Marriott Bonvoy Business American Express Card Review 2024: Among The Only Co-Branded Hotel Credit Cards In Canada

• Earn 60,000 welcome bonus Marriott Bonvoy® points
• Earn 60,000 Welcome Bonus Marriott Bonvoy® points after you spend $5,000 on your Card in your first three months of Cardmembership.
• Earn Marriott Bonvoy points that you can redeem in a variety of ways:
  • Earn 5 points for every $1 in Card purchases at participating Marriott Bonvoy hotels
  • Earn 3 points for every $1 spent on eligible gas, dining and travel after your welcome offer ends, or the cap is reached.
  • Earn 2 points for every $1 spent on everything else
• Redeem points for free nights with no blackout dates at over 7,000 of some of the world’s most extraordinary hotels and resorts around the globe. Use your points for flights on some of the world’s leading airlines
• Make the most out of a full suite of business management tools that give you more control over your business—anytime and anywhere
• Leverage your cash flow with the option of carrying a balance or paying in full each month
• Control employee expenses plus track and accumulate points on your account with Supplementary Cards, so you have an opportunity to maximize the points you earn
• Experience the exclusive benefits of the Marriott Bonvoy® Business American Express®* Card
• Receive an Annual Free Night Award automatically each year after your anniversary
• Receive 15 Elite Night Credits each calendar year with your Marriott Bonvoy Business American Express Card. These can be used towards attaining the next level of Elite status in the Marriott Bonvoy program
• Upgrade to Gold Elite status after you charge $30,000 in net purchases to your Card each year, or when you combine 10 qualifying paid nights within one calendar year with the 15 Elite Night Credits from your card
• American Express is not responsible for maintaining or monitoring the accuracy of information on this website. For full details and current product information, click the Apply Now link. If you apply and get approved for an American Express Card, (I/we) may receive compensation from American Express, which can be in the form of monetary payment

The Marriott Bonvoy™ Business American Express® Card is one of the only co-branded hotel credit cards currently offered to Canadians. Despite its uniqueness on the credit card market, the hotel brand is still pretty solid. Marriott has 31 brands and over 8500+ properties around the world, meaning travelers won’t have a hard time finding a property to earn or redeem their points at.

Earning points is easy with this credit card as all purchases will earn at least 2 points per dollar spent. The highest earn rate (5 points per dollar spent) is, understandably, for Marriott Bonvoy hotel-related purchases. But, there is still an accelerated earn rate of 3 points per dollar spent on travel, dining and gas,which is likely to earn you points at a faster pace.

The perks and benefits are ok. Most travellers like to see some sort of lounge access on their credit card, which this is lacking. The insurance coverage comes in handy. However, cardholders do need to be mindful that there is no medical insurance coverage.

• Marriott Bonvoy rewards can be redeemed for stays at Marriott Bonvoy partner hotels as well as some airlines, gift cards and merchandise
• Cardholders receive an annual free night certificate for a stay valued at up to 35,000 points
• There are no blackout dates for redeeming your points towards partner hotels

Earning rewards

Earning rewards with the Marriott Bonvoy™ Business American Express® Card is relatively easy. First, there’s the welcome bonus which is an easy way to earn 60,000 Marriott Rewards points. Here’s how it works:

• Earn 60,000 Welcome Bonus Marriott Bonvoy® points after you spend $5,000 on your Card in your first three months of Cardmembership

From there, this card earns:

• 5 Marriott Bonvoy points per dollar spent at Marriott Bonvoy properties
• 3 Marriott Bonvoy points per dollar on gas, grocery and dining purchases
• 2 Marriott Bonvoy points per dollar on everything else

While these accelerated rates are decent, it’s worth noting that American Express cards are not as widely accepted as Visa or Mastercard branded credit cards.

Redeeming Rewards

Here are some key thing you can redeem your points for:

• Free nights with no blackout dates 11 at hotels and resorts around the world
• Flights
• Events with Marriott Bonvoy Moments™, such as meet and greets with artists and athletes and backstage concert passes
• Merchandise
• Gift cards

Rewards Potential

If you are looking for a credit card that allows you to turn your rewards into hotel stays then this is one of the best options for Canadians. However, if you would prefer to use points for airfare, then there are better travel cards out there.

Based on average Canadian spending, Forbes Advisor estimates this card could earn $461.00 in rewards value per year after the annual fee, which is pretty lucrative.

There are plenty of benefits built-in to this card for business, travel and beyond. Here’s what it has to offer:

Points and Status Benefits

• Get an annual Free Night Award after your anniversary each year
• Receive 15 Elite Night Credits to use toward achieving the next level on status
• Get an upgrade to Gold Elite status (when you charge $30,000 in net purchases to your card every year or combine 10 paid nights within one calendar year with the 15 Elite Night Credits)
• Receive 15,000 points bonus when you transfer 60,000 points to a frequent flyer program

Business Benefits

• Business and expense management tools and resources
• Installment payment program
• Employee card misuse protection

Insurance Benefits

• Travel accident insurance up to $500,000
• Car rental theft and damage insurance
• Flight delay insurance
• Baggage delay insurance
• Lost or stolen baggage
• Hotel burglary insurance
• Buyer’s assurance protection plan
• Purchase protection plan

Amex Benefits

• Get Amex Offers, which are special offers for dining, travel, business supplies and more through the Amex App or Online Services
• Front Of The Line presale tickets or make Front Of The Line reservations
• Front Of The Line® Reserved Tickets
• Front Of The Line® E-Updates
• Special Offers & Experiences like advance movie screenings, weekend getaway packages and shopping deals
• Special Access to venues for events

Interest Rates

• Regular APR: 21.99%
• Cash Advance APR: 21.99%
• Balance Transfer APR: N/A

Fees

• Cash Advance fee: $2.75
• Balance Transfer fee: 3%
• Foreign Transaction Fee: 2.5%
• Annual Fee: $150
• Any other fees: dishonoured payment – $45, statement reprint – $3, points reinstatement – $20 (online), $30 (by other means), overlimit fee -$29 (except for Quebec residents)

Marriott Bonvoy Business American Express Card vs. Business Platinum Card from American Express

The Business Platinum Card® from American Express is a top-tier credit card, so the first thing you will notice is the hefty annual fee. As of late September 2023, the cost increased to $799 (although there are a few credits to offset it). If you can swing that fee, then it’s an amazing travel card that includes a suite of insurance coverages, lounge access and a flexible points program that allows you to transfer points to several rewards programs, including Marriott Bonvoy.

Marriott Bonvoy Business American Express Card vs. Scotia Momentum for Business Visa Card

The Scotia Momentum® for Business Visa* Card is a cash-back card, as opposed to a rewards card. All purchases will earn between 1% and 3% cash back per dollar spent, which can add up pretty quickly for your day-to-day spending. It also has a lower annual fee, $79 compared to the Marriott Bonvoy Business American Express Card’s $150. However the main deciding factor here should be travel. If you travel and want to earn travel related rewards, the Marriott Bonvoy Business American Express will likely be more attractive. However, if you don’t travel, then hotel rewards won’t be very useful, making the Scotia Momentum for Business the better pick.

Marriott Bonvoy Business American Express Card vs. CIBC Aeroplan Visa Business Card

The CIBC Aeroplan Visa Business Card is another travel card on the market. However, this one is aimed towards cardholders who want to earn rewards for airfare rather than hotels. Specifically, individuals who fly and travel frequently with Air Canada. At $180 for the year, it is slightly more expensive than the Marriott Bonvoy Business American Express, but its earn rate is lower. That being said, Aeroplan points are typically valued at a higher rate than Marriott Bonvoy Rewards. However, the Marriott Bonvoy Rewards can be transferred to airline partners as well, making it a bit more flexible. In the end. It really depends on your travel style and whether you prefer points to fly or points for hotels.

When determining a rating for individual credit cards, the Forbes Advisor Canada editorial team factors in an exhaustive list of data points. With this card, the scoring model used takes into account factors such as, but not limited to, rewards rates and categories, fees, welcome bonuses and other benefits and features. Keep in mind, what may be best for some people might not be right for you. Conduct informed research before deciding which cards will best help you achieve your financial goals.

The Marriott Bonvoy Business American Express Card is a decent card. Canada isn’t known for hotel-branded credit cards. so this one does stand out for those who are looking to redeem points for accommodation. The value of its rewards is on the higher end and it’s pretty easy to earn points.

However, if you are looking for points to redeem for flights, there are better options out there. Again, when it comes to travel and insurance, also remember that this credit card does not offer any medical coverage.

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