Marriott is the largest hotel company in the world, with nearly 9,000 properties across more than 30 brands in more than 130 countries and territories.
Marriott brands include familiar favorites like Fairfield Inn, Four Points by Sheraton, Residence Inn, and Aloft. You can also redeem points for luxury stays at upscale brands such as St. Regis, Ritz-Carlton, and W Hotels.
If you're a Marriott loyalist, you can enjoy exclusive benefits and complimentary elite status with the right credit card. Business Insider's personal finance experts reviewed dozens of the top credit cards for Marriott stays, comparing annual fees, brand benefits, and potential drawbacks to bring you our top recommendations.
You can enjoy some of the best Marriott credit card offers when you sign up for a new credit card and use those rewards to jump-start your next vacation on points.
The Best Marriott Credit Cards of 2025
| Best for | Card | Annual Fee |
| No annual fee | Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card | $0 |
| Occasional Marriott guests | Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card | $95 |
| Top-tier Marriott benefits | Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card | $650 (rates and fees) |
| Business owners | Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card | $125 (rates and fees) |
Best for No Annual Fee
$0
N/A
20.49% - 27.49% Variable
Earn 30,000 bonus points
Good to Excellent
- No annual fee
- Cardholders get 15 elite night credits toward status
- Only offers strong rewards for Marriott purchases
The Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card comes with an increased limited-time welcome bonus and good perks for a no-annual-fee card, but unless paying an annual fee is a dealbreaker for you, other Marriott cards — like the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card , Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card, or Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card — are a better deal.
Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit CardThe Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card is the best Marriott credit card if you want to avoid paying for credit card benefits.
This no annual fee credit card offers generous perks including complimentary Marriott Silver elite status, which comes with late check-out when available and a 10% points bonus on hotel stays.
Cardholders also enjoy no foreign transaction fees, complimentary credit card travel insurance, and purchase protection benefits, plus five annual elite night credits toward your next tier of elite status (terms apply).
Finally, new cardholders also receive a credit card welcome bonus offer that's easy to earn, with enough points to cover a free night's stay in many lower-cost hotels.
Annual fee: $0
Complimentary Marriott elite status: Silver
Marriott elite night credits: 5
Earning rate: up to 14 total points per $1 spent at over 7,000 hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy®, 2 points for every $1 spent at grocery stores, rideshare, select food delivery, select streaming, and internet, cable, and phone services, and 1 point for every $1 spent on all other purchases
Welcome bonus: 30,000 bonus points after you spend $1,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening
Top benefits:
- Pay Yourself Back with Marriott points for qualifying flights and hotel bookings
- Travel Now, Pay Later no-interest payment plans
- Baggage delay insurance after six hours
- Lost luggage reimbursement
- Trip delay reimbursement after 12 hours
- Purchase protection
Learn more in our Marriott Bonvoy Bold credit card review.
Best for Occasional Marriott Guests
$95
N/A
20.49% - 27.49% Variable
Earn 3 Free Night Awards and 50,000 bonus points
Good to Excellent
- Annual free night reward for hotels that cost up to 35,000 points can be worth more than annual fee
- The only lucrative bonus category is participating Marriott Bonvoy hotels
- Upgrading to Gold status requires spending $35,000 on the card in an account year
If you want to earn Marriott points on your everyday spending, the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card is a great option with a reasonable annual fee and a generous welcome bonus offer. It comes with good benefits, including a free night award each card anniversary and elite status credits for meeting spending thresholds.
Marriott Bonvoy Boundless CardThe Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card is the best Marriott credit card for occasional travelers who want to earn their way to free nights and better hotel perks through everyday spending.
Cardholders get a free annual night certificate each year, valid at hotels that cost 35,000 points or less. If you stay at one of Marriott's lower-cost hotels at least once a year, this annual free night alone can help you justify the card's $95 annual fee. And new cardholders can score even more free stays in Year 1 by earning the generous welcome bonus.
This card earns decent rewards on household expenses. But Bonvoy points are only worth an average of 0.7 cents apiece according to our valuations of what points and miles are worth, so you won't find the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Card in our guides to the best credit cards for buying groceries, best credit cards for gas purchases, or best credit cards for dining.
