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Marriott enthusiasts have choices for a co-branded credit card: basic, midlevel and luxury. Options were revamped in 2019 when the hotel company introduced its new Bonvoy loyalty program after its merger with Starwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide.
Card choices for consumers are:
The pricier cards come with richer benefits and rewards than the basic card. Should you pay more to get more?
» MORE: NerdWallet’s best hotel credit cards
Marriott credit cards, compared
Marriott credit cards share the hotel company loyalty program, Bonvoy. Note that one card is offered by American Express; the others, Chase. Here’s how they compare.
Marriott points are worth 0.8 cents each on average, according to NerdWallet valuations. So to get $100 in value when you book a room with points, you’ll need about 12,500 Bonvoy points. Put another way, 50,000 points are worth about $400 worth of hotel bookings.
Cheat sheet for choosing a Marriott card
If you want that anniversary night: The Marriott Bonvoy Boundless™ Credit Card
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This will be the right choice for many Marriott loyalists. As long as you use the free night each year, the card more than pays for itself. That’s because a night at a Marriott property typically costs more than the annual fee of $95.
Also key: If you’re looking for a card to use beyond Marriott booking, this one offers 2 points per dollar spent anywhere besides Marriott, an effective rate of 1.6 cents on everyday spending, according to NerdWallet valuations. That’s competitive with flat-rate cash back cards.
» MORE: Full review of the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless™ Credit Card
If you want to try a Bonvoy card for free: The Marriott Bonvoy Bold™ Credit Card
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The allure here is the annual fee of $0. That makes it a no-risk way to earn perks and points in the Bonvoy program, or generally to test the hotel loyalty waters. It’s the card for those who refuse to pay annual fees, but it has less potential for outsized value compared with other Marriott cards.
» MORE: Full review of the Marriott Bonvoy Bold™ Credit Card
If you want luxury benefits: The Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant™ American Express® Card
The annual fee of the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant™ American Express® Card might be hard to swallow, but it starts making sense when you break it down. If you can use the $300 hotel credit every year, that effectively drops the fee to $150. And you can book swankier hotels with your anniversary night, worth far more than the remaining $150. In addition to perks in the comparison chart, this card offers a $100 Marriott property credit on two-night stays at Ritz-Carlton and St. Regis hotels. The credit is good for expenses such as room service and spa treatments. Terms apply.
Other Marriott cards
Marriott has legacy cards that predate the launch of the Bonvoy program. They are closed to new applications. For reference, they are:
- Marriott Bonvoy™ American Express® Card.
- Marriott Rewards® Premier Plus Credit Card.
- The Ritz-Carlton Card.
A current Bonvoy card for small business is the Marriott Bonvoy Business™ American Express® Card.
» MORE: Full review of the Marriott Bonvoy Business™ American Express® Card
Information related to the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant™ American Express® Card card has been collected by NerdWallet and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer of this card.