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Credit Cards

These are the best credit cards for maximizing Marriott stays

Whether you're traveling for business or leisure, these cards will make your Marriott stays more enjoyable.

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Photo courtesy of Marriott

With over 8,300 hotels worldwide, Marriott Bonvoy is a prominent fixture in the hotel loyalty world. Since Marriott International acquired Starwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide, the program and its co-branded credit cards have undergone several revamps. With recent changes, you may wonder what the best credit card is for Marriott stays.

The answer depends on what you're looking for from a credit card as there are options for virtually every type of Marriott guest, with varying annual fees and benefits.

Co-branded Marriott credit cards are great for Marriott stays if you want to enjoy elite status perks and elevated point earnings. Some Marriott cards even offer annual free nights you can redeem at thousands of Marriott properties worldwide. However, co-branded credit cards also have a significant downside: Many carry high annual fees and earn a single currency with limited redemption options.

Some travelers may be better off using a transferable rewards card for Marriott stays. You'll earn bonus points on Marriott bookings and can use your rewards to book Marriott stays (or transfer them to over a dozen other partners). Plus, some of these non-Marriott branded cards still offer automatic Marriott Bonvoy elite status and other perks that will make your stays more comfortable.

To help you decide which Marriott credit card is best for your needs, CNBC Select has broken them down into eight categories.

Best credit cards for Marriott stays

Best for maximizing everyday spending

Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express® Card

On the American Express secure site
  • Rewards

    6X Marriott Bonvoy® points for each dollar of eligible purchases at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy; 4X points at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on up to $15,000 in combined purchases at restaurants and U.S. supermarkets per calendar year, then 2X points).

  • Welcome bonus

    Earn 155,000 Marriott Bonvoy bonus points after you use your new Card to make $5,000 in purchases within the first 6 months of Card Membership.

  • Annual fee

    $250

  • Intro APR

    None

  • Regular APR

    20.99% - 29.99% variable

  • Balance transfer fee

    N/A

  • Foreign transaction fee

    None

  • Credit needed

    Excellent/Good

See rates and fees. Terms apply.

Who's this for? The new Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express® Card is great for those who want to maximize point earnings on everyday spending.

The card offers generous bonus points on common spending categories like dining and grocery spending, offering 6X Marriott Bonvoy® points for each dollar of eligible purchases at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy and 4X points on dining worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $15,000, then 2X points). Even if you're spending outside of these categories, you'll earn at least 2X Marriott Bonvoy points per dollar spent.

While the $250 annual fee (see rates and fees) is steep, the card offers several perks to offset it. Cardmembers get automatic Marriott Gold Elite status and 15 Elite Night Credits towards the next status tier. Limitations apply per Marriott Bonvoy member account. Benefit is not exclusive to Cards offered by American Express. Terms apply. If you charge $15,000 worth of purchases to the card in a calendar year, you'll be rewarded with a Free Night Award valued up to 50,000 points. Plus, the card offers a unique benefit where you'll earn 1,000 bonus points on paid Marriott stays. Overall, this card can be worth it if you earn enough points and use the recurring perks.

Best for occasional Marriott guests

Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card

  • Rewards

    Earn 3X points per $1 on the first $6,000 spent in combined purchases each year on grocery stores, gas stations, and dining; 1 Elite Night Credit towards Elite Status for every $5,000 spent; earn up to 17X total points per $1 spent at over 7,000 hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy® with the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Card, and 2X points for every $1 spent on all other purchases

  • Welcome bonus

    Limited time offer! Earn 5 Free Night Awards (each night valued up to 50,000 points) after qualifying purchases.

  • Annual fee

    $95

  • Intro APR

    None

  • Regular APR

    21.49% - 28.49% variable on purchases and balance transfers

  • Balance transfer fee

    Either $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater

  • Foreign transaction fee

    None. Your points don't expire as long as you make purchases on your card every 24 months.

  • Credit needed

    Excellent/Good

Terms apply. Information about the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card has been collected independently by CNBC Select and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer of the card prior to publication.

