Review: The Marriott Bonvoy Business™ American Express® Card
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American Express is a Credit Card Insider advertiser.
The Marriott Bonvoy Business card could be a good choice for business travelers, offering 6X points per dollar with Marriott Bonvoy plus an annual Free Night Award and complimentary Silver status.
Credit Card Insider receives compensation from advertisers whose products may be mentioned on this page. Advertiser relationships do not affect card evaluations. Advertising partners do not edit or endorse our editorial content. Content is accurate to the best of our knowledge when it's published. Learn more in our Editorial Guidelines. Terms Apply.
The information related to Marriott Bonvoy Boundless™ Credit Card, The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card, and Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card have been collected by Credit Card Insider and have not been reviewed or provided by the issuer or provider of these products.
Our Rating: 5 Out of 5 Stars
We give the Marriott Bonvoy Business™ American Express® Card 5 out of 5 Stars for its high earn rates, and for having more than a few valuable perks.
Why We Like It
- 6X points per dollar at Marriott Bonvoy hotels
- 4X points per dollar in select business-related categories
- 75,000 bonus points for spending $3,000 in the first 3 months; up to $150 back in statement credits on eligible purchases in the first 3 months
- Annual Free Night Award after cardmember anniversary
- Complimentary Silver Elite status at Marriott
- Expense tracking and management tools for businesses
- No foreign transaction fees
Why It Could Be Better
- $125 Rates & Fees annual fee
- Free Night Award doesn’t kick in until after your first year
- Silver Elite hotel status at Marriott isn’t quite as good as similar status levels from other hotel brands
- Min. credit levelGood
- Annual Fee$125 Rates & Fees
- Purchase APR15.74% - 24.74% Variable
- Welcome Offer: Earn 75,000 bonus Marriott Bonvoy points after you use your new Card to make $3,000 in eligible purchases within the first 3 months of Card Membership. Plus, earn up to $150 back in statement credits on eligible purchases made on your new Card within the first 3 months of Card Membership.
- 6x points at hotels participating in the Marriott Bonvoy™ program.
- 4x points at U.S. restaurants, at U.S. gas stations, on wireless telephone services purchased directly from U.S. service providers and on U.S. purchases for shipping. 2x points on all other eligible purchases.
- Receive 1 Free Night Award every year after your Card account anniversary. Plus, earn an additional Free Night Award after you spend $60K in purchases on your Card in a calendar year. Awards can be used for one night (redemption level at or under 35,000 Marriott Bonvoy points) at hotels participating in the Marriott Bonvoy™ program. Certain hotels have resort fees.
- Enjoy complimentary Marriott Bonvoy Silver Elite status with your Card. Plus, earn Gold Elite status after making $35,000 in eligible purchases on your Card in a calendar year.
- Terms apply.
| Spending Rewards |
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A balance transfer is a way to move debt from one card to another with the goal of saving money on interest.
- Intro Balance Transfer APRN/A
- Regular Balance Transfer APRN/A
- Balance Transfer FeeN/A
- Penalty APR29.24% Variable
- Late FeeUp to $39
- Returned Payment Fee$39
- Additional Cards Annual Fee$0
- Foreign Transaction FeeNone
American Express is a Credit Card Insider advertiser.
The information related to Marriott Bonvoy Business™ American Express® Card has been collected by Credit Card Insider and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer or provider of this product.
You just went on a big business trip with a few employees, taking a flight and then splurging on some nice rooms at a Marriott. You happily earn 10X points per dollar from your basic member status, which seems like quite a lot, and everything seems right with the world.
But what did you miss out on? You could’ve earned 17X points per dollar (6X points from the card and 11X points for Marriott Bonvoy Silver Elite status), taken advantage of a late checkout time, and enjoyed free premium WiFi so you didn’t have to wait for Netflix to buffer while relaxing after a hard day.
All that and more could’ve been yours with the Marriott Bonvoy Business™ American Express® Card.
For $125 Rates & Fees, you’ll earn 6X Bonus points per dollar at Marriott Bonvoy hotels from the card. But you’ll also get complimentary Silver Elite status at Marriott, which means you’ll earn an additional 11X Base points per dollar — for a total of 17X.
The card includes perks like a Free Night Award every year after your account anniversary, worth 35,000 points and good for stays in hotels up to Category 5. You’ll get a fast track toward the next member status level, Gold Elite, and other hotel benefits to make your stays a bit cheaper and more comfortable.