Still, households can score a couple of free nights each year by using this card strategically.
Annual fee: $95
Complimentary Marriott elite status: Silver
Marriott elite night credits: 15
Earning rate: up to 17 points per dollar on purchases at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy®, 3 points per dollar on the first $6,000 spent in combined purchases each year on grocery stores, gas stations, and dining, and 2 per dollar points on all other purchases
Welcome bonus: 3 Free Night Awards, each valued up to 50,000 points, after spending $3,000 on purchases in your first three months from account opening, plus earn 50,000 bonus points after spending $6,000 on eligible purchases within six months of account opening
Top benefits:
- Annual free night award worth up to 35,000 Marriott Bonvoy points
- Earn 1 elite night credit toward elite status for every $5,000 you spend
- Earn Gold elite status after spending $35,000 on this card in a calendar year
- Complimentary premium in-room Wi-Fi
- No foreign transaction fees
- Baggage delay insurance after six hours
- Lost luggage reimbursement
- Trip delay reimbursement after 12 hours
- Purchase protection
Learn more in our Marriott Bonvoy Boundless credit card review.
Best for Top-Tier Marriott Benefits
$650
N/A
20.24% - 29.24% Variable
Earn up to 150,000 Marriott Bonvoy® bonus points
Good to Excellent
- Annual statement credits can save you money on Marriott stays
- You get a free reward night each year after your renewal month
- High annual fee
- Other cards are more rewarding for earning points on your spending
If you're loyal to Marriott, the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card can help you save money and improve your stays, thanks to automatic Marriott Platinum Elite status and lots of opportunities to earn additional points.
Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant®- Earn up to 150,000 Marriott Bonvoy® bonus points. Earn 100,000 points after you spend $6,000 and an extra 50,000 points after you spend an additional $2,000 in purchases on the Card within your first 6 months of Card Membership.
- $300 Brilliant Dining Credit: Each calendar year, get up to $300 (up to $25 per month) in statement credits for eligible purchases made on the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card at restaurants worldwide.
- With Marriott Bonvoy® Platinum Elite Status, you can receive room upgrades, including enhanced views or suites, when the stay is booked with a Qualifying Rate at hotels that participate in Marriott Bonvoy, subject to availability upon check-in.
- Earn 6X Marriott Bonvoy® points for each dollar of eligible purchases at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy®. Earn 3X Marriott Bonvoy® points at restaurants worldwide and on flights booked directly with airlines and 2X Marriott Bonvoy® points on all other eligible purchases made on the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card.
- Free Night Award: Receive 1 Free Night Award every year after your Card renewal month. Award can be used for one night (redemption level at or under 85,000 Marriott Bonvoy® points) at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy®. Certain hotels have resort fees.
- Each calendar year after spending $60,000 on eligible purchases on your Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card, you will be eligible to select a Brilliant Earned Choice Award benefit. You can only earn one Brilliant Earned Choice Award per calendar year. See https://www.choice-benefit.marriott.com/brilliant for Award options.
- $100 Marriott Bonvoy® Property Credit: Enjoy your stay. Receive up to a $100 property credit for qualifying charges at The Ritz-Carlton® or St. Regis® when you book direct using a special rate for a two-night minimum stay using your Card.
- Fee Credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®: Receive either a statement credit every 4 years after you apply for Global Entry ($120) or a statement credit every 4.5 years after you apply for a five-year membership for TSA PreCheck® (up to $85 through a TSA PreCheck official enrollment provider) and pay the application fee with your Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card. If approved for Global Entry, at no additional charge, you will receive access to TSA PreCheck.
- Each calendar year with your Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card you can receive 25 Elite Night Credits toward the next level of Marriott Bonvoy® Elite status. Limitations apply per Marriott Bonvoy member account. Benefit is not exclusive to Cards offered by American Express.
