Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful card review: Chase's new Marriott credit card comes with a 125,000-point welcome bonus offer and upscale perks, but with an annual fee to match

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The new Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful™ Card comes with a big welcome bonus offer, automatic Gold elite status, and other perks that appeal to frequent Marriott travelers. However, it's got a Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful™ Card annual fee, so unless you can maximize its benefits, a different Marriott card would be a better fit.

Review: Is the Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful the best credit card for you?

Marriott recently unveiled two new credit cards from Chase and Amex, and Chase's offering, the Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful™ Card, is worth considering if you're loyal to Marriott and can make the most of its benefits in order to justify the steep Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful™ Card annual fee.

Along with the new Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express® Card, the Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful™ Card is a mid-level card that's not quite premium; it's a step above the popular Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card (Marriott Bonvoy Boundless™ Credit Card annual fee) but doesn't have nearly as many perks as the top-tier Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant™ American Express® Card (Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant™ American Express® Card annual fee).

New cardholders start off strong with a welcome bonus offer of Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful™ Card. That's worth around Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful™ Card in stays, based on Insider's valuation of Marriott points at 0.7 cents apiece. The intro bonus points are enough for a couple of nights at an upscale hotel, or up to 25 nights at Marriott's lowest-priced brands.

The card also comes with automatic Marriott Gold elite status, which can get you upgrades to better rooms and perks like late checkout (when available). You'll also get a unique perk that can be lucrative if you stay with Marriott a lot — when you use your card to book directly with Marriott, you'll earn 1,000 points per eligible stay.

However, one disappointing aspect of the Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful™ Card is its lack of an automatic free award night every card anniversary, like most other Marriott credit cards offer. Instead, cardholders are required to spend $15,000 in a calendar year to earn a free award night valid at Marriott hotels that cost up to 50,000 points. 

On the upside, the card does earn Marriott points quickly; cardholders earn 6x points on eligible purchases at participating Marriott Bonvoy hotels, 4x points on dining and grocery stores (on up to $15,000 in combined purchases per year, then 2x), and 2x points on all other eligible purchases.

For casual travelers, the high annual fee on the Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful™ Card probably won't make sense. Instead, cards with modest annual fees like the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card or Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card (Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card annual fee) are a better value, especially because they both offer a free anniversary night worth up to 35,000 points that can be worth much more than their annual fees.

And very frequent Marriott guests will likely do better by splurging on the premium Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant™ American Express® Card, because it now offers automatic Platinum status, an anniversary award night worth up to 85,000 points, and up to $300 in dining credits each year — on top of other upscale benefits like Priority Pass airport lounge access.**

Here's what to know to help decide if the Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful™ Card is right for you.

We're focused here on the rewards and perks that come with each card. These cards won't be worth it if you're paying interest or late fees. When using a credit card, it's important to pay your balance in full each month, make payments on time, and only spend what you can afford to pay.

How to earn rewards from the Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful card

Like other Marriott cards, the Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful™ Card earns the most points on spending at participating Marriott Bonvoy properties, but it also has a generous earning structure in other categories. Cardholders earn:

• 6 points per dollar on purchases at participating Marriott Bonvoy hotels (that's on top of the base points you'd normally earn and bonus points from having Gold elite status from the card)
• 4 points per dollar on dining and groceries worldwide (up to $15,000 in combined purchases a year, then 2x)
• 2 points per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases

Cardholders also have the opportunity to earn 1,000 points per stay when they use their card to pay at Marriott hotels (more on that later).

How to use Marriott points

Marriott Bonvoy points are among the most flexible hotel rewards because they're useful for more than just free stays, although you'll typically get the most value from your points when you redeem them for award nights. Marriott no longer publishes an award chart; instead, the price of a free night ranges from 5,000 points on the low end to up to 120,000 points for luxury resorts (some hotels charge resort fees on top of the points required).

The number of points you'll pay depends on demand, cash price, and season, and can redeem your points at over two dozen Marriott hotel brands.

Another good redemption option is transferring Marriott points to over 40 airline partners. With a few exceptions, transfers to partners are at a 3:1 ratio, with a 5,000-mile bonus for every 60,000 Marriott points transferred.

You can also redeem Marriott points for gift cards, rental cars, and experiences like concerts and events through Marriott Bonvoy Moments, but the value you'll get is usually not as good as redeeming for stays or airline transfers. Here's our guide to maximizing Marriott points with a full list of options.

Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful card benefits and features

Marriott Bonvoy Gold elite status

Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful™ Card primary cardholders receive Marriott Gold elite status automatically for as long as their card is open and in good standing. Gold elite status is Marriott's second-lowest tier (above Silver), and it comes with decent benefits, including:

• 25% bonus points on stays
• Upgrades to better rooms (when available, excluding suites)
• 2 p.m. late checkout (when available)
• Welcome gift points

Normally, you'd have to stay 25 nights per year to unlock Gold elite status, so getting it automatically from a credit card is a nice fast track. That said, you can also get automatic Gold status for a lower annual fee when you have the Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card. And if you have The Platinum Card® from American Express or The Business Platinum Card® from American Express, you can enroll for complimentary Gold status with Marriott and Hilton.**

1,000 points per stay

When you use your Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful™ Card to pay at Marriott Bonvoy properties, you'll receive 1,000 bonus points per eligible stay. A stay is defined as one or more paid consecutive nights at the same property. Keep in mind in order to qualify for the bonus points, you must book directly with Marriott and not through a third-party site or online travel agency. 

