Bankdealguy has partnered with CardRatings for our coverage of credit card products. Bankdealguy and CardRatings may receive a commission from card issuers.
With Marriott Bonvoy BrilliantTM American Express® Card, you have the opportunity to earn a limited time offer of 125,000 bonus Marriott Bonvoy points after you use your new Card to make $5,000 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. Offer Expires 5/12/2021.. We value points at around $1,125.
Although there is an annual fee of $450 (see rates and fees), the Marriott Bonvoy Loyalty program offers 6X points on Marriott purchases alongside tons of premium travel benefits. If you are interested in finding more about what else this card has to offer, then continue reading below. If you don’t stay at Marriott hotels often, then this card may not be for you.
Some alternatives include The Marriott Bonvoy Boundless™ Credit Card from American Express for the lower annual fee. The Marriott Bonvoy Business™ American Express® Card is the business version that also has a much lower annual fee. You can apply even without having a small business EIN.
Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant Card Summary
 The Marriott Bonvoy BrilliantTM American Express® Card offers 125,000 bonus Marriott Bonvoy points after you use your new Card to make $5,000 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. Offer Expires 5/12/2021. In addition, you can enjoy up to $300 in statement credits each year of Card Membership for eligible purchases at participating Marriott Bonvoy hotels. With this card, you'll earn: • 6X Marriott Bonvoy points for each dollar of eligible purchases at participating Marriott Bonvoy Hotels. • 3X points at U.S. restaurants and on flights booked directly with airlines. • 2X points on all other eligible purchases. This card comes with a $450 annual fee and no foreign transaction fees. However, you can 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. (See Rates & Fees) Furthermore, enjoy unlimited airport lounge visits when you enroll in Priority Pass Select membership. |
| Bonus Available | Earn 125,000 bonus Marriott Bonvoy points after you use your new Card to make $5,000 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. Offer Expires 5/12/2021. |
| Bonus Value | $1,125 |
| Travel Credit | Enjoy up to $300 in statement credits each membership year for eligible purchases at participating Marriott Bonvoy hotels. |
| Ongoing Rewards | 6 points for every $1 spent on eligible purchases at participating Marriott Bonvoy hotels
3 points for every $1 spent at U.S. restaurants and on flights booked directly with airlines 2 points for every $1 spent on all other eligible purchases. Get 1 free night every year after your account anniversary. Receive a statement credit every 4 years after you apply for Global Entry ($100), or every 4.5 years after you apply for TSA Precheck ($85). Enjoy free in-room, premium internet access. |
| Foreign Transaction Fees? | No (see rates and fees) |
| Lounge Access | Get into over 1,300 airport lounges around the world with complimentary Priority Pass Select membership. |
| Annual Fee | $450 (see rates and fees) |
Recommended Free Credit Score (Get Free Score)
720 – 850 (Good – Excellent)
PROS
- Bonus points
- High earning rate
- Annual statement credit
- Annual free night award
- Lounge access
- Transfer partners
- No foreign transaction fees
CONS
- Premium annual fee
- Excellent credit needed to qualify
Editor’s Alternative Pick
 The Chase Sapphire Reserve® offers 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®. Through December 31, 2021, gas station & grocery store purchases will also count towards earning your Travel Credit. You'll earn 3X points on travel immediately after earning your $300 travel credit. 3X points on dining at restaurants & 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases. When redeeming your points for travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards, you'll get 50% more value. This card does carry a $550 annual fee and there are no foreign transaction fees. However, you're able to earn a $300 Annual Travel Credit as reimbursement for travel purchases charged to your card each account anniversary year & up to $100 application fee credit for Global Entry or TSA Pre✓®. |
Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant Card Welcome Offer
The Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant card’s welcome offer of 125,000 bonus Marriott Bonvoy points after meeting requirements.
Compare this offer to other best credit card bonuses.