There are four different cards co-branded with Marriott Bonvoy that you can currently apply for. One’s a business card, while the other three are personal credit cards.
The Marriott Bonvoy Business card could be a great option if it matches up to your typical spending and travel habits, but you may get more out of a different hotel card. Or, if you pledge no allegiance to any hotel brand in particular, you might prefer a general travel rewards card.
Marriott Bonvoy Business™ American Express® Card (Rates & Fees)
Insider Advice: Getting the Most Out of Your Card
- Pay for Marriott Bonvoy hotel stays: Pay with your business card at Marriott Bonvoy hotel brands to earn 6X Bonus points, in addition to the 11X Base points you’ll get for being a Silver Elite member.
- Enjoy your status: Cardholders automatically get Silver Elite status at Marriott, with perks like priority late check-out and a mobile key. The next level, Gold Elite, can be earned by spending $35,000 in a calendar year.
- Use your Free Night Award wisely: Your annual Free Night Award, which you’ll get starting after your first year, can be used for redemption levels up to 35,000 points. That will get you a night in up to a Category 5 hotel.
- Stay connected: Register for the complimentary Boingo Amex plan to get WiFi internet access from over 1 million hotspots around the world, and never miss a day of work.
- Earn rewards on business spending: Try to put as much of your business spending as possible on credit cards, which will effectively give you a discount through the rewards you earn. This card has several business-related bonus categories, but check out other business credit cards as well.
- Wait for high-value redemptions: Only use your points when you’ll get a relatively good redemption value, like more than 1 cent per point. Low and high-category hotels tend to provide the most value per point.
- Offset the annual fee: The Marriott Bonvoy Business card has a $125 Rates & Fees annual fee, but you can easily get more than $125 Rates & Fees in value simply by using your annual Free Night Award for a room that’s worth more than that.
The Rewards
The Marriott Bonvoy Business Credit Card can provide a cash back equivalent of about 13.6–34% when spending at Marriott Bonvoy properties, depending on how you earn and redeem your points. Purchases in the 4X business categories will yield the equivalent of about 3.2–8% cash back.
Earning
| Spending Rewards |
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Marriott Bonvoy cardholders will earn points at Marriott Bonvoy properties in two different ways: from the card, and from their member status.
The card provides 6X Bonus points per dollar at Marriott Bonvoy hotels, along with 11X Base points thanks to the Silver Elite status this card grants. Normal members would earn 10X points, but Silver Elite provides a 10% bonus to equal 11X. These rates apply to most Marriott Bonvoy brands but there are some exceptions, as shown in the tables below.
The value of your points will vary depending on how you redeem them. If you assume a value of 0.8–2 cents per point, which is about the average range, you’d be earning a cash back equivalent of 13.6–34% at Marriott Bonvoy hotels. Purchases that earn 4X points will have a cash back equivalent of 3.2–8%, with 1.6–4% for all other purchases.
The 4X bonus categories, tailored towards business expenses, are a useful addition that widen your point-earning opportunities. Extra categories like these are more common on business cards; the consumer version of this card, the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless™ Credit Card (Review), doesn’t include any 4X categories.
You can check the eligible merchants for the 4X categories on American Express’ business reward category page.
Participating Hotels & Resorts
Most properties within the Marriott Bonvoy brand portfolio provide 10X Base points per dollar, but there are a few exceptions.
| 10X Base Points | ||
|---|---|---|
| AC Hotels | Aloft | Autograph Collection Hotels |
| Courtyard | Delta Hotels | Design Hotels |
| EDITION | Fairfield by Marriott | Four Points |
| Gaylord Hotels | JW Marriott | Le Méridien |
| Marriott Hotels | Marriott Vacation Club | Moxy Hotels |
| Protea Hotels | Renaissance Hotels | Sheraton |
| SpringHill Suites | St. Regis | The Luxury Collection |
| The Ritz-Carlton | Tribute Portfolio | W Hotels |
| Westin | ||
| 5X Base Points | ||
|---|---|---|
| Residence Inn | TownePlace Suites | Element |
| 2.5X Base Points | |
|---|---|
| Marriott Executive Apartments | ExecuStay |
Redeeming
Marriott rewards points will expire after 24 months of no account activity. You can keep your points active simply by making a purchase with your card once every 24 months.
You’ll have a variety of ways to redeem your points, including:
- Hotel reservations
- Point transfers to a variety of airline loyalty partners
- Exclusive Moments and Experiences
- Vacation packages
- Gift cards
- Merchandise
We recommend redeeming your points for hotel reservations, because they typically offer the highest value per point.
