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Introducing a card for those who love to travel – the Marriott Bonvoy BrilliantTM American Express® Card will surely reward your adventure!
When applying, you have the opportunity to earn up to 125,000 Marriott Bonvoy points. Earn 100,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 3 months. Plus, earn an additional 25,000 bonus points after your first anniversary of Card Membership. Offer Expires 1/13/2021. We value these 125k bonus points to be worth around $1,125.
On top of the excellent bonus offer, you can earn 6X points on eligible purchases at participating Marriott Bonvoy hotels, 3X points at U.S. restaurants and on flights booked directly with airlines, & 2X points on all other eligible purchases. You’re able to use your rewards for free nights, flights, & statement credits.
However, do keep in mind that this card does have an annual fee of $450 (See Rates & Fees), but the rewards alone on top of receiving 1 Free Night Award every year after your card account anniversary benefits surely outweighs the annual fee. In addition, you can enjoy up to $300 in statement credits each year of Card Membership for eligible purchases at participating Marriott Bonvoy hotels.
* The Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card is issued by American Express. They also offer great sign-up bonuses. You can also compare this card with other credit card bonuses!
Table of Contents
- 1 Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card
- 2 Editor’s Alternate Pick
- 3 What is the Marriott Bonvoy Program?
- 4 Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant Card Welcome Offer
- 5 What Are Marriott Bonvoy Points Worth?
- 6 Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant Card Top Features
- 7 Other Card Benefits
- 8 Bottom Line
- 9 Who’s the Competition?
Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card
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| Bonus Available | Earn up to 125,000 Marriott Bonvoy points. Earn 100,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 3 months. Plus, earn an additional 25,000 bonus points after your first anniversary of Card Membership. Offer Expires 1/13/2021. |
| *Bonus Value | $1,125 |
| Travel Credit | Enjoy up to $300 in statement credits each membership year for eligible purchases at participating Marriott Bonvoy hotels. |
| Ongoing Rewards/Benefits | Receive 6 points for every $1 spent on eligible purchases at participating Marriott Bonvoy hotels, 3 points for every $1 spent on dining and air travel booked directly with airlines, and 2 points for every $1 spent on all other eligible purchases.
Get 1 free night every year after your account anniversary. Receive a statement credit every 4 years after you apply for Global Entry ($100), or every 4.5 years after you apply for TSA Precheck ($85). Enjoy free in-room, premium internet access. |
| Foreign Transaction Fees | No |
| Airport Lounge Access | Get into over 1,200 airport lounges around the world with complimentary Priority Pass Select membership. |
| Elite Status | Enjoy complimentary Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status.
Earn Marriott Bonvoy Platinum Elite status after you make at least $75,000 in eligible purchases in one calendar year. |
| Annual Fee | $450 |
* Bonus value is an estimated value calculated by HustlerMoneyBlog and not the card issuer.
View our latest valuations here.
Recommended Free Credit Score (Get Free Score) 720 – 850 (Excellent)
PROS
- Bonus points
- High earning rate
- Annual statement credit
- Annual free night award
- Complimentary elite status
- Lounge access
- Transfer partners
- No foreign transaction fees
CONS
- Premium annual fee
- Excellent credit needed to qualify
Editor’s Alternate Pick
 The Chase Sapphire Preferred Card offers 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards®! You'll earn 2X points on travel and dining at restaurants worldwide, eligible delivery services, takeout and dining out & 1 point per dollar spent on all other purchases. And when you redeem your points for travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards, you'll get 25% more value! Furthermore, you'll earn 2X total points on up to $1,000 in grocery store purchases per month from November 1, 2020 to April 30, 2021. Includes eligible pick-up and delivery services. You get unlimited deliveries with a $0 delivery fee & reduced service fees on orders over $12 for a minimum of one year on qualifying food purchases with DashPass, DoorDash's subscription service. Activate by 12/31/21. This card carries a $95 annual fee. |
What is the Marriott Bonvoy Program?
The Marriott Bonvoy™ program lets you earn reward points every time you stay at participating Marriott Bonvoy™ hotels. Redeem your points to earn free nights at over 6,700 participating Marriott Bonvoy™ hotels worldwide. Receive 15,000 bonus points when you transfer 60,000 points to any of over 40 participating airline programs – usually at a ratio of three points to one mile.
Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant Card
Welcome Offer
If you haven’t heard already, Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant has a welcome offer of up to 125,000 bonus Marriott Bonvoy points after meeting the requirements.