Who's this for? If you're looking for a Marriott card with a more reasonable annual fee, the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card is an excellent alternative to the Bevy. It costs just $95 per year and the welcome bonus is 5 Free Night Awards (each night valued up to 50,000 points) after spending $5,000 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening with the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card.

The Boundless card's bonus categories are also generous, offering 6X points per dollar spent at Marriott Bonvoy properties, 3X points for the first $6,000 you spend at grocery stores, gas stations and on dining each year and 2X points for all other purchases.

The biggest benefit of this card is that you'll get a Free Night Award each year after your account anniversary, which you can use to redeem a one-night stay of up to 35,000 Marriott Bonvoy points. You'll also have complimentary Marriott Silver Elite status and the opportunity to earn Gold Elite status after spending $35,000 each year, as well as 15 Elite Night Credits toward the next level of elite status per year, with the ability to earn one additional Elite Night Credit for every $5,000 you spend with the card.

Other benefits include no foreign transaction fees for using the card abroad baggage delay insurance, lost luggage reimbursement, trip delay reimbursement and purchase protection when you pay for travel and other large purchases with the card.

Best for elite status benefits

Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card

On the American Express secure site
  • Rewards

    Earn 6X Marriott Bonvoy points for each dollar of eligible purchases at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy®. 3X points at restaurants worldwide and on flights booked directly with airlines. 2X points on all other eligible purchases.

  • Welcome bonus

    Earn 185,000 Marriott Bonvoy bonus points after you use your new Card to make $6,000 in purchases within the first 6 months of Card Membership. 

  • Annual Fee

    $650

  • Intro APR

    None

  • Regular APR

    20.99% - 29.99% variable

  • Balance transfer fee

    N/A

  • Foreign transaction fee

    None

  • Credit needed

    Excellent/Good

See rates and fees, terms apply.

Who's this for? The Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card is for Bonvoy loyalists who want to upgrade their travel experience.

It recently underwent several changes, including an annual fee hike to $650 (see rates and fees). The first change is that cardholders now get automatic Platinum Elite status, while those chasing a higher tier of status will get 25 Elite Night Credits each year. Platinum Elite status normally requires staying 50 nights per year and offers perks like free breakfast at some brands and upgrades to suites, so it can be quite valuable.

The $300 annual hotel credit has been replaced with up to $25 in monthly dining statement credits, while the annual Free Night Award is now valid for rooms costing up to 85,000 points (as opposed to 50,000), allowing you to book higher-end hotels. Plus, cardholders have the opportunity to earn a "Brilliant Earned Choice Award," by spending $60,000 on the card in a calendar year. Only one Brilliant Earned Choice Award can be earned per calendar year.

Other benefits include airport lounge access with a Priority Pass Select Membership (enrollment required), a Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee credit, various travel and purchase protections* and cell phone protection.

Beyond the large welcome bonus, cardholders can earn 6 Marriott Bonvoy points for each dollar of eligible purchases at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy®  program, 3 points at restaurants worldwide and on flights booked directly with airlines, and 2 points on all other eligible purchases.

Best for no annual fee

Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card

  • Rewards

    Earn up to 14X total points for every $1 spent at thousands of hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy®. Learn more about additional benefits with the Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card.

  • Welcome bonus

    30,000 Bonus Points after you spend $1,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.

  • Annual fee

    $0

  • Intro APR

    None

  • Regular APR

    21.49% - 28.49% variable on purchases and balance transfers

  • Balance transfer fee

    Either $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater

  • Foreign transaction fee

    None

  • Credit needed

    Excellent/Good

Terms apply. Information about the Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card has been collected independently by CNBC Select and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer of the card prior to publication.

Who's this for? The Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card is for anyone who wants a no-annual-fee card with a few Marriott-specific perks.

Earn 30,000 Bonus Points after you spend $1,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.. That can go a long way toward low-category hotels. It's a good choice if you want to top off your Marriott balance without a large spending requirement

With this card, you'll earn 3X points per dollar spent at Marriott Bonvoy properties, 2X points on other travel-related purchases and 1X points on all other purchases.

