Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful credit card review: Solid sign-up bonus with limited perks - The Points Guy
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The Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful Card is one of two brand-new Marriott cards that launched in September 2022. While it offers a lucrative sign-up bonus, the overall benefits fall short of what you'd might expect from a card that carries a $250 annual fee. Card rating*: ⭐⭐⭐
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 Bountiful Card from Chase launched on Sept. 22, 2022 along with its nearly-identical sibling, the Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express Card. The Bountiful card sits in the middle of the range of annual fees on Marriott credit cards, with an annual fee of $250.
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 from account opening. Beyond that, cardholders enjoy complimentary Marriott Gold status along with higher earning rates for hotel purchases and in some common spending categories.
That said, the card is missing a feature that you may consider standard for a hotel credit card: a complimentary free night when you renew your card. This is often included with introductory cards that have annual fees less than $100, so does the Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful card offer enough value to offset that gap?
Here's a full review of the Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful card to help you decide if it's a fit for your wallet.
The information for the Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful 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.
The Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful card could be a good option for those looking for automatic Marriott Bonvoy status but who aren't willing to pay higher annual fees for premium or luxury credit cards that offer higher status levels. It may also be a good choice for people who want the consumer protections it offers when shopping or traveling — though these aren't as robust as some higher-end cards.
Holders of the Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful enjoy automatic Gold Elite status for as long as the card remains open, without needing to reach the normal qualification threshold (25 nights per year). Additionally, when you swipe the card, you may be eligible for reimbursement if your trip is delayed or an item you purchased is damaged, and the annual fee that unlocks these protections is lower than other premium cards.
That said, if you're looking to make the most of your points and miles strategy, you may have difficulty justifying the card — especially because of the lack of perks.
Related: Which Marriott Bonvoy credit card is right for you?
Remember that Chase has application restrictions that you should be aware of if you decide to apply. While this is a new card and we don't have application data to confirm it, it's a near certainty that this card will be subject to Chase's 5/24 rule. If you've opened five or more credit cards in the past 24 months, and these can be seen on your credit report, then you will likely be denied when applying for this or any other credit card from Chase.
If you're interested in the Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful card but are ineligible due to 5/24, you may want to consider its nearly-identical sibling, the Amex Marriott Bonvoy Bevy card.
The Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful card has a current offer of 125,000 Marriott Bonvoy bonus points for applicants who use the new card to make $4,000 in eligible purchases within the first three months from account opening. Based on TPG's valuation of Marriott Bonvoy points at 0.84 cents each, the 125,000 points are worth $1,050.
Remember that there are restrictions on new member credit card bonuses if you’ve had similar Marriott credit card products from American Express or 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.
See also: The ultimate guide to credit card application restrictions
The Bonvoy Bountiful card offers some perks that could make it worthwhile for some travelers:
All that said, it's worth mentioning what's absent in the perks and benefits. In short, the card is missing a variety of things that are frequently found on cards with the same (or even lower) annual fees. This includes:
While unlimited Priority Pass access is usually reserved for cards with higher fees — like the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant™ American Express® Card and Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card — even the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card allows cardholders to enter a participating lounge 10 times per year for a lower annual fee ($0 introductory fee the first year, then $95; see rates and fees). Note that enrollment is required in advance is required for some of these benefits.
The Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful Card has similar earning rates to other Marriott credit cards like the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card and Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card. However, there are some notable differences.
For starters, Bountiful cardholders can earn 6 Marriott Bonvoy points per dollar on purchases at hotels participating in the Marriott Bonvoy program, which matches most other cobranded cards. Then, you'll earn 4 points per dollar at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $15,000 per year in combined purchases, then 1 point per dollar after reaching this limit). All other purchases will earn 2 points per dollar.
Related: Which credit card should you use for Marriott stays?
As noted previously, TPG's valuations peg Marriott Bonvoy points at 0.84 cents apiece. This translates into a 5.04% return at Marriott properties, a 3.36% return for the first $15,000 spent at restaurants and supermarkets and a 1.68% return for all other purchases.
This is decent for loyal Marriott travelers who want to boost their balances of Bonvoy points, but it's worth noting that other cards can provide a better option for earning rewards on non-bonus spending categories. These options include the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card or Citi® Double Cash Card. In addition, the Bountiful card is missing bonuses for other popular types of spending (like gas and airfare), so you may want to look elsewhere for purchases that fall outside the above categories.
There are many options when it comes time to use your Marriott points. Generally speaking, the best redemption is for free hotel stays. Marriott's global portfolio has more than 8,000 properties spanning 30 brands in nearly 140 countries. The range is quite broad, from budget spots like TownePlace Suites to higher-end brands like J.W. Marriott and Luxury Collection.
