Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant Card Platinum Elite Status: How It Works

Folks, dont fall for this Bonvoy Platinum nonsense. This status is practically worthless, and I am disappointed to see it pumped up so vigorously just for credit card referral fees. Please don't fall for the marketing lies, save your $650 and use a different hotel company.

I'd say it 'works' about 50/50... Ritz-Carlton's don't honor Platinum breakfast benefit, for instance. (Which is quite lame.)

Even with the additional 25K (up to 110K) add-on to the 85K certificate, it's becoming challenging to find availability at aspirational properties. Like, burning it on a Courtyard Marriott... Bonvoy'd.

If you don't get status the organic way and you stay at nice hotels on occasion...the free breakfast is great too. Saved god knows how much when we stayed at the St Regis Maldives and stuffing our faces with the free breakfast.

If I open this card in, say, October 2026 then 2026 will still count as a year of platinum status for lifetime qualification, right?

So essentially, opening this card mid-year and keeping it for just a year will end up getting you 2 years of platinum status for lifetime purposes?

Vommuli Island! Oh man… did you try their lobster and crab omelette with caviar? It’s been a few years since I was there, but I was shocked that was included with the breakfast benefit. Like, probably should be a surcharge.

OMG it was so good. But yeah, 6 nights there with breakfast due to my card easily paid for the annual fee LOL.

Marriott is the BILT of hotels, as far complexity and poor service. But of course, Marriott’s value proposition is less.

This. Is. The. Way.

Well done!

@Gene

I would have to agree. I have made platinum 3 years now but have not seen much benefit to this status. Once I was upgraded to a suite on a business trip, but it was too much room for my needs. I have never been able to use any of the 5 nights upgrade things.

For my personal trips, Marriott is a brand of last resort.

So sites like this promote all this due to revenue generation. I am a Titantium and Amex Bonvoy Brilliant holder. The number of times this has netted me anything outside of a free 1000 points at check in I can count on one hand. I was in the Philippines at Marriot Clark which is a great property asked for an upgrade...was their for 110 days for work Manager said no since they book rooms the instant they are available. Them outside of Marriott Marriott brand in USA its total garbage half the time.

Throw in the fact that Marriott has over 10 billion USD in points floating on the books and have given people every method you can think about in accumulating them your status is worth nothing. Half the hotel has status. Garbage program, garbage chain.

Even with the additional 25K (up to 110K) add-on to the 85K certificate, it's becoming challenging to find availability at aspirational properties. Like, burning it on a Courtyard Marriott... Bonvoy'd.

@Gene

I would have to agree. I have made platinum 3 years now but have not seen much benefit to this status. Once I was upgraded to a suite on a business trip, but it was too much room for my needs. I have never been able to use any of the 5 nights upgrade things.

For my personal trips, Marriott is a brand of last resort.

Vommuli Island! Oh man… did you try their lobster and crab omelette with caviar? It’s been a few years since I was there, but I was shocked that was included with the breakfast benefit. Like, probably should be a surcharge.