flexibility with your points in case you take a hiatus from staying at Marriott properties, you may want to consider a general travel credit card instead of a co-branded card.

Marriott Bonvoy Bevy® American Express® Card vs. Marriott Bonvoy Boundless^® Credit Card

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Marriott Bonvoy Boundless^® Credit Card*

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Marriott Bonvoy Boundless^® Credit Card*

Intro Purchase APR N/A

Regular Purchase APR 19.99% - 28.49% Variable

Annual Fee $95

Rewards Rate Earn up to 17X total points at participating Marriott hotels. Earn 3X points on the first $6,000 spent in combined purchases each year on grocery stores, gas stations, and dining. Earn 2X points on all other purchases.… Read More

Highlights

• Earn 3 Free Night Awards worth up to 50,000 points each after spending $3,000 on eligible purchases within 3 months of account opening.
• Earn 3X points per $1 on the first $6,000 spent in combined purchases each year on grocery stores, gas stations, and dining.
• Earn 1 Elite Night Credit towards Elite Status for every $5,000 you spend.
• 1 Free Night Award (valued up to 35,000 points) every year after account anniversary.
• Earn up to 17X total points per $1 spent at over 7,000 hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy^® with the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless^® Card.
• 2X points for every $1 spent on all other purchases.
• Receive 15 Elite Night Credits annually, automatic Silver Elite Status each account anniversary year, and path to Gold Status when you spend $35,000 on purchases each calendar year.
• No foreign transaction fees.

Recommended Credit

Credit scores ranges may vary. Your individual chance at approval may vary due to factors such as creditors using a particular variation at their discretion

Good / Excellent

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*The information related to the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless^® Credit Card has been collected by LendingTree and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer of this card prior to publication. Terms apply

The Marriott Bonvoy Boundless^® Credit Card is a great choice if you’re looking for a way to earn Marriott Bonvoy points and perks without dishing out a huge annual fee. It has a $95 annual fee and comes with a valuable sign-up bonus: Earn 3 Free Night Awards worth up to 50,000 points each after spending $3,000 on eligible purchases within 3 months of account opening.

You’ll also get an annual free night award every year after your account anniversary (with a maximum of 35,000 points). The card comes with complimentary Silver Elite status — plus you can earn one Elite Night Credit for every $5,000 you spend for up to 15 Elite Night Credits per year. You can reach Gold Elite status after you spend $35,000 with the card each calendar year.

Marriott Bonvoy Bevy® American Express® Card vs. Marriott Bonvoy Bold^® Credit Card

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LendingTree is compensated by companies on this site and this compensation may impact how and where offers appears on this site (such as the order). LendingTree does not include all lenders, savings products, or loan options available in the marketplace.

| Disclosures

Marriott Bonvoy Bold^® Credit Card*

Learn More

Marriott Bonvoy Bold^® Credit Card*

Intro Purchase APR N/A

Regular Purchase APR 19.99% - 28.49% Variable

Annual Fee $0

Rewards Rate 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.… Read More

Highlights

• Earn 30,000 Bonus Points after spending $1,000 on eligible purchases within the first 3 months from account opening.
• Pay no annual fee with the Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card from Chase®!
• Earn up to 14X total points per $1 spent at over 7,000 hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy® with the Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Card.
• 2X points for every $1 spent on purchases at grocery stores.
• 2X points for every $1 spent on rideshare and select food delivery.
• 2X points for every $1 spent on select streaming, and internet, cable and phone services.
• 1X point for every $1 spent on all other purchases.
• Receive 5 Elite Night Credits annually, plus complimentary Silver Elite Status. Restrictions apply.
• No Foreign Transaction Fees.
• Earn unlimited Marriott Bonvoy® points and get Free Night Stays faster.

Recommended Credit

Credit scores ranges may vary. Your individual chance at approval may vary due to factors such as creditors using a particular variation at their discretion

Good / Excellent

Get my free score

Show Detailsfor Citi Double Cash Card

*The information related to the Marriott Bonvoy Bold^® Credit Card has been collected by LendingTree and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer of this card prior to publication. Terms apply

The Marriott Bonvoy Bold^® Credit Card is a $0-annual-fee card that’s light on perks but can still help you earn points quickly. You 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.

You’ll also receive automatic Silver Elite status and a generous sign-up bonus: Earn 30,000 Bonus Points after spending $1,000 on eligible purchases within the first 3 months from account opening.

