Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card Overview
Even if you’re not a Marriott loyalist The Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card is worth considering. It comes with a valuable welcome bonus, annual free night and elite night credits but carries a lower annual fee than most other cards in the Marriott card lineup. Card Rating*: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
*Card ratings are based on the opinion of TPG’s editors and are not influenced by the card issuer.
Marriott offers a diverse credit card portfolio issued by both Chase and American Express. However, Chase’s Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card stands out as the only entry-level, mid-tier personal Marriott Bonvoy card available to new applicants.
With an annual fee of $95 and a “good” recommended credit score of at least 670 or higher, Boundless Lands is above the lowest-tier Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card. Frequent stays at Marriott properties can also take advantage of the card’s valuable welcome bonus, annual free nights and elite night credits.
Let’s take a closer look at whether the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless could be a good addition to your wallet.
Marriott Bonvoy Unlimited Pros & Cons
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Marriott Bonvoy Unlimited Welcome Offer
Based on TPG’s December 2024 valuation of Marriott points, at a rate of 0.85 cents each, this bonus is up to $1,275. It’s a wonderful way to start any vacation.
The best welcome offer we’ve seen on this card is five free night certificates (no longer available). However, the current offering is standard, and even if you want a mid-tier Bonvoy credit card, you’ll still get a good value.
If you have Marriott Bonvoy Platinum Elite or higher status, however, this bonus can get you much more value than this point value alone. As a top-tier elite, you’ll be able to take advantage of perks like suite upgrades and free breakfast to further enhance your stay.
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Related: Marriott Bonvoy: The Complete Guide to Hotel Loyalty Programs
Marriott Bonvoy Unlimited Benefits
Anniversary Free Night Award
Each year, upon account renewal, you will receive a reward night certificate worth up to 35,000 points per night. You can also top off your certificate with up to 15,000 additional points, making it potentially worth 50,000 points.
TPG’s December 2024 valuation shows the value of 35,000 Marriott points at $298, nearly triple the $95 annual fee. But it’s possible to get even more value if you’re selective about redeeming your award nights.
Bonvoy Boundless also offers a path to Gold Elite status by spending $35,000 on purchases each calendar year. However, you’re better off earning higher status organically through the card’s complimentary 15 Elite night credit as well as some stays booked directly with Marriott.
If you want a card that offers complimentary Gold Elite status with Marriott, consider it Platinum Card® from American Express Or The Business Platinum Card® from American Express (registration required).
You’ll also get an elite night credit toward status for every $5,000 you spend on purchases with Bonvoy Boundless, so this can be another path to higher status.
“I find that my Boundless card practically pays for itself because the annual free night award quickly covers the $95 annual fee,” says Tanner Saunders, TPG senior hotels writer. Earning points helps, and I was able to use the points I earned with the card for some great stays, including two nights in a one-bedroom suite in Atlanta Rates were sky high when I went to see Swift.”
15 elite night credits annually
Many Bonvoy credit cards share this benefit. But if you’re aiming for higher status with Marriott Bonvoy, this benefit can be extremely valuable.
You can earn one set of Elite Night Credits from the Marriott Personal Card and another set of Elite Night Credits from the Marriott Business Card. So, with Bonvoy Boundless alone, you’ll only need to stay 35 nights (instead of 50) to earn Platinum Elite status. But, if you have Bonvoy Boundless and a Marriott business card like the Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card, you can earn up to 30 Elite Night Credits per year with credit cards.
RELATED: Free Nights and Easy Status: Why I Have 3 Marriott Bonvoy Credit Cards and Pay Over $1,200 in Annual Fees
Other benefits
The above benefits represent a value of a few hundred dollars per year and easily make up for the $95 annual fee. But the card also offers some additional benefits:
- Baggage delay insurance: If the passenger carrier delays your baggage for more than six hours, Chase can reimburse you for essential purchases up to $100 per day for five days.
- Compensation for lost baggage: If a passenger carrier damages or loses your checked or carry-on baggage, Chase can reimburse you up to $3,000 per passenger.
