Marriott Bonvoy offers several different credit cards. It can get confusing because both American Express and Chase offer cards that earn points in the Bonvoy program. However, the products don’t overlap. American Express is the only bank permitted to issue a business credit card.
Marriott Bonvoy Business Card
Signup Bonus
The current sign-up bonus for the card with our referral link is for five free nights redeemable for rooms with a redemption level at or under 50,000 Marriott Bonvoy points after charging $8,000 in purchases within the first 6 months.
We receive bonus Marriott Bonvoy points if you sign up with our link.
Annual Fee
$125 Annual Fee
Spending Categories
When spending on the card, you earn points in the Marriott Bonvoy program as follows:
- Earn 6 points for every dollar of eligible purchases at participating Marriott Bonvoy properties
- Earn 4 points for every dollar of purchases at restaurants worldwide, U.S. gas stations, wireless telephone services purchased directly from U.S. service providers, and U.S. purchases for shipping.
- Earn 2 points for all other eligible purchases
Card Benefits
Let’s look at what benefits you get with Marriott for having the card:
- Receive 1 Free Night Award every year after your Card account anniversary. Plus, earn an additional Free Night Award after you spend $60K in purchases on your Card in a calendar year. Awards can be used for one night (redemption level at or under 35,000 Marriott Bonvoy points) at a participating hotel. Certain hotels have resort fees.
- Receive 15 Elite Night Credits to be used to reach the next level of status. A maximum of 15 Elite Night Credits will be provided per Marriott Bonvoy Member Account unless you have both a small business Marriott Bonvoy Card account and a consumer Marriott Bonvoy Card account; you may receive the combined Elite Nighe Credits. This benefit is not exclusive to Credit Cards offered by American Express.
- Complimentary Gold Elite Status.
- Free in-room premium internet (when booking directly through Marriott). There’s quite a list of hotels that don’t participate in the free premium internet benefit that can be found here.
- Receive a 7% discount on eligible bookings when you book directly with Marriott
- No Foreign Transaction Fees
Ways To Use Marriott Bonvoy Points
Points earned with the Marriott Bonvoy Business AMEX card can be used to stay at Marriott properties. Also, you’re able to transfer points to many different airline frequent flyer programs (possibly with a bonus, depending on how many points you transfer). That’s not counting the additional options of Marriott Bonvoy Moments (which I’ll explain later in this post).
Hotel Stays
Points can be used for award stays at any of the Marriott Bonvoy hotels. This covers 30 chains worldwide:
- The Ritz-Carlton
- St. Regis
- EDITION
- The Luxury Collection
- W Hotels
- JW Marriott
- Marriott Hotels
- Sheraton
- Marriott Vacation Club
- Delta Hotels
- Le Meriden
- Westin
- Autograph Collection
- Design Hotels
- Renaissance Hotels
- Tribute Portfolio
- Gaylord Hotels
- Courtyard Hotels
- Four Points
- SpringHill Suites
- Protea Hotels
- Fairfield Inn & Suites
- AC Hotels
- Aloft Hotels
- Moxy Hotels
- City Express
- Residence Inn
- TownePlace Suites
- element
- Homes & Villas by Marriott
- Apartments by Marriott Bonvoy
- Marriott Executive Apartments
Flights
You can transfer points to the frequent flyer programs of over 39 different airlines. The transfer ratio is 3 points to 1 mile for most airlines, and you get a bonus of 5,000 extra miles when you transfer 60,000 points. That means it’s best to transfer only in 60,000-point increments, where your 60,000 points will give you 25,000 miles. You also get a 10,000 point bonus when sending points to United.
