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Bottom line: The Marriott Bonvoy Bold™ Credit Card comes with a decent welcome bonus and perks for a no-annual-fee card, but unless paying an annual fee is a dealbreaker for you, other Marriott cards — like the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless™ Credit Card, Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant™ American Express® Card, or Marriott Bonvoy Business™ American Express® Card — are a better deal.
Review: Is the Chase Marriott Bonvoy Bold the best credit card for you?
The Marriott Bonvoy Bold™ Credit Card is one of four Marriott credit cards currently available to new applicants, and it’s the only version that doesn’t charge an annual fee. This entry-level card is worth considering if you only stay at Marriott hotels occasionally or still want to earn points without incurring a yearly cost.
It’s current welcome bonus is Marriott Bonvoy Bold™ Credit Card — worth about Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card in Marriott stays according to Insider’s points and miles valuations. This is double the usual offer of 30,000 points after meeting minimum spending requirements, so it’s a good time to consider the card.
Cardholders can earn 3x points on eligible purchases at Marriott Bonvoy hotels (in addition to the points you’d normally earn from the stay), 2x points on other travel purchases, and 1x points on everything else.
The Marriott Bonvoy Bold™ Credit Card also comes with surprisingly good benefits for a no-annual-fee card, including no foreign transaction fees, 15 elite night credits a year (enough for Silver elite status), lost luggage reimbursement, baggage delay reimbursement, trip delay reimbursement, and purchase protection.
That said, unless you’re dead set against paying an annual fee, other Marriott credit cards have much higher welcome bonuses and are a better deal for most people — and it’s easy to offset their annual fees with the additional benefits they offer.
For example, the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless™ Credit Card-annual-fee Marriott Bonvoy Boundless™ Credit Card currently offers Marriott Bonvoy Boundless™ Credit Card. It comes with a free night certificate each account anniversary, valid at Marriott hotels that cost up to 35,000 points, which can be worth far more than the yearly fee.
If your main objective is earning Marriott points and you don’t care about perks at Marriott hotels, you might be better off opening a card that earns transferable Chase Ultimate Rewards or Amex Membership Rewards points, like the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card or American Express® Gold Card. You can transfer points from these programs to Marriott at a 1:1 ratio, and you’ll have more flexibility in how you redeem your rewards.
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 points with the Chase Marriott Bonvoy Bold card
The Marriott Bonvoy Bold™ Credit Card doesn’t have as generous an earning structure as other Marriott credit cards, but you’ll still have the opportunity to earn bonus points when you travel. Cardholders earn:
3 points per dollar at participating Marriott Bonvoy hotels (this is in addition to up to 10x points for being a Marriott Bonvoy member and up to 1x point for having Silver elite status from the card)2 points per dollar on other travel purchases (Chase defines the travel category very broadly — it includes airlines, hotels, travel agencies, cruises, buses, trains, taxis, ridesharing services like Uber and Lyft, and more) 1 point per dollar on everything else
How to use Marriott points
Marriott Bonvoy points are useful even if you don’t stay with Marriott. Not only can you redeem them for stays at over 7,000 hotels worldwide, but you can also transfer them to over 40 airline partners, including most major US carriers and dozens of international airlines.
Award nights at Marriott Bonvoy hotels start at 5,000 points for off-peak redemptions at brands like Residence Inn and SpringHill Suites, and go all the way up to 120,000 points for a peak season night at luxurious hotels like JW Marriott and Ritz-Carlton.
Earlier in 2022, Marriott removed its award charts and moved to dynamic pricing, which means the price of an award night varies based on demand, the paid price of the room, season, and other factors.
Marriott Bonvoy brands
AC HotelsAloftAutograph CollectionCourtyard by MarriottDelta HotelsDesign HotelsEDITIONElementFairfield Inn & SuitesFour Points by SheratonGaylord HotelsHomes & Villas by Marriott InternationalJW MarriottLe MeridienThe Luxury CollectionMarriott Executive ApartmentsMarriott Hotels & ResortsMarriott Vacation ClubMoxy HotelsProtea HotelsRenaissance HotelsResidence Inn The Ritz-CarltonSheratonSpringHill SuitesSt. RegisTownePlace SuitesTribute PortfolioW HotelsWestin
When you transfer Marriott points to airlines, in most cases the ratio is 3 Marriott points to 1 airline mile. However, if you transfer increments of 60,000 points, you’ll get a 5,000-mile bonus (so 60,000 Marriott points become 25,000 airline miles). Some Marriott airline partners — like Alaska Airlines — don’t partner with any other major transferable points program, so if you need a few more miles for an award, transferring points from Marriott may be one of the only ways to top off your account.
