The Marriott Bonvoy program is unique because it has credit card partnerships with two different issuers: Chase and American Express.
If you’re in the market for a new card, you may be torn between the mid-tier Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card and Premium issued by Chase. Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card.
Deciding between mid-tier and premium credit cards is challenging enough. But when two different banks issue that card with different application rules, the decision becomes more difficult.
Today, we’re demystifying the decision and helping you determine whether the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless or the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant card makes more sense for you.
Bonvoy Boundless Vs. Bonvoy Brilliant comparison
| Bonvoy Boundless | Bonvoy Brilliant | |
|---|---|---|
| Welcome offer | Earn 125,000 bonus points after spending $5,000 on purchases in your first three months of account opening. | Earn 185,000 bonus points after spending $6,000 in the first six months of your card membership. |
| Annual fee | $95 | $650 (see rates and fees) |
| Bonus categories | 6 points per dollar spent at participating Marriott Bonvoy hotels
3 points per dollar on the first $6,000 spent on combined purchases each year at gas stations, grocery stores and dining 2 points per dollar on other travel purchases 2 points per dollar on all other purchases |
6 points per dollar on purchases at hotels participating in the Marriott Bonvoy program
3 points per dollar on restaurants worldwide and flights booked directly with the airline 2 points per dollar on all other purchases |
| Free night award | 1 free award night per year after account anniversary (up to 35,000 points). | 1 free award night (up to 85,000 points) per year after account anniversary (some hotels have resort fees) |
| elite status | Complimentary Silver Elite status; Earn gold after spending $35,000 on purchases in a calendar year | Complimentary Platinum Elite status |
| benefits | 15 elite night credits per year
1 elite night credit for elite status for every $5,000 spent Free premium Wi-Fi at Marriott Bonvoy properties Travel security Purchase security There are no foreign transaction fees |
25 elite night credits per year
Up to $300 in statement credit (up to $25 per month) on eligible purchases at restaurants worldwide Up to $120 statement credit every 4 years for Global Entry or $85 every 4½ years for TSA PreCheck Earn a Choice Award after spending $60,000 on eligible purchases in a calendar year Ritz-Carlton or St. Up to $100 in luxury property credit valid on qualifying stays of two nights or more at Regis Hotels Choose a complimentary Priority Pass membership Complimentary ShopRunner Membership Travel Security* Purchase Security** Cellphone Security** No foreign transaction fees (see rates and fees) Registration is required for select benefits |
*Eligibility and benefit levels vary by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for details. Policies are underwritten by AIG Company New Hampshire Insurance Company.
**Eligibility and benefit levels vary by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for details. Policies are underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company.
Bonvoy Boundless Vs. Bonvoy Brilliant Welcome Offer
In contrast, the Bonvoy Brilliant Currently offering new applicants the ability to earn 185,000 bonus points after spending $6,000 on purchases in the first six months. This offer ends on 2nd October.
Both Boundless and Brilliant give you bonus points that can be used on any hotel stay, with no cap on the value of the points. You also have the option of using these points on top of your airline miles, which we’ll discuss below.
Daily newsletter
Reward your inbox with the TPG Daily Newsletter
Join over 700,000 readers for the latest news, in-depth guides and exclusive deals from TPG’s experts
In terms of eligibility, Bonvoy Boundless is subject to Chase’s 5/24 rule, so if you’ve opened five or more credit cards in the past 24 months you may be automatically declined. Additionally, American Express limits you to earning a welcome bonus on a given card once in a lifetime. So, if you have already received a bonus on Bonvoy Brilliant, you will not be eligible for the new bonus.
On top of these issuer restrictions, Bonvoy has its own set of eligibility requirements. Be sure to check all of these and make sure you are eligible before applying for any card.
Winner: Bonvoy Brilliant. It offers more points.
Related: Are You Eligible for the New Marriott Bonvoy Card?
Bonvoy Boundless Vs. Bonvoy Brilliant benefits
Both cards are designed for those staying at Marriott Bonvoy portfolio properties, so you can expect to receive a variety of benefits associated with Marriott property stays, among other benefits.
With Boundless, you’ll also get 15 elite night credits a year, one elite night credit toward elite status for every $5,000 spent, free premium Wi-Fi at Marriott Bonvoy properties, travel protection (baggage delay, lost baggage reimbursement, trip delay compensation), Purchase protection and no foreign transaction fees.
As a premium credit with an annual fee of $650 Bonvoy Brilliant Offers high-level benefits such as complimentary Platinum Elite status and 25 Elite Night Credits per year.