Here are some ideas on meeting the spending requirement:
• Plastiq - Using Plastiq allows you to pay for your personal expenses such as rent, tuition, mortgage, auto lease etc. Although they charge a 2.5% processing fee for using your credit card, this will contribute to the card bonus that you will receive. There is also a referral program that allows you to earn "Free-Free Dollars" that goes towards processing fees as well. • Funding Checking Accounts - When it comes to funding a checking account, opening your initial deposit with a credit card is the usual way to go about it. However, if you want to have more opportunities, you should open a checking account that offers a sign-up bonus. This allows you to work towards bonuses from not one but two different sources instead. Banks like Chase, Huntington Bank, TD Bank and BBVA offers credit card funding, and for your opening deposit, you can often fund anywhere from $50-$1000 with a credit card, depending on what bank offers it. • Gift Card Purchases With Using a Credit Card - Another way to acquire the bonus is using your credit card to purchase gift cards. Buying a a gift card or an individual merchant card typically do not require a purchase fee and are used towards leisure, so gift cards are ideal. However, gift cards such as a Visa or American Express do incur purchase fees because they can be spent anywhere, but gift cards that are specifically for a certain online shopping site such as Amazon or eBay don't. As for a Citi Credit Card, you should call customer service and ask them to lower your Cash Advance limit to $0 before making any purchases because Citi tends to read gift card purchases as a Cash Advance. Ideally, you should do this with any card just to be safe. Lastly, there is such thing as a discounted gift card which can be purchased on Raise or eBay. If you use a credit card often for everyday purchases, it can build your credit score that will contribute towards paying for things such as bills and taxes. |
What Are Marriott Bonvoy Points Worth?
Your points’ worth depends on how you use and redeem them. On average, one Marriott Bonvoy point is worth $0.009. You can use your Marriott Bonvoy points towards:
- Hotel stays
- Travel packages
- Destination-specific activities
- Gift cards
- Merchandise
Not only that, you can also transfer your points to any of Marriott Bonvoy’s 44 airline partners.
Marriott Bonvoy Airline Partner Programs
| Aegean Airlines | Aeroflot Bonus | AeroMexico ClubPremier |
| Air Canada Aeroplan | Air France/KLM Flying Blue | |
| Air New Zealand Airpoints | Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan | Alitalia MilleMiglia |
| ANA Mileage Club | American Airlines | Asia Miles |
| Asiana Airlines Asiana Club | Avianca LifeMiles | British Airways Executive Club |
| China Eastern Airlines Eastern Miles | Copa Airlines ConnectMiles | |
| Delta SkyMiles | Emirates Skywards | Etihad Guest |
| Frontier Airlines | Hainan Airlines | Hawaiian Airlines HawaiianMiles |
| Iberia Plus | Japan Airlines JAL | Jet Airways JetPrivilege |
| JetBlue TrueBlue | Korean Air SKYPASS | LATAM Airlines LATAMPASS |
| Lufthansa Miles & More | Multiplus | Qantas Frequent Flyer |
| Qatar Privilege Club | Saudia Airlines | Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer |
| South African Airways Voyager | Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards | TAP Air Portugal |
| Thai Airways | Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles | United MileagePlus |
| Virgin Atlantic Flying Club | Vueling Club |
Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant Card Top Features
- $100 every 4 years for Global Entry
- $85 every 4.5 years for TSA Precheck
You can also get expedited screening at select airports.
Get a free hotel night at a Marriott Bonvoy property each membership year. You can use this award for stays at properties worth up to 50,000 Bonvoy points. That’s a value of up to around $450, which covers the card’s annual fee.
Receive access to over 1,300 airport lounges worldwide with complimentary Priority Pass Select membership. This perk lets you enjoy unlimited lounge visits with up to 2 guests per visit. Enrollment is required.
Priority Pass is also starting to add more and more airport restaurants, where you’ll receive an allowance to dine in.
Enjoy free in-room, premium Internet access when you stay at participating Marriott Bonvoy hotels.
Don’t worry about making purchases abroad because there are no foreign transaction fees with the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant card.