Some of the most luxurious locations are all-suite — like the St. Regis Maldives — while others offer all-inclusive experiences, like the Al Maha Resort in the desert outside Dubai. Some of Marriott's top-tier properties can reach 100,000 points (or even more) per night. That's a lot of points to use, but when you consider the fact that room rates can reach $1,500 per night, that would provide a redemption value of nearly double our valuation of Marriott points.
However, bear in mind that Marriott removed its published award chart in a move to a dynamic pricing scheme in March 2022. For now, 97% of its hotels have kept the old pricing bands through the end of this year. Unfortunately, the program will move to a fully dynamic model for all properties starting in 2023. If you earn the sign-up bonus on the Bountiful card now, you may want to book next year's award stays before the end of 2022.
It's worth noting that you can book awards with Marriott in advance, even when you're short on points. That said, doing so only confirms the room; it doesn't lock in the price you'll pay. Once you have the points you need to confirm the reservation, you'll pay the award rate in effect at that time. While this could save you points if the price drops, it could lead to disappointment if you put a hotel on hold and then ultimately need to pay 5,000 or even 10,000 extra points per night.
This may not be a huge deal for a shorter stay, but spread it across a weeklong vacation you'll see a hefty impact on the final price.
Luckily, Marriott does still give you a free night whenever you book a stay with points for five nights (or more). However, this only works when you use points for at least five of the nights. If one of those five nights is covered with a free night certificate, you won't be eligible.
Related: What impact did Marriott’s changes really have on the value of Bonvoy points?
Finally, Marriott points can be used for more than just hotel stays. You can transfer them to over 30 airline partners, and unlike Hilton and Hyatt points, there’s some solid potential when using Marriott points in this way. Most partners have a 3-to-1 transfer ratio, so 3,000 Marriott points will typically get you 1,000 airline miles. You’ll also get a 5,000-mile bonus for every 60,000 points transferred — improving the transfer rate to 2.4:1.
Related: How long do Marriott Bonvoy points take to transfer?
Most hotel credit cards have annual fees of around $100, while premium hotel cards can hit $450 or higher. On the other hand, the Bonvoy Bountiful card carries a $250 annual fee. We've seen mid-tier products like this launch in the airline world, but this (and the nearly identical Marriott Bonvoy Bevy Amex) are unique in the hotel loyalty program ecosystem.
Here's a quick rundown of the cards that compete with the Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful.
Marriott's premium credit card is the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card. This card now carries an annual fee of $650 as of Sept. 22, 2022 (see rates and fees), but this confers a wide variety of perks:
For stays at Marriott Bonvoy properties, the Bonvoy Brilliant provides the same 6 points per dollar as you will get from the Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful card. Enrollment is required in advance for select benefits.
Another premium hotel credit card comes from a competing loyalty program: the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card. This card carries an annual fee of $450 (see rates and fees) but also includes numerous benefits:
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.
If you're looking for a premium card that offers automatic elite status with multiple programs, you could also consider The Platinum Card® from American Express. Cardmembers can enroll to enjoy Gold status with both Marriott Bonvoy and Hilton Honors, and this will remain active for as long as you keep your account open. Additional perks include access to lounges from Priority Pass, Plaza Premium and Amex Centurion, elite status with car rental programs and access to nearly $1,500 in annual credits. The points you earn on the card can be transferred directly to Marriott for award redemptions, but they also give you tremendous flexibility for other redemptions as well. Enrollment is required in advance for select benefits.
However, the Amex Platinum carries an even higher annual fee of $695 (see rates and fees).
Lastly, if you're looking for a Marriott credit card with a lower cost each year, consider the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card. For just a $95 annual fee, you'll receive automatic entry-level Silver Elite status with Marriott, 15 elite night credits, and a free night award when you renew your card (worth up to 35,000 points).
Marriott's updated lineup of cobranded cards has arrived, and two of them are brand-new. With an annual fee of $250, the Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful card falls squarely between luxury hotel cards and entry-level cards that have annual fees under $100. And launching with a welcome offer worth over $1,000 is certainly a way to grab travelers' attention.
However, the Bountiful card falls short of offering the perks you'd expect from one with a $250 annual fee. There's no annual free night (you need to spend $15,000 in a year to earn one), and there are no statement credits for hotel stays or other purchases. Marriott Gold status is decent, but the perks aren't so valuable — and there are other ways to earn them.
The welcome bonus offers significant value from the Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful card in year one. However, it may be hard to justify keeping the card for the long term — especially when other Marriott cards offer similar perks at lower annual fees.
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.