This card comes with 15 Elite Night Credits per year, which is enough to qualify for Silver Elite Status if you're starting from scratch or can help you accelerate to the next status tier. It also comes with many of the same travel and protection benefits as the $95-per-year Boundless card, such as travel insurance, baggage delay insurance, trip delay and lost luggage reimbursement and no foreign transaction fees.

Best for small business owners

Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card

On the American Express secure site
  • Rewards

    6X Marriott Bonvoy Points on each dollar of eligible purchases at hotels participating in the Marriott Bonvoy® program, 4X points for each dollar of eligible purchases at restaurants worldwide, 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

  • Welcome bonus

    Earn 3 Free Night Awards after you use your new Card to make $6,000 in eligible purchases within the first 6 months of Card Membership. Each Free Night Award has a redemption level up to 50,000 Marriott Bonvoy® points, for a total potential value of up to 150,000 points, at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy®. Certain hotels have resort fees. Terms apply.

  • Annual fee

    $125

  • Intro APR

    None

  • Regular APR

    20.99% - 29.99% variable

  • Balance transfer fee

    N/A

  • Foreign transaction fee

    None

  • Credit needed

    Excellent/Good

See rates and fees, terms apply.

Who's this for? If you want a business credit card that earns Marriott Bonvoy points and provides discounts on paid stays, look no further than the Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card. Although there's a $125 annual fee (see rates and fees), it can be considered a tax write-off for your business and it's easy to get your money's worth thanks to its generous bonus categories, large welcome bonus, elite status benefits and discount on paid Marriott stays.

With this card, you'll get a 7% discount on eligible bookings as a benefit of being both a Marriott Bonvoy® member & a Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card member when you book directly with Marriott through an eligible channel for a participating property under the Amex Business Card Rate and Complimentary Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite Status with your Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card. You'll also receive 1 Free Night Award every year after your card renewal month. Plus, earn an additional Free Night Award after you spend $60K in purchases on your card in a calendar year. Award can be used for one night (redemption level at or under 35,000 Marriott Bonvoy® points) at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy®. Certain hotels have resort fees.

The rewards rates are solid, too: Earn 6X points per dollar spent at Marriott Bonvoy properties, 4X points at restaurants worldwide, U.S. gas stations, U.S. purchases for shipping, and wireless phone services purchased directly from U.S. service providers and 2X points on all other purchases.

Best for travel protections

Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful™ credit card

  • Rewards

    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 at U.S. supermarkets; 2X Marriott Bonvoy Points on all other eligible purchases

  • Welcome bonus

    Earn 85,000 Bonus Points after you spend $4,000 in purchases in your first 3 months from your account opening.

  • Annual fee

    $250

  • Intro APR

    None

  • Regular APR

    20.24% – 27.24 variable

  • Balance transfer fee

    Either $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater

  • Foreign transaction fee

    None

  • Credit needed

    Excellent/Good

Terms apply. Information about the Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful™ credit card has been collected independently by CNBC Select and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer of the card prior to publication.

Who's this for? The Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful™ credit card is another new card to the Marriott line-up. At first sight, it's similar to the Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express® Card, in terms of bonus categories, annual fee and perks. The main difference between the two cards comes down to travel protections.

The Chase-issued Bonvoy Bountiful offers trip delay reimbursement (up to $500), baggage delay (up to $100 per day for five days) and lost luggage insurance (up to $3,000). 

Meanwhile, the Amex-issued Bonvoy Bevy provides *secondary rental car insurance, baggage insurance (up to $3,000), and trip delay insurance (up to $500). Overall, the Bountiful offers better travel protections, especially since secondary rental car coverage from the Bevy doesn't kick in unless your own insurance denies coverage.

Other perks such as the automatic Marriott Gold Elite status, 1,000 bonus points on paid Marriott stays and the opportunity to earn a Free Night Award worth up to 50,000 points by spending $15,000 are the same as the Bevy card.