You can also redeem Marriott points in other ways (including non-travel redemptions), but typically you’ll get a lower value:
Airfare, car rentals, or air and car packagesExclusive events, experiences, concerts, tours, and more through Marriott Bonvoy MomentsGift cards or merchandise through Marriott Shop With PointsCharity donations for disaster relief, including the American Red Cross and Unicef
Benefits and features
As you might expect from a no-annual-fee card, the Marriott Bonvoy Bold™ Credit Card doesn’t come with a lot of premium benefits, but it does offer some decent perks.
15 elite night credits each calendar year
As with other Marriott cards, Marriott Bonvoy Bold™ Credit Card cardholders receive 15 elite night credits each year. That’s enough to qualify for Marriott Silver elite status, which gets you a 10% points bonus on paid stays and priority late checkout.
Lost luggage reimbursement
When you pay for your fare with the Marriott Bonvoy Bold™ Credit Card and the carrier damages or loses your bags, you and your immediate family members could be covered for up to $3,000 per passenger.
Baggage delay insurance
If your bags are delayed for six hours or more, you could be reimbursed for essential purchases (like clothing and toiletries) up to $100 per day for up to five days.
Trip delay reimbursement
Long delays are the worst, but if you paid for your ticket with the Marriott Bonvoy Bold™ Credit Card and your trip is delayed overnight or by more than 12 hours, you and your immediate family can get reimbursed for up to $500 per passenger for meals and accommodations.
Purchase protection
If an eligible item you’ve bought with the Marriott Bonvoy Bold™ Credit Card is damaged or stolen within 120 days of purchase, you could be eligible for up to $500 in reimbursement per claim, and up to $50,000 per account.
Visa Signature concierge
The Visa Signature concierge can help you arrange things like hard-to-get restaurant reservations or theater tickets. It doesn’t cost anything to use the service, but any third-party costs are your responsibility.
Fees and costs
The Marriott Bonvoy Bold™ Credit Card doesn’t charge an annual fee, so it’s free to keep every year — and having a credit card open for the long term can potentially help improve your credit score.
It’s also a good choice if you’re traveling abroad or making international purchases, because it doesn’t add foreign transaction fees. Like most other cards, it charges fees for late payments, returned payments, balance transfers, and cash advances.
Comparison: Marriott Bonvoy Bold vs other Marriott credit cards
Marriott Bonvoy Bold™ Credit Card
Marriott Bonvoy Boundless™ Credit Card
Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant™ American Express® Card
Annual fee
Marriott Bonvoy Bold™ Credit Card
Marriott Bonvoy Boundless™ Credit Card
Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant™ American Express® Card
Rewards rate
3x points* at participating Marriott Bonvoy hotels
2x points on other eligible travel purchases
1 point per dollar on all other eligible purchases
6x points* on eligible purchases at participating Marriott Bonvoy hotels
3x points at grocery stores, gas stations, and on dining (on up to $6,000 in combined purchases per year)
2x points on all other eligible purchases
6x points* on eligible purchases at hotels participating in the Marriott Bonvoy™ program
3x points at U.S. restaurants and on flights booked directly with airlines
2x points on all other eligible purchases
Welcome bonus
Marriott Bonvoy Bold™ Credit Card
Marriott Bonvoy Boundless™ Credit Card
Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant™ American Express® Card
Marriott benefits
15 elite night credits each calendar year
Automatic Marriott Bonvoy Silver elite status
Annual free night award***
15 elite night credits each calendar year
One elite night credit for every $5,000 spent on the card
Up to $300 annual Marriott Bonvoy statement credit (offer ends 9/22/22 and will be replaced with a benefit of up to $25 in statement credits per month for eligible purchases at restaurants worldwide)
$100 Marriott Bonvoy property credit on eligible Ritz-Carlton and St. Regis stays
Automatic Marriott Bonvoy Gold elite status
15 elite night credits each calendar year
Other card benefits
Lost luggage reimbursement
Baggage delay reimbursement
Trip delay reimbursement
Purchase protection
Visa Signature concierge
No foreign transaction fees
Car rental insurance (secondary in the US, primary otherwise)
Lost luggage reimbursement
Trip delay reimbursement
Baggage delay insurance
Purchase protection
Extended warranty
Travel and emergency assistance services
Visa Signature concierge
No foreign transaction fees
Priority Pass Select airport lounge membership**
Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee credit
Secondary car rental insurance
Trip cancellation and interruption insurance
Baggage insurance plan
Trip delay insurance
Travel accident insurance
Purchase protection
Extended warranty
Return protection
Premium Global Assist Hotline
No foreign transaction fees
Review
Marriott Bonvoy Boundless card review
Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant card review
*Bonus points at Marriott hotels are in addition to the points members would normally earn from a stay
***the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless™ Credit Card offers an annual free night award each year after your card renewal month for participating Marriott Bonvoy properties that cost up to 35,000 points
****the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant Card offers an annual free night award every year after your card renewal month for participating Marriott Bonvoy properties that cost up to 50,000 points.