But that still leaves a few different options, because there are several ways to use your points at hotels:
- Standard room reservations
- PointSavers reservations
- Cash + Points reservations
- Fifth night free on standard award stays
- Room upgrades
- Purchases charged to rooms
The best deals will typically come from PointSavers reservations, which provide rooms at discounted redemption rates. Fifth night free stays are another great option, giving you a whole night for free. Standard room reservations will be the norm for most people, however, and these can still provide a good point value.
The higher the hotel category, the more points required for a night’s stay.
| Hotel Category | Standard Requirement | Off-Peak | Peak |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 7,500 | 5,000 | 10,000 |
| 2 | 12,500 | 10,000 | 15,000 |
| 3 | 17,500 | 15,000 | 20,000 |
| 4 | 25,000 | 20,000 | 30,000 |
| 5 | 35,000 | 30,000 | 40,000 |
| 6 | 50,000 | 40,000 | 60,000 |
| 7 | 60,000 | 50,000 | 70,000 |
| 8 | 85,000 | 70,000 | 100,000 |
You can browse the full list of 6,700 Marriott Bonvoy properties, including their categories and point requirements.
You’ll find the best redemption values at the lowest and highest hotel categories, particularly in the lower categories. The middle categories generally provide less value per point, so it will typically be better to pay the cash price at those hotels and save your points for later.
The value you get per point will also depend on which dates you book. Different dates will have different cash prices, but the point requirement is always the same. That means you’ll need to check each date to see if you’d get a good value for your points, or if it would be better to just pay the cash price.
Here are some examples of the best redemption options. First we compare a PointSavers reservation to a standard room reservation, and then we show a fifth night free redemption.
PointSavers Reservations
PointSavers reservations require 1,500 to 10,000 fewer points than standard reservations. You won’t always find them, and it’s just a matter of luck if they happen to line up with your travel plans, but you should definitely take advantage of PointSavers deals when possible.
Each hotel category has its own PointSavers redemption level:
| Hotel Category | PointSavers Requirement | Off-Peak | Peak |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 6,000 | 4,000 | 8,500 |
| 2 | 11,000 | 8,000 | 13,000 |
| 3 | 16,000 | 12,000 | 18,000 |
| 4 | 22,500 | 17,500 | 27,500 |
| 5 | 32,500 | 27,500 | 37,500 |
| 6 | 45,000 | 35,000 | 55,000 |
| 7 | 55,000 | 45,000 | 65,000 |
| 8 | 80,000 | 65,000 | 90,000 |
Here’s a PointSavers reservation compared to a standard reservation, using examples from three different hotel categories. You can see how much your points are worth in each case, and how the value changes with the hotel category.
The three hotels we’ll use for this example are:
- Courtyard Harlingen: A Category 1 hotel in Virginia, designed for business travelers.
- Sheraton Bay Point Resort: A Category 4 hotel in Florida.
- The St. Regis San Francisco: A Category 7 hotel in California.
Here are sample prices for a high-cost standard room at each hotel, after taxes and fees. We’ve included how many points you’d need to redeem for that hotel category, and the value of those points. The cash back equivalents assume you’re spending at Marriott Bonvoy properties, earning points at the Silver Elite status level.
Keep in mind that these hotels and booking dates were chosen somewhat randomly, so you’ll probably find slightly different redemption values.
Standard Room Reservations
| Hotel | Cash Price | Points Required | Point Value (cents) | Cash Back Equivalent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Courtyard Harlingen (Cat 1) | $151 | 7,500 | 2.01 | 34.16% |
| Sheraton Bay Point Resort (Cat 4) | $178 | 25,000 | 0.71 | 12.10% |
| The St. Regis San Francisco (Cat 7) |
$1,020 | 60,000 | 1.70 | 28.90% |
PointSavers Reservations
| Hotel | Cash Price | Points Required | Point Value (cents) | Cash Back Equivalent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Courtyard Harlingen (Cat 1) | $151 | 6,000 | 2.52 | 42.78% |
| Sheraton Bay Point Resort (Cat 4) | $178 | 22,500 | 0.79 | 13.44% |
| The St. Regis San Francisco (Cat 7) |
$1,020 | 55,000 | 1.85 | 31.52% |
So a standard room redemption at the Category 1 hotel we included would give you a point value of 2.01 cents each, which is very good when it comes to Marriott points. But the same room with a PointSavers reservation will give 2.52 cents per point, quite a nice bonus.