- Enroll in Priority Pass Select, which offers unlimited airport lounge visits to over 1,200 lounges in over 130 countries, regardless of which carrier or class you are flying. This allows you to relax before or between flights. You can enjoy snacks, drinks, and internet access in a quiet, comfortable location.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees on international purchases.
- With Cell Phone Protection*, you can be reimbursed, the lesser of, your repair or replacement costs following damage, such as a cracked screen, or theft for a maximum of $800 per claim when your cell phone line is listed on a wireless bill and the prior month's wireless bill was paid by an Eligible Card Account. A $50 deductible will apply to each approved claim with a limit of 2 approved claims per 12-month period. Additional terms and conditions apply. *Coverage is provided by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company.
- $650 Annual Fee.
- Apply with confidence. Know if you're approved for a Card with no impact to your credit score. If you're approved and you choose to accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.
- Terms Apply.
The Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® is the best Marriott credit card if you value premium benefits across the Marriott portfolio of hotels worldwide.
Cardholders get automatic Platinum elite status, which confers benefits including complimentary 4 p.m. late check-out and early check-in when available, 50% bonus points, and hotel lounge access when applicable (terms apply).
You'll also get an annual free night certificate worth up to 85,000 Bonvoy points each year after renewing your credit card, plus the ability to earn a second free night award after spending $60,000 on this card in a calendar year.
The card's $650 annual fee is high, but the card offers hundreds of dollars in annual statement credits, including up to $300 (up to $25/month) toward Marriott dining, $100 property credit toward eligible two-night bookings, and Priority Pass Select membership.
Annual fee: $650
Complimentary Marriott elite status: Platinum
Marriott elite night credits: 25
Earning rate: 6 points on eligible purchases at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy®, 3 points at restaurants worldwide and on flights booked directly with airlines, and 2 points on all other eligible purchases
Welcome bonus: 100,000 points after you spend $6,000 and an extra 50,000 points after you spend an additional $2,000 in purchases within the first six months of card membership
Top benefits:
- Annual free night award worth up to 85,000 Marriott Bonvoy points after you renew your credit card
- Priority Pass Select membership
- Up to $120 credit toward Global Entry or TSA PreCheck® enrollment every four to 4.5 years, depending on which program you choose
- 1 Earned Choice Award annually after spending $60,000 on the card in a calendar year: 5 Nightly Upgrade Awards, 1 Free Night Award worth up to 85,000 Bonvoy points, or $1,000 off of a Marriott Bonvoy retail brand mattress
- Complimentary credit card cell phone protection* of up to $800 on eligible claims with a $50 deductible
- Travel insurance benefits
*Coverage is provided by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company
Learn more in our Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant Amex card review.
Best for Business Owners
$125
N/A
20.24% - 29.24% Variable
Earn 3 Free Night Awards
Good to Excellent
- Comes with a free night reward every year after your card renewal month
- Earns 4 points on several bonus spending categories, including U.S. purchases for shipping and restaurants worldwide
- Complimentary Marriott Bonvoy Gold elite status
- Not the best option for earning rewards on non-bonus category purchases
- $125 annual fee may not be worth it for less frequent Marriott guests
Small-business owners with a credit card strategy of free hotel stays will get a lot of value from this card. Even if you own a part-time business or have a side hustle, the Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card is a great pick.
Marriott Bonvoy Business Amex Card- WELCOME OFFER: 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.
- Receive 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.
- 6x Marriott Bonvoy points on each dollar of eligible purchases at hotels participating in the Marriott Bonvoy® program.
- 4x points for purchases made 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.
- 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.
- Enjoy Complimentary Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite Status with your Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card.
- Terms apply.
The Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card is the best Marriott credit card for business owners who want to earn rewards toward hotel stays from company purchases.
Cardholders get a 7% discount on eligible bookings using the Amex Business Card Rate on the Marriott website or through the app. They also get one free night award worth up to 35,000 Bonvoy points after renewing this credit card each year. You can earn a second free night certificate by spending $60,000 on this card in a calendar year.
