In February, Marriott re-branded their cards under the Bonvoy brand. Chase and American Express followed suit. Also, all cards were released with promotional sign-up bonuses each worth 100,000 points. Unfortunately, this promotion ends on Wednesday, April 24, 2019 for the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant and Business cards. The end of the promotion for the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless card comes on May 16, 2019.
I will overview the three Marriott Bonvoy cards and predict what could happen this week with the bonuses.
The Cards
All three cards come with 100,000-point bonuses that can be earned by spending $5,000 in the first three months.
But here’s what you can still get after the bonuses:
Marriott Bonvoy Business Card
This card is my favorite of the current Marriott lineup. The business card earns 6x points for Marriott purchases and 2x points for non-bonus spend. But the big draw is six 4x bonus categories in which you can earn points. These categories include US Restaurants, US Gas Stations, Shipping purchases, and Cell Phone Services (purchased directly from U.S. service providers).
This amazing earning structure is countered by a newly-raised $125 annual fee (NOT waived the first year).
Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant Card
The Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant Card is Marriott and American Express’ premium card. But its earning structure is not as good as that of the business card. You can get 6x points for Marriott purchases, 3x points for US Restaurants and Airfare, and 2x points for non-bonus spend.
The card comes with Gold Status (the first useful tier of Marriott status), up to two free nights, and a $300 statement credit for Marriott purchases. However, it also comes with a $450 annual fee (NOT waived the first year).
Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Card
This card is essentially a stripped-down version of the Brilliant card. You can get 6x points for Marriott purchases and 2x points for non-bonus spend. There are no other bonus categories. This card also has a $95 annual fee (NOT waived the first year).
Predictions
I have a feeling that all three cards are going to decrease their bonuses to 75,000 points with varying minimum spend requirements. This is because old SPG points were worth 3x of what current Marriott points are worth. For example, the former SPG card had a 25,000-point bonus.
I also predict that the minimum spend for the Business card will remain at $5,000. That of the Brilliant card will decrease to $4,000 and that of the Boundless card will decrease to $2,000. I hope that this doesn’t come true, but the entire Marriott-SPG merger and consequent re-branding has been poorly executed. But the varying requirements will lower the value of each card in different capacities:
The Business card will still be a great earner and long-term. Some people and businesses will still go for this card because of the earning. But it could still have a high threshold for a smaller bonus.
The Brilliant card will still be the better of the two personal cards. But with a $4,000 minimum spend, the short-term value is questionable. You can get much more for a $4,000 minimum spend from just about every major issuer. But this card might still be a long-term keeper because of its benefits.
Finally, the Boundless card will have the best short-term value of the bunch. $2,000 for 75,000 Marriott points is not a bad bonus. However, its not a good earner and it does not come with any major perks. Plus, you can’t upgrade it because its from Chase while the Brilliant card is from American Express.
Final Draw
I suggest applying for a Marriott card before Wednesday, April 24 (or May 16 for the Boundless card) if you want to go for a bonus. Currently, the best of the trio is the Business card. This is because it has the best earning structure relative to its annual fee. If you don’t have a small business and can stomach a large annual fee, the Brilliant card is the next best option.
Of course, you don’t have to apply for any of these cards if your travel plans don’t warrant it. Also, don’t apply for any co-branded card if you don’t like the hotel or airline. Marriott’s popularity has decreased since the merger and re-branding to say the least. Fortunately, there are many alternative hotels to stay at and cards to apply for. Keep reading PYCR to find such alternatives.
Apply Today: Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant Card, Marriott Bonvoy Business Card, Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Card