Marriott Bonvoy Bold vs other no-annual-fee hotel credit cards
Marriott Bonvoy Bold™ Credit Card
IHG® Rewards Club Traveler Credit Card
Hilton Honors American Express Card
Annual fee
Marriott Bonvoy Bold™ Credit Card
IHG® Rewards Club Traveler Credit Card
Hilton Honors American Express Card
Rewards rate
3x points* at participating Marriott Bonvoy hotels
2x points on other travel purchases
1 point per dollar on everything else
5x points* at IHG Hotels and Resorts
3x points on monthly bills, gas stations, and restaurants
2 point per dollar on everything else
7x points* on eligible purchases at Hilton hotels
5x points at eligible U.S. restaurants, U.S. supermarkets, and U.S. gas stations
3 points per dollar on all other eligible purchases
Welcome bonus
Marriott Bonvoy Bold™ Credit Card
IHG® Rewards Club Traveler Credit Card
Hilton Honors American Express Card
Hotel benefits
15 elite night credits each calendar year
Fourth reward night free on award stays of three or more nights
IHG Gold elite status when you spend $10,000 or more on purchases in a calendar year
Hilton Silver elite status
Upgrade to Gold status after you spend $20,000 on eligible purchases in a calendar year
Other card benefits
Lost luggage reimbursement
Baggage delay insurance
Trip delay reimbursement
Purchase protection
Visa Signature concierge
No foreign transaction fees
Car rental insurance (secondary in the US, primary otherwise)
Trip cancellation/interruption insurance
Travel accident insurance
Lost luggage reimbursement
Baggage delay insurance
Travel and emergency assistance services
Purchase protection
Extended warranty
20% discount on IHG point purchases with your card
No foreign transaction fees
Secondary car rental insurance
Purchase protection
Extended warranty
Travel accident insurance
Global Assist Hotline
No foreign transaction fees
Review
IHG Rewards Traveler card review
Hilton Honors American Express card review
*Bonus points at Marriott, IHG, and Hilton hotels are in addition to the points members would normally earn from a stay
Marriott Bonvoy Bold card frequently asked questions (FAQ)
Is the Marriott Bonvoy Bold card worth it?
The Marriott Bonvoy Bold™ Credit Card is worth it for those who absolutely do not want to pay an annual fee but still want a card that earns Marriott points and offers a few benefits when they stay with Marriott.
For most folks who stay with Marriott, even occasionally, the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless™ Credit Card and Marriott Bonvoy Business™ American Express® Card are a better deal. These cards come with heftier benefits, including an anniversary free night that can be worth much more than the annual fee.
Regular Marriott travelers should also look at the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant™ American Express® Card, because it offers even more benefits, including statement credits for spending at Marriott hotels, higher elite status, and other handy travel perks.
What credit score do you need for the Marriott Bonvoy Bold?
Generally, the Marriott Bonvoy Bold™ Credit Card requires a good to excellent credit score to be approved. This means a FICO score of at least 670, or a VantageScore of at least 700.
Who is eligible for the Marriott Bonvoy Bold?
The Chase 5/24 rule applies to the Chase Marriott cards, including the Marriott Bonvoy Bold™ Credit Card, which means if you’ve opened five or more cards (from any bank) in the past 24 months, you won’t be approved. Because of this, it makes the most sense to apply for the highest bonus possible.
You’re also not eligible if you already have a Marriott Bonvoy Bold™ Credit Card, Marriott Bonvoy Boundless™ Credit Card, or Marriott Bonvoy® Premier credit card (not available to new applicants) open, or earned the welcome bonus from one in the past 24 months.
Additionally, you won’t be eligible for the welcome bonus on this card if any of the following apply to you:
You are a current cardmember, or were a previous cardmember within the last 30 days, of Marriott Bonvoy® American Express® Card (also known as The Starwood Preferred Guest® Credit Card from American Express) You are a current or previous cardmember of either the Marriott Bonvoy Business™ American Express® Card (also known as The Starwood Preferred Guest® Business Credit Card from American Express) or Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant™ American Express® Card (also known as the Starwood Preferred Guest® American Express Luxury Card), and received a new cardmember bonus or upgrade bonus in the last 24 monthsYou applied and were approved for the Marriott Bonvoy Business™ American Express® Card (also known as The Starwood Preferred Guest® Business Credit Card from American Express) or Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant™ American Express® Card (also known as the Starwood Preferred Guest® American Express Luxury Card) within the last 90 days
Is the Marriott Bonvoy Bold a Visa or Mastercard?
The Marriott Bonvoy Bold™ Credit Card is a Visa Signature card.
Is the Marriott Bonvoy Bold card metal?
No. The Marriott Bonvoy Bold™ Credit Card is made of plastic.