The card offers plenty of statement credits that reduce the annual fee and include a $300 credit (up to $25 per month) on eligible purchases at restaurants worldwide, a $120 statement credit for Global Entry or $85 TSA PreCheck, and up to $100. Luxury Property Credit is valid for two or more night stays at Ritz-Carlton and St. Regis hotels. Registration is required for select benefits.
The Preferred Rewards earned after spending $60,000 on eligible purchases in a calendar year, Priority Pass Select membership at over 1,600 lounges, and complimentary Shoprunner Membership are more reasons why this card beats out Boundless in this category. Registration is required for select benefits.
In addition, Brilliant comes with travel protections such as car rental insurance*, baggage insurance**, trip cancellation and interruption insurance^ and trip delay insurance^ as well as shopping protections including purchase protection**, return protection and cellphone protection^.
*Eligibility and benefit levels vary by card. Not all types of vehicles or rentals are covered and geographic restrictions apply. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for details. Policies are underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company. Coverage provided by American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc.
**Eligibility and benefit levels vary by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for details. Policies are underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company.
^Eligibility and benefit levels vary by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for details. Policies are underwritten by AIG Company New Hampshire Insurance Company.
Winner: Bonvoy Brilliant. The Brilliant has more benefits that easily offset its annual fee.
Bonvoy Boundless Vs. Earn points with Bonvoy Brilliant
Both cards earn 6 points per dollar on purchases at participating Marriott Bonvoy hotels and 3 points per dollar spent on dining (the bright Boundless on dining purchases on the first $6,000 spent in combined purchases each year with restaurants and gas stations and grocery stores worldwide).
They both earn 2 points per dollar spent on most other purchases, with an elevated 3 points per dollar on flights booked directly with Brilliant Airlines.
These earning structures are comparable to other hotel cobranded cards. However, you’ll get a better earning rate using a more common travel card for purchases outside of Marriott.
Winner: Bonvoy Brilliant. It does not earn on dining earnings and earns 50% more points when booking flights directly with the airline.
Related: Best Credit Cards for Marriott Stays
Bonvoy Boundless Vs. Redeeming points with Bonvoy Brilliant
Both Bonvoy credit cards earn Marriott Points through credit card spending, which are automatically credited to your Bonvoy account.
You can redeem these Bonvoy Points for hotel stays and Marriott Bonvoy Moments, purchase and transfer merchandise with Marriott Shopping. Over 35 airline programs.
Most of the time, your best redemption option for maximum value is a hotel stay. However, since Marriott uses a dynamic pricing model, the number of points you’ll need for a stay depends on the hotel, room type, occupancy and cash rate.
One way to maximize your points is to take advantage of Bonvoy’s fifth-night-free benefit. This benefit allows you to stay for five nights with points and pay for only four nights.
TPG Credit Card writer Chris Nelson recently used this benefit for his stay at the JW Marriott Sao Paulo, where he paid for four nights with points and got the fifth night free.
Winner: tie up Both cards earn Bonvoy points and have similar redemption options.
Bonvoy Boundless Vs. Transferring points with Bonvoy Brilliant
You can transfer your Bonvoy points to any Marriott 39 airline partners. The highest transfer on airlines is 3 Marriott points to 1 airline mile. Except for American Airlines AAdvantage, Avianca LifeMiles and Delta SkyMiles, Marriott also offers 5,000 bonus airline miles for every 60,000 Marriott points you transfer to most airline partners.
This can be a good use of your points in certain cases, such as taking advantage of AAdvantage sweet spots to transfer them to American Airlines. However, you’ll typically get less value out of your points if you transfer them to airlines, so we generally recommend avoiding this option, except to top up your miles balance when needed.
In addition, you can easily transfer points between Marriott Bonvoy accounts, whether between two accounts of the same person or transferring points to a friend or family member. Points transfer is free and can be Completed online.
the winner: bind. Both cards have access to the same transfer partners and can transfer to friends and family.
Should I get Bonvoy Boundless or Bonvoy Brilliant?
Related: Why You Need Multiple Bonvoy Cards
The bottom line
Once you confirm that you are eligible to apply for both Chase bonvoy boundless or Bonvoy Brilliant from AmexThe choice comes down to your travel habits and how often you stay at a Marriott property. If you want to start with Marriott, consider the low annual fee Bonvoy Boundless. But if you’re committed to Marriott, you can’t go wrong with Bonvoy Brilliant and its benefits to help maximize your hotel stay.
For more details on these cards, see our full reviews of Bonvoy Boundless and Bonvoy Brilliant.
Apply at: Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card
Apply here: Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card
For Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant Amex rates and fees, click here.