The bonus points alone will be more than enough to cover the first year’s annual fee.
Here are some ideas on meeting the spending requirement:
| • Plastiq - Using Plastiq allows you to pay for your personal expenses such as rent, tuition, mortgage, auto lease etc. Although they charge a 2.5% processing fee for using your credit card, this will contribute to the card bonus that you will receive. There is also a referral program that allows you to earn "Free-Free Dollars" that goes towards processing fees as well. |
| • Funding Checking Accounts - When it comes to funding a checking account, opening your initial deposit with a credit card is the usual way to go about it. However, if you want to have more opportunities, you should open a checking account that offers a sign-up bonus. This allows you to work towards bonuses from not one but two different sources instead. Banks like Chase, Huntington Bank, TD Bank and BBVA offers credit card funding, and for your opening deposit, you can often fund anywhere from $50-$1000 with a credit card, depending on the bank. |
| • Gift Card Purchases With Using a Credit Card - Another way to acquire the bonus is using your credit card to purchase gift cards. Buying a a gift card or an individual merchant card typically do not require a purchase fee and are used towards leisure, so gift cards are ideal. However, gift cards such as a Visa or American Express do incur purchase fees because they can be spent anywhere, but gift cards that are specifically for a certain online shopping site such as Amazon or eBay don't. |
| As for a Citi Credit Card, you should call customer service and ask them to lower your Cash Advance limit to $0 before making any purchases because Citi tends to read gift card purchases as a Cash Advance. Ideally, you should do this with any card just to be safe. Lastly, there is such thing as a discounted gift card which can be purchased on Raise or eBay. If you use a credit card often for everyday purchases, it can build your credit score that will contribute towards paying for things such as bills and taxes. |
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What Are Marriott Bonvoy Points Worth?
Similar to other hotel-branded credit cards, the value of your points will be determined by how you use them. The value of these points can range from $0.0013 to $0.01. Generally, each Marriott Bonvoy point is worth $0.009.
Use your Marriott Bonvoy points for:
- Hotel stays
- Travel packages
- Destination-specific activities
- Gift cards
- Merchandise
To get the most out of your points, redeem them for hotel stays and travel packages. You also have the option to transfer your points to any of Marriott Bonvoy’s 44 airline partners:
Marriott Bonvoy Airline Partner Programs
| Aegean Airlines | Aeroflot Bonus | AeroMexico ClubPremier |
| Air Canada Aeroplan | Air China Phoenix Miles | Air France/KLM Flying Blue |
| Air New Zealand Airpoints | Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan | Alitalia MilleMiglia |
| ANA Mileage Club | American Airlines | Asia Miles |
| Asiana Airlines Asiana Club | Avianca LifeMiles | British Airways Executive Club |
| China Eastern Airlines Eastern Miles | China Southern Airlines | Copa Airlines ConnectMiles |
| Delta SkyMiles | Emirates Skywards | Etihad Guest |
| Frontier Airlines | Hainan Airlines | Hawaiian Airlines HawaiianMiles |
| Iberia Plus | Japan Airlines JAL | Jet Airways JetPrivilege |
| JetBlue TrueBlue | Korean Air SKYPASS | LATAM Airlines LATAMPASS |
| Lufthansa Miles & More | Multiplus | Qantas Frequent Flyer |
| Qatar Privilege Club | Saudia Airlines | Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer |
| South African Airways Voyager | Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards | TAP Air Portugal |
| Thai Airways | Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles | United MileagePlus |
| Virgin Atlantic Flying Club |
Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant Card Top Features
Get an annual statement credit of $300, which you can use towards eligible purchases at participating Marriott Bonvoy hotels. This includes room bookings. If you take advantage of this perk, you can essentially reduce the annual fee of your card.
Receive another statement credit for Global Entry or TSA Precheck application fees:
- $100 every 4 years for Global Entry
- $85 every 4.5 years for TSA Precheck
If approved, you’ll get expedited screening at select airports.
Each year of your card membership, you will receive a free hotel night at a Marriott Bonvoy property. Use this award to book a stay a properties worth up to 50,000 Bonvoy points. Mentioned above, this can cover the annual fee of your card.
Enjoy complimentary Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status. Perks include:
- Earn a 25% bonus on eligible purchases at participating hotels
- Enjoy priority late checkout of up to 2pm, subject to availability
- Have access to the Elite phone line
- Upgrade to enhanced rooms (higher floor, special amenities, etc.)