- Trip delay compensation: If you are delayed more than 12 hours or require an overnight stopover while traveling by common carrier, Chase may reimburse you for select, otherwise unreimbursed expenses of up to $500 per ticket.
- Purchase protection: Chase covers most new purchases against loss or theft for 120 days, up to $500 per claim (capped at $50,000 per account).
- There are no foreign transaction fees: This benefit makes Bonvoy Boundless ideal for shopping and booking hotel stays worldwide
Related: Which Credit Cards Cover Baggage Delays?
Earn points at Marriott Bonvoy Boundless
This The Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Card earns points at the following rates:
- 6 points per dollar spent on eligible purchases at hotels participating in the Marriott Bonvoy program
- 3 points per dollar spent on the first $6,000 in combined purchases each year at grocery stores, gas stations and dining
- 2 points per dollar spent on all other purchases
Based on TPG’s December 2024 valuation, these rates equate to a 5.1% return on Marriott purchases. On paper, you might do better using the Chase Sapphire Reserve® for Marriott stays. Finally, Chase Sapphire Reserve earns 3 Ultimate Rewards points per dollar on travel purchases, including hotel stays (for a 6.1% return based on TPG’s December 2024 valuation).
But you should consider the value you can get from your Marriott points. Platinum and Titanium elite members get better returns on their reward redemptions, thanks to a wider set of elite benefits. So, if you have high-level status, you may want to pay for frequent Marriott stays with the Bonvoy credit card to earn 6 points per dollar instead of earning a variety of reward points.
RELATED: Best Ways to Earn Marriott Bonvoy Points: From Hotel Stays and Credit Card Spending to Travel Partners
Redeeming points at Marriott Bonvoy Boundless
Of course, the most obvious way to redeem Marriott Bonvoy points is through hotel stays. There is a little strategy for that Maximize your Marriott redemptions, but this is the most straightforward.
Chris Dong/The Points Guy
You’ll want to take advantage of the fifth night free on award stays whenever possible. The fifth-night benefit is an easy way to get up to 20% off your redemption and keep your points going.
Related: Maximize your hotel points by getting the fourth or fifth night free on an award stay
Transfer points to Marriott Bonvoy Boundless
Don’t forget that Marriott has about 40 Airline transfer partners, including some interesting frequent flyer programs with otherwise hard-to-earn miles.
Points transfer to most airlines at a 3:1 ratio, with a 5,000-mile bonus for every 60,000 Marriott points earned. (Note that Bonvoy points transferred to American Airlines AAAdvantage, Avianca LifeMiles, Delta SkyMiles and Korean Air SkyPass are not eligible for the 5,000-mile bonus.)
So, for example, transferring 60,000 Marriott points to Alaska Airlines would net you 25,000 miles. However, note that most transfers take at least a few days, so if award availability is tight, the ticket you want to book may be gone by the time the transfer is complete.
TPG Credit Cards writer Danyal Ahmed uses his Bonvoy points to top up his AAdvantage account when he needs some extra miles for top-tier redemptions like Qatar Airways’ award-winning Qsuite. He also transferred to Korean Air SkyPass to book first-class on Saudia for 210,000 miles.
RELATED: Marriott Bonvoy Program: How to Redeem Points for Hotel Stays, Airfare and More
Which cards compete with Marriott Bonvoy Boundless?
If you want more Marriott Bonvoy benefits or more flexible rewards, you may find one of these cards a better match.
For additional options, check out our full list The best Marriott Bonvoy credit cards and the best hotel credit cards.
Related: Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful Vs. Marriott Bonvoy Boundless
The bottom line
However, if you’ve already made your Chase trifecta and confirmed that you’re eligible for this bonus, Bonvoy Boundless can be a great addition to your wallet. You should have no trouble getting $200-$300 worth of value just from your anniversary award night certificate, a great return on the $95 annual fee attached to Bonvoy Boundless.
Apply at: Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card
For Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant Amex rates and fees, click here.
For Marriott Bonvoy Bevy Amex rates and fees, click here.