Annual fee: $125
Complimentary Marriott elite status: Gold
Marriott elite night credits: 15
Earning rate: 6 Marriott Bonvoy points on each dollar of eligible purchases at hotels participating in the Marriott Bonvoy® program, 4 points for purchases made 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 and 2 points on all other eligible purchases
Welcome bonus: 3 Free Night Awards, each with a redemption level of up to 50,000 points at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy®, after you use your new card to make $6,000 in eligible purchases within the first six months of card membership
Top benefits:
- Annual free night award worth up to 35,000 Marriott Bonvoy points after you renew your credit card
- Earn one additional free night award each year after spending $60,000 on this card in a calendar year
- 7% discount on eligible hotel bookings using Amex Business Card rates
Learn more in our Marriott Bonvoy Business Amex card review.
Other Marriott Credit Cards
Marriott offers two other credit cards that didn't make the cut for our top recommendations: the Marriott Bonvoy Bevy® American Express® Card and the Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful™ Card.
Both cards have annual fees on the higher side, but offer less overall value for most travelers than the lower-cost Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card or the premium Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant®.
Marriott Bonvoy Bevy® American Express® Card
The Marriott Bonvoy Bevy® American Express® Card has a $250 annual fee (rates and fees) and a solid welcome bonus of 85,000 points after you spend $5,000 and an extra 50,000 points after you spend an additional $2,000 in purchases within the first six months of card membership, worth about $945 in stays based on Business Insider's points and miles valuations.
It also comes with complimentary Gold Elite status and 15 annual elite night credits, plus 1,000 bonus points for each qualifying stay when you pay with your card.
However, the Marriott Bonvoy Bevy® Card doesn't offer an automatic anniversary free night. Instead, cardholders can earn a free night award worth up to 50,000 points after spending $15,000 on this card in a calendar year.
Learn more in our Marriott Bonvoy Bevy credit card review.
Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful™ Card from Chase
The Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful™ Card is nearly identical to the Marriott Bonvoy Bevy® Card, with a similar $250 annual fee.
But it's offered by Chase instead of Amex, and has a lower welcome bonus of 85,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 in purchases in your first three months from your account opening, worth about $595 in travel according to Insider's valuations.
Learn more in our Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful credit card review.
Get Marriott Benefits Without a Marriott Credit Card
There are many ways to enjoy Marriott perks without getting a Marriott-branded hotel credit card. In fact, we recommend travel rewards credit cards for people who aren't loyal to individual brands because their reward structures offer more flexibility, and their points are often more valuable.
In the sections below, we'll introduce you to five of the best non-branded travel credit cards for Marriott fans.
Best Card with Marriott Benefits for Non-Loyalists
$695
N/A
See Pay Over Time APR
Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards® points
Good to Excellent
- Long list of travel benefits, including airport lounge access and complimentary elite status with Hilton and Marriott (enrollment required)
- Statement credits with Saks and Uber (enrollment required)
- Bonus categories leave something to be desired
- One of the highest annual fees among premium travel cards
If you want as many premium travel perks as possible, The Platinum Card® from American Express could be the right card for you. The annual fee is high, but you get a long list of benefits such as airport lounge access, travel statement credits, and more.
Amex Platinum Card- Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 on eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
- 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 and earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel®.
- $200 Hotel Credit: Get up to $200 back in statement credits each year on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts® or The Hotel Collection bookings through American Express Travel using your Platinum Card®. The Hotel Collection requires a minimum two-night stay.
- $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.
- Enjoy the benefits of the Global Lounge Collection, with over $500 of annual value if you visit Centurion Lounges and each of our partner lounges including Delta Sky Club® lounges when flying an eligible Delta flight (subject to visit limitations) , select Lufthansa lounges when flying Lufthansa, Plaza Premium lounges and Escape Lounges, and enroll in Priority Pass Select. See terms.
- A Walmart+ membership can get you free shipping with no order minimum on eligible items shipped by Walmart. Use your Platinum Card® to pay for a monthly Walmart+ membership (subject to auto-renewal) and receive one statement credit for up to $12.95 (plus applicable taxes. Plus Ups not eligible) each month. Free Shipping excludes most Marketplace items, freight & certain location surcharges. Paramount+ Essential plan only, separate registration required.
