Marriott Bonvoy Bevy American Express credit card review: Full details

The Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express® Card affords mid-tier perks, together with computerized Gold Elite standing, stable points-earning at Marriott properties and elite evening credit. Nonetheless, it lacks a number of advantages that you just would possibly anticipate from a card with a $250 annual price (see rates and fees). Card score*: ⭐⭐⭐

*Card rating is predicated on the opinion of TPG’s editors and isn’t influenced by the cardboard issuer.

Marriott has six cobranded cards accessible to new cardholders, with annual charges starting from $0 to $650 per 12 months. The Marriott Bonvoy Bevy American Express Card sits within the center, with an annual price of $250 (see rates and fees).

The cardboard lacks one characteristic we have come to anticipate with lodge bank cards: a complimentary free evening every year in your account anniversary, which can go away you questioning whether or not it affords sufficient ongoing advantages to make the annual price price paying 12 months after 12 months.

It’s price noting that the advisable credit score for this card is 670 or above and that it has some software restrictions like the remainder of the Bonvoy lineup. However should you’re eligible, let’s dig deeper to resolve whether or not the Amex Marriott Bonvoy Bevy card deserves a spot in your pockets.

The Bonvoy Bevy Amex at present affords 155,000 bonus factors after utilizing your card to spend $5,000 on eligible purchases within the first six months of card membership. Provide ends Oct. 2.

Primarily based on TPG’s August 2024 valuations of Marriott factors at 0.85 cents every, the 155,000 factors are price $1,318. That is near the best-ever offer we have now seen for the cardboard and is very price contemplating should you’ve been eyeing it for a while.

Keep in mind that Amex has restrictions limiting your ability to gather a brand new member bonus should you’ve had comparable Marriott merchandise from Chase or earlier Starwood Most well-liked Visitor playing cards from American Categorical. Test the cardboard’s provide particulars web page to make sure you’re eligible.

Associated: The best time to apply for these Amex cards based on offer history

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The place the Bonvoy Bevy Amex shines essentially the most is within the perks it affords:

• Marriott Gold Elite standing: Main cardholders obtain complimentary Marriott Gold status for so long as they’ve the cardboard. TPG values Marriott’s Gold status at $805 per 12 months. At Marriott Bonvoy’s mid-tier stage, the most valuable benefits of Gold standing are upgrades to enhanced rooms and a 25% factors bonus on lodge spending (accessible for Qualifying Charges). Usually, we have now seen the power to spend your option to greater ranges of elite standing with many lodge bank cards, however that is noticeably absent on the Amex Marriott Bonvoy Bevy card. Enrollment is required upfront for this elite standing profit.
• Annual free evening award through spending: Cardholders who make not less than $15,000 in eligible purchases in the course of the calendar 12 months can earn a free evening award price as much as 50,000 factors at taking part resorts (though sure resorts have necessary resort fees). That is extra useful than the free evening certificates that include the lower-tier Marriott playing cards, that are capped at 35,000 points. A number of the greatest makes use of of the 50,000-point free night certificate embrace luxurious resorts equivalent to The Ritz-Carlton, Macau and The St. Regis Langkawi, the place rooms routinely prime $500 per evening — although Marriott’s dynamic pricing can have an effect on the power to guide a few of these properties throughout peak journey dates. Another Bonvoy playing cards provide free evening certificates with none spending, such because the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card and the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card.

*Eligibility and profit stage varies by card. Phrases, circumstances and limitations apply. Go to americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for particulars. Insurance policies are underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance coverage Firm, an AIG Firm.
**Eligibility and profit stage varies by card. Phrases, circumstances and limitations apply. Go to americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for particulars. Insurance policies are underwritten by AMEX Assurance Firm.
***Eligibility and profit stage varies by card. Not all automobile sorts or leases are coated, and geographic restrictions apply. Phrases, circumstances and limitations apply. Go to americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for particulars. Insurance policies are underwritten by AMEX Assurance Firm. Protection is obtainable via American Categorical Journey Associated Providers Firm, Inc.

Whereas these perks provide some worth, it is disappointing to not see a free evening award given routinely on the cardboard’s account anniversary every year and different premium perks like reimbursement for the application fee for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck.

Associated: Is the Marriott Bonvoy Bevy worth the annual fee?

The Bonvoy Bevy Amex’s incomes charges really feel acquainted. Nonetheless, they differ barely from these of different Marriott bank cards, such because the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant Amex and Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card.

Cardholders will earn 6 Marriott Bonvoy points per greenback on eligible purchases at resorts taking part within the Marriott Bonvoy program, 4 factors per greenback on the primary $15,000 per 12 months in mixed purchases at eating places worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (then 2 factors per greenback after reaching this restrict) and a couple of factors per greenback on different eligible purchases.

TPG’s valuations peg Marriott Bonvoy factors at 0.85 cents apiece. This implies your fee of return on spending can be 5.1% (purchases incomes 6 factors per greenback), 3.4% (purchases incomes 4 factors per greenback) or 1.7% (different purchases incomes 2 factors per greenback).

Associated: 17 ways to earn lots of Marriott Bonvoy points

There are numerous profitable methods to redeem your Marriott Bonvoy points. The apparent and Most worthy redemption is without spending a dime stays. With the power to guide greater than 8,000 properties throughout 30 manufacturers in practically 140 nations, you have obtained a variety of decisions.

Past lodge stays, you may switch your Bonvoy factors to airline companions, use them to cowl flights, automobile leases and cruises or redeem them for merchandise and present playing cards. Nonetheless, these choices will possible yield properly beneath TPG’s August 2024 valuation of Marriott factors is 0.85 cents per level, so we advocate utilizing your factors for Bonvoy stays at any time when doable.

TPG senior factors and miles author Katie Genter will get nice worth from her Marriott factors by redeeming for stays in increments of 5 nights to maximise Marriott’s stay for five, pay for four offer. She’ll often contemplate transferring factors to one in every of Marriott’s airline companions however often prefers to avoid wasting her factors for stays.

Associated: Maximizing redemptions with the Marriott Bonvoy program

You too can transfer your Bonvoy points to greater than 35 airline companions, however this hardly ever affords good worth until you might want to prime off an account stability for flight redemptions.

You might also contemplate this feature if you would like entry to the frequent flyer factors or miles of an airline that does not associate with any of the foremost U.S. bank card issuers.

Associated: When does it make sense to transfer Marriott points to airlines?

For extra choices, try our full checklist of the best hotel cards.

Associated: Which Marriott Bonvoy credit card is right for you?

The data for the Hilton Aspire card has been collected independently by The Factors Man. The cardboard particulars on this web page haven’t been reviewed or supplied by the cardboard issuer.

It is easy to see how cardmembers can receive worth from the Marriott Bonvoy Bevy Amex in the course of the first 12 months, because of its useful welcome provide. However given the incomes construction and the advantages accessible to cardmembers, it may be hard to justify keeping this card in your wallet in year two (and past) — particularly when other Marriott cards provide comparable perks at decrease annual charges.

Apply right here: Marriott Bonvoy Bevy American Express Card

Associated: How to choose a hotel credit card

For charges and charges of the Amex Marriott Bonvoy Bevy, click on here.
For charges and charges of the Marriott Bonvoy Sensible Amex, click on here.
For charges and charges of the Hilton Aspire Card, click on here.