Newest Marriott Credit Cards: Bonvoy Bevy & Bountiful

Link: Learn more about the Marriott Bonvoy Bevy® American Express® Card

Details of Marriott Bonvoy’s newest credit cards

Marriott launched the Marriott Bonvoy Bevy® American Express® Card (review) and Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful™ Card from Chase. These cards have $250 annual fees (Rates & Fees), and the cards have virtually identical benefits.

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These cards are being marketed as being for those who want to earn points faster. For one, the cards arguably have the best rewards structure of any Bonvoy co-brand credit card, as they earn:

• 6x points on Marriott purchases
• 4x points on up to $15,000 in combined purchases per calendar year at restaurants globally and at U.S. supermarkets
• 2x points on all other eligible purchases 

In addition to that, the cards offer the following perks:

• Complimentary Gold Elite status for as long as you’re a cardmember
• 15 elite nights toward status annually
• A free night award valid at a property costing up to 50,000 points when you spend $15,000 on the card in a year
• 1,000 bonus points with each qualifying stay

My take on Marriott’s new credit cards

While it’s always nice to see new cards brought to the market, I have a hard time getting excited about either of these cards, at least in comparison to Marriott’s existing credit card portfolio:

• This is the first Marriott credit card with an annual fee where you have to spend money to earn a free night certificate, rather than just getting one automatically on your account anniversary each year
• The rewards structure still isn’t good enough that I’d want to spend much on the card; you’re still only earning 6x Bonvoy points at Marriotts and 2x Bonvoy points on non-bonused spending, just like Marriott’s other premium credit cards
• Gold Elite status isn’t especially valuable, as Platinum Elite status is where status really starts to count

I guess what it comes down to is that I think for the casual Marriott guest, the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card is a better option. Most significantly, the $95 annual fee card:

• Offers 15 elite nights toward status annually
• Offers a free night award annually at a property costing up to 35,000 points, with no spending requirement

Meanwhile, for the more frequent Marriott guest, I think the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card is the best option. The card has been fully refreshed, and for the $650 annual fee (Rates & Fees) you receive:

• Platinum Elite status for as long as you’re a cardmember, which is where status really gets valuable
• 25 elite nights toward status annually, which is useful if you want to earn Choice Benefits (like Suite Night Awards) or go for Titanium Elite or Ambassador Elite status
• A free night award valid at a property costing up to 85,000 Bonvoy points, with no spending requirement
• Up to $300 per year in restaurant credits, in the form of a $25 credit every month

It just seems like one of those options would be better for a vast majority of consumers than these new cards.

Lastly, Marriott’s card naming convention sure is… (I’m trying to think of an appropriate word that starts with “b,” but am struggling). To recap, we now have the Bevy, Bold, Boundless, Bountiful, Brilliant, and Business cards.

Bottom line

Today we’re seeing the launch of the new Marriott Bonvoy Bevy from American Express and Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful from Chase. These $250 annual fee consumer cards offer a somewhat improved points earning structure, 15 elite nights toward status annually, Gold Elite status, and free night awards in conjunction with spending.

Personally I think it makes more sense to either get the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card or Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card, as the cards offer better value, in my opinion.

What do you make of the Bonvoy Bevy and Bountiful credit cards?

The following links will direct you to the rates and fees for mentioned American Express Cards. These include: Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card (Rates & Fees), and Marriott Bonvoy Bevy® American Express® Card (Rates & Fees).