Best for luxury travel perks

The Platinum Card® from American Express

On the American Express secure site
  • Rewards

    Earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year, 5X Membership Rewards® Points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel, 1X points on all other eligible purchases

  • Welcome bonus

    Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 on purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Apply and select your preferred metal Card design: classic Platinum Card®, Platinum x Kehinde Wiley, or Platinum x Julie Mehretu.

  • Annual fee

    $695

  • Intro APR

    None

  • Regular APR

    See Pay Over Time APR

  • Balance transfer fee

    N/A

  • Foreign transaction fee

    None

  • Credit Needed

    Excellent/Good

  • See rates and fees, terms apply.

Who's this for? The Platinum Card® from American Express is ideal for those who frequently stay at higher-end Marriott Bonvoy properties. It offers automatic Marriott Gold Elite status (as well as Hilton Honors Gold status) and other elite-like benefits through the Fine Hotels + Resorts or The Hotel Collection programs. Perks of these programs may include room upgrades, late check-out, early check-in, complimentary breakfast and property credits.

If you book a prepaid Marriott stay through American Express Travel, you'll also earn 5X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent. Not only is this close to the earning rate on the Marriott-branded cards, but Membership Rewards points are generally worth more than Marriott Bonvoy points since you have greater flexibility with how you can redeem them. While you can transfer your points to Marriott Bonvoy at a 1:1 ratio, you can also transfer them to Delta SkyMiles, Air Canada Aeroplan, JetBlue TrueBlue and more.

You'll also earn 5X points per dollar for flights booked directly with the airline or through American Express Travel (up to $500,000 per calendar year), which beats all of the Marriott cards.

The biggest drawback is that this card has a steep $695 annual fee (see rates and fees) but there are a number of perks that help offset it, including up to $200 annual hotel credit (Hotel Collection requires a minimum two-night stay), up to $200 annual airline fee credit, up to $100 annual Saks Fifth Avenue credit, $240 Digital Entertainment Credit: Get up to $20 back in statement credits each month on eligible purchases made with your Platinum Card® on one or more of the following: Disney+, a Disney Bundle, ESPN+, Hulu, The New York Times, Peacock, and The Wall Street Journal (Enrollment required), worldwide airport lounge access, cell phone protection and various travel and purchase protections*.

Best for earning flexible travel rewards

Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card

On Capital One's secure site
  • Rewards

    10 Miles on hotels per dollar and rental cars, 5 Miles per dollar on flights when booked via Capital One Travel; unlimited 2X miles on all other eligible purchases

  • Welcome bonus

    Earn 75,000 bonus miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening

  • Annual fee

    $395

  • Intro APR

    None

  • Regular APR

    19.99% - 29.99% (Variable)

  • Balance transfer fee

    $0 at the Transfer APR, 4% of the amount of each transferred balance that posts to your account at a promotional APR that Capital One may offer to you

  • Foreign transaction fees

    None

  • Credit needed

    Excellent

  • See rates and fees. Terms apply.

Who's this for? The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card may not seem like an obvious choice for Marriott stays, but it has several notable features. For starters, the card offers a $300 annual credit on Capital One Travel bookings. You can use this to knock $300 off a Marriott hotel booking.

The card also earns a generous 10X miles per dollar on hotel and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, 5X miles per dollar spent on flights through the portal and 2X points on all other purchases. These miles can be transferred to partners like Air Canada, Choice Hotels or Wyndham or applied towards travel purchases (including Marriott bookings) at one cent each.

Depending on the cost of a Marriott stay, you might be better off redeeming Capital One miles for a stay rather than Bonvoy points. For example, an award night at the Le Metropolitan Paris can often be found from 55,000 Bonvoy points per night. Meanwhile, the lowest paid rate is around $379 per night with taxes. With the Venture X, you can redeem 37,900 Capital One miles for this stay while earning points and elite night credits through the Marriott Bonvoy program.

