Earlier today, Marriott International and Chase Card Services launched the first Marriott co-branded credit card with no annual fee: the new Marriott Bonvoy Bold. The card has several exciting features for consumers who want to jumpstart their travel strategy with hotel points without having to pay for a credit card with a high annual fee.
Sign-up Bonus and Earning
The current sign-up bonus for the Marriott Bonvoy Bold as of publication is 50,000 bonus Marriott Bonvoy points after you spend $2,000 on purchases in your first three months from account opening. That is enough points for a free night at one of the chain’s mid-range hotels, like the New York Marriott Marquis, or the Renaissance Paris République Hotel.
The card earns three points per dollar spent at over 7,000 participating Marriott Bonvoy hotels, including at 30 brands such as Ritz-Carlton, St. Regis, Westin, Sheraton, JW Marriott and Renaissance among others.
The Marriott Bonvoy Bold earns two points per dollar spent on other travel purchases, including airfare, train tickets, taxis, rideshares and more. The card earns one point per dollar on all other purchases.
Elite Credit
Like some of Marriott’s other credit cards, this one awards holders with 15 Elite Night credits each calendar year, which is enough to qualify for Silver Elite status and perks like possible late check-out and earning bonus points on stays.
Other Benefits
Geared toward travelers, the card does not charge foreign transaction fees. It also provides several travel protections. With baggage delay insurance that kicks in for delays of over six hours, cardholders can claim up to $100 per day for five days. It also includes lost luggage reimbursement of up to $3,000 per passengers. Its trip delay reimbursement goes into effect at 12 hours or with an overnight stay and covers the cardholder and family members for unreimbursed expenses such as meals and lodging up to $500 per ticket.
With purchase protection on new purchase up to 120 days out, cardholders can apply for up to $500 per claim and $50,000 per account for mishaps like theft or damage.
Eligibility
Not everyone is eligible for the new Marriott Bonvoy Bold. Among those consumers who are specifically excluded are those who are current cardmembers of the Marriott Bonvoy Premier credit cards (also known as the Marriott Rewards Premier), Marriott Bonvoy Boundless (also known as the Marriott Rewards Premier Plus), Marriott Bonvoy Bold, or previous cardholders of any of them who have received a new cardmember bonus within the last 24 months. So if you applied for any of these cards recently, you might not be able to get the new Bold version.
You can apply, but will not be eligible for the new cardmember bonus if you are a current cardmember or were a previous cardmember within the last 30 days of the Marriott Bonvoy American Express Card (also known as the Starwood Preferred Guest Credit Card from American Express). The same is true if you are a current or previous cardmember of either the Marriott Bonvoy Business American Express Card (also known as the Starwood Preferred Guest Business Credit Card from American Express), or the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card (also known as the Starwood Preferred Guest American Express Luxury Card) and received a new cardmember bonus or upgrade bonus in the last 24 months.
If you applied for either the Marriott Bonvoy Business American Express Card or the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card in the last 90 days, you will also be ineligible for the sign-up bonus.
How It Stacks Up
So how does the new Marriott Bonvoy Bold compare to the other options out there? There are currently two other Marriott Bonvoy credit cards available to new applicants.
Chase’s other product is the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless card. It costs $95 a year to carry and also waives foreign transaction fees. Its sign-up bonus is currently 75,000 points when you spend $3,000 in purchases in the first three months, but has been as high as 100,000 points. The Boundless earns six points per dollar on Marriott purchases, two points per dollar on all other purchases, and comes with automatic Silver Elite status. Cardholders also receive a free night award worth up to 35,000 points each year after their account anniversary. This is the mid-tier card for Marriott Bonvoy members, and its higher bonus and earning rates are a better choice for folks who actually spend more time in Marriott properties and are looking to rack up bonus points quickly.
The most premium Marriott Bonvoy personal credit card is the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card. It, too, has a current sign-up bonus of 75,000 points, though it has been higher in the past. To earn it, you’ll need to spend $3,000 on purchases within the first three months. Its annual fee is $450, but for that, you get a lot of benefits.
The Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card earns six points per dollar on Marriott purchases, three points per dollar at U.S. restaurants and on flights booked directly with airlines, and two points per dollar on everything else. Cardholders get a $300 Marriott Bonvoy statement credit every year for eligible purchases at participating Marriott properties, and a $100 property credit when they use their card to book stays of two nights or more at The Ritz-Carlton or St. Regis properties using a special cardholder rate.
Brilliant cardholders also receive a free night award worth up to 50,000 points each year after their account anniversary, and complimentary Gold Elite status with the chance to spend up to Platinum Elite status after making $75,000 in purchases in a calendar year. The card also comes with complimentary Priority Pass Select membership, which confers access to over 1,200 airport lounges worldwide. The card will also reimburse you up to $100 for a Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application once every four-and-a-half years, and waives foreign transaction fees.
The new Marriott Bonvoy Bold card is a good complement to the existing Marriott Bonvoy credit cards. While its sign-up bonus and earning rates are lower than its companion cards, the fact that it carries no annual fee means it costs cardholders nothing to carry as they build their credit and their Marriott Bonvoy points balance. However, if you’re looking for more premium perks and a better return on spending, you might want to carry either the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless or Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card instead.
