The Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card (review) is Marriott’s small business credit card. I find the card worthwhile for the annual free night award, plus the ability to earn 15 elite nights toward status annually.
Some positive changes were made to the card earlier in 2022, which I think cardmembers will be happy about.
Best of all, the card’s $125 annual fee (Rates & Fees) will remain unchanged. Let’s go over the details of these improvements in no particular order (these all kicked in as of July 21, 2022).
In this post:
Earn 4x Bonvoy points on restaurants globally
Historically the Marriott Bonvoy Business Amex has offered 4x points on U.S. restaurant spending; now, the card offers 4x points on restaurant spending globally. This is a very nice development, especially since Amex has historically limited some bonus categories to the United States.
In addition to this, the card offers 6x points on Marriott spending, 4x points on U.S. gas stations, U.S. purchases for shipping, and wireless telephone services purchased directly from U.S. service providers, plus 2x points on other purchases.
Earn Marriott Bonvoy Gold status
The Marriott Bonvoy Business Amex now offers Marriott Bonvoy Gold status for as long as you’re a cardmember, rather than just Silver status. Gold status offers perks like 25% bonus points, 2PM late check-out, enhanced Wi-Fi, a room upgrade subject to availability (to non-suites), etc.
Status gets most valuable when you get to the Platinum tier, so I wouldn’t get too excited about the Gold status. Fortunately, elite nights are easy to rack up with the card, as you get 15 annually just for being a cardmember.
7% Marriott room rate discount
The Marriott Bonvoy Business Amex now offers a 7% room rate discount. This applies off the standard rate, for a standard guest room booking at participating Marriott Bonvoy properties.
You need to pay with your business card to take advantage of this. The catch is that the discount is off the standard rate, and many of us will have access to equally good or even better rates otherwise. In other words, you may find that AAA rates, senior rates, Bonvoy member rates, advance purchase rates, etc., are either similarly priced or even cheaper.
If you’re an eligible cardmember and log into your Bonvoy account, you should see the “Amex Biz Card Member Rate” automatically listed in the section that shows eligible rates.
For example, I pulled up the rates for a stay at the Le Meridien Tampa. The standard rate was $180, and the Amex Biz Card rate was $171. Meanwhile the advance purchase rate was $153.
I then looked up the flexible AAA rate, which was $156.
So frankly, I’d consider this to be of limited value since this doesn’t actually seem to be better than existing rates for savvy travelers.
Bottom line
Some positive changes have just been made to the Marriott Bonvoy Business Amex. The card now offers Bonvoy Gold status for as long as you’re a cardmember, you earn 4x Bonvoy points on dining globally (rather than just in the United States), and cardmembers also get access to a 7% rate discount off the flexible rate.
These are all positive changes, though personally I wouldn’t consider any of these to be too huge of a deal. For me the core value proposition of the card continues to be an annual free night certificate plus 15 nights toward elite status, both of which help me earn status with Marriott.
If you’re considering picking up the card, keep in mind Marriott credit card eligibility restrictions.
What do you make of these Marriott Bonvoy Business Amex changes?
The following links will direct you to the rates and fees for mentioned American Express Cards. These include: Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card (Rates & Fees).
You don't mention what the Marriott corporate code to get the business Amex rates is. Usually it is three or four letters.
The 7 percent discount applies to the publicly available Standard Rate and not the member rate. For members, it's really closer to a 5 percent discount. And, it does not apply to package rates. And, it certainly does not apply to the cash portion of an award redemption. So, this new benefit is likely of little real value.
But, then, why would someone regularly patronize Marriott enough to get this card?
I'm actually more concerned about the Brilliant Card. With the change in $300 credits, and this card being better, I find it might convince people to switch.
Forgot the free night award still exists.
Is there a way to spend your way to Plat. status? You used to get 1 night for $3000 spend but I think that is gone. Is there any card that let's you spend enough to get plat. status? I have a personal and a business card so I get 30 nights a year but lately I haven't had enough nights in the hotel to get to 50. Thanks!
@ Don -- The Bonvoy Boundless Card offers one elite night for every $5K spent (in addition to 15 elite nights annually just for being a cardmember). On top of that, the Bonvoy Brilliant Card offers Platinum status when you spend $75K on the card in a calendar year.
@Don
If you can't even spend 20 nights at a Bonvoy property, I highly doubt spending money to get Platinum would really be worth it. If Covid causes you to travel less, don't worry you're not missing much. Plat benefits are still grossly cut due to pandemic and staffing.
Considering that Marriott declared Covid was over on June 30th, I would push back on any hotel that didn't offer full Plat benefits.
@Nate nate
Oh they offer all the Plat benefit, but it's not quite like it used to.
Reduced 'continental breakfast', shorter lounge hours with fewer offerings and almost never restock.
And the obvious "we have no upgrades available" even checking-in at 11 PM, up to the room to find out it wasn't clean yet, then miraculously a top floor corner room (2-3 category upgrade) is available to switch into. I'm sure suites are available...
@Nate nate
Oh they offer all the Plat benefit, but it's not quite like it used to.
Reduced 'continental breakfast', shorter lounge hours with fewer offerings and almost never restock.
And the obvious "we have no upgrades available" even checking-in at 11 PM, up to the room to find out it wasn't clean yet, then miraculously a top floor corner room (2-3 category upgrade) is available to switch into. I'm sure suites are available as they are still selling them. It's was a long day and too tired to fight.
Go figure.