Is the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant Card worth it?
The Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant Card is worth it if you travel frequently and always stay at Marriott, and if you dine out often enough to earn a statement credit of up to $25 per month on your restaurant spending.
The card has a steep annual fee, so it’s not worth it if you plan to use it for everyday purchases instead of maximizing your hotel and dining benefits.
We’ve listed out the main pros and cons for this card below.
Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant Pros & Cons
Learn more about the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card
Terms apply / Rates & fees
Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card benefits
The Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant comes with these benefits:
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Marriott Bonvoy Platinum Elite status: Cardholders automatically receive Platinum Elite status at Marriott hotels. Platinum Elite members receive complimentary room upgrades, when available, at qualifying properties.
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25 Elite Night Credits: As a member, you’re eligible for 25 Elite Night Credits per year, making it easier to reach the next tier status. For example, if you start out with Platinum Elite status, you can use your 25 Elite Night Credits to reach the Titanium Elite tier.
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$300 Brilliant Dining Credit: Every calendar year, you get up to $300 ($25 per month) in statement credits based on your purchases at eligible restaurants.
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$100 Marriott Bonvoy property credit: When you book directly with St. Regis or The Ritz-Carlton, you’ll receive up to $100 in property credit to use toward qualifying charges. You must use your Brilliant card to book the reservation.
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Free Night Award: You’ll receive one Free Night Award every year for as long as you keep the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant. The award covers a one-night stay at the 85,000-point redemption level or below. Note that the Free Night Award doesn’t cover resort fees.
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Brilliant Earned Choice Award benefit: If you spend $60,000 or more in a calendar year, you’ll receive an Earned Choice Award. You may choose five nightly upgrade awards, one Free Night Award valued at up to 85,000 Marriott Bonvoy Points or a $1,000 discount off a bed from any Marriott Bonvoy retail brand.
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Priority Pass Select lounge access: Your Bonvoy Brilliant membership comes with Priority Pass Select, which gives you access to more than 1,200 airport lounges in 130 countries.
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Global Entry or TSA PreCheck statement credit: If you sign up for the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant, American Express will give you a statement credit of up to $85 for TSA PreCheck or $100 for Global Entry. You can get the PreCheck credit every 4.5 years or the Global Entry credit every four years. To get the credit, you must use your Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant card to pay the application fee.
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Car rental insurance: Cardholders receive complimentary insurance coverage for rental vehicles booked with the Bonvoy Brilliant. To use the insurance, you must decline the collision damage waiver offered by the rental company and use your eligible Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant card to cover the cost of the rental.
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American Express travel insurance: The Bonvoy Brilliant comes with several types of travel insurance, including coverage for cancellations, trip delays and trip interruptions. Members also have access to a baggage insurance plan, which covers lost, stolen or damaged baggage when traveling on a ship, train, airplane or bus.
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Purchase protections: If you use the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant to buy an eligible item, you get 90 days of purchase protection at no cost. Purchase protection reimburses you up to $10,000 per item for every covered event, up to a maximum of $50,000 per calendar year, with one exception. If the item is damaged or destroyed by a natural disaster, American Express will only reimburse you up to $500.
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ShopRunner membership: Every Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant cardholder also receives a complimentary ShopRunner membership. ShopRunner gives you access to exclusive deals, shipping discounts and other perks.
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Premium Global Assist® Hotline: If you need help while you’re traveling more than 100 miles from your home, Bonvoy Brilliant gives you access to the American Express Premium Global Assist Hotline. Trained agents are available 24/7 to answer questions about customs requirements, foreign exchange rates, weather and more. Global Assist agents can also arrange for emergency translation services, missing luggage assistance, embassy referrals, legal referrals and emergency cash wiring services.
*Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions, and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by Amex Assurance Company.
Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card rewards
Every time you make an eligible purchase, you earn Marriott Bonvoy Points. Here’s how to earn points and use them toward travel, shopping and special experiences.
Earn Marriott Bonvoy points
One of the easiest ways to earn Marriott Bonvoy Points is to qualify for the welcome bonus.
If you spend $6,000 on your card within your first six months of membership, you’ll receive 185,000 points. The value of Marriott Bonvoy Points changes from time to time, but you can usually get 0.7 to 0.9 cents per point, making the welcome bonus worth $1,295 to $1,665.
You can also earn a significant number of points by using the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant to book stays at participating hotels. Every qualifying stay is worth 6 points per dollar. For example, if you spend $1,000 on a hotel stay, you’ll earn 6,000 Marriott Bonvoy Points. When you pair your American Express points with the points you get from Marriott Elite membership, you may earn as much as 21 points per dollar.
Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant cardholders also earn 3 points per dollar on restaurant purchases, 3 points per dollar on flights booked directly with airlines and 2 points per dollar on all other purchases.
Redeem Marriott Bonvoy points
As a Bonvoy Brilliant cardholder, you have access to the following redemption methods:
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Booking travel: American Express allows you to use your points to pay for airfare and car rentals from more than 250 participating companies. With the Cruise With Points program, you can use your points to book a cruise. You can even convert your Marriott Bonvoy Points into airline miles. Most loyalty programs have a 3-to-1 transfer ratio, making it easier to get free and discounted airfare. Participating programs include Aer Lingus AerClub, Air Canada Aeroplan, American Airlines AAdvantage®, British Airways Executive Club, Delta SkyMiles® and FRONTIER Miles.
