Marriott Bonvoy Bold Credit Card Overview The Marriott Bonvoy Bold Credit Card is a personal, co-branded entry-level credit card from Marriott. This card with no annual fees provides a way to start earning Marriott Bonvoy points, and even gives cardholders a boost to access elite status. However, it has a hard time competing with other Marriott cards when it comes to earning rates and ongoing perks like Bonus Night Certificates. Card Rating *: ⭐⭐⭐ * Card rating is based on the opinion of TPG editors and is not affected by the card issuer. The Marriott Bonvoy Bold Credit Card is a card with no annual fees in the Marriott Bonvoy family. As they say, you get what you pay for, and that’s true when it comes to credit cards as well. Thus, Bonvoy Bold sacrifices some of the earned and popular benefits to make up for the lack of annual fees compared to its higher priced counterparts. Bonus points after spending $2,000 on purchases in the first 3 months of account opening. TPG currently values those 60,000 points at $504, and here’s what else you need to know about the card if you’re interested in applying. Want to learn more about credit card points and miles? Subscribe to our daily newsletter. Wanting to reap the benefits of Marriott Silver Elite status during hotel stays, more frequent travelers who already hold premium cards, such as the Platinum Card from American Express, can use Marriott Bonvoy Bold as a way to complement their points-earning strategy without adding another annual fee into the mix. Keep in mind that Chase’s Marriott Bonvoy Bold is also subject to the bank’s 5/24 rule, so consumers who have opened five or more cards in the past two years are likely to be ineligible for the card. Equally important, opening this card will occupy one of your 5/24 value slots with Chase – so think carefully about whether this is your best value before applying, or whether you’d be better off applying for another product first. New cardholders will earn an additional 60,000 points after spending $2,000 on purchases in the first three months of account opening – worth up to $504, based on TPG ratings. Also note that Marriott has officially implemented dynamic pricing for reward stays, which can make it difficult to find good value for your points in the future. Marriott co-branded cards have eligibility requirements that are known to be confusing, and the Marriott Bonvoy Bold program falls within their scope as well. Bonvoy Bold is not available to existing Marriott Bonvoy Boundless credit card holders, along with former Boundless or Bold cardholders who have earned a new Cardmember reward within the past 24 months. A current card member of a Marriott Bonvoy Premier Credit Card (also known as Marriott Rewards Premier), a Marriott Bonvoy Boundless credit card (also known as a Marriott Rewards Premier Plus), or a Marriott Bonvoy Bold credit card, or who is a former member of one of these cards and received a Member Award New card in the last 24 months. You currently have a Marriott Bonvoy Card from American Express (originally your personal SPG Card that is now discontinued) within the last 30 days. Hold a Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card or a Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant™ American Express® Card, and have earned a new Cardmember Reward or Upgrade Reward in the last 24 months for which you have been approved for a Marriott Bonvoy Business or Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant program within the last 90 days. Information about the Marriott Bonvoy Premier Card and the Marriott Bonvoy Card from Amex was collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuers. Key Perks and Benefits The 15 Elite Night Credits that come with Marriott Bonvoy Bold are sufficient to automatically award Silver Elite status. This tier comes with a bonus of 10% points on stays, priority late check-out, free in-room Wi-Fi, mobile check-in, and a reservation guarantee. These nightly balances can also help boost your progression to a higher level of status. Bold also comes with the following benefits: Baggage delay insurance: You can get up to $100 per passenger per day for up to five days on essential purchases made due to baggage delay of more than six hours Lost Baggage Compensation: You can cover up to 3,000 $1 per passenger if you or an immediate family member checks in or holds baggage that is damaged or lost by the carrier. If you are more than 12 hours late or require an overnight stay, you’ll be covered up to $500 per ticket for unpaid expenses, such as meals and hotel costs Purchase Protection: This covers your new purchases for 120 days against damage or theft (up to $500 