- Receive extra Marriott points as a welcome gift (250 points at limited-service properties, 500 points at full-service locations)
Upgrade to Marriott Bonvoy Platinum Elite status when you make at least $75,000 in eligible purchases in a calendar year.
Gain access to over 1,200 airport lounges across the world with complimentary Priority Pass Select membership. This features gets you unlimited lounge visits with up to 2 guests per visit. Enrollment is required.
Priority Pass has begun adding more and more airport restaurants, where you’ll receive an allowance to dine in.
Enjoy free in-room, premium Internet access when you stay at participating Marriott Bonvoy hotels.
Make purchases abroad without worrying about foreign transaction fees with the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant card.
Other Card Benefits
Car Rental Loss and Damage Insurance – When you use your eligible Card to reserve and pay for the entire eligible vehicle rental and decline the collision damage waiver at the rental car counter, you can be covered if the car is damaged or stolen. Please read important exclusions and restrictions. Not all vehicle types or rentals are covered. Coverage is not available for vehicles rented in Australia, Italy, and New Zealand. This product provides secondary coverage and does not include liability coverage.
Travel Accident Insurance – Help protect yourself and your family with Travel Accident Insurance. This can provide coverage for accidental death and dismemberment while traveling on a Common Carrier (e.g. plane, train, ship, or bus) when your entire fare has been charged to the eligible Card. Please read important exclusions and restrictions.
As well as Premium Global Assist® Hotline and Premium Roadside Assistance
Extended Warranty – Why is it that as soon as a manufacturer’s warranty runs out, something always seems to happen? When you use your American Express® Card for eligible purchases, you can get up to two extra years* added to the original manufacturer’s warranty. Applies to warranties of 5 years or less. Please read important exclusions and restrictions.
*For residents of Indiana, Guam, Puerto Rico, and Northern Mariana Islands, Your coverage will match the original warranty period for warranties of less than one (1) year or provide one (1) additional year if the warranty is between one (1) and five (5) years.
Purchase Protection – When something you buy breaks or is stolen, Purchase Protection can have you covered. Use your Card for eligible purchases, and your purchases can be protected from accidental damage or theft for up to 120 days* from the moment you buy them. Please read important exclusions and restrictions.
*For residents of New York, Indiana, Guam, Puerto Rico, and Northern Mariana Islands coverage duration is 90 days.
Return Protection – If you try to return an eligible item within 90 days from the date of purchase and the merchant won’t take it back, American Express may refund the full purchase price (excluding shipping and handling), up to $300 per item, up to a maximum of $1,000 per calendar year per Card account, if you purchased it entirely with your eligible American Express® Card. Purchases must be made in the U.S. or its territories.
Bottom Line
If you’re a frequent at Marriott Bonvoy hotels, you can surely benefit and get rewarded using this card. The points back rewards are outstanding, and if you travel quite frequently, the rewards will surely stack and could potentially make the annual fee feel obsolete after all the rewards and several benefits taken into account.
Note to mention that you’ll be able to enjoy shopping and travel protections with your American Express Membership. If you frequently stay at Marriott Bonvoy hotels and spend heavily on travel, this card is definitely for you! Get rewarded today for what you do most!
For more cards like this, check out our list of American Express Credit Card bonuses! If this hotel-branded card isn’t flexible enough for you, check out our other credit cards, here on HMB!
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Who’s the Competition?
* Below are some of the top competitors to the Marriott Bonvoy BrilliantTM American Express® Card to consider.
The Chase Sapphire Preferred Card offers 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards®! You'll earn 2X points on travel and dining at restaurants worldwide, eligible delivery services, takeout and dining out & 1 point per dollar spent on all other purchases. And when you redeem your points for travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards, you'll get 25% more value! Furthermore, you'll earn 2X total points on up to $1,000 in grocery store purchases per month from November 1, 2020 to April 30, 2021. Includes eligible pick-up and delivery services. You get unlimited deliveries with a $0 delivery fee & reduced service fees on orders over $12 for a minimum of one year on qualifying food purchases with DashPass, DoorDash's subscription service. Activate by 12/31/21. This card carries a $95 annual fee. |
 The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card offers 100,000 bonus miles when you spend $20,000 on purchases in the first 12 months from account opening, or still earn 50,000 miles if you spend $3000 on purchases in the first 3 months. You're able to earn 2X miles on every purchase, every day. This card does come with a $95 annual fee. Enjoy no foreign transaction fees and receive up to $100 application fee credit for Global Entry or TSA Pre?®. |
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