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Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful Review: A Hotel Card That Needs an Upgrade

Published June 27, 2024
Lyle Daly
By: Lyle Daly
Lyle Daly
Lyle Daly
Writer

Lyle Daly is a personal finance writer who specializes in credit cards, travel rewards programs, and banking. He writes for The Ascent and The Motley Fool, and his work has appeared in USA Today and Yahoo! Finance. He was born in California but currently lives as a digital nomad with a home base in Colombia.

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Our Credit Cards Expert

Nathan Alderman
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Nathan Alderman has worked with The Motley Fool since 2005, making errors his arch-enemies in a variety of roles including a six-year stint as the dedicated fact-checker for The Motley Fool's premium newsletter services. As The Ascent's Compliance Lead, he makes sure that all the site's information is accurate and up to date, which ensures we always steer readers right and keeps various financial partners happy. A graduate of Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism, Nathan spends his spare time volunteering for civic causes, writing and podcasting for fun, adoring his wife, and wrangling his two very large young children.

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OFFER STATUS

Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful™ credit card is unavailable on The Ascent. All information was collected independently and not reviewed for accuracy or provided by the credit card issuer. Some items may be out of date.

The Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful™ credit card is good for frequent Marriott guests who plan to use it for all their spending. You can earn plenty of points with it, and if you spend at least $15,000 per year, you'll also earn a free night award. Considering this card's price tag, we'd like to see more premium perks.

Keep reading our detailed review to learn all about this hotel card.

Ratings Methodology

Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful™ credit card

Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful™ credit card
Credit Score: Circle with letter I in it. Falling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending decisions.
Recommended Credit Score required for this offer is: Good (670-850)
Credit Score Circle with letter I in it. Falling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending decisions.

Good (670-850)

Intro APR

Purchases: N/A

Balance Transfers: N/A

Regular APR

21.49%–28.49% (variable)

Rewards Circle with letter I in it. Earn points on every purchase and up to 18.5X total points per $1 spent at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy®. Earn 6X points for every $1 spent at over 7,000 hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy® with the Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful™ credit card. Plus, earn up to 10X points from Marriott for being a Marriott Bonvoy® member. Plus, earn up to 2.5X points from Marriott with Gold Elite Status, a benefit you qualify for by being a Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful™ Cardmember. Earn 4X points for every $1 on the first $15,000 in combined purchases each year on grocery stores and dining. Earn 2X points for every $1 you spend on all other purchases, and your points don't expire as long as you make purchases on your credit card every 24 months.

2X - 18.5X points

Annual Fee

$250

Welcome Offer Circle with letter I in it. Earn 85,000 Bonus Points after you spend $4,000 in purchases in your first 3 months from your account opening

85,000 Bonus Points

  • Complimentary Gold Elite Status and the opportunity to earn a free night award are both nice perks if you visit Marriott properties often. But outside of those, and the welcome offer, this card's features are somewhat limited. While you could save money and improve your stays with Marriott with this card, it doesn't stand out compared to other hotel cards.

    • Big welcome offer
    • Complimentary elite status
    • Grocery and dining bonuses
    • Can earn a free night award
    • No foreign transaction fee
    • Annual fee
    • Limited premium perks
Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful™ credit card is unavailable on The Ascent. All information was collected independently and not reviewed for accuracy or provided by the credit card issuer. Some items may be out of date.

Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful review

Is the Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful worth it?

The Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful™ credit card's perks can justify the annual fee. If you spend at least $15,000 each calendar year and earn a free night award, that alone can easily save you over $250 on a hotel stay. However, make sure you compare its features to those of other travel credit cards. You might find that another card could save you even more.

Author's note

I wasn't a big fan of hotel credit cards, but I've warmed up to them over the years. If there's a hotel chain you like, having elite status can really improve the experience every time you stay there. Since hotel stays can be expensive, it's also possible to save quite a bit of money through free night awards and by paying for stays in points. I prefer hotel cards that include a free night as a complimentary yearly perk, with no strings attached. The fact that you need to meet a spend requirement with this Marriott card won't be a dealbreaker for everyone, but it is a notable drawback.

What everyone else is saying

Here's a summary of what other personal finance sites and credit card enthusiasts on social media have said about this card.

What our competitors think

Average competitor rating: 3.4 / 5 stars

Other professional credit card reviews note that this is a decent hotel rewards card without many standout features. Everyone pointed out that it has a good welcome offer and that the bonus grocery and dining rewards are helpful for earning more points.

There were also a couple of common critiques, starting with the fact that you only earn a free night award after spending $15,000 in a calendar year. Reviewers rightfully pointed out that cheaper hotel cards offer a yearly free night award without any spending requirement.

They also mentioned that this card is expensive for what it offers. Even though it has enough benefits to balance out the $250 cost, it's not necessarily two- or three-times more valuable than hotel cards with sub-$100 annual fees. In terms of value, it falls short of what the best credit cards offer.

Social media consensus

Opinions about this card on social media are more negative than positive. People generally recommended against applying for it. Once again, a major criticism was the spending requirement for the free night award, which led to unfavorable comparisons with the Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card.

However, it wasn't universally negative. One user mentioned how this card earns 1,000 Bonus Points per eligible stay, which makes it a good choice for road warriors who rack up lots of hotel stays every year.

Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful features and benefits

Big bonus opportunities, including up to 18.5X total points at Marriott

You'll have no trouble earning points with this Marriott card, especially if you use it as your daily driver. It starts you off with a welcome offer of 85,000 bonus points for spending $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months. The value of Marriott points depends on how you use them, but that's generally enough for multiple nights at a budget-friendly hotel or one night at a nicer property.

