Marriott Bonvoy Bevy American Express credit card review: Big bonus with bummer benefits

Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express Card overview

The Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express Card is the newest Marriott Bonvoy credit card from American Express and offers mid-tier perks, including automatic Gold Elite status, solid points-earning at Marriott properties and elite night credits. It does, however, lack a number of benefits that you might expect from a card with a $250 annual fee. Card rating*: ⭐⭐⭐

* Card rating is based on the opinion of TPG’s editors and is not influenced by the card issuer.

Marriott now has six cobranded cards available to new cardholders, with annual fees on those ranging from $0 to $650 per year. The Marriott Bonvoy Bevy American Express Card sits in the middle, with an annual fee of $250 (see rates and fees).

The card currently has a welcome offer of 125,000 Marriott Bonvoy bonus points after you use your new card to make $4,000 in eligible purchases within the first three months of cardmembership. Ongoing benefits include automatic mid-tier status in the Marriott Bonvoy program, bonus points on every stay and bonus earning rates where many travelers spend the most.

However, the card lacks one feature we’ve come to expect with hotel credit cards: a complimentary free night each year on your account anniversary. So, does the Amex Marriott Bonvoy Bevy card offer enough ongoing benefits and perks to make it worth more than introductory cards typically bearing annual fees under $100 and offering a free night automatically?

Let’s dig deeper to understand whether the Amex Marriott Bonvoy Bevy card merits a place in your wallet.

In This Post

Who is this card for?

The Amex Marriott Bonvoy Bevy card is well suited to those who would like to receive Marriott Bonvoy status automatically, who want something above entry-level status afforded by cards with lower annual fees but who aren’t willing to pay higher annual fees for premium or luxury credit cards that offer higher status levels. It’s also good for those looking for a credit card that offers consumer protections when shopping or traveling, in case things go wrong (more on those below).

THE POINTS GUY

Amex Marriott Bonvoy Bevy cardmembers will receive automatic Gold Elite status without the extra effort typically required when pursuing elite status. Additionally, using this card for purchases can invoke insurance protections in case your trip is delayed or if an item you purchased is damaged. These benefits are available without the high price tag typically associated with premium credit cards loaded with benefits.

On the flip side, some benefits typically associated with hotel credit cards are missing, and those looking to maximize each credit card in their points and miles strategy may question whether this card merits a place in their wallet.

Remember that American Express limits each person to a maximum of five of its credit cards, as well as other application restrictions that you should be aware of if you decide to apply.

Welcome offer: $1,050 in value

The Amex Marriott Bonvoy Bevy card is currently offering 125,000 Marriott Bonvoy bonus points to applicants who use the new card to make $4,000 in eligible purchases within the first three months of cardmembership. Based on TPG’s valuation of Marriott Bonvoy points at 0.84 cents each, the 125,000 points are worth $1,050.

Just remember that Amex has restrictions that will limit your ability to collect a new-member bonus if you’ve had similar Marriott products from Chase or previous Starwood Preferred Guest cards from American Express. Be sure to carefully review the card’s offer details page to ensure you’re eligible.

Main benefits and perks

Where the card shines the most is in the perks it offers:

Marriott Gold Elite status: Primary cardholders (authorized users aren’t included) receive complimentary, automatic Marriott Gold status for as long as they have the card. TPG values Marriott’s Gold status at $800 per year. As Marriott Bonvoy’s mid-tier level, the most valuable benefits of Gold status are upgrades to enhanced rooms and a 25% points bonus on hotel spending. Typically, we have seen the ability to spend your way to higher levels of elite status with many hotel credit cards; that’s noticeably absent on the Amex Marriott Bonvoy Bevy card. Enrollment is required in advance for this elite status benefit.
Annual free night award via spending: Cardholders who make at least $15,000 in eligible purchases during their cardmember year (not calendar year) can earn a free night award worth up to 50,000 points. That’s more valuable than the free night certificates that come with the lower-tier Marriott cards, which are capped at 35,000 points. Some of the best uses of the 50,000-point free night certificate include five-star hotels such as The Ritz-Carlton, Macau and The St. Regis Langkawi, where rooms routinely top $500 per night — though Marriott’s dynamic pricing can affect the ability to book some of these properties during peak travel dates.
Elite night credits: Cardholders will receive 15 elite qualifying night credits per year. This benefit can be stacked with the nights you earn with a Marriott small-business card, allowing you to fast-track up to 30 elite nights per year. For reference, you need 50 nights per year to qualify for Platinum Elite status.
Travel protections: This card offers trip delay insurance* for trips delayed by more than 12 hours due to a covered reason. You must book a round-trip ticket and pay entirely with your card to be covered. Cardmembers will also enjoy baggage insurance** coverage of up to $1,250 for carry-on baggage and up to $500 for checked baggage in excess of what’s provided by the common carrier and secondary car rental loss and damage insurance^ of up to $50,000 for theft of or damage to eligible rental vehicles. Cardmembers also have access to the Global Assist Hotline 24 hours a day, seven days a week for medical, legal, financial or other select emergency services coordination and assistance while traveling more than 100 miles from home.^^
Shopping protections: Purchases made with the card can get 90 days of purchase protection** and up to one year of extended warranty coverage** on warranties of five years or less on covered purchases in the U.S. or its territories or possessions.

*Eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for details. Policies are underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company.

**Eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for details. Policies are underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company.

^Eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Not all vehicle types or rentals are covered, and geographic restrictions apply. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for details. Policies are underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company. Coverage is offered through American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc.

^^Eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for details. Cardmembers are responsible for the costs charged by third-party service providers.

Noticeably absent in the perks and benefits is a free night award given automatically on the card’s account anniversary each year and other premium perks like reimbursement for the application fee for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck.

Cardmembers also don’t have access to Priority Pass, whereas other cobranded hotel credit cards like the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card and Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card offer unlimited visits to Priority Pass lounges. It’s true that those cards come with notably higher annual fees than the Bevy card, but even the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card offers members 10 Priority Pass visits per year for a low annual fee ($0 introductory fee the first year, then $95; see rates and fees). Enrollment in advance is required for some of these benefits.

Fiji Marriott Resort Momi Bay. JT GENTER/THE POINTS GUY

How to earn points

The Marriott Bonvoy Bevy American Express Card has earning rates that will feel familiar, though they are slightly different from those we’ve seen with other Marriott credit cards like the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card and Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card.

Cardholders can earn 6 Marriott Bonvoy points per dollar on purchases at hotels participating in the Marriott Bonvoy program, 4 points per dollar on the first $15,000 per year in combined purchases at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (then 1 point per dollar after reaching this limit) and 2 points per dollar on other eligible purchases.

TPG values Marriott Bonvoy points at 0.84 cents apiece. This means your rate of return on spending will be 5.04% (purchases earning 6 points per dollar), 3.36% (purchases earning 4 points per dollar) or 1.68% (other purchases earning 2 points per dollar).

The earning rates on everyday spending aren’t the best. Other cards can provide a better option for earning points and miles on non-bonus spending categories, such as the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card or Citi® Double Cash Card. Additionally, there are no bonus earning rates on gas or on airfare, so make sure you also have credit cards that earn well in those categories.

How to redeem points

There are many lucrative ways to redeem your Marriott Rewards points. The first and most apparent redemption is for free stays. With the ability to book at more than 8,000 properties across 30 brands in nearly 140 countries, you’ve got a lot of choices. The Marriott global portfolio has many fantastic hotels, including some of the world’s most luxurious properties.

These include a number of Ritz-Carlton and St. Regis properties, some of which are all-suite — such as the St. Regis Maldives — while others sit in dreamy destinations, like the Al Maha Resort in the desert outside Dubai. Rooms at top-tier properties like these typically cost 100,000 points (or even more) per night. That may seem like a hefty price in points, but it isn’t that bad, considering room rates can be $1,500-plus per night most of the year. That would provide a redemption value of 1.5 cents per point — nearly double our standard valuation for Marriott points.

Updated rooms at Courtyard by Marriott hotels. MARRIOTT

It’s worth remembering that Marriott removed its award chart in favor of a dynamic pricing scheme in March 2022. While it did keep 97% of its hotels within existing pricing bands through the end of 2022, the program will move to a completely dynamic model for all properties from 2023. Keep this in mind when you’re searching for properties, especially as prices tend to balloon around peak travel dates and holidays.

While Marriott allows you to book awards in advance even if you don’t have all the points you need, this doesn’t lock in the price you see. The price could go up or down, and you’ll ultimately pay the final price at the time of confirming your reservation (once you have the points necessary). This could be a disappointment if you put a hotel on hold for 30,000 points per night but then see a final price of 40,000 points per night when it’s time to pay. Multiply that across a weeklong vacation and you’re looking at a sizable difference.

Luckily, if you’re staying five nights or more at a Marriott Bonvoy hotel and using points, you’ll get the fifth night free. This only works on points stays and not when using free night awards, however.

But you can get more than free hotel nights with these points. Unlike Hilton and Hyatt points, there’s a potential for some great value when turning Marriott points into airline miles. Marriott points can be transferred to a whopping 30-plus frequent flyer programs. All but two partners have a pretty solid 3:1 point-to-mile transfer ratio, and you’ll also enjoy a 5,000-mile bonus for every 60,000 points transferred — dropping the effective transfer rate to an even-better 2.4:1.

