Is the Marriott Bonvoy Bevy Worth Its Annual Fee?

The American Express Marriott co-branded cards lineup now has a new mid-tier card, the Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express® Card. This card has an annual fee of $250 ( see rates and fees ), which is more than the entry-level $95-annual-fee Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card, but less than the premium Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card ($650 annual fee, see rates and fees). Terms apply.

Is the card really that much of an upgrade from the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card? Is the Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express® Card worth its annual fee? Or would you be better off shelling out more money for the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card and its Platinum elite status perks? Terms apply.

We dig into the value of the Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express® Card's benefits and whether it's worth getting.

Earn 85,000 Marriott Bonvoy bonus points after you use your new Card to make $5,000 in purchases within the first 6 months of Card Membership. Terms Apply.

NerdWallet values Marriott Bonvoy® points at 0.9 cent each, so with a little math you can figure out just how much this welcome offer offsets the annual fee.

» Learn more: The best travel credit card welcome bonuses right now

Of course, you'll only receive the welcome offer once, so the welcome offer only makes this card worth it for the first three years. After that, you'll have to rely on the card's other benefits to determine if you want to keep paying the annual fee.

» Learn more: Things to know before getting a Marriott credit card

The value depends on your spending habits.

The Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express® Card earns:

• 6x Marriott Bonvoy points on purchases at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy.

• 4x Marriott Bonvoy points on up to $15,000 in combined purchases per year at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets.

• 2x Marriott Bonvoy Points on all other eligible purchases.

Terms apply.

This card is great for people committed to the Marriott brand but who don't necessarily spend much with the chain yearly. Because this card earns 4x on restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (up to $15,000 per year), you can accrue a big stash of Marriott points without traveling. It's like a 2.8% return on your food and groceries budget based on NerdWallet's valuation of Marriott points. Terms apply.

The 6x on Marriott spending is also a powerful multiplier. Because this card also comes with automatic Gold elite status, with a 25% bonus on eligible Marriott spend, you'll earn 18.5 points per dollar you spend at most Marriott brands. Terms apply.

» Learn more: The guide to Marriott Bonvoy

The more you stay at Marriotts, the more you'll get rewarded. This unique benefit isn't doled out as an anniversary bonus but as a bonus on every stay. Terms apply.

This benefit is only worth about $7 each time, so it's not enough to warrant getting or keeping the card solely for this benefit, but it'll still help you earn award nights a little faster. Terms apply.

» Learn more: The best ways to rack up Marriott Bonvoy points

The automatic Marriott elite status at the Gold level is probably one of the most valuable benefits of this card because it can get you nicer rooms at no extra cost. NerdWallet values this second tier of Marriott elite status at $126 annually. Terms apply.

Some of the notable benefits of Marriott Gold elite status include:

• 25% bonus on eligible hotel purchases.

• A welcome gift of points (though the exact welcome gift varies by brand).

• An enhanced room upgrade (based on availability).

» Learn more: The guide to Marriott Gold status

If you aspire to even higher levels of elite status, the Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express® Card gives you a headstart with 15 Elite Night Credits per year. After that, you'll need to earn an additional 35 Elite Night Credits to earn the next level of elite status (Platinum at 50 nights). Terms apply.

» Learn more: The guide to Marriott Elite Night Credits

The Free Night Award (worth $350) is what usually makes some of the best hotel cards worth keeping, but the one on the Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express® Card has a catch. You'll only earn the Free Night Award after spending $15,000 on the card per year. Terms apply.

If you can put that much on this card, it will more than makeup for the annual fee if you play it right. However, there are plenty of other hotel cards that will give you a free anniversary night outright every year you renew (without needing to reach a spending minimum).

» Learn more: 5 best uses of Marriott's 50,000-point free night certificate

The Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express® Card pulls its weight with a high rewards rate on non-Marriott spending and meaningful bonuses on Marriott spending. It’s probably worth it if you value room upgrades with Gold elite status, but you don’t want to pay a premium for the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card. Terms apply.

To view rates and fees of the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card, see this page.

To view rates and fees of the Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express® Card, please visit this page.