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Purchasing gift cards: If you’re not in the mood to travel, buy a gift card from one of nearly 100 participating retailers. Victoria’s Secret, Zappos, Amazon, Crate & Barrel and Domino’s are just a few of the available choices.
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Buying products: American Express also allows you to use your Marriott Bonvoy Points to buy products from top brands. The redemption website even has a tool that allows you to search for products that cost less than 10,000 points, making it easier to find something you like.
Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant rewards potential
The Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant card has a steep annual fee, so it’s helpful to see an example of how you can use your benefits to earn it back.
An Example of Marriot Bonvoy Brilliant Points Earning Potential
| Spending Category |
Points Per Dollar |
Annual Spend |
Annual Earning Potential |
| Airfare |
3X |
$6,220 |
18,660 points |
| Dining |
3X |
$4,850 |
14,550 points |
| Hotel stays |
6X |
$4,375 |
26,250 points |
| All other purchases |
2X |
$21,487 |
42,974 points |
In the example above, you’d earn 102,434 Marriott Bonvoy points. At a rate of 0.7 to 0.9 cents per point, that’s $717 to $922, well above the $650 annual fee.
Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card fees, rates & limit
Before you sign up for the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant, take time to familiarize yourself with the card’s rates, fees and credit limit.
Bonvoy Brilliant fees
American Express charges the following fees:
- Annual fee: $650
- Balance transfer fee: N/A (No balance transfers allowed)
- Cash advance fee: $10 or 5% of the advance amount, whichever is greater
- Foreign transaction fee: $0
- Late payment fee: Up to $40
- Returned payment fee: Up to $40
Bonvoy Brilliant interest rates
The Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant interest rates include:
- Regular APR: 20.99% to 29.99% variable
- Purchase intro APR: N/A
- Balance transfer intro APR: N/A (No balance transfers available)
- Cash advance APR: 29.99% variable
- Penalty APR: 29.99% variable
Bonvoy Brilliant credit limit
Like other credit card companies, American Express doesn’t advertise the minimum score required to open a Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant account. However, the card is for customers with good to excellent credit.
How the Bonvoy Brilliant compares to other Marriott cards
Let’s compare the Bonvoy Brilliant to another popular Marriott credit card: the Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express® Card.
The Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant is one of the best travel credit cards, while the Marriott Bonvoy Bevy is ideal for consumers who want to maximize rewards on their everyday purchases.
Both hotel cards give you 6X points on Marriott hotel stays, but the Bonvoy Brilliant is better for people who fly frequently, as it gives you 3X back on airfare. In contrast, the Bonvoy Bevy prioritizes dining and grocery purchases, giving you 4X points on up to $15,000 in combined restaurant and U.S. supermarket spending each year. Bevy cardholders get 2X back on all other purchases, including flights (see rates and fees.
Another difference between the two rewards credit cards is that you can earn a little more by combining your Bonvoy Brilliant benefits with your Marriott Elite benefits. With Bevy, you get complimentary Gold Elite Status, which gives you access to 25% bonus points on Marriott hotel stays. Bonvoy Brilliant comes with Platinum Elite Status, increasing the bonus to 50%. Therefore, you can earn up to 18.5X with Bevy and 21X with Brilliant.
Both cards come with plenty of perks, but the best credit card for you depends on your spending habits. If you travel frequently, stick with the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant to maximize your earnings on flights and hotel stays. If you’re a homebody, the Marriott Bonvoy Bevy is ideal for earning rewards on your everyday purchases.
Is the Amex Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant card right for you?
The Bonvoy Brilliant card is best for people who travel frequently and prefer to stay at Marriott properties rather than booking with other hotel brands. You’ll earn the most points by staying at participating Marriott hotels, using your card at restaurants and purchasing airfare with your Bonvoy Brilliant card.
If you don’t travel much, you may not earn enough points to make the $650 annual fee worthwhile. In that case, consider applying for the Marriott Bonvoy Bevy, which gives you 4X points on restaurant and U.S. supermarket purchases. The Bevy may also be a better fit for consumers who prefer to take road trips rather than fly all over the world. You can still get 6X points on Marriott stays, but you won’t have to worry about earning points on airline purchases.
Apply for the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card
The Bonvoy Brilliant card is designed for consumers with good to excellent credit scores.
American Express doesn’t advertise its minimum score requirements, but you should have at least a 690 before you apply for this card. It’s even better if you have a score in the 700s or 800s. Remember that your credit score isn’t the only factor that affects your eligibility for credit cards and loans. Even if you have a high credit score, you may be denied based on your income or the amount of debt you have.
If you’re confident you qualify, you can learn more about the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card and apply online.
Once you’ve opened the application, follow these steps:
- Fill in your name, annual income and total assets.
- Add your Marriott Bonvoy member number, if you have one.
- Review the terms and conditions.
- Submit your application.
In some cases, American Express provides instant approval or denial. However, you may have to wait for a letter explaining the company’s decision.
Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Enrollment may be required for select American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more.
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