| AEGEAN Miles+Bonus | 3:1 |
| Aer Lingus AerClub | 3:1 |
| Aeromexico ClubPremier | 3:1 |
| Air Canada Aeroplan | 3:1 |
| Air China PhoenixMiles | 3:1 |
| Air France-KLM Flying Blue | 3:1 |
| Air New Zealand AirPoint | 200:1 |
| Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan™ | 3:1 |
| American Airlines AAdvantage®** | 3:1 |
| ANA Mileage Club | 3:1 |
| Asiana Airlines Asiana Club | 3:1 |
| Avianca LifeMiles** | 3:1 |
| British Airways Executive Club | 3:1 |
| Cathay Pacific Asia Miles | 3:1 |
| China Southern Airlines Sky Pearl Club | 3:1 |
| Copa Airlines ConnectMiles | 3:1 |
| Delta SkyMiles®** | 3:1 |
| Emirates Skywards® | 3:1 |
| Etihad Guest | 3:1 |
| FRONTIER Miles | 3:1 |
| Hainan Airlines Fortune Wings Club | 3:1 |
| Hawaiian Airlines HawaiianMiles® | 3:1 |
| Iberia Plus | 3:1 |
| InterMiles | 3:1 |
| Japan Airlines JAL Mileage Bank | 3:1 |
| Korean Air SKYPASS** | 3:1 |
| LATAM Airlines LATAM Pass | 3:1 |
| Multiplus Fidelidade LATAM Pass | 3:1 |
| Qantas Frequent Flyer | 3:1 |
| Qatar Airways Privilege Club | 3:1 |
| Saudia Alfursan | 3:1 |
| Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer® | 3:1 |
| Southwest Rapid Rewards® | 3:1 |
| TAP Air Portugal Miles&Go | 3:1 |
| Thai Airways Royal Orchid Plus | 3:1 |
| Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles | 3:1 |
| United MileagePlus® | 3:1 |
| Virgin Atlantic Flying Club | 3:1 |
| Virgin Australia Velocity Frequent Flyer | 3:1 |
| Vueling Club | 3:1 |
Other uses for Marriott Bonvoy points
There are also other interesting ways for you to spend your points. One of those is the Marriott Bonvoy Moments program.
Offers vary from concert tickets to special dinners and weekend getaway packages.
Sign Up Bonus Restrictions
There are some major restrictions on getting the signup bonus.
You may not be eligible to receive a welcome offer if you have or have had this Card or the Starwood Preferred Guest® Business Credit Card from American Express or previous versions of these Cards. You also may not be eligible to receive a welcome offer based on various factors, such as your history with credit card balance transfers, your history as an American Express Card Member, the number of credit cards that you have opened and closed and other factors. If you are not eligible for a welcome offer, we will notify you prior to processing your application so you have the option to withdraw your application.
Welcome offer not available to applicants who (i) have or have had the Marriott Bonvoy® Premier Plus Business Credit Card from Chase, the Marriott Rewards® Premier Plus Business Credit Card from Chase, the Marriott Bonvoy Business® Credit Card from Chase, or the Marriott Rewards® Business Credit Card from Chase in the last 30 days, (ii) have acquired the Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful™ Credit Card from Chase, the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card from Chase, the Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card from Chase, in the last 90 days, or (iii) received a new Card Member bonus offer in the last 24 months on the Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful™ Credit Card from Chase, Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card from Chase, or the Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card from Chase.
Got all that?
Amex RAT Team disclaimer
As is normal with American Express cards, they have the right to shut you down whenever they want for any reason they deem acceptable.
If we in our sole discretion determine that you have engaged in abuse, misuse, or gaming in connection with this offer in any way or that you intend to do so (for example, if you applied for one or more cards to obtain an offer(s) that we did not intend for you; if you cancel or downgrade your account within 12 months after acquiring it; or if you cancel or return purchases you made to meet the Threshold Amount), we may not credit, we may freeze, or we may take away the Free Night Awards from your account. We may also cancel this Card account and other Card accounts you may have with us
Final Thoughts
If you meet all the requirements, the 3 free night certificates sign-up bonus is a solid incentive. The Bonvoy Business card does have some interesting bonus categories, earning extra points for your wireless phone bill and shipping charges. Other cards also provide bonuses in those categories, but not many.
Now that you’re able to stack the 15-night credit from this card with the 15 nights from a personal Bonvoy card (or 25 nights from the Bonvoy Brilliant AMEX), most people are only a few stays away from Platinum Elite status.
If you’re looking at the free night certificate value, it’s worth at least $125, but you’re reaching the point where you’re not doing more than breaking even.
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This post first appeared on Your Mileage May Vary
1 comment
Unless you have a plan to achieve platinum status in the Marriott Bonvoy program, there is no need to mess with their cards now that Hilton offers diamond just for having the premium card. Hilton hotels also have lounges and suites, so there you go.