Marriott Bonvoy Bevy® American Express® Card vs. Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant^® American Express^® Card

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LendingTree is compensated by companies on this site and this compensation may impact how and where offers appears on this site (such as the order). LendingTree does not include all lenders, savings products, or loan options available in the marketplace.

| Disclosures

Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant^® American Express^® Card

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on American Express's secure site

Rates & Fees

|Terms Apply

Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant^® American Express^® Card

Intro Purchase APR N/A

Regular Purchase APR 19.74%-28.74% Variable

Annual Fee $650

Rewards Rate Earn up to 21X Marriott Bonvoy® points for every $1 spent on eligible purchases at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy. Earn 6X points with the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card. Earn up to 10X points from Marriott Bonvoy for being a Marriott Bonvoy member. Earn up to 5X points from Marriott Bonvoy with the 50% Bonus Points on Stays, a benefit available with your complimentary Platinum Elite status. Earn 3X points at restaurants worldwide and on flights booked directly with airlines. Earn 2X points on all other eligible purchases.… Read More

Highlights

• Click APPLY NOW to apply online.
• Earn 100,000 Marriott Bonvoy® bonus points after you use your new Card to make $6,000 in purchases within the first 6 months of Card Membership.
• Earn 6X Marriott Bonvoy® points for each dollar of eligible purchases at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy.
• Earn 3X points at restaurants worldwide and on flights booked directly with airlines.
• Earn 2X points on all other eligible purchases.
• Earn up to 21X Marriott Bonvoy® points for every $1 spent on eligible purchases at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy. Earn 6X points with the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card. Earn up to 10X points from Marriott Bonvoy for being a Marriott Bonvoy member. Earn up to 5X points from Marriott Bonvoy with the 50% Bonus Points on Stays, a benefit available with your complimentary Platinum Elite status.
• $300 Brilliant Dining Credit: Each calendar year, get up to $300 (up to $25 per month) in statement credits for eligible purchases made on the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card at restaurants worldwide.
• A Marriott Bonvoy® Platinum Elite member will earn 50% more points on eligible purchases at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy for each U.S. dollar or the currency equivalent that is incurred and paid for by the member.
• Receive 1 Free Night Award every year after your Card renewal month. Award can be used for one night (redemption level at or under 85,000 Marriott Bonvoy® points) at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy®, such as Le Metropolitan, a Tribute Portfolio Hotel in Paris. Certain hotels have resort fees.
• Each calendar year after spending $60,000 on eligible purchases on your Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card, you will be eligible to select a Brilliant Earned Choice Award benefit. You can only earn one Brilliant Earned Choice Award per calendar year. See https://www.choice-benefit.marriott.com/brilliant for Award options.
• $100 Marriott Bonvoy® Property Credit: Enjoy your stay. Receive up to a $100 property credit for qualifying charges at The Ritz-Carlton® or St. Regis® when you book direct using a special rate for a two-night minimum stay using your Card.
• Fee Credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®: Receive either a statement credit every 4 years after you apply for Global Entry ($120) or a statement credit every 4.5 years after you apply for a five-year membership for TSA PreCheck® (up to $85 through a TSA PreCheck official enrollment provider) and pay the application fee with your Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card. If approved for Global Entry, at no additional charge, you will receive access to TSA PreCheck.
• Each calendar year with your Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card you can receive 25 Elite Night Credits toward the next level of Marriott Bonvoy® Elite status. Limitations apply per Marriott Bonvoy member account. Benefit is not exclusive to Cards offered by American Express.
• With your Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card, you can enroll in Priority Pass™ Select, with an unlimited number of visits to over 1,200 airport lounges in over 130 countries, regardless of which carrier or class you are flying. This allows you to relax before or between flights. You can enjoy snacks, drinks and internet access in a quiet, comfortable location.
• Trip Cancelled or Interrupted? If you purchase a round-trip entirely with your Eligible Card and a covered reason cancels or interrupts your trip, we may be able to help. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Coverage is provided by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company.
• No Foreign Transaction Fees on international purchases.
• $650 Annual Fee.
• Apply with confidence. Know if you're approved for a Card with no impact to your credit score. If you're approved and you choose to accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.
• Terms Apply.
• Rates & Fees

Recommended Credit

Credit scores ranges may vary. Your individual chance at approval may vary due to factors such as creditors using a particular variation at their discretion

Good / Excellent

Get my free score

Show Detailsfor Citi Double Cash Card

The Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant^® American Express^® Card is Marriott’s most luxury offering. It comes with a steep $650 annual fee, but offers plenty of Marriott and other travel perks to make up for it. If you take advantage of the card’s Platinum Elite status, up to $300 dining credit on qualifying purchases (up to $25 monthly), up to $100 Marriott property credit on qualifying purchase and many other perks, it can be a much more rewarding choice than the Marriott Bonvoy Bevy® American Express® Card.

The Marriott Bonvoy Bevy® American Express® Card could be right for you if you stay at Marriott properties frequently enough to take advantage of the card perks. Casual travelers will likely get more value out of the Marriott Bonvoy Bold^® Credit Card, a $0-annual-fee card that features a generous welcome offer and rewards rate with complimentary Marriott Bonvoy^® Silver Elite status as well.

The Marriott Bonvoy Bevy® American Express® Card may also be a good fit if you’re OK with your points being mostly limited toward Marriott stays. The Chase Sapphire Preferred^® Card, on the other hand, may be right for you if you want to use points toward Marriott stays and also have the option to transfer your points to airlines or other hotel brands.