As you can see, your points won’t go as far for rooms at higher category hotels, with the middle categories providing the worst redemption values. As you get into the higher categories you’ll start to see a better return on your spending, but those rooms will also cost way more points to book.
You’ll have to decide whether you want to use your points for more night stays or for higher-quality rooms. You could redeem 60,000 points for a luxurious night in a Category 7 hotel, for example, or you could use those points to get 8 nights at a Category 1 hotel.
Fifth Night Free on Award Stays
Your fifth night is free on award stays of five nights or more. For stays of ten nights you’ll get both the fifth and tenth nights for free.
Fifth night free deals are only available when booking with points, not when paying cash prices.
This deal only applies to standard room reservations. And you only need enough points for four nights — when you book five award nights you’ll automatically get a one-night discount.
Using the three hotels above, here’s how much you’d normally pay for five nights. We show the cash prices and point requirements, along with the point values you’d get. The cash back equivalents assume you’re spending at Marriott Bonvoy hotels and earning 17X points per dollar (6X points from the card and 11X points for Marriott Bonvoy Silver Elite status).
| Hotel | Cash Price: 5 Nights | Points Required: 4 Nights | Point Value (cents) | Cash Back Equivalent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Courtyard Harlingen (Cat 1) | $755 | 30,000 | 2.52 | 48.73% |
| Sheraton Bay Point Resort (Cat 4) |
$890 | 100,000 | 0.89 | 16.83% |
| The St. Regis San Francisco (Cat 7) |
$5,100 | 240,000 | 2.13 | 18.56% |
So you’ll obviously be saving a significant number of points compared to the standard reservation requirements. The point values you’ll get for fifth night free redemptions will sometimes resemble the values you’d get for PointSavers reservations.
The Benefits
- Free night award: Every year you’ll get a Free Night Award after your account anniversary, beginning after your first year with the card. So you’ll need to wait a year before getting your first free night.
- Additional free night award: Bonvoy Business cardholders who spend at least $60,000 per calendar year earn an additional Free Night Award, valued at up to 35,000 points, for use at any Marriott Bonvoy property.
- Complimentary Silver Elite status: You’ll get automatic Silver Elite status with Marriott Bonvoy, which provides a 10% bonus on Base points earned, Priority Late Checkout, Ultimate Reservation Guarantee, Dedicated Elite Reservation Line, and more.
- Fast track to Gold Elite status: Cardholders can earn Marriott’s Gold Elite status by spending $35,000 or more in a calendar year with the Marriott Bonvoy card.
- Premium internet access: Cardholders get premium on-property WiFi internet access at participating locations. You must provide your loyalty member account number when checking in.
- 15 Elite Night credits: Link your Marriott Bonvoy Business card account to your Marriott rewards account to get 15 Elite Night Credits per year.
- Bonus Points for airline transfers: The points you earn can be transferred to over 40 different airline partners, where you may find a better value for them. But in general we recommend avoiding point transfers and sticking with the redemption options described above to get the best return on your spending.
- Complimentary Boingo Wifi: Get complimentary unlimited WiFi at more than 1,000,000 Boingo hotspots worldwide, for up to four devices.
- No Blackout Dates: On award night redemptions.
- Lowest Hotel Rate Guarantee: For eligible hotel reservations made on amextravel.com.
- Amex Offers: Discounts and savings at a changing selection of merchants.
- ShopRunner membership: Free two-day shipping and returns at select retailers.
- Entertainment Access: Discounts to cardmember-only events, concerts, sports, and shows.
- Employee cards: Get up to 99 employee cards, all for free.
- Account Manager: Designate a trusted individual to manage your card account (must be at least 18).
- Connect to QuickBooks: Easily transfer data from your card account to QuickBooks.
- Year-end summary: An interactive overview of your annual spending, organized into categories.
- Purchase Protection: Eligible items are covered against damage and theft for 120 days (90 days for NY residents).
- Extended Warranty: Warranties of five years or less can be doubled by up to an additional two years.
- Return Protection: Provides refunds for eligible purchases if the merchant refuses to accept a return within 90 days.
- Roadside Assistance: Call for help with roadside problems, like dead batteries or towing needs. Service fees will apply.
- Global Assist Hotline: Help with travel accidents and emergencies.
- Travel Accident Insurance: Up to $100,000 in coverage against accidental death and dismemberment when traveling by common carrier.
