Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant Credit Card Review 2024

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The information for the following product(s) has been collected independently by Business Insider: Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card, Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful™ Card, Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card. The details for these products have not been reviewed or provided by the issuer.

If you frequently stay at Marriott hotels, the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card - Product Name Only is a great option for making your stays more luxurious and accelerating your points earning toward your next award stay.

Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card - Product Name Only Overview

This card's annual fee is Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card - Annual Fee, making it the most expensive premium co-branded hotel credit card. So it's definitely not for everyone, but if you're a Marriott Bonvoy loyalist and stay at the chain's properties multiple times a year, it's not hard to get significant value from this card. 

You'll earn 6 points per dollar spent on eligible purchases at hotels participating in the Marriott Bonvoy program, 3 points per dollar spent on airline tickets and restaurants worldwide, and 2 points per dollar spent everywhere else. You'll also earn a free night certificate every year after your card renewal month, which you can redeem at Marriott Bonvoy properties that cost up to 85,000 points per night. You can get massive value from this benefit alone, especially if you use this free night at an expensive Marriott hotel. 

The card also offers up to $25 in statement credits per month for eligible purchases at restaurants worldwide. If you max out this annual credit, you're effectively reducing the card's annual fee to $350.

The Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card - Product Name Only also provides helpful travel insurance, including baggage insurance, rental car insurance, and a host of purchase protections.

If you're considering the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card - Product Name Only to earn lifetime elite status with Marriott, also note that you may not be able to downgrade the card to a less-expensive option if you decide you no longer want to pay the annual fee; you may have to cancel the card outright in this situation.

Read our full review below to see how you can best maximize the benefits of this premium Marriott credit card. 

Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card - Product Name Only Rewards

Welcome Bonus

The Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card - Product Name Only has a great welcome bonus offer: Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card - Intro Bonus. That's worth around Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card - Featured Reward Value in stays, based on Personal Finance Insider's estimate of Marriott points value.

How to Earn Points 

The Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card - Product Name Only offers a straightforward earning structure, earning bonus points at eligible Marriott Bonvoy properties and in other useful categories. Cardholders earn:

• 6 points per dollar at participating Marriott Bonvoy hotels (this is in addition to up to 10x points for being a Marriott Bonvoy member and up to 5x points for having Platinum elite status from the card)
• 3x points on dining at restaurants worldwide 
• 3x points on flights purchased directly from airlines
• 2x points per dollar on all other eligible purchases

How to Use Points

You can redeem Marriott points and free night rewards at over 7,000 participating Marriott Bonvoy hotels in cities around the world. Marriott has eliminated its award charts and moved to dynamic pricing, which means the price of an award night will vary based on demand, the paid price of the room, season, and other factors.

Award nights start as low as 5,000 points and go up to 120,000 points per night. If you use your points to book a stay of five nights or more, you'll get the least expensive night for free. This discount is automatically calculated when you search for a stay of five or more nights on marriott.com.

Additionally, Marriott Bonvoy allows you to convert your points into frequent flyer miles with over 40 Marriott Bonvoy partner airlines — more than any other loyalty program. You'll receive 1,000 airline miles for every 3,000 points transferred, with a 5,000-mile bonus for every 60,000 points (so 60,000 points becomes 25,000 airline miles) in most cases. Transfers to United Airlines MileagePlus get an extra bonus — for every 60,000 Marriott points you transfer to United, you'll receive 30,000 United miles. 

You're best off using your points to book Marriott stays, though, since you don't have to worry about odd transfer ratios, and you can score some real deals — especially when you can lock in off-peak travel dates at high-end hotels that would cost hundreds of dollars a night if you paid in cash.

There are other redemption options available, including cashing in points for gift cards, rental cars, and experiences like concerts and events.

Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card - Product Name Only Benefits and Features

Complimentary Marriott Bonvoy Platinum Elite Status

As long as you have the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card - Product Name Only, you'll receive automatic Platinum elite status in the Marriott Bonvoy program, which includes the following benefits:

• 50% bonus points on stays at Marriott properties
• Enhanced room upgrades (including select suites)
• Hotel lounge access and complimentary breakfast at hotel brands that have lounges
• A welcome gift on arrival (points, breakfast offering, or amenity depending on brand)
• Guaranteed 4 p.m. late checkout (subject to availability at resorts and convention hotels)
• Annual Choice Benefit for members with 50 elite night credits (five Suite Night Awards, 40% off a mattress and box spring from your favorite hotel brand, give the gift of Silver Elite status to a family member or friend, $100 charity donation, or five elite night credits)
• Complimentary enhanced in-room internet access

The card also helps you climb toward higher levels of elite status, providing 25 qualifying nights every year just for having the card. 

Even better, holding this card can help you earn lifetime Marriott elite status. To earn lifetime Marriott Platinum elite status, for example, you need to rack up 600 qualifying nights and 10 years as a Platinum elite or higher. Holding the card for 10 years will accomplish half of the requirements, while the elite night credits (more about those below) you earn each year as a cardholder count toward the qualifying nights you need.