- $200 Airline Fee Credit: Select one qualifying airline and then receive up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year when incidental fees are charged by the airline to your Platinum Card® Account. American Express relies on airlines to submit the correct information on airline transactions to identify incidental fee purchases. If you do not see a credit for a qualifying incidental purchase on your eligible Card after 8 weeks, simply call the number on the back of your Card. Qualifying airlines are subject to change. See terms & conditions for more details.
- $200 Uber Cash: Platinum Card® Members can ride or dine in style with $15 in Uber Cash each month, plus a bonus $20 in December after adding their Card to their Uber account. Use your Uber Cash on rides and orders in the U.S. when you select an Amex Card for your transaction.
- $199 CLEAR® Plus Credit: CLEAR® Plus helps get you to your gate faster by using unique facial attributes to verify you are you at 50+ airports nationwide. Receive up to $199 per Calendar year in statement credits, when you pay for a CLEAR Plus Membership (subject to auto-renewal) with the Platinum Card.
- Receive either a $120 statement credit every 4 years for a Global Entry application fee or a statement credit up to $85 every 4.5 years for a TSA PreCheck® (through a TSA official enrollment provider) application fee, when charged to your Platinum Card®. Card Members approved for Global Entry will also receive access to TSA PreCheck at no additional cost.
- Shop Saks with Platinum: Get up to $100 in statement credits annually for purchases in Saks Fifth Avenue stores or at saks.com on your Platinum Card®. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- Use Global Dining Access by Resy to access premium dining experiences. Receive Priority Notify and unlock insider access to some of the world's most sought-after restaurants with Global Dining Access by Resy. Download the Resy iOS app or log into Resy.com and add your Platinum Card® to your Resy profile to take advantage of your special benefits and discover restaurants near you.
- $695 annual fee.
- Apply with confidence. Know if you're approved for a Card with no impact to your credit score. If you're approved and you choose to accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.
- Terms Apply.
The Platinum Card® from American Express is the best travel rewards card for travelers who aren't exclusively loyal to Marriott but want to enjoy elite status with the brand.
This card earns Amex points, and Marriott is an American Express points transfer partner, so you can use rewards you earn on this card to help cover award stays at Marriott hotels.
Alternatively, you can book select high-end Marriott hotels through the American Express Travel Fine Hotels + Resorts program for elite-esque perks such as an annual statement credit of up to $200 on qualifying bookings, daily free breakfast for two, hotel credit toward spa or dining expenses, and room upgrades where available (terms apply).
Amex Platinum Cardholders can also enroll to receive complimentary Marriott Bonvoy® Gold status (as well as complimentary Hilton Honors elite status) (enrollment required).
The Amex Platinum Card has a $695 annual fee (rates and fees).
Learn more in our American Express Platinum card review.
Best for Point Transfers to Marriott
Many of the best Chase cards earn Chase Ultimate Rewards® points, which are some of the most valuable rewards across the world of loyalty program "currencies" because they're easy to earn and redeem.
You can earn Chase points on many different cards, from premium credit cards with airport lounge access down to several of the best credit cards with no annual fees. In turn, those rewards can be used with well over a dozen of the world's best-known airlines and hotels that partner with Chase — including Marriott Bonvoy.
Our top Chase card picks for Marriott fans are the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card (rates and fees) and the Chase Sapphire Reserve® (rates and fees).
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
$95
N/A
19.99% - 28.24% Variable
Earn 60,000 bonus points
Good to Excellent
- High intro bonus offer starts you off with lots of points
- Strong travel coverage
- Doesn't offer a Global Entry/TSA PreCheck application fee credit
If you're new to travel rewards credit cards or just don't want to pay hundreds in annual fees, the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is a smart choice. It earns bonus points on a wide variety of travel and dining purchases and offers strong travel and purchase coverage, including primary car rental insurance.
Chase Sapphire Preferred- Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
- Enjoy benefits such as 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases, $50 Annual Chase Travel Hotel Credit, plus more.