- Baggage Insurance Plan: Covers your lost, stolen, or damaged bags, up to $1,250 for carry-on bags and up to $500 for checked bags.
- Car Rental Loss and Damage Insurance: Eligible rental vehicles are covered against damage and theft, as long as you decline the rental company’s own insurance.
The Terms & Fees
| Purchase APR | Balance Transfer APR | Cash Advance APR |
|---|---|---|
| None | None | None |
| Annual Fee | Foreign Transaction Fee |
|---|---|
| None | None |
| Balance Transfer Fee | Cash Advance Fee |
|---|---|
| None | None |
| Penalty APR | Late Fee | Returned Payment Fee |
|---|---|---|
| None | None | None |
Marriott Bonvoy Business™ American Express® Card (Rates & Fees)
The terms and fees of the Marriott Bonvoy Business card are typical for a credit card, and should be easy to understand.
You’ll have a $125 Rates & Fees annual fee to deal with, but as described above you can completely offset that fee using your Free Night Award. So rather than costing you $125 Rates & Fees per year, it should be easy to come out on top.
Any purchases you make will accrue interest at your given APR, unless you pay your full statement balance every month. This strategy lets you completely avoid accruing interest on purchases.
This card does not allow balance transfers (meaning you can’t transfer a balance to this card; you can still transfer balances away from it). If you’re looking to move a balance to a lower-interest card check out the Best Balance Transfer Credit Cards.
There’s no fee on foreign transactions, so feel free to use this card outside the U.S. without worrying about extra charges.
The Bottom Line
The Marriott Bonvoy Business™ American Express® Card could be an excellent way to earn rewards for your business spending, especially if you spend a lot of time in Marriott Bonvoy hotels.
Using this card is an easy way to get complimentary Silver Elite status, which will provide 11X points per dollar at eligible hotels in addition to the 6X points you get from the card. So you’ll be earning points at a much higher rate than normal members.
Try to put as much of your business spending as possible on the card, taking advantage of the 4X categories. The more spending you can run through the card, the more rewards you’ll earn.
You won’t really need to worry about this card’s $125 Rates & Fees annual fee if you use your annual Free Night Award wisely, for a room valued at more than that. This should be pretty easy to do because that award will get you a night at a Category 5 hotel, which could be worth over $300.
The Marriott Bonvoy Business card has some useful perks, but you might be better off with a different co-branded Marriott Bonvoy card, like the upgraded Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant card. You may prefer a card associated with a different hotel brand, or maybe a general travel card that’s good for booking with any hotel or airline. Check out some alternative cards like that below.
How Do I Apply for the Marriott Bonvoy Business American Express Card?
You can apply for this card securely on the American Express website, by following the link below.
Most applications are processed in just a minute or two, but in some cases it can take longer. Amex may request more information to verify your identity or income.
What is the Credit Limit of the Marriott Bonvoy Business Card?
There is no specific minimum or maximum credit limit for the Marriott Bonvoy Business Card. Your credit line will be based on your overall creditworthiness, including your credit scores and other finances (especially income).
You can request a credit limit increase from American Express whenever you’d like. If you want higher limits we recommend requesting an increase once every 6 to 12 months or so.
What Credit Scores Do I Need to Qualify for the Marriott Bonvoy Business American Express?
It’s recommended for you to have good credit before applying.
In order to be considered as having good credit, your FICO scores need to be at least 670, or your VantageScores would need to be at least 700.
But keep in mind credit card issuers consider other information too when deciding your creditworthiness. Things like income and monthly rent and mortgage payments factor into the decision. That means even if your scores are lower than what’s recommended, you still have a shot at being approved. However, that means even if your scores are high enough, you could still be denied.
- Min. credit levelGood
- Annual Fee$125 Rates & Fees
- Purchase APR15.74% - 24.74% Variable
- Welcome Offer: Earn 75,000 bonus Marriott Bonvoy points after you use your new Card to make $3,000 in eligible purchases within the first 3 months of Card Membership. Plus, earn up to $150 back in statement credits on eligible purchases made on your new Card within the first 3 months of Card Membership.
- 6x points at hotels participating in the Marriott Bonvoy™ program.
- 4x points at U.S. restaurants, at U.S. gas stations, on wireless telephone services purchased directly from U.S. service providers and on U.S. purchases for shipping. 2x points on all other eligible purchases.