Similar to the American Express Fine Hotels + Resorts program, Capital One will also soon launch the Premier Collection*, which will offer Venture X cardholders premium perks like $100 experience credit, daily breakfast for 2 and complimentary WiFi on every booking, plus other premium benefits like room upgrades, early check-in and late checkout, when available, at luxury properties. Plus, Premier Collection benefits can be stacked with hotel loyalty program benefits, meaning you can still earn Marriott Bonvoy points and get elite benefits, when applicable.

While the $395 annual fee may seem high, it can be offset by the up to $300 back in travel credits and 10,000 bonus miles you receive on each account anniversary. Other perks include airport lounge access, cell phone protection and more (see rates and fees). *Terms, conditions and exclusions apply. Refer to your Guide to Benefits for more details.

FAQs

It's worth getting a Marriott card if you stay at Marriott hotels frequently and want to earn and redeem more Bonvoy points. However, if you want greater flexibility in redeeming your rewards, you might be better off with a transferable rewards card like The Platinum Card® from American Express, which offers elevated rewards on hotel bookings and Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status.

The best Marriott card depends on what you're looking for. If you want a card packed with premium perks and don't mind the high annual fee, the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card could be worthwhile. If you want to earn Marriott points without an annual fee, the Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card is the best (and only) choice. And if you're looking for a business card that offers tremendous value, you might consider the Marriott Bonvoy Business® Credit Card

You should get a Marriott credit card if you stay at Marriott hotels enough to benefit from its perks. Most Marriott cards include elite status and bonus points on Marriott bookings. The high-annual-fee cards even offer room discounts and travel credits. If you utilize these card perks, then Marriott cards are worth getting.

Before applying for a Marriott credit card, you should consider the American Express 2-in-90 and Chase 5/24 rules. The Amex-focused rule means that you cannot sign up for more than two American Express credit cards within a 90-day period, while Chase's 5/24 rule means that you can't be approved for a Chase card if you've opened five or more personal credit cards (from any card issuer) within the past 24 months.

Additionally, there are limitations on who is eligible to earn the welcome bonuses if you currently have or had certain Marriott Bonvoy credit cards.

You need a good credit score to be approved for a Marriott credit card. A "good" credit score is in the 670-739 FICO range or 661-780 VantageScore. To maintain a good credit score, be sure to make your other credit payments on time and in full, keep a low credit utilization ratio and limit the number of credit applications you are submitting. 

Bottom line

There are lots of great credit cards to help you maximize your Marriott stays. The best option comes down to your goals. If you're looking for a status boost, the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card is a great choice with its Platinum Elite perk. And if you want to stock up on rewards and savings, the Marriott Bonvoy Business® Credit Card's 7% discount on Marriott stays and annual free night award could be useful.

But you don't even need a Marriott-branded card to get access to valuable perks. With The Platinum Card® from American Express and Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card, you can earn valuable rewards and get elite-like benefits through the Fine Hotels + Resorts and Premier Collection programs. 

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Why trust CNBC Select?

At CNBC Select, our mission is to provide our readers with high-quality service journalism and comprehensive consumer advice so they can make informed decisions with their money. Every credit card review is based on rigorous reporting by our team of expert writers and editors with extensive knowledge of credit card productsWhile CNBC Select earns a commission from affiliate partners on many offers and links, we create all our content without input from our commercial team or any outside third parties, and we pride ourselves on our journalistic standards and ethics. See our methodology for more information on how we choose the best Marriott credit cards.

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For rates and fees of Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express Card, click here.

For rates and fees of the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card, click here.

For rates and fees of the Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card, click here.

For rates and fees of The Platinum Card® from American Express, click here.

*Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply.  Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details.  Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company. Car Rental Loss or Damage Coverage is offered through American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc.

For Capital One products listed on this page, some of the above benefits are provided by Visa® or Mastercard® and may vary by product. See the respective Guide to Benefits for details, as terms and exclusions apply.

Editorial Note: Opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the Select editorial staff’s alone, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any third party.
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