Pros
- 3 free nights 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 $2,500 in Marriott reservations in just two years if they made Marriott Bonvoy Boundless their everyday credit card.
Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card
Rewards Details
- Earn 3X points per $1 on the first $6,000 spent in combined purchases each year on grocery stores, gas stations, and dining.
- Earn 1 Elite Night Credit towards Elite Status for every $5,000 you spend.
- 1 Free Night Award (valued up to 35,000 points) every year after account anniversary.
- Earn up to 17X total points per $1 spent at over 7,000 hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy® with the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Card.
- 2X points for every $1 spent on all other purchases.
- Receive 15 Elite Night Credits annually, automatic Silver Elite Status each account anniversary year, and path to Gold Status when you spend $35,000 on purchases each calendar year.
Additional Info
- No foreign transaction fees.
- More Details & Reviews About Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card
Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card Review Highlights
See Terms as an Initial Bonus
Most of the top-tier rewards credit cards these days offer enticing initial bonuses, and the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card is no different. It offers See Terms to new cardholders who make at least $3,000 in purchases within 3 months of opening an account. That could save you hundreds of dollars when you stay at Marriott Bonvoy hotels and resorts.
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.
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.
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 5.88% back, considering the average value of Marriott Bonvoy points. Plus, the first $6,000 you spend at gas stations, restaurants and grocery stores every year yield 3 points per $1, or 2.94% back. All other purchases get you 2 points per $1, or 1.96% back.
Valuable Points For A Hotel Credit Card
Each point you earn with the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card is worth roughly 0.98 cents 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 1.12% 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.
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 20.24% - 27.24% (V) APR is well above the 15.16% 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 |
Bonus Offer | See Terms | 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 | 20.24% - 27.24% (V) | 20.24% - 29.24% (V) | 20.24% - 27.24% (V) |
Editors' Rating | 4.4 | 4.5 | 5 |
Details, Rates & Fees | Learn More | Learn More Rates & Fees Terms Apply | Learn More |