- Receive 1 Free Night Award every year after your Card account anniversary. Plus, earn an additional Free Night Award after you spend $60K in purchases on your Card in a calendar year. Awards can be used for one night (redemption level at or under 35,000 Marriott Bonvoy points) at hotels participating in the Marriott Bonvoy™ program. Certain hotels have resort fees.
- Enjoy complimentary Marriott Bonvoy Silver Elite status with your Card. Plus, earn Gold Elite status after making $35,000 in eligible purchases on your Card in a calendar year.
- Terms apply.
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A balance transfer is a way to move debt from one card to another with the goal of saving money on interest.
- Intro Balance Transfer APRN/A
- Regular Balance Transfer APRN/A
- Balance Transfer FeeN/A
- Penalty APR29.24% Variable
- Late FeeUp to $39
- Returned Payment Fee$39
- Additional Cards Annual Fee$0
- Foreign Transaction FeeNone
American Express is a Credit Card Insider advertiser.
The information related to Marriott Bonvoy Business™ American Express® Card has been collected by Credit Card Insider and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer or provider of this product.
Alternatives to the Marriott Bonvoy Business American Express Card
- Earn 75,000 Marriott Bonvoy bonus points after you use your new Card to make $3,000 in purchases within the first 3 months. Plus, earn up to $200 in Statement Credits for eligible purchases at U.S. Restaurants within the first 6 months of Card Membership.
- Enjoy up to $300 in statement credits each year of Card Membership for eligible purchases at hotels participating in the Marriott Bonvoy™ program.
- Earn 6 Marriott Bonvoy points for each dollar of eligible purchases at hotels participating in the Marriott Bonvoy™ program. 3 points at U.S. restaurants and on flights booked directly with airlines. 2 points on all other eligible purchases.
- Receive 1 free Night Award every year after your Card account anniversary. Award can be used for one night (redemption level at or under 50,000 Marriott Bonvoy Points) at a participating hotel. Certain hotels have resort fees.
- Enjoy unlimited airport lounge visits when you enroll in Priority Pass™ Select membership.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- $450 Annual Fee.
- Terms Apply.
The Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant™ American Express® Card (Review) is the premium card for Marriott Bonvoy properties, coming in at $450 Rates & Fees per year. (Rates & Fees)
There is no business version of this luxury card, but if you’ll be spending plenty of time and money with these hotel brands you should strongly consider it anyway. It doesn’t have business-related benefits, but it includes all of the other perks of the Marriott Bonvoy Business card, plus more.
The annual fee may seem like a high price to pay for a credit card, but consider a few of the cost-saving benefits you’ll get: a $300 annual travel credit, a Free Night Award, and Priority Pass Select lounge access. Those could serve to fully offset the fee, leaving you with a premium-level card that won’t cost you a dime.
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So the rewards program here is a bit different than the Marriott Bonvoy Business card’s. You’ll earn slightly more points per dollar at Marriott Bonvoy hotels because this card grants Gold Elite status, which ends up providing 12.5X Base points per dollar among other benefits, plus the 6X points from the card.
That means you’ll get a total of 18.5X points per dollar, and if you redeem those points for 0.8–2 cents each you’d earn a cash back equivalent of 14.8–37%.
The other bonus categories are different as well. Rather than earning 4X points for certain business-related expenses, this card provides 3X points for flights and at restaurants.
- $300 annual Marriott Bonvoy hotel credit: Up to $300 in statement credits for eligible purchases
- Free Night Award: Every year after your account anniversary you’ll get a Free Night Award, good for redemption values of 50,000 points or less.
- Priority Pass Select membership: Free access to Priority Pass airport lounges for you and up to two guests (excludes non-lounge experiences)
- Application fee credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck: A statement credit for the application fee of either Global Entry ($100 every five years) or TSA PreCheck ($85 every four-and-a-half years)
- Complimentary Gold Elite hotel status: Includes perks like a 25% bonus on base points, 2 p.m. late checkout, and more
- 15 Elite Night Credits: Each year you’ll get 15 Elite Night Credits towards a higher member status.
- $100 property credit: Earn up to $100 in property credits when booking at least two nights direct with a special rate code at The Ritz-Carlton or St. Regis.
- Bonus points for airline transfers: Get 15,000 bonus points for every 60,000 points transferred to airline programs
- Shopping and travel protections: Purchase Protection; Extended Warranty; Return Protection; Baggage Insurance Plan; Car Rental Loss and Damage Insurance; Trip Delay Insurance; Trip Cancellation and Interruption Insurance
- No foreign transaction fee
- Annual fee: $450 Rates & Fees
Enrollment required for select benefits; terms and limitations apply.
Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant™ American Express® Card (Rates & Fees)
Enrollment required for select benefits; terms and limitations apply.
American Express is a Credit Card Insider advertiser.
- Welcome Offer: Earn up to 180,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points. Earn 130,000 Bonus Points after you spend $2,000 in purchases on the Hilton Honors Business Card in the first 3 months of Card Membership. Plus, you can earn an additional 50,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points after you spend a total of $10,000 in purchases on the Card in the first 6 months.
- Earn Hilton Honors Bonus Points for each dollar of eligible purchases on your Card: 12X at hotels and resorts in the Hilton portfolio, 6X on Select Business & Travel Purchases, 3X on all other eligible purchases. Terms & Limitations Apply.
- Enjoy complimentary Hilton Honors Gold Status with your Hilton Honors Business Card.
- Earn a Weekend Night Reward from Hilton Honors after you spend $15,000 in purchases on your Card in a calendar year.
- Earn another Weekend Night Reward from Hilton Honors after you spend an additional $45,000 in purchases on your Card in the same calendar year.
- Terms apply.
If you’re not a huge fan of Marriott, you might like The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card (Review). It’s a hotel card on the same fee level as the Bonvoy Business card, but it’s co-branded with Hilton instead.
The Hilton Business card offers a set of perks that are mostly comparable to the Marriott Bonvoy Business card, although some of the benefits are better with one card than the other. The free nights you can get with the Hilton card aren’t as useful as those of the Marriott Bonvoy card, for example, because you have to earn them by spending. But the Hilton Honors Gold status you’ll get is generally considered better than Silver Elite with Marriott.
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You’ll earn quite a lot of points per dollar at Hilton properties with this card, although those points are not valued as highly as Marriott rewards points. This card grants automatic Hilton Honor Gold status, for an 80% bonus on Base points earned at Hilton. That gives you 18X Base points per dollar for Gold status, in addition to the 12X Hilton Honors Bonus points per dollar for eligible purchases charged on your Card directly with a hotel or resort within the Hilton Portfolio for a total of 30X.
At a value of 0.4–1 cent per point, you’d be getting a cash back equivalent of 12–30% at Hilton properties. That’s not quite as good as our estimates for the Marriott Bonvoy card, but it’s not bad either.
There are quite a few additional bonus categories where you can earn 6X points per dollar, and this selection is wider than what you’ll get with the Bonvoy Business card. Purchases at the 6X rate will get a cash back equivalent of 2.4–6%, at the point values given above. All other purchases, earning at the 3X rate, will be equivalent to 1.2–3% cash back.
- Priority Pass Select membership: 10 free visits to Priority Pass lounges per year; additional visits cost $32 per person
- Hilton Honors Gold status: Includes an 80% point bonus, room upgrades when available, complimentary breakfasts, and more
- Upgrade to Diamond status: Spend $40,000 in a calendar year to earn Diamond status through the end of the next year.
- Annual Weekend Night Award: Earn one free weekend night by spending $15,000 in a calendar year; earn a second by spending $60,000.
- Amex Offers: Earn extra points at a changing selection of merchants.
- Shopping and travel protections: Extended Warranty, Purchase Protection, Car Rental Loss and Damage Insurance, Baggage Insurance Plan, Global Assist Hotline
- No foreign transaction fee
- Annual fee: $95
Enrollment required for select benefits; terms and limitations apply.
The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card (Rates & Fees)
Enrollment required for select benefits; terms and limitations apply.
American Express is a Credit Card Insider advertiser.
The information related to The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card has been collected by Credit Card Insider and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer or provider of this product.
- Earn 100k bonus points after you spend $15,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That’s $1,000 cash back or $1,250 toward travel when redeemed through Chase Ultimate Rewards®
- Earn 3 points per $1 on the first $150,000 spent on travel and select business categories each account anniversary year. Earn 1 point per $1 on all other purchases
- With Fraud Protection your card transactions will be monitored for possible signs of fraudulent activity using real-time fraud monitoring.
- With Zero Liability you won’t be held responsible for unauthorized charges made with your card or account information.
- Redeem points for cash back, gift cards, travel and more – your points don’t expire as long as your account is open
- Points are worth 25% more when you redeem for travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards®
- Purchase Protection covers your new purchases for 120 days against damage or theft up to $10,000 per claim and $50,000 per account.