- Earn up to $50 in statement credits each account anniversary year for hotel stays through Chase Travel℠
- 10% anniversary points boost - each account anniversary you'll earn bonus points equal to 10% of your total purchases made the previous year.
- Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.
- Complimentary DashPass which unlocks $0 delivery fees & lower service fees for a min. of one year when you activate by 12/31/27. Plus, a $10 promo each month on non-restaurant orders.
- Member FDIC
Marriott aficionados can't go wrong with the $95-annual-fee Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, which offers a generous welcome bonus of 60,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.
Business Insider pegs Chase points as worth 1.8 cents each, on average, making this bonus worth about $1,080 in travel. Because you can transfer Chase Ultimate Rewards® points to Marriott Bonvoy at a 1:1 ratio, you can consider this bonus as an equal number of Marriott points.
The points you earn from this welcome bonus and from everyday expenses can easily offset your next Marriott stay. Alternatively, use the card's annual credit of up to $50 off eligible hotels booked through Chase to kick off your next Marriott vacation.
Learn more in our Chase Sapphire Preferred card review.
Chase Sapphire Reserve®
$550
N/A
20.24% - 28.74% Variable
Earn 60,000 bonus points
Good to Excellent
- Annual travel credit can effectively shave $300 off the annual fee if you use it
- Strong travel insurance
- Strong bonus rewards on travel and dining
- Very high annual fee
If you're new to rewards credit cards you may want to start elsewhere, but if you know you want to earn Chase points and you spend a lot on travel and dining, the Sapphire Reserve is one of the most rewarding options.
Chase Sapphire Reserve- Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
- $300 Annual Travel Credit as reimbursement for travel purchases charged to your card each account anniversary year.
- Earn 5x total points on flights and 10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Travel℠ immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually. Earn 3x points on other travel and dining & 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases
- Get 50% more value when you redeem your points for travel through Chase Travel℠. For example, 60,000 points are worth $900 toward travel.
- 1:1 point transfer to leading airline and hotel loyalty programs
- Access to 1,300+ airport lounges worldwide after an easy, one-time enrollment in Priority PassTM Select and up to $120 application fee credit every four years for Global Entry, NEXUS, or TSA PreCheck®
- Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Coverage, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.
- Member FDIC
The Chase Sapphire Reserve® is a premium travel credit card with airport lounge access and a generous $300 annual travel credit that can be used on almost any travel expense, which effectively cuts the card's $550 annual fee down to $250 out of pocket.
As with the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, you can transfer points earned with the Chase Sapphire Reserve® to Marriott Bonvoy.
And as with the Amex Platinum Card, Chase Sapphire Reserve® cardholders can book premium Marriott properties through The Edit by Chase Travel℠ to enjoy elite-like perks such as daily breakfast for two, $100 property credit toward dining or spa purchases, and complimentary upgrades when available.
Learn more in our Chase Sapphire Preferred card review, or read our comparison of the Chase Sapphire Preferred vs. Reserve credit cards to help you decide which option to get.
Best for Easy Redemptions
Chase points are easy to use, but Capital One rewards are even easier to redeem.
The best Capital One credit cards earn flexible rewards that are easy to use, either like cash back or by transferring to Capital One transfer partners. While you can often get better value by transferring points to airlines and hotels, many beginners to points and miles find it easiest to use them like cash back for travel expenses.
Even though Capital One doesn't partner with Marriott directly, cardholders can still use most Capital One credit cards to book Marriott stays directly through the hotel, then use their rewards to "erase" the travel purchase off of their statement credit.
Two of the best Capital One credit cards for travel are the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card and the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card.
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card is one of the easiest travel rewards credit cards to use. Cardholders can book Marriott hotels through the Capital One travel site to earn 5 miles per dollar spent, or book directly with the hotel and use points to cancel out the transaction at a rate of 1 cent per point.
Better yet, cardholders get up to $50 in annual credit toward hotel experiences booked through Capital One's Lifestyle Collection of premium properties.
This $95-annual-fee credit card comes with a generous welcome bonus of 75,000 miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first three months of account opening, worth around $1,275 in travel credit by our valuations.
