Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant Review: Luxurious Benefits, Price Tag to Match
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Our Take
4.0
The card’s perks help offset its large annual fee, but only if you use them. Frequent travelers who are loyal to Marriott Bonvoy will benefit most.
on American Express' website
Quick Facts
Pros & Cons
Pros
Anniversary perk
High rewards rate
Automatic elite status
Luxury perks
Cons
High annual fee
Rewards have limited flexibility
Lower acceptance abroad
Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $900 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards®. Plus, get a $300 annual travel credit, credit toward TSA Precheck or Global Entry, airport lounge access and more. Points are worth 50% more when you redeem for travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards. The annual fee is $550.
Compare to Other Cards
Annual fee$650 | Annual fee$95 | Annual fee$0 |
Regular APR20.49%-27.49% Variable APR | Regular APR20.49%-27.49% Variable APR | |
Intro APRN/A | Intro APRN/A | Intro APRN/A |
Recommended Credit Score |
Recommended Credit Score |
Recommended Credit Score |
Full Review
As the most high-end member of the Marriott Bonvoy credit card family, the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card offers Bonvoy devotees, frequent travelers and big spenders a selection of luxurious benefits. How this card compares with more down-to-earth options depends on how likely you’d be to take advantage of all the extras it provides.
The massive annual fee can be tough to budget for, but if you have the habit of extracting every last drop of value out of a premium travel rewards credit card, you’ll easily find ways to offset that yearly cost.
Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card: The basics
Card type: Hotel.
Annual fee: $650.
New cardholder offer: Earn 95,000 Marriott Bonvoy® bonus points after you use your new Card to make $5,000 in purchases on the Card within the first 3 months. Terms Apply.
Ongoing rewards:
6 points per $1 spent at participating Marriott Bonvoy hotels.
3 points per $1 spent at U.S. restaurants and on flights booked directly with airlines.
2 points per $1 on all other purchases.
Terms apply.
The points you earn by using the credit card for Marriott hotels stays are "bonus" points. They are on top of the "base" points you earn for those stays by being a member of the Marriott Bonvoy program.
Redemption options:
At Marriott Bonvoy hotels for free nights. This will be the most effective and valuable use of your points.
For flights or car rentals.
For travel by transferring points to multiple airline partners, usually at a 3:1 ratio (meaning 1 airline mile will cost you 3 Bonvoy points). For every 60,000 points you transfer, you’ll receive 5,000 bonus Marriott points.
Terms apply.
Foreign transaction fee: None.
Other benefits:
$300 in statement credits per calendar year, up to $25 per month, for eligible purchases at restaurants worldwide.
Free Night Award (valued up to 85,000 points) every year after your account renewal month.
Platinum Elite status.
25 elite night credits per year.
Fee credit for either Global Entry or TSA Precheck.
Priority Pass Select lounge membership (enrollment required).
Annual earned choice award (when you spend $60,000 in eligible purchases). Choose from 5 suite night awards, a free award night up to 85,000 points or a discount on a Marriott bed.
Up to a $100 property credit for qualifying charges at The Ritz-Carlton, Ritz-Carlton Reserve or St. Regis brands when you book direct using a special rate for a 2+ night stay.
Terms apply.
Benefits of the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card
Generous ongoing rewards
The Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card doubles as a travel and dining card, earning 6 points per $1 spent at participating Marriott Bonvoy hotels, 3 points per $1 spent at U.S. restaurants and on flights booked directly with airlines, and 2 points per $1 on everything else. Terms apply.
Valuable traveler-friendly extras
Points aside, the card's perks alone can make up for its annual fee, assuming you can use them:
Up to $300 in statement credits per calendar year (up to $25 per month) for eligible purchases at restaurants worldwide.
A free night award each year (the booking must cost 85,000 points or less).
Up to a $100 property credit for qualifying charges at The Ritz-Carlton, Ritz-Carlton Reserve or St. Regis brands when you book direct using a special rate for a 2+ night stay.
Access to airport lounges for you and up to two guests with a Priority Pass Select membership when you enroll (ordinarily this starts at $99 per year).
Either one $100 statement credit every 4 years for the application fee for Global Entry or one $78 statement credit every 4.5 years for TSA Precheck.
Terms apply.
Instant elite status
Enjoy automatic Platinum Elite status, which gives you a 50% point bonus on eligible hotel purchases, along with things like room upgrades (including suites), extra late checkout, lounge access, free breakfast and more. Terms apply. Marriott Bonvoy Platinum status can provide meaningful value for those who stay frequently at Marriott hotels.
Travel and purchase protections
Get reimbursement for nonrefundable travel costs if your trip is delayed or canceled for a covered reason. The Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card also includes rental car insurance, a 24/7 global assistance hotline, and coverage if your baggage is lost, damaged or stolen. Terms apply.
Purchases you make with the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card are covered for up to 90 days if they’re lost, stolen or damaged, or if the seller won’t let you return the item. Covered purchases are also eligible for an extended warranty. Terms apply.
If you damage your cell phone while traveling (or at home), the card gives some protections if you use it to pay your bill. You can be reimbursed for repair or replacement up to $800 per claim, up to two times per 12-month period (for a $50 deductible). Terms apply.
Drawbacks and alternatives
A super-high annual fee
Any annual fee is worth notice, but $650 is impossible to ignore. If that’s a dealbreaker for you, other Marriott Bonvoy cards offer some of the same benefits at a lower cost. The $95-annual-fee Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card and the $0-annual-fee Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card offer solid ongoing rewards, for instance.
Here's how different Marriott Bonvoy credit cards compare:
Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card (from Chase, $0 annual fee) |
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Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card (from Chase, $95 annual fee) |
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Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express Card ($250 annual fee) |
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Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful™ Card (from Chase, $250 annual fee) |
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Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card ($650 annual fee) |
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Rewards are Bonvoy-centric
The main way to redeem your points is on free nights at Marriott Bonvoy properties. When you book four consecutive nights, you get a fifth night free. You can also use them to book airfare or car rentals through Marriott’s Air+Car program, or transfer them to one of Marriott Bonvoy’s airline partners (typically at a rate of 3 points per mile). Hotel credit cards are more valuable if you consistently stay at the hotel brand’s properties. If you prefer the freedom to apply rewards to other hotel brands, or other types of travel expenses, consider a general travel rewards credit card.
The Chase Sapphire Reserve® offers fanciness with flexibility. It comes with a $300 annual travel credit, travel protections, a statement credit for TSA Precheck/Global Entry/NEXUS, airport lounge access and more. When you redeem points for travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards®, your points are worth 50% more. Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $900 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards®. The annual fee is $550.
The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card has a lower annual fee, and it also offers a credit toward TSA Precheck or Global Entry, plus a rich sign-up bonus. You can redeem points for a wide variety of travel expenses, including airfare, hotels, trains, rental cars, limos, buses, cruises, cabs, travel agents and timeshares.
Credits are doled out monthly
While the card's annual $300 in statement credits help take a large bite out of the card's annual fee, there's a catch: you'll get them in $25 increments each month. You'll get statement credits for eligible purchases at restaurants worldwide, but you'll have to remember to use them. Previously, the card offered up to $300 in statement credits towards eligible Marriott purchases, which is easier for some Marriott travelers to utilize.
Should you get the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card?
If you’re loyal to Marriott Bonvoy and plan to use many of the benefits the card offers, the super-high annual fee can absolutely be worth it. But if you’re not going to be able to enjoy everything the card offers, look elsewhere (check our list of best rewards credit cards).
on American Express' website
