Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Credit Card Review 2024

• Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Credit Card Introduction
• Quick Facts
• Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Credit Card Rewards
• Other Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Credit Card Benefits
• Fine Print
• How the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Credit Card Stacks Up
• Is the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Credit Card for You?
• Methodology

For the frequent business or leisure traveler who wants to enjoy the benefits of hotel loyalty program status, the Marriott Bonvoy program is a smart bet. The chain’s more than 8,800 locations in 139 countries and territories means you’ll find suitable lodging wherever your travels take you. Marriott’s ultra-premium credit card, the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card, is intended to be a useful tool for the person who stays at Marriott hotels frequently, values Bonvoy elite status and wants to earn the most points from each stay.

The card comes with a generous welcome bonus: Earn 95,000 Marriott Bonvoy bonus points after spending $6,000 on purchases within the first six months.

Many may initially balk at paying a $650 annual fee for a hotel credit card, but that fee is justifiable if you use the up to $300 statement credit per calendar year (up to $25 per month) for eligible purchases at restaurants worldwide. Further, the card offers a free night after a cardholder’s renewal month at any property that can be booked for a redemption level at or below 85,000 points.

For those inclined to book directly and stay at The Ritz-Carlton or St. Regis, you’ll get a $100 credit for things such as room service or a spa visit for every stay of at least two nights. You’ll need to book with the special member rate: “$100 Property Credit, Luxury Credit Card Rate.”

The Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant comes with many of the extras you’d expect from a premium travel card. It offers Priority Pass Select lounge membership with enrollment, which grants lounge access to you and up to two traveling companions. It also offers a statement credit to cover enrollment or renewal fees for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®. Finally, the card comes with travel-related insurance benefits common among premium travel credit cards including secondary car rental loss and damage insurance², trip cancellation and interruption insurance³ and other protections and assistance that could come in handy when you’re away from home.

• Earn 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
• 25 elite night credits awarded each calendar year
• Complimentary Marriott Bonvoy Platinum Elite status
• Up to $300 in statement credits per calendar year (up to $25 per month) for eligible purchases at restaurants worldwide
• Free Night Award (valid for up to 85,000 Marriott Bonvoy points) every year after your card renewal month
• Secondary car rental loss and damage insurance²
• Trip cancellation and interruption insurance³
• No foreign transaction fees
• $650 annual fee

Earning Rewards

This card offers a multitier rewards structure: Earn 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.

There’s also a generous welcome bonus: Earn 95,000 Marriott Bonvoy bonus points after spending $6,000 on purchases within the first six months.

Be aware that applying for another Marriott Bonvoy credit card, receiving a welcome bonus on another Marriott Bonvoy credit card within the previous 24 months or ever holding this credit card may make you ineligible for the welcome bonus. Read the offer terms to confirm eligibility. American Express may give you a pop-up warning when applying for the Brilliant at which point you can exit the application.

Redeeming Rewards

Marriott Bonvoy points can be redeemed for any available standard room at Marriott properties. Marriott no longer publishes an award chart and the number of points required will depend on demand.

Marriott offers a Cash + Points redemption option where award prices vary by hotel category and seasonal pricing.

Marriott Bonvoy members may redeem points with over 35 airline partners. In most cases, airline partners’ transfer rates are 3 Bonvoy points to 1 airline mile, although there are some exceptions. See the full list of Marriott Bonvoy airline transfer partners for the most up-to-date transfer rates.

Marriott Bonvoy points can also be redeemed for Marriott Bonvoy Moments events and entertainment packages. These event packages vary in price and can be found worldwide where Marriott has properties. Some events also grant you VIP access and benefits.

Rewards Potential

Using data from various government agencies, Forbes Advisor has developed estimates for how much a family in the 70th percentile of income spends annually in various categories. The 70th percentile of wage-earning households brings in $118,438 annually and has $39,337 in expenses that can reasonably be charged to credit cards. These figures are used to estimate the potential rewards from this credit card.

Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card Rewards Potential
Category	Earning Rate	Estimated Annual Spend	Earnings
Eligible Hotel Stays	6X	$5,716	34,296
Airfare	3X	$1,540	4,620
Dining	3X	$4,622	13,866
All Other Purchases	2X	$27,459	54,918
			Total: 107,700 Marriott Bonvoy Points

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• • Marriott Bonvoy Platinum Elite status. Cardholders get automatic Platinum Elite status, which normally has a 50-night stay requirement. This perk gives a breakfast benefit at many of Marriott’s brands, room upgrades when available, enhanced internet access and complimentary 4 p.m. late checkout.
  • 25 Elite Night Credits. Earn 25 Elite Night Credits toward Marriott Bonvoy elite status each calendar year. The 25 Elite Night Credits will be credited to your account within 60 days of account opening. This is helpful for earning higher levels of Marriott status than the complimentary Platinum status.
  • $100 Marriott Bonvoy property credit. Book directly with Marriott using a special rate for a two-night minimum stay at The Ritz-Carlton or St. Regis and get up to $100 for qualifying charges.
  • Priority Pass Select lounge access. Access to over 1,500 lounges in over 145 countries, regardless of which carrier or class you are flying once you enroll.
  • Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee reimbursement. Receive a statement credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fees. TSA PreCheck can expedite security screening and Global Entry can reduce wait time at U.S. Customs at select airports. If you are approved for Global Entry, you will also receive access to TSA PreCheck.
  • Premium on-property internet access. Enjoy upgraded internet access at participating Marriott Bonvoy hotels.
  • Car rental loss and damage insurance. When you use your card to reserve and pay for the entire rental and decline the collision damage waiver at the rental company counter, you can get secondary coverage for damage or theft of a rental vehicle in a covered territory².
  • Travel protections and insurance. Trip cancellation and interruption insurance can help reimburse your nonrefundable expenses purchased with the same eligible card, up to $10,000 per trip and up to $20,000 per eligible card in every 12-consecutive month period³. You can also be covered for lost, damaged, or stolen baggage when you purchase the entire fare for a common carrier ticket (e.g. plane, train, ship or bus). Coverage can be provided for up to $2,000 for checked baggage and up to a combined maximum of $3,000 for checked and carry-on baggage⁴.
  • Purchase protection. Provides coverage if a new purchase gets stolen, accidentally damaged or lost within 90 days of purchase⁵.
  • Extended warranty. Provides up to one extra year added to the original manufacturer’s warranty of five years or less, for eligible purchases. Coverage is up to the actual amount charged to your card for the item up to a maximum of $10,000; not to exceed $50,000 per cardmember account per calendar year⁶.
  • Return protection. Provides reimbursement up to $300 per item when a U.S. merchant will not return an eligible item within 90 days of purchase. Coverage is up to a maximum of $1,000 per calendar year per card account⁷.
  • Complimentary ShopRunner membership. Provides free two-day shipping at various internet specialty merchants.
  • Global Assist® Hotline. Assistance to help you prepare for your trip with customs information and more. Provides coordination and assistance services such as lost passport replacement assistance, translation services, missing luggage assistance, and emergency legal and medical referrals while traveling more than 100 miles away from home. Cardmembers may be responsible for the costs charged by third-party service providers⁸.

Interest Rates

• Regular APR: 20.99%-29.99% Variable
• Purchase intro APR: N/A
• Balance transfer intro APR: N/A

Fees

• Annual fee: $650
• Balance transfer fee: N/A
• Foreign purchase transaction fee: None

Terms apply. See rates & fees.

Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card vs. The Platinum Card® from American Express

With a $695 annual fee, The Platinum Card® from American Express (terms apply, see rates & fees) is more expensive than the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express, but in exchange you’ll earn flexible Membership Rewards® points. These points can be used to book just about any hotel brand you’d like (or flight, cruise or rental car) through Amex Travel.

The card also offers more expansive lounge access that includes the exclusive Centurion lounges and Delta Sky Club among its offerings (effective 2/1/25, American Express Platinum card members will receive 10 Delta Sky Club visits per year; unlimited visits can be earned when total purchases exceed $75,000 in 2024 and each calendar year thereafter). The Platinum Card offers complimentary Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status and Hilton Honors™ Gold Elite status with enrollment.

The Platinum Card from American Express earns 5 Membership Rewards Points per dollar for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel on up to $500,000 per calendar year, 5 points per dollar on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel and 1 point per dollar on other eligible purchases.

Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card vs. Hilton Honors Aspire Card from American Express*

If you want elite hotel status and don’t have a preference for brands, the Hilton Honors Aspire Card from American Express* catapults you right to the top with Hilton’s highest status tier, Diamond. At this level, you’ll get a 100% points bonus on every Hilton purchase, room upgrades and other perks.

There’s a generous welcome bonus: Earn 150,000 bonus points after spending $6,000 in purchases within the first 6 months of card membership.