Learn more in our Capital One Venture card review.
Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card is the most affordable premium travel credit card with airport lounge access. Its $395 annual fee isn't pocket change, but the complimentary annual credit of up to $300 toward travel booked through Capital One goes a long way toward canceling out the expense.
Capital One Venture X cardholders can book hotels through Capital One's Premier Collection to enjoy exclusive benefits such as a $100 experience credit to use during the stay, complimentary upgrades when available, daily breakfast, as well as early check-in and late check-out privileges when available. Finally, cardholders earn 10 miles per dollar when booking eligible hotel stays through Capital One.
Learn more in our Capital One Venture X Rewards credit card review.
Marriott Benefits From Credit Cards
Marriott credit cards offer some of the quickest ways to earn free nights and valuable hotel elite status.
If Marriott Bonvoy® is your hotel program of choice, it can make sense to get one of its many rewards credit cards to enjoy perks like bonus points, complimentary elite status, free reward nights, elite night credits, and more.
But if you aren't exclusively loyal to Marriott, you may find more value in choosing a travel credit card with transferable rewards that can be used for Marriott bookings.
When choosing the best fit for you, compare your personal needs and travel habits against the benefits and rewards available on each card. The right Marriott card will hit the perfect sweet balance of benefits and annual fees for your lifestyle.
Maximizing the Benefits of Your Marriott Credit Card
You'll get the most out of your Marriott credit card points, upgrades, and perks if you carefully track the rewards on your particular card and remember to utilize them before they expire.
Our guide to the best reward tracking apps can help you maintain your benefits in one convenient destination.
Why You Should Trust Us: How We Chose the Best Marriott Credit Cards
We've included more than just co-branded Marriott credit cards in this roundup, since some of the best travel credit cards offer better benefits for people who aren't exclusively loyal to Marriott.
Business Insider's credit card writers and editors have examined all cards on the market to give Marriott fans the best possible options — those that provide concrete Marriott-specific perks, as well as other benefits that will upgrade the rest of your travels.
When comparing credit cards for Marriott guests, we considered the following criteria:
- Value — If the credit card has an annual fee, we focused on the ones where benefits outweigh the cost, and where rewards are easy to earn and redeem.
- Versatility — We focused on credit cards that earn rewards that are easy to use with Marriott. For Marriott credit cards, we prioritized options that earn points from many different types of expenses; for non-Marriott credit cards, we looked for ways to use rewards on Marriott stays
- Elite benefits — The best credit cards for Marriott offer a little something extra for loyal travelers. Several of our top picks offer complimentary elite status and bonus perks for Marriott stays.
Read Business Insider's guide to how we rate and review credit cards for more about our methodology.
FAQs
Do Marriott credit cards have annual fees?
No, not all Marriott credit cards have annual fees. The Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card does not have an annual fee, ranging up to the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card which has a $650 annual fee (rates and fees).
What is the best Marriott credit card to have?
The best Marriott credit card for most loyalists is the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card, which comes with Marriott Silver elite status and a free annual night certificate each year worth up to 35,000 Marriott Bonvoy points. The no-annual-fee Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card also offers generous perks, including Silver elite status, travel insurance benefits, and Travel Now, Pay Later no-interest payment plans.
Which Marriott credit card gives you Platinum status?
The premium Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card comes with complimentary Platinum elite status, which gives you 4 p.m. late check-out when available, early check-in when available, free breakfast or welcome amenity at select properties, and hotel lounge access when applicable (terms apply).
Which credit cards give Marriott Gold status?
The Marriott Bonvoy Bevy® American Express® Card and the Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful™ Card, as well as the Amex Platinum Card, offer complimentary Marriott Bonvoy Gold elite status for cardholders (terms apply).
Are Marriott credit cards from Amex or Chase?
Marriott offers co-branded credit cards with both Amex and Chase, making it one of the only major hotel chains to partner with two different credit card issuers at the same time. If you have an Amex credit card, you cannot product-change to a Chase credit card and vice versa.
For rates and fees of The Platinum Card® from American Express, please click here.