This card also has a high rewards rate, especially on Marriott Bonvoy purchases. It earns:

  • Up to 18.5X total points at participating Marriott Bonvoy hotels (the card earns 6X points, you earn another 10X points for being a Marriott Bonvoy® member, and you earn up to 2.5X points with Gold Elite Status, which is included with this card)
  • 4X points on grocery stores and dining, up to $15,000 in combined purchases in these categories per calendar year
  • 2X points on other purchases

The Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful™ credit card has one more underrated bonus opportunity: 1,000 Bonus Points per eligible stay at participating Marriott Bonvoy hotels. For frequent guests, this is a great extra benefit. Not only will you earn up to 18.5X points on each stay, you'll also earn an extra 1,000 points.

Improve every Marriott stay with complimentary Gold Elite Status

One of the features I love with hotel credit cards is complimentary elite status. When you have this card, you receive complimentary Gold Elite Status, the second elite tier in the Marriott Bonvoy program. Benefits include:

  • 25% points bonus on eligible hotel purchases
  • 2 p.m. late checkout, based on availability
  • Upgrade to the best available room, subject to availability

As a cardholder, you'll also receive 15 Elite Night Credits per calendar year (restrictions apply). This gets you closer to the requirements for Platinum Elite Status (50 nights per year) and Titanium Elite (75 nights per year).

Offers a valuable free night award, but with strings attached

You'll receive one free night award each calendar year, if you spend at least $15,000 on your card during that year. The free night award is valid for a one-night hotel stay at a property with a redemption level of up to 50,000 points. Depending on where you stay, you could save $300 or more.

This perk is a bit frustrating. It's valuable, but if you don't spend much on your Marriott card, you won't receive it. Several hotel credit cards offer an annual free night award with no spending required. That includes the Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card, which only has a $95 annual fee.

A full slate of travel and purchase protections

This Marriott card is issued by Chase. Like many Chase credit cards, it has excellent insurance coverages that apply to eligible purchases. Here's what it offers:

  • Baggage delay insurance reimburses you for essential purchases during baggage delays of over six hours, up to $100 a day for five days
  • Lost luggage reimbursement for up to $3,000 per passenger for lost or damaged luggage
  • Trip delay reimbursement for unreimbursed expenses, such as meals or lodging, when common carrier travel is delayed more than 12 hours or requires an overnight stay, up to a maximum of $500 per ticket
  • Purchase protection covering new purchases for 120 days against damage or theft up to $500 per claim and $50,000 per account

What could be improved

The annual fee is expensive for the benefits you get

The Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful™ credit card is in a difficult middle ground. At $250, it's too expensive for occasional Marriott guests. They'd be better off with the more affordable Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card or a travel card that isn't tied to a specific hotel.

This Marriott card is better suited for frequent Marriott guests. But many of the travelers in that group will want more benefits. They may not mind paying a higher annual fee for a more feature-packed Marriott card.

What to know before applying

Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful credit score

A FICO® Score of 670 or higher is recommended to apply for the Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful™ credit card. Because this is a Chase card, it's also subject to Chase's 5/24 rule. This is an unofficial restriction that Chase is known to have -- if you've already opened five or more credit cards in the previous 24 months, your application will most likely be denied.

Pre-approval process

Chase has a pre-approval tool on its website, but it comes and goes. When it's available, you can check online to see if you're pre-approved for Chase credit cards. It lists any Chase pre-approvals you have, which may or may not include this Marriott card.

Regular APR

The Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful™ credit card has a 21.49%–28.49% (variable) APR. Like most travel cards, it has a high APR, so you should always pay your credit card bill in full if possible.

Fees

Here are the fees for the Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful™ credit card:

  • Annual fee: $250
  • Balance transfer fee: Either $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater.
  • Cash advance fee: 5% ($10 minimum)
  • Foreign transaction fee: $0
  • Returned payment fee: Up to $40

Credit limit

The minimum starting credit limit for the Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful™ credit card is $5,000, according to its pricing and terms. Some cardholders are approved for much larger amounts. Chase sets your credit limit when you're approved for the card, based on factors that include your income and credit history.

Alternatives to consider

If you want luxury benefits: The most high-end card in the hotel's lineup is the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card. It's expensive, with a $650 annual fee (see rates and fees). But it also has spectacular benefits, including complimentary Platinum Elite Status, an annual free night award, and airport lounge access. Terms apply.

If you want more versatile travel rewards: The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card earns Ultimate Rewards points, which you can transfer to over a dozen airlines and hotels. This is a fantastic first travel card, as it has a lot of perks and only charges a $95 annual fee.

Should you apply for the Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful?

You may want to go with the Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful™ credit card if you stay at Marriott hotels several times per year. Check out what the other Marriott credit cards have to offer, too, so you can be sure you pick the one that fits you best.

Our credit card methodology

At The Motley Fool Ascent, we rate credit cards on a five-star scale (1 = poor, 5 = best). Our rating criteria includes rewards rates, welcome bonuses, fees, and perks like travel credits and 0% intro APR offers to evaluate our ratings.

We combine these factors with an evaluation of brand reputation and customer satisfaction to ensure you're getting the best card recommendations. Learn more about how The Ascent rates credit cards.

FAQs

  • The Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card is more affordable, with a $95 annual fee and a free night award every year, valid up to a redemption value of 35,000 points. The Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful™ credit card has a $250 annual fee and requires $15,000 in spending to earn a free night award, but that award is valid up to a redemption value of 50,000 points. It also has complimentary Gold Elite Status -- the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card includes Silver Elite Status.

  • The highest level in the Marriott Bonvoy program is Ambassador Elite. To reach it, you need to stay at least 100 nights per year and have at least $23,000 in qualifying spend.

  • The Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful™ credit card is a mid-tier Marriott credit card with a $250 annual fee. It's designed for frequent guests at Marriott.