If 600 qualifying nights doesn't sound possible between the card's annual qualifying nights and your planned stays at Marriott Bonvoy properties, keep in mind you can also use this strategy to qualify for the lower levels of Marriott lifetime elite status: Gold (400 qualifying nights and seven years with Gold status or higher) and Silver (250 qualifying nights, five years as Silver status or higher).

Annual Free Night Award

Every year after your account card renewal month, you'll receive a free night award valid at Marriott Bonvoy properties charging up to 85,000 points per night. Depending on when you travel, that could get you a night at a very upscale property. Marriott also offers the ability to top-up free night certificates with up to 15,000 Marriott points from your account, making this certificate potentially useful at hotels that cost up to 100,000 points.

Monthly $25 Dining Credit

The card offers up to $300 in statement credits every year toward eligible purchases at restaurants worldwide (up to $25 in statement credits per month). This benefit starts as soon as you open the card, so as long as you spend at least $25 per month at restaurants, this alone offsets almost half of the card's annual fee.

Annual Earned Choice Award

Cardholders who've spent at least $60,000 in a calendar year can select an Earned Choice Award from the following list:

• Five Suite Night Awards
• $1,000 off a bed from Marriott Bonvoy Boutiques
• Free Night Award with a redemption value of up to 85,000 points

You can make your selection on Marriott's Choice Benefit site after you've met the spending threshold for the calendar year. If you don't choose by March 1 of the year following the qualifying year, you'll receive five Suite Night Awards by default.

$100 Marriott Bonvoy Property Credit

Holding the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card - Product Name Only also gives you access to an exclusive rate for stays of two nights or more at The Ritz-Carlton and St. Regis hotels and resorts, which includes a $100 credit toward room service, spa treatments, and other qualifying purchases.

25 Elite Night Credits Each Calendar Year

As mentioned above, in addition to offering complimentary Platinum elite status in the Marriott Bonvoy program, the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card - Product Name Only comes with 25 elite night credits each year. If you're working toward Titanium elite status, which requires 75 elite night credits, these credits will get you 25 nights closer. 

You can even stack the elite night credits from this card with those from the Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card - Product Name Only to earn nights toward elite status (including lifetime elite status) faster.

Priority Pass Select Membership

The card includes a complimentary membership to the Priority Pass network of airport lounges, with more than 1,300 locations around the world (activation is required).

Global Entry/TSA PreCheck Enrollment Credit

The primary card member receives a credit toward enrollment in Global Entry or TSA PreCheck, making your travel experience easier. This credit can be used once every 4 or 4.5 years (exact dates vary by program) so as long as you have the card you'll never have to pay to maintain your membership in these trusted traveler programs.

Car Rental Loss and Damage Insurance

When you use your Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card - Product Name Only to reserve and pay for a car rental, you may be covered against loss or damage to the vehicle. This coverage is secondary, and does not provide liability insurance.

Trip Cancellation and Interruption Insurance

If you paid for a covered trip with your Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card - Product Name Only and it's canceled or cut short for a covered reason, you could be reimbursed up to $10,000 per trip and up to $20,000 per card per consecutive 12-month period.

Baggage Insurance Plan

When you purchase a ticket on an airline or other common carrier with your Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card - Product Name Only, you'll be covered for eligible lost, damaged, or stolen baggage up to $3,000 per trip.

Trip Delay Insurance

The card's trip delay insurance can reimburse you up to $500 for meals, lodging, toiletries, medication, and other personal items if you've paid for a covered trip with your Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card - Product Name Only and it's delayed by six hours or more, up to two times per consecutive 12-month period.

Purchase Protection

Your eligible purchases are covered by purchase protection against accidental damage or theft for 120 days, up to $10,000 per claim and up to $50,000 per account. 

Extended Warranty

Cardholders can also get an extended warranty on eligible items when they use their Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card - Product Name Only to pay — up to one additional year added to eligible US manufacturer's warranties of five years or less.

Return Protection

If you purchased an eligible item with the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card - Product Name Only and the merchant won't accept your return, you may get a refund of the full purchase price (excluding shipping and handling), up to $300 per item, and a maximum of $1,000 per calendar year.

Premium Global Assist Hotline

Cardholders get access to Amex's Premium Global Assist Hotline, which can help arrange things like passport replacement, medical referrals, and translation services.

The service itself is complimentary, but you may be responsible for any third-party costs. One big difference from the regular (versus premium) Global Assist Hotline is emergency medical evacuation coverage — Amex may provide emergency medical transportation assistance at no cost if it's approved and coordinated by Premium Global Assist Hotline.

Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant Annual Fee and Other Costs

The Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card - Product Name Only has a Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card - Annual Fee annual fee. While that's high, it's easy to get a ton of value out of the card if you stay with Marriott frequently. It also has no foreign transaction fees, so using this card is a great way to avoid extra charges when traveling abroad.

