Is The Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant Card Worth It? How I Make The Math Work

I've been asking myself that question, more and more, lately. Since the recent Marriott devaluation (and the subsequent increased cap for adding extra points to the 85K certificate, now up to 25K more, 110K total), I've been considering closing the card. $650 annual fee (and probably will increase, because, well, they always do, don't they?), coupon credits with the $25/month dining (ok, so there's $300/year), meaning need that 85K certificate to be worth at least $350 to breakeven. That used to be easy; now it's getting harder because points are worth about 0.6 cents (when they used to be closer to 0.8). So, should be able to find a $350-510 value, minimum. But, the kicker is that high-value, aspirational Marriott properties (think, St. Regis, Ritz-Carlton, Edition, etc.) were increasing their points required, oddly, to 101K (probably now gonna be 111K), so just out of reach to use the 85K. Anyway, if you get good value, then the Platinum status helps with complimentary breakfasts (where still honored), without having to stay 40+ nights/year, etc.

Excellent analysis, thank.

This card really saves us a lot of money on upscale stays.

We just did the St. Regis in Chicago on a n ANC. We also got a welcome amenity, $75 breakfast credit and early check in and late checkout.
The room rate when we booked was $699 although I saw the last minute rate was a bit over $1000.

Last year we did the Newport Resort and Spa. $834 a night rate, wonderful breakfast overlooking the marina in July and a $30 F&B credit above that.

These are real world examples that have saved us hundreds of dollars.

And we get other lounge and breakfast benefits throughout the year.

People accuse me of being a brown noser or an employee but I am not.

I am just a reasonably intelligent person that can do math.

Figure out breakfast at Newport was also worth $75 you get:
(834+300+75+30)-$650=$589.00 savings.

If anybody disagrees about this they need to show me how my math is wrong.

If you can’t figure out how to get value out of this card there are no ifs, ands or buts that you are one or more of the following:

Bad at math
To lazy to do research
Or like to be a contrarian because it makes you feel important

Admittedly, if you have no interest in doing an upscale stay then this card isn’t for you.

We hope to use our two ANC’s with points for a week at Hapuna Beach for just $1300 out of pocket for the AF’s instead of $8400.

Thanks for a good post explaining how to use this card’s benefits.

Every year I want to cancel this card, but just can't do it. The finances are clear. Very hard to lose money on this one.

Every year I want to cancel this card, but just can't do it. The finances are clear. Very hard to lose money on this one.

One other benefit to highlight is the credit for renewing Global Entry/TSA Precheck, which I am going to utilize this year.

I kept thinking I would cut up my Marriott card but several years on I still have one and even upgraded to the Brilliant from the "regular" AMEX. One thing that pushed me towards upgrading to the Brilliant was the Hilton Surpass getting rid of their Priority Pass benefit, plus one year I was not going to requalify for Platinum status which despite its inconsistencies and sometimes lackluster offerings I find useful since I find myself staying at Marriotts more and more now.

I will say that since I my travel plans are now pivoting more towards travel within US/Canada instead of internationally it is harder to find a "good" use of the 85K certificate, since it always comes with a whiff of "when am I going to say that a mid/upper tier Westin/Autograph/JW Marriott in a high-cost city is not enough and I must go for a Ritz Carlton/St Regis? And only for one night?"

Technically if you keep the card for 20 years, you'll get lifetime plat . Less if you actually stay at hotels. After hitting lifetime though, I'm not sure if it's really worth keeping.

Provided the 85k cert remains mostly useful, keeping this card is a no-brainer for me. $300 dining credit is also easy for me to use (there’s a restaurant a block away from home that I can order online and split payment).

Also having the Ritz-Carlton card and its 85k cert adds more value to me. I don’t often book a room for one night, but I regularly have 2 night stays, and being able to use both for a single stay really improves the value proposition.

Is the 85k certificate valid for 10 or so months only?

I still haven’t received my first one after opening the card - read that they’re despoiled into accounts with a 2-month delay?

Do you mean at least 24 years without any Marriott hotel stays to get lifetime platinum with this Brilliant card?

Now, of course you’re already getting Platinum Elite status with the card, so what’s the benefit of this?

Lifetime membership, too. No?

You guys in the US are really spoiled with these credit cards. It's nothing like that in Europe!

No. if it came with two 50k night awards instead, sure.

Market versus planned economy.

You're kidding , right ? I doubt any real thrift advisor would agree , right ?

Still 12 Months - just takes time to get deposited initially. You can expect the following year's certificate to post 12 months after the first certificate posts

I think you hardly made the case for getting this card. Seems more of a product ad disguised as a blog post than anything else.

So you pay money for 24 years without using any benefits of Marriott.

Save those annual fees and buy contraceptives.

Lol, what are you going to do with a 50k night award? This isn't the 1980s. Courtyard Marriotts cost at least 65k points anymore.

Demonstrably false statement:

I went Marriott.com

Searched for a random day in April and got 1047 Courtyards.

On the first page of 40 hotels only one was significantly above 35k and that was the one by Disneyland’s entrance for 74K/$534.

37 of them were in the range of 10.4K to 25k.

The bonus can only be earned in the first year, if you meet the spending requirements. What you'll get for renewing next year is the free night award (currently valid at hotels that cost up-to 85,000 points).