per claim and 50,000 dollars per account). Visa Concierge: A 24-hour Visa Signature concierge is available to help you book entertainment tickets, make dinner reservations, and more, and it’s rare to find credit without an annual fee. The Marriott Bonvoy Bold program provides coverage for baggage and flight delay, which makes the Marriott Bonvoy Bold program attractive to those who use it to pay for travel. It also earns 2 points per dollar on general travel purchases and 1 point per dollar on other purchases. Chase defines travel very broadly, so you’ll earn 2 points per dollar on purchases ranging from airlines and hotels to transit and parking. In addition to the points you earn through the Bonvoy program itself. Between the 10 base points you earn and the additional 10% you earn from Silver Elite status, you earn up to 14 total points for every dollar on eligible Bonvoy hotel stays using the Bonvoy Bold Card. It compares favorably to any of the other Marriott Bonvoy credit cards, which all offer 2 points per dollar on daily spending and 6 points per dollar at Marriott hotels (and some have a few other reward categories). A card like the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card or the Capital One Venture Rewards credit card, you would be better off using one of these cards for larger travel purchases. of your Points when used for Award Night stays at eligible Bonvoy Hotels or by transferring them to Marriott Airlines partners. A great benefit of redeeming Marriott Points for Award Night stays is that you’ll get a free fifth night at eligible hotels, giving you a chance to save 20% on five-night stays. To pay for part of your hotel stay and use cash for the rest, finally, you can also convert your Marriott points into an impressive list of 40+ airlines in a 3:1 ratio. This isn’t always the best redemption option, but it’s an opportunity to beat mileage balances with carrier programs Airlines that do not have other carrier partners, such as Asiana Club and Korean Air SkyPass. Plus, when you transfer 60,000 points at a time, you get 5,000 bonus miles with most partners, ending with 25,000 miles instead of just 20,000. What cards compete with Bonvoy Bold? Credit Card Assortment: Marriott Bonvoy Unlimited Credit Card. For an annual fee of $95, you’ll get double the rewards rate on Bonvoy purchases (6 points per dollar instead of 3). You’ll also enjoy a 35,000-point free night certificate each year when you renew your card, a feature that should easily cover the annual fee on the card. This added value makes Boundless worth it for the overwhelming majority of travelers as well. As an overall better option than the Bold Hotel if you are staying at one of the 8,000-plus hotels under the Marriott umbrella for more than one or two nights a year. ISABELLE RAPHAEL / THE POINTS GUYPlus There’s a welcome bonus on this Boundless that’s even more useful: Earn 100,000 bonus points after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months of account opening. For those who insist on avoiding annual fees, Bold also has competition from other hotel credit cards with no annual fees, such as the Hilton Honors American Express Card (see rates and fees), which offers a welcome bonus of 100,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points after You spend $1,000 in purchases on the Card in the first three months of Card Membership. Plus, earn up to $100 in statement credits on eligible purchases made on the card at any Hilton Family Hotels in the first 12 months of membership, and this bonus is combined up to $700 (including $100) dollars on statement), according to TPG Ratings. This card also comes with a robust card reward structure with no annual fee and automatic Hilton Honors Silver Elite status (with a pathway to gold by spending). Registration is required for specific benefits. CLINT HENDERSON / THE POINTS GUY If you’re not particularly loyal to Marriott, you may want to check out other non-annual card options that offer much more flexibility in your rewards. Get more value from other travel credit card options, especially when you look at the current selection of Marriott Bonvoy cards available. The bonus rates and additional perks these other cards offer more than offset the annual fees associated with them. However, true beginners (and perhaps those who are against adding another annual fee to their portfolio) can find solid value with Bonvoy Bold. Apply for a Marriott Bonvoy Bold and earn 60,000 bonus points after spending $2,000 on purchases in the first three months of account opening: For Hilton Honors AMEX card rates and fees, click here Additional reporting by Ryan Wilcox and Christina Lee.