The card earns a net total of 14 Hilton Honors bonus points at participating hotels or resorts within the Hilton Portfolio, 7 points per dollar on eligible purchases for flights booked directly with airlines or American Express Travel, car rentals booked directly from select car rental companies and U.S. restaurants and 3 points per dollar on other eligible purchases.

The Hilton Honors Aspire Card from American Express* card also comes with up to $400 in Hilton Resort credits annually, a free reward night after card renewal and up to $200 in annual flight credits with your airline of choice to cover incidental fees. Travel and purchase protections are also included benefits.

Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card vs. Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

If you’re neither a road warrior nor a globetrotter, it may not make sense to shell out big bucks for a premium travel rewards card. You’ll still get perks and extras with the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card without paying an inflated price.

For an annual fee of $95, 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. Rewards are flexible and can be redeemed for travel through Chase with a 25% points bonus, for cash back on select purchases or transferred to hotel or airline transfer partners at a 1:1 ratio.

The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card also comes with travel protections and insurance, including primary auto damage collision coverage, trip cancellation and interruption services, and a welcome bonus that rivals pricier cards. New cardholders can earn 75,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.

The Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant card is for the Marriott super-loyalist who wants high-end perks and extras. If you prefer to stay at the most luxurious brands, like J.W. Marriott, The Ritz-Carlton or St. Regis, and are trying to decide between this card or the midtier Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card*, the Marriott Brilliant is a better choice because it offers complimentary Platinum status and its welcome bonus comes in the form of Marriott points, not Free Night Awards.

The Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant card will also give you the benefit of an annual free night, property credits and a fast track to higher elite status. If you use all the perks, it could be worth more than the annual fee. But if you aren’t loyal to any particular brand, you will be better off with a card that earns flexible rewards that allow you to stay anywhere you’d like.

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 the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card please visit this page.
To view rates and fees for The Platinum Card® from American Express please visit this page.
¹Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company.
²Car Rental Loss and Damage Insurance can provide coverage up to $75,000 for theft of or damage to most rental vehicles when you use your eligible Card to reserve and pay for the entire eligible vehicle rental and decline the collision damage waiver or similar option offered by the Commercial Car Rental Company. This product provides secondary coverage and does not include liability coverage. Not all vehicle types or rentals are covered. Geographic restrictions apply. Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company. Car Rental Loss or Damage Coverage is offered through American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc.
³The maximum benefit amount for Trip Cancellation and Interruption Insurance is $10,000 per Covered Trip and $20,000 per Eligible Card per 12 consecutive month period. Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company.
⁴Baggage Insurance Plan coverage can be in effect for Covered Persons for eligible lost, damaged, or stolen Baggage during their travel on a Common Carrier Vehicle (e.g. plane, train, ship, or bus) when the Entire Fare for a ticket for the trip (one-way or round-trip) is charged to an Eligible Card. Coverage can be provided for up to $2,000 for checked Baggage and up to a combined maximum of $3,000 for checked and carry-on Baggage, in excess of coverage provided by the Common Carrier. The coverage is also subject to a $3,000 aggregate limit per Covered Trip. For New York State residents, there is a $2,000 per bag/suitcase limit for each Covered Person with a $10,000 aggregate maximum for all Covered Persons per Covered Trip. Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company.
⁵Purchase Protection is an embedded benefit of your Card Membership and requires no enrollment. It can help protect Covered Purchases made on your Eligible Card when they’re accidentally damaged, stolen, or lost, for up to 90 days from the Covered Purchase date. The coverage is limited up to $10,000 per occurrence, up to $50,000 per Card Member account per calendar year. Coverage Limits Apply. Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company.
⁶When an American Express® Card Member charges a Covered Purchase to an Eligible Card, Extended Warranty can provide up to one extra year added to the Original Manufacturer’s Warranty. Applies to warranties of five (5) years or less. Coverage is up to the actual amount charged to your Card for the item up to a maximum of $10,000; not to exceed $50,000 per Card Member account per calendar year. Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company.
⁷With Return Protection, you may return eligible purchases to American Express if the seller won’t take them back up to 90 days from the date of purchase. 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. Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details.
⁸You can rely on Global Assist Hotline 24 hours a day / 7 days a week for medical, legal, financial or other select emergency coordination and assistance services while traveling more than 100 miles away from your home. Plus, the Premium Global Assist Hotline may provide emergency medical transportation assistance and related services. Third-party service costs may be your responsibility. Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. If approved and coordinated by Premium Global Assist Hotline, emergency medical transportation assistance may be provided at no cost. In any other circumstance, Card Members may be responsible for the costs charged by third-party service providers.