Beyond that, you can avoid most other fees on the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card - Product Name Only by paying your balance in full each month so you don't accrue any interest. If you do carry a balance, you're looking at a Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card - Regular APR APR. That adds up quickly, so consider a balance transfer credit card or a zero-interest credit card offer if you need some time to pay off your credit card balance.

Like most other cards, the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card - Product Name Only charges fees in other situations, including cash advances, late payments, and returned payments

Compare the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card - Product Name Only

If you don't stay with Marriott that often or aren't sure you can use the card's premium benefits, you're likely better served by cards like the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card - Product Name Only (Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card - Annual Fee annual fee) or Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card - Product Name Only (Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card - Annual Fee annual fee).

There are also two mid-range Marriott cards to consider: Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful™ Card - Product Name Only and Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express® Card - Product Name Only, which both have a Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express® Card - Product Name Only annual fee.

Let's look at one alternative Marriott card, and one alternative premium credit card below. 

Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card - Product Name Only vs. Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card - Product Name Only Card

The Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card - Product Name Only is a more premium card than the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card - Product Name Only (with a Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card - Annual Fee annual fee compared to Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card - Annual Fee). 

While the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card - Product Name Only comes with complimentary Platinum elite status and 25 elite night credits a year, the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card - Product Name Only offers complimentary Gold elite status and 15 elite night credits per year. 

The Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card - Product Name Only doesn't offer a Free Night Award automatically; you have to spend $15,000 on the card in a calendar year to earn one, and it's good at properties that cost up to 35,000 points per night (as opposed to the Free Night Award on the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card - Product Name Only, which is valid at Marriott Bonvoy properties that cost up to 85,000 points per night). 

Read our Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card - Product Name Only review.

Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card - Product Name Only card vs. the The Platinum Card® from American Express - Product Name Only

The Platinum Card® from American Express - Product Name Only has an even higher annual fee than the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant Card (The Platinum Card® from American Express - Annual Fee compared to Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card - Annual Fee), but it does offer plenty of perks. The right card for you really depends on whether you mostly want Marriott-related benefits or a wider array of travel perks.

The Platinum Card® from American Express - Product Name Only comes with complimentary Marriott Bonvoy Gold elite status (as opposed to Platinum on the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card - Product Name Only), but that's its only Marriott-specific perk. It also offers up $200 in credits per year toward prepaid hotel bookings through Amex Fine Hotels and Resorts or The Hotel Collection (minimum two-night stay), access to the Amex Fine Hotels & Resorts program, and a wide range of statement credits and airport lounge access options. 

Read our Amex Platinum card review.

Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card - Product Name Only Frequently Asked Questions

What credit score do you need for the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card - Product Name Only?

Most people who are approved for the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card - Product Name Only have a credit score in the good to excellent range, which means a FICO score of at least 670. 

Who is eligible for the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card - Product Name Only?

Because both Amex and Chase issue Marriott co-branded cards, the rules for who can get approved for the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card - Product Name Only are a little more complicated than other cards.

To start, if you already have (or have had) the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card - Product Name Only (or the Starwood Preferred Guest® American Express Luxury Card, which isn't available to new applicants), you aren't eligible for the welcome bonus offer.

Is the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card - Product Name Only card worth it?

For frequent Marriott travelers, especially those who spend at least $25 per month on dining and can take advantage of Platinum elite status, the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card - Product Name Only is very much worth it. Perks like airport lounge access can make your travels more comfortable, and earning a free night award each year worth up to 85,000 points can offset most (or all) of the card's annual fee.

Does Marriott have a no-annual-fee credit card?

If you're opposed to paying an annual fee, there's the no-annual-fee Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card - Product Name Only. It doesn't come with an anniversary free night or a ton of extra Marriott benefits, but it does have a decent welcome bonus offer: Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card - Annual Fee. Here's our Marriott Bonvoy Bold credit review with the details.

Is the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card - Product Name Only card metal?

Yes, the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card - Product Name Only is a metal credit card and weighs about 15 grams.

Are additional card members free on the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card - Product Name Only?

There's no additional fee to add authorized users to the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card - Product Name Only. Keep in mind additional card members don't receive most of the premium perks offered to the primary cardholder. One exception is the $100 property credit on qualifying stays of two nights or more at The Ritz-Carlton and St. Regis hotels and resorts, which both the basic cardholder and any authorized users can use.

Why You Should Trust Us: How We Reviewed the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card - Product Name Only

Personal Finance Insider's credit cards team evaluated the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card - Product Name Only in comparison to other Marriott credit cards and to competing premium credit cards from other banks. We looked at several factors, including:

• Ease of use — Does the card come with benefits that are easy to use and activate? Is using rewards straightforward, or are there complicated award charts to navigate?
• Earning potential — Is the card's welcome bonus and earning structure competitive compared to similar cards (especially premium cards)? Are any of the bonus categories capped at a maximum amount of spending?
• Benefits — Are the card's benefits useful for travel, and can they save you money or make your journey more comfortable? Do the perks help offset the annual fee?
• Annual fee — If the card has a high annual fee, is it justified by the rewards and benefits you receive? 

For a closer look at our methodology, read about how we rate credit cards at Personal Finance Insider.