Elite night credits 

Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful™ Card cardholders receive 15 elite night credits each calendar year. This is helpful if you're trying to qualify for the next-highest level of elite status (Platinum, which requires 50 nights). 

Free night award 

As mentioned, there's no automatic free night award on your Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful™ Card anniversary, which is a major drawback. To qualify for a free night award each year, you'll have to spend at least $15,000 on eligible purchases. This free night award is valid at hotels that cost up to 50,000 Marriott points, and you can top up the award with up to 15,000 points from your Marriott account if you want to use it at a property that costs more.

Earning this free night is a good way to help offset the card's annual fee, but if you aren't able to spend that much on the card each year, this benefit isn't useful.

Baggage delay insurance

If you use your Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful™ Card to pay for your ticket and your baggage is delayed by more than six hours, you can be reimbursed for up to $100 a day for up to five days if you need to purchase essentials like clothing and toiletries.

Lost luggage reimbursement

With airlines losing bags frequently nowadays, it's worth having additional insurance in the event your luggage can't be found. As long as you used your Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful™ Card to pay your fare, you're eligible for up to $3,000 in reimbursement per passenger if your luggage is damaged or lost by the carrier.

Trip delay reimbursement

Pay for your ticket with the Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful™ Card and you'll be covered if your trip is delayed more than 12 hours or requires an overnight stay. You can be covered for unreimbursed expenses like meals and accommodations for up to $500 per ticket.

Purchase protection

Like other Chase cards, the Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful™ Card comes with built-in purchase protection. If an eligible item you purchased with your card is damaged or stolen within 120 days of purchase, you can be covered for up to $500 per claim and $50,000 per account.

Visa Signature Concierge

Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful™ Card cardholders can contact the Visa Signature concierge for help with booking event tickets, hard-to-get restaurant reservations, and more. The service is complimentary, but you're responsible for any third-party costs incurred.

DoorDash DashPass membership

When you have the Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful™ Card, you're eligible for a one-year complimentary DoorDash DashPass membership. DashPass comes with free delivery and discounted service fees on orders of $12 or more, and normally costs $9.99 per month, so this perk could save you a significant amount of cash if you order from DoorDash frequently. Activation of the benefit is required by December 31, 2024.

Fees and costs

The Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful™ Card has a Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful™ Card annual fee. That's higher than most other hotel credit cards charge, but it could be worth it if you get value from the card's benefits. You won't pay foreign transaction fees, so it's a good card to pack if you're traveling abroad. 

There's a Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful™ Card APR for purchases and balance transfers, and there are fees for cash advances, late payments, returned payments, and balance transfers. 

Comparison: Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful vs other Marriott cards

*Bonus points at Marriott hotels are in addition to the points members would normally earn from a stay

***the Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful™ Card offers a free night award after you spend at least $15,000 in a calendar year for participating Marriott Bonvoy properties that cost up to 50,000 points

****the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant Card offers an annual free night award each year after your card renewal month for participating Marriott Bonvoy properties that cost up to 50,000 points

*****the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless™ Credit Card offers an annual free night award each year after your account anniversary for participating Marriott Bonvoy properties that cost up to 35,000 points

Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful vs other hotel credit cards

*Bonus points at Marriott, Hilton, and IHG hotels are in addition to the points members would normally earn from a stay

***the Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful™ Card offers a free night award after you spend at least $15,000 in a calendar year for participating Marriott Bonvoy properties that cost up to 50,000 points

****the IHG® Rewards Club Premier Credit Card offers an annual free night award each year after your account anniversary for participating IHG properties that cost up to 40,000 points

Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful card frequently asked questions (FAQ)

Is the Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful card worth it?

The Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful™ Card is really only worth it for certain types of people because of its high Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful™ Card annual fee. If you stay with Marriott often enough to get a lot of value from complimentary Gold elite status and 1,000 bonus points per stay, you might consider the card, especially if you spend a lot on dining and groceries and want to earn Marriott points quickly.

For the average traveler, though, the Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful™ Card isn't the best choice. Most folks will do perfectly fine with the moderately priced Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card or Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card, or even the no-annual-fee Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card.

What credit score do you need for the Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful card?

As with other Marriott cards, you'll have the best chance of being approved for the Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful™ Card if you have at least a good credit score (a FICO score of at least 670).

Who is eligible for the Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful card?

There are some pretty strict rules about who can qualify for the Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful™ Card. First and foremost, because it's a Chase credit card, the 5/24 rule applies. That means if you've opened five or more cards (from any bank, except certain small business cards) in the past 24 months, you won't be approved for the Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful™ Card.

In addition, you may not be eligible for the Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful™ Card if you have or have had other Marriott credit cards. You can't open the Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful™ Card if you already have it or have received a new cardmember bonus from it in the past 24 months. 

And if you have or have had any of the following cards in the past 90 days, or have received a new cardmember bonus or upgrade bonus from one in the past 24 months, you're also not eligible: Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card, Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express® Card, Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant™ American Express® Card, Marriott Bonvoy^® American Express^® Card, Starwood Preferred Guest^® Credit Card from American Express, Starwood Preferred Guest^® Business Credit Card from American Express, or Starwood Preferred Guest^® American Express Luxury Card.