Which cards compete with the Amex Marriott Bonvoy Bevy?

The Amex Marriott Bonvoy Bevy has found a new position in hotel credit cards. Many hotel credit cards sit at $95 or less per year in annual fees, while their luxury counterparts carry an annual fee of $450 or higher. With a $250 annual fee (see rates and fees), let’s look at which cards compete with the Amex Marriott Bonvoy Bevy’s new middle ground by way of similar perks and benefits.

JW Marriott, Anaheim Resort. ARIANA ARGHANDEWAL/THE POINTS GUY

Marriott’s most premium credit card is the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card. Previously bearing an annual fee of $450, this jumped to $650 as of Sept. 22, 2022. The card confers automatic Platinum Elite status, an annual free night award worth up to 85,000 points and up to $300 per year in statement credits for dining purchases. When staying at Marriott Bonvoy properties, it earns the same 6 points per dollar as you will get from the Amex Marriott Bonvoy Bevy card.

Related: The best hotel credit cards

Another premium hotel credit card offering elite perks is the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card, which carries an annual fee of $450 (see rates and fees). This card offers a wealth of benefits: top-tier Diamond status with Hilton Honors, a weekend night award each year on your account anniversary, up to $250 in Hilton resort statement credits each cardmember year, up to $250 in annual airline incidental credits each calendar year, Priority Pass membership and up to $100 in on-property credits when booking a paid stay of two nights or longer at Waldorf Astoria or Conrad properties with a special offer code for cardholders. Enrollment is required in advance for select benefits.

The information for the Hilton Aspire card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

Another card that could help you earn Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status — at least temporarily — is the Chase Sapphire Reserve. This is a premium travel card with an annual fee of $550, offering things like Priority Pass membership, reimbursement for your application fee for TSA PreCheck or Global Entry, an annual travel credit of up to $300 (what qualifies for this credit is very broad) and strong earning categories. The Ultimate Rewards points earned on this card can be transferred directly to Marriott Bonvoy, though it’s not always the most valuable use of Ultimate Rewards.

Plus, through Sept. 30, 2022, cardholders can enroll for three months of complimentary Gold status with Marriott Bonvoy. In order to retain this status through February 2024, you’ll need to stay at least three nights with Marriott Bonvoy on paid stays — no points redemptions.

If you’re looking for a premium card that offers elite status without any effort required, consider The Platinum Card® from American Express. Cardholders can enroll for complimentary Gold status with both Marriott Bonvoy and Hilton Honors, and this status is retained for as long as you hold the card. There are no stay requirements to retain your status. Additional perks for cardmembers include access to lounges from Priority Pass, Plaza Premium and Amex Centurion, as well as elite status with car rental programs and access to up to nearly $1,500 in annual credits. All of this comes with an annual fee of $695 (see rates and fees). Plus, the points earned can be transferred directly to Marriott for award redemptions, sometimes taking advantage of transfer bonuses. Enrollment is required for select benefits.

Lastly, if you’re looking for a card that provides some benefits with Marriott Bonvoy without a high annual fee, consider the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card. With a $95 annual fee, it offers automatic entry-level Silver Elite status with Marriott, 15 elite night credits per year and a free night award given automatically each year on the account anniversary. This award is worth up to 35,000 points.

The JW Marriott Orlando Bonnet Creek. ANDREA ROTONDO/THE POINTS GUY

Bottom line

Hearing that there’s a new Marriott credit card and seeing that the welcome offer is worth $1,050 will definitely grab people’s attention. The Amex Marriott Bonvoy Bevy card is positioned between luxury hotel cards with annual fees of $450-plus and entry-level cards with annual fees under $100.

However, the Bevy card lacks perks most people have come to consider standard with a $250 annual fee, such as free night awards given automatically, lounge memberships, statement credits for hotel stays or access to expedited security programs — all things that help offset the card’s annual fee.

It’s easy to see how cardmembers can obtain value from the Amex Marriott Bonvoy Bevy card during the first year, thanks to its valuable welcome offer. But given the earning structure and the benefits available to cardmembers, it may be hard to justify keeping this card in your wallet in year two (and beyond) — especially when other Marriott cards offer similar perks at lower annual fees.

Official application link: Marriott Bonvoy Bevy American Express Card with a 125,000-point welcome offer after spending $4,000 on new purchases within the first three months of card membership.

For rates and fees of the Amex Marriott Bonvoy Bevy, click here.
For rates and fees of the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant Amex, click here.
For rates and fees of the Hilton Aspire Card, click here.
For rates and fees of the Hilton Surpass Card, click here.
For rates and fees of the Amex Platinum Card, click here.