Bottom Line
Overall, the Marriott Bonvoy BrilliantTM American Express® Card is quite costly but it is definitely worth it if you are loyal to Marriott or stay at hotels often.
It comes with tons of perks and fee credits that frequent Marriott Bonvoy guests will take full advantage of. You should consider a general rewards travel card instead if hotel stays aren’t for you.
Please provide feedback in the comment section below by telling us your thoughts and experience with this card.
If you are interested in another card from American Express, checkout our reviews of American Express Credit Card Promotions. Make sure to visit BankDealGuy to explore more Credit Card Bonuses.
What’s The Competition?
Below are some of the top competitors to the Marriott Bonvoy BrilliantTM American Express® Card to consider.
The Chase Sapphire Reserve® offers 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®. Through December 31, 2021, gas station & grocery store purchases will also count towards earning your Travel Credit. You'll earn 3X points on travel immediately after earning your $300 travel credit. 3X points on dining at restaurants & 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases. When redeeming your points for travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards, you'll get 50% more value. This card does carry a $550 annual fee and there are no foreign transaction fees. However, you're able to earn a $300 Annual Travel Credit as reimbursement for travel purchases charged to your card each account anniversary year & up to $100 application fee credit for Global Entry or TSA Pre✓®. |
 The Platinum Card® from American Express offers 75,000 Membership Rewards Points after you spend $5,000 on purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. You'll earn: • 10X points on eligible purchases on your new Card at U.S. Gas Stations and U.S. Supermarkets, on up to $15,000 in combined purchases, during your first 6 months of Card Membership. That's an additional 9 points on top of the 1 point you earn for these purchases. • 5X Membership Rewards Points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel. Starting January 1, 2021, earn 5X points on up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year. • 5X Membership Rewards Points on prepaid hotels booked on amextravel.com. This card comes with an annual fee of $550 (See Rates & Fees), but you cardholders can enjoy Uber VIP status and up to $200 in Uber savings on rides or eats orders in the US annually. Uber Cash and Uber VIP status is available to Basic Card Member and Additional Centurion Cards only. Plus, up to $100 in statement credits annually for purchases at Saks Fifth Avenue on your Platinum Card® & receive complimentary benefits with an average total value of $550 with Fine Hotels & Resorts. |
• Chase Bank Bonuses. Chase usually offers the most sign-up bonuses out of all the big banks. Read up and enjoy several promotions for their Checking, Savings and Business accounts. • HSBC Bank Bonuses. HSBC has some big value offers available for their Checking accounts. Some require hefty deposits to qualify. They also have an online Savings account offering a very competitive rate. • Huntington Bank Bonuses. Huntington has Consumer Checking and Business Checking accounts available throughout the year. • Discover Bank Bonuses. As an online bank, Discover offers high and competitive rates on their Savings, CD, and Money Market accounts. Enjoy excellent customer service nationwide. • TD Bank Bonuses. TD Bank consistently offers great Checking account bonuses all year long. Savings account offers are less frequently available. |
| PROMOTIONAL LINK | OFFER | REVIEW |
| Chase Business Complete BankingSM | $300 Cash | Review |
| HSBC Premier Checking Member FDIC | $450 Cash | Review |
| HSBC Premier Checking Member FDIC | Up To $600 | Review |
| BBVA Free Checking + Savings | $250 Cash | Review |
| Huntington 25 Checking | $300 Cash | Review |
| Huntington Bank Unlimited Plus Business Checking | $750 Cash | Review |
| Huntington Bank Unlimited Business Checking | $400 Cash | Review |
| Huntington Bank Business Checking 100 | $200 Cash | Review |
| TD Bank Beyond CheckingSM | $300 Cash | Review |
| TD Bank Convenience CheckingSM | $150 Cash | Review |
| Axos Bank Basic Business Checking | $100 Cash | Review |
| Aspiration Spend & Save | $100 Cash | Review |
