Pros
- 125,000 points and 1 free night as an initial bonus
- 1 free night per year
- Automatic Silver Elite status
- 6 points per $1 spent at Marriott
- No foreign transaction fees
Cons
- $95 annual fee
- Must redeem points for free nights to get full value
- High regular APR
Marriott Credit Card Review Summary
The Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card is the best-value Marriott credit card for frequent travelers. It offers more net rewards value over the first two years, after accounting for annual fees, than the other Marriott rewards cards for personal use, according to WalletHub’s calculations. The average person could earn over $3,600 in Marriott reservations in just two years if they made Marriott Bonvoy Boundless their everyday credit card.
Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card
Rewards Details
- For a Limited Time Only! Earn 125,000 Bonus Points and 1 Free Night Award (value up to 50,000 points) after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
- 1 Free Night Award (valued up to 35,000 points) every year after account anniversary.
- Earn up to 17X total Bonvoy points per $1 spent at over 7,000 hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy® with the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Card.
- 2X Bonvoy points for every $1 spent on all other purchases.
- Automatic Silver Elite Status each account anniversary year. Path to Gold Status when you spend $35,000 on purchases each account year.
- 15 Elite Night Credits each calendar year.
- Earn unlimited Marriott Bonvoy points and get Free Night Stays faster.
Additional Info
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- See More Details & Reviews About Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card
Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card Review Highlights
125,000 points + 1 Free Night Award as an Initial Bonus
Most the top-tier rewards credit cards these days offer enticing initial bonuses, and the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card is no different. It offers 125,000 points and 1 free night award to new cardholders who make at least $5,000 in purchases within 3 months of opening an account. Since the bonus points are worth up to $1,250 in Marriott reservations, according to WalletHub’s calculations, and each night award is valued at up to 50,000 points, that bonus could save you a lot of money when you stay at Marriott Bonvoy hotels and resorts.
Ongoing Bonus Rewards
The Bonvoy Boundless Card’s bonus rewards continue with an ongoing earning rate of 6 points per $1 spent at Marriott properties. That’s equal to 6% back, considering the average value of Marriott Bonvoy points. All other purchases get you 2 points per $1, or 2% back.
One Free Night Each Year
Cardholders receive one free night each year after their account anniversary, which more than makes up for the $95 annual fee. This perk also assures users of at least some value no matter how often they use the card or spend money through Marriott.
Valuable Points For A Hotel Credit Card
Each point you earn with the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card is worth roughly 1 cent when redeemed for a free night. That might not sound like a lot – and it’s not compared to cash back credit cards, which typically offer at least 1.11% cash back per dollar spent – but it’s a better redemption rate than many other leading hotel credit cards offer.
No Foreign Transaction Fee
This card won’t hold you back when traveling abroad, as it does not charge the 2% to 4% foreign transaction fee assessed by 90% of all credit cards. More and more issuers are stripping such fees from their cards, especially those with a travel focus, but it’s nevertheless good to know that Marriott Bonvoy Boundless is among them.
Automatic Silver Elite Status
Cardholders automatically benefit from perks such as 20% bonus points on Marriott stays and weekend rate discounts. This certainly helps put the Boundless Card’s annual fee into perspective, considering that you would otherwise need to pay for 10 or more nights each year just to qualify and retain Silver Elite status.
Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card Review Lowlights
Moderate Ongoing Costs
This card’s rewards more than pay for its $95 annual fee. But you’d obviously rather pay nothing at all, and the fixed cost does dilute the card’s value for people who don’t spend at least a few nights at Marriott properties each year.
High Regular APR
This card’s 15.99% - 22.99% (V) APR is well above the 13.13% charged by the average credit card for excellent credit. It has the potential to be higher-than-average for good credit, too. This just underscores the folly in carrying a balance from month to month on a card designed for rewards.
Other Things To Consider About the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card
Most Redemption Options Offer Little Value
Marriott points are worth about half as much when exchanged for merchandise, airfare, and rental car reservations than when redeemed for free nights at a Marriott-owned hotel location. This just underscores the importance of using credit cards for their intended purpose – if you’re going to get a hotel rewards card, use it for hotel rewards – but it’s certainly a downside to this particular offer, nonetheless.
Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card vs. Popular Competitors
| Info | Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card | Hilton Honors American Express Card | Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual Fee | $95 | $0 | $95 |
| Rewards Bonus | 125,000 points + 1 Free Night Award | 80,000 points | 60,000 points |
| Rewards Rate | 2 - 6 points / $1 | 3 - 7 points / $1 | 1 - 5 points / $1 |
| Purchase Intro APR | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Transfer Intro APR | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Regular APR | 15.99% - 22.99% (V) | 15.74% - 24.74% (V) | 15.99% - 22.99% (V) |
| Editors' Rating | 4.4 | 4.5 | 5 |
| Details, Rates & Fees | Learn More | Learn More Rates & Fees Terms Apply | Learn More |
