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Marriott Bonvoy has an extensive portfolio of co-brand cards for members around the world. From the U.S. to Canada to Japan and beyond. The cards provide a lot of value for Marriott Bonvoy members and travel enthusiasts alike. For many, just receiving an annual free night award pays for the card itself each year while for others receiving a whole slew of benefits is the reason they get the co-brand cards.
One of those cards with a big benefits packages it the U.S. issued Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express which provides automatic Platinum Elite Status, a huge welcome bonus, an annual free night award and so much more. If you are a Marriott fan and don’t have this card in your wallet it can make a lot of sense to get it to take advantage of all those extra benefits.
The enhanced Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card
This card underwent some changes in September that included the addition of automatic Platinum Status, a change to the dining benefit, the ability to earn additional free night awards all along with an increased annual fee of $650.
Click here to learn more about this card
Here are the card details, ‘NEW’ indicates the changes to the card:
- New Brilliant Card Members can earn 150,000 Marriott Bonvoy Points after they spend $5,000 in eligible purchases on the Card in the first three months of Card Membership
- 6X Marriott Bonvoy Points on purchases at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy®
- 3X Marriott Bonvoy Points at restaurants worldwide and on flights booked directly with airlines
- 2X Marriott Bonvoy Points on all other eligible purchases
- NEW: Complimentary Marriott Bonvoy Platinum Elite Status
- NEW: 1 Free Night Award each year after Card renewal month that can be used for 1 night at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy. Certain hotels have resort fees.
- NEW: Up to $300 back per calendar year (up to $25/month) on dining purchases at restaurants worldwide
- NEW: 25 Elite Night Credits each calendar year
- Up to $100 property credit towards qualifying charges at The Ritz-Carlton (excluding Ritz-Carlton Reserve) and St. Regis hotel brands when Card Members book direct using a special rate for a 2+ night stay
- NEW: Annual Earned Choice Award: Each calendar year (starting January 2023) after making $60K in purchases, Card Members can select an Earned Choice Award benefit
- Priority Pass Select Membership (enrollment required)
- Application fee credit for TSA PreCheck or Global Entry (which comes with access to TSA PreCheck)
- Click here to learn more about the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card
Want to earn even more Bonvoy points on your Marriott stays?
Check out FFB’s Bonvoy Bonus Points page – the most extensive listing of Marriott Bonvoy bonus points offers in the world!
You should include the actual annual fee, which is now $650.
So, they take away the easy $300 in Marriott credits, and then raise the fee by $200.
Plus remember: if everyone is ‘elite’, then no one is.
Personally I am dropping this card when it renews. I am not even sure the 150000 points is even worth the $650 anymore with ‘dynamic pricing’.
The good days are in the past in this game.
Thank you for the feedback. I have added the annual fee into the post as well.