Unlike the other cards mentioned here, the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card (Review) isn’t co-branded with any particular hotel, making it a good choice for any travel expenses that might come up.
This card provides 3X Ultimate Rewards (UR) points on a wide variety of travel expenses, which include hotels, airfare, car rentals, parking garages, and more. The other 3X categories include some purchases you’ll also find in the Marriott Bonvoy Business card’s 4X category, mainly shipping and phone services.
UR points are typically worth 1 cent each, but you’ll get a 25% bonus when redeeming for travel expenses through the Ultimate Rewards travel portal. So that bumps them up to 1.25 cents per point.
At that rate you’d be earning a cash back equivalent of 3.75% in the 3X categories. Other purchases will get just 1.25%.
But the Ink Business Preferred also allows you to transfer your points to hotel and airline loyalty programs, including Marriott. Depending on the travel accommodations you book that could let you get more out of your rewards, as much as 2 cents per point or more.
At 2 cents per point you’d be earning a cash back equivalent of 6% in the 3X categories, and 2% for every other purchase.
The Ink Business Preferred has benefits that are more suited for travel in general, rather than being focused on one particular hotel brand.
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- Cell Phone Protection: When you pay your monthly cell phone bill with the card, this benefit provides coverage for theft of, damage to, or “involuntary and accidental parting” with your cell phone. It applies to you and your employees listed on your monthly bill.
- Purchase Protection: Eligible purchases are covered for 120 days against damage, theft, or “involuntary and accidental parting with property.” Up to $10,000 per claim is available, and up to $50,000 per account.
- Extended Warranty Protection: Eligible items with warranties of three years or less can have those warranties extended by an additional year. Up to a maximum of $10,000 is available per claim, and $50,000 per account.
- Travel and Emergency Assistance Services: Call the number on the back of your card for emergency help of many kinds while traveling. Third-party fees will apply for any services obtained.
- Trip Cancellation/Trip Interruption Insurance: This benefit provides reimbursement if your trip is cancelled or cut short because of an eligible reason. Up to $5,000 is available in reimbursement.
- Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver: Your eligible rented vehicles are covered against theft and damage, as long as you decline the rental company’s own insurance. You must pay for the entire rental using the Ink Business Preferred. This coverage is primary when renting for business purposes.
- No foreign transaction fee
- Annual fee: 95
The information related to Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card has been collected by Credit Card Insider and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer or provider of this product.
- Min. credit levelGood
- Annual Fee$125 Rates & Fees
- Purchase APR15.74% - 24.74% Variable
- Welcome Offer: Earn 75,000 bonus Marriott Bonvoy points after you use your new Card to make $3,000 in eligible purchases within the first 3 months of Card Membership. Plus, earn up to $150 back in statement credits on eligible purchases made on your new Card within the first 3 months of Card Membership.
- 6x points at hotels participating in the Marriott Bonvoy™ program.
- 4x points at U.S. restaurants, at U.S. gas stations, on wireless telephone services purchased directly from U.S. service providers and on U.S. purchases for shipping. 2x points on all other eligible purchases.
- Receive 1 Free Night Award every year after your Card account anniversary. Plus, earn an additional Free Night Award after you spend $60K in purchases on your Card in a calendar year. Awards can be used for one night (redemption level at or under 35,000 Marriott Bonvoy points) at hotels participating in the Marriott Bonvoy™ program. Certain hotels have resort fees.
- Enjoy complimentary Marriott Bonvoy Silver Elite status with your Card. Plus, earn Gold Elite status after making $35,000 in eligible purchases on your Card in a calendar year.
- Terms apply.
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A balance transfer is a way to move debt from one card to another with the goal of saving money on interest.
- Intro Balance Transfer APRN/A
- Regular Balance Transfer APRN/A
- Balance Transfer FeeN/A
- Penalty APR29.24% Variable
- Late FeeUp to $39
- Returned Payment Fee$39
- Additional Cards Annual Fee$0
- Foreign Transaction FeeNone
American Express is a Credit Card Insider advertiser.
The information related to Marriott Bonvoy Business™ American Express® Card has been collected by Credit Card Insider and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer or provider of this product.
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Brendan Harkness
Brendan has been writing about personal finance for over eight years, and is now taking on the challenge of bringing high-quality credit education to the masses. He makes sure that Credit Card Insider is covering the most important credit topics transparently and precisely, and that we have up-to-date reviews of credit cards so you can find cards that are right for you.
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