Marriott Bonvoy is the loyalty programme for Marriott International's rather mind-boggling 30+ hotel brands. These include Marriott, Sheraton, Westin, Delta and W hotels. You earn points for each stay which you can redeem for a wide selection of benefits. Like air miles programmes, you can use a mixture of points and cash when spending with the scheme. Also like air miles programmes, you can reach silver and gold tiers if you use the brand frequently.
For those who want to earn points even faster, this collaboration with American Express lets you collect points on your day-to-day spending too.
As of February 2020 the card has been overhauled in-line with the merging of the Starwood and Marriott loyalty programmes early last year has a new addition of 15 Elite Night Credits on sign-up. So what does that actually mean? Not 15 free stays, I'm afraid, but it means you enjoy the same benefits as you would if you had stayed 15 nights at Marriott properties. Having 15 Elite Night credits automatically gets you Silver Elite status, which comes with a raft of benefits including member rates, late check-out and free wi-fi.
The Marriott Bonvoy app can be used to check in and out, and – get this – you can then use your phone as your room key.
To keep you interested after claiming that welcome bonus, there are ongoing bonuