Our Verdict
The Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card* offers ongoing benefits at Marriott-family hotels (including a free night every year upon card renewal) that can make it easy to justify the $95 annual fee and Bonvoy Silver Elite status is a nice cherry on top for those who are brand loyal. However, the card offers weak rewards for ongoing spending. Get this card for the perks, not the rewards.
Pros
- Free night certificate every year (valued at 35,000 points)
- 15 Elite Night Credits per year
- Automatic Silver Elite status
Cons
- Stingy earnings structure
- High APR
- $95 annual fee
Highlights
- Earn 3 Free Night Awards after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first three months of account opening
- Earn 6 points per dollar on qualifying Marriott Bonvoy hotel stays
- Earn 3 points per dollar spent on the first $6,000 spent in combined purchases each year on groceries, gas stations, and dining
- Earn 2 points per dollar spent on all other purchases
- Points don’t expire as long as you make purchases on your credit card every 24 months
Introduction
At first glance, the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card* seems like an obvious choice for Marriott loyalists. You’ll earn Marriott Bonvoy points with every purchase you make plus a hefty welcome bonus to use toward your choice of hotels. However, points accumulate slowly with most purchases, only earning 2 Marriott points per dollar spent. At that rate, most consumers will be better off putting their charges on a different card. Even cash-back cards can outearn the Boundless.
This card somewhat redeems itself with a package of Marriott benefits. Cardholders are automatically upgraded to Silver Elite in the Bonvoy program and can take advantage of benefits like free Wi-Fi, priority late checkout and bonus points on every stay. Gold Elite is also within reach: Cardholders get 15 elite night credits of the 25 necessary, making it easier to fit in the other stays. Alternatively, cardholders can earn Gold Elite status by spending $35,000 in a single year.
One of the best features of this card is the free night award added to your Marriott account each year after your account anniversary. The certificate is valid for a one-night stay at properties requiring 35,000 points or less. It’s almost certain that the cost of a stay will at least break-even with the card’s $95 annual fee. In many cases, you can come out ahead.
The card rounds out benefits with extras that are valuable to travelers. Basic trip delay and lost luggage insurance are included and there are no foreign transaction fees.
Featured Partner Offers
Quick Facts
- Welcome bonus: 3 Free Night Awards after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first three months of account opening
- $95 annual fee
- Automatic Marriott Silver Elite benefits, with a Gold Elite upgrade if you spend $35,000 during your account year
- 15 elite night credits every year, with one additional elite night credit for every $5,000 spent
- Earn 6 points per dollar at participating Marriott Bonvoy hotels, 3 points per dollar spent each year (up to $6,000) on combined grocery stores, gas stations and dining purchases and 2 points per dollar on all other purchases
- Free Night Award (valued up to 35,000 points) each year after account anniversary
- No foreign transaction fees
Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card Rewards
Earning Rewards
Earning points with the Boundless card is simple. Purchases at Marriott Bonvoy properties earn 6 points per dollar at participating Marriott Bonvoy hotels, 3 points per dollar spent each year (up to $6,000) on combined grocery stores, gas stations and dining purchases and 2 points per dollar on all other purchases.
Although earning double points sounds great, most redemptions provide less than 1 cent per point in value. When comparing this card to others, the overall value can be lacking unless you spend a lot directly through Marriott hotels.
All rewards earned through the card are issued as Marriott Bonvoy reward points and are automatically deposited into your account. This allows cardholders to earn rewards faster since points from the card are combined with those earned through hotel stays and other partners. Like all Marriott points, your rewards won’t expire as long as you have activity in your Bonvoy account within the last 24 months.
Redeeming Rewards
Since all points earned are deposited into your Marriott Bonvoy account, cardholders have access to all of Marriott’s redemption options. As you’d expect, the most traditional reward choice is using points to pay for a free night at any of Marriott’s hotels. Hotels can cost as few as 4,000 points per night up to 100,000 points per night.
Marriott members can stretch their points farther by seeking PointSavers hotels, which offer a 20% points discount. Cardholders can also save points by booking longer stays: The fifth consecutive night is free when you redeem points for the first four nights. Additionally, members can book Cash + Points reservations, where a cash copay is used to lower the number of points needed.
Marriott Bonvoy offers several other ways to redeem points including using points to pay for flights or car rentals. Bonvoy points can also be transferred directly to Marriott partner airlines without also redeeming for a hotel stay.
If you have more Marriott points than you can use on travel, there are also options to redeem toward special experiences known as Marriott Bonvoy Moments or to buy gift cards.
Rewards Potential
Forbes Advisor uses data from various government agencies to determine baseline income and spending averages. The 70th percentile of wage-earning households bring in $116,000 annually and spend $36,177 on credit card purchases.
The following rewards potential breakdown assumes that every hotel stay booked by the example household was within the Marriott Bonvoy family. Also keep in mind that the 3 points per dollar earned on combined gas, groceries and dining expenses is capped at $6,000 of spending.
| Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card* Rewards Potential | |||
|---|---|---|---|
|
Category
|
Earning Rate
|
Estimated Annual Spend
|
Estimated Annual Earnings
|
|
Hotels
|
6X per dollar plus 1X from automatic Silver Elite status
|
$2,015
|
14,105
|
|
Gas, Groceries and Dining
|
3X
|
$6,000
|
18,000
|
|
All Other Purchases
|
2X
|
$28,162
|
56,324
|
|
Total: 88,429 Bonvoy points
|
|||
The total rewards potential of the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card* comes out to 88,429 Bonvoy points in addition to the first year welcome bonus.
Other Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card Benefits
- Elite status: All cardholders receive automatic Silver Elite status and will earn Gold Elite if they charge $35,000 or more in purchases in one year. You’ll also get 1 Elite Night Credit towards elite status for every $5,000 you spend.
- Anniversary free night: Enjoy a Free Night Award every year after your account anniversary, valid for a one-night hotel stay at a property with a redemption level up to 35,000 points. Certain hotels have resort fees.
- Lost luggage reimbursement: Get reimbursed up to $3,000 per passenger.
- Baggage delay insurance: Get reimbursed up to $100 a day for 5 days for purchases such as toiletries and clothing when your baggage is delayed over 6 hours.
- Purchase protection: Cover your new purchases for 120 days against damage or theft up to $500 per claim and $50,000 per account.
- Trip delay reimbursement: Up to $500 reimbursed for purchases such as meals and lodging for flights delayed 12 or more hours.
- Visa Concierge: Cardmembers have access to the Visa Signature Concierge Service, a 24-hour service that can assist you with dining and entertainment reservations.
- No foreign transaction fees: You will pay no foreign transaction fees when you use your card for purchases made outside of the United States.
Fine Print
Interest Rates
- Regular APR: 21.49% - 28.49% Variable
- Purchase intro APR: N/A
- Balance transfer intro APR: N/A
Fees
- Annual fee: $95
- Balance transfer fee: Either $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater.
- Foreign purchase transaction fee: $0
How the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card Stacks Up
Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card* vs. Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card*
Customers looking for a Marriott credit card with no annual fee should look at the Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card*. Also issued by Chase, the card offers some of the same Marriott perks, including 15 elite night credits annually to qualify cardholders for Silver Elite status.
Since you’re not paying an annual fee, you’ll miss out on some earning opportunities. The card earns half as many Bonvoy points when staying at Marriott hotels, netting only 3 points per dollar at over 7,000 hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy program, 2 points per dollar on other travel purchases (from airfare to taxis and trains) and 1 point per dollar on all other purchases. Notably, the welcome bonus is lower and you’ll lose out on the free anniversary night.
Given that nearly everyone will get value annually from the free night certificate, the Bonvoy Boundless card is a better option unless you don’t expect to redeem your free night certificate each year.
Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card* vs. Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card
Marriott loyalists have yet another personal credit card option to earn Bonvoy points. The ultra-premium Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card (Terms apply, see rates & fees) stuffs extreme value into a single card, assuming you’ll use the perks.
This card comes with a significant $650 annual fee, meaning you should do your due diligence before deciding whether to apply. In exchange for that hefty carrying cost, you’ll get up to $300 in statement credits per calendar year (up to $25 per month) for eligible purchases at restaurants worldwide. That makes the annual cost more tolerable, especially since it includes Priority Pass airport lounge access and reimbursement toward Global Entry or TSA PreCheck upon enrollment.
The Bonvoy Brilliant Amex also upgrades your Marriott benefits. The annual free night certificate is valid at higher-end properties priced up to 85,000 points, giving you more opportunities to use it (certain hotels have resort fees). You’ll also automatically earn Platinum Elite status instead of Silver. Ongoing spending will add up slightly faster since the Bonvoy Brilliant offers increased earnings of 6 Marriott Bonvoy points for each dollar of eligible purchases at hotels participating in the Marriott Bonvoy® program, 3 points per dollar at restaurants worldwide and on flights booked directly with airlines and 2 points per dollar on all other eligible purchases with no caps.
Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card* vs. Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
If you’re a frequent traveler but not loyal to Marriott, there’s a good chance a flexible travel rewards card is a better fit. The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card earns Chase Ultimate Rewards® points which gives you extra flexibility to redeem rewards. Points can be transferred to over a dozen travel loyalty programs (including Marriott Bonvoy), redeemed through its online booking portal or even cashed out as statement credits.
Sapphire Preferred comes with a $95 annual fee, similar travel insurance benefits and no foreign transaction fee. The welcome bonus looks lower on paper, but not all points are created equal. The bonus comes without the hassle of program restrictions.
With the Sapphire Preferred you’ll earn 5 points per dollar on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3 points per dollar on dining, select streaming services, and online grocery purchases (excluding Walmart, Target and wholesale clubs), 2 points per dollar on all other travel purchases and 1 point per dollar on other purchases. For most households, this will add up to higher earnings overall. There’s always a downside though, and in this case, it’s giving up all the benefits when staying on-site at Marriott properties.
Find the Best Hotel Rewards Credit Cards of 2024
Is the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card for You?
This card is ideal for travelers who prefer simplicity: Assuming you redeem the free night certificate every year, it’s almost guaranteed you’ll break even (or better) compared to the annual fee. The Silver Elite perks, as well as a welcome bonus and the opportunity to earn 6 points per dollar at Marriott hotels worldwide, are also handy benefits. On the other hand, travelers who truly want to maximize their Marriott points and benefits will be better off paying for a premium card.
Methodology
Forbes Advisor considers a variety of criteria when assigning credit cards a rating. Cards are graded based on numerous factors including:
- Annual fees
- Welcome bonus offers
- Ongoing earning rates
- Value of individual points or miles
- Included travel or merchant credits
- Additional cardholder benefits
Card features we expect cardholders to use the most often are weighted more heavily in our ratings. Altogether, the factors came together to provide a star rating for each individual card.
Read more: How Forbes Advisor Rates Credit Cards
To view rates and fees for Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card please visit this page.
*The information for the following card(s) has been collected independently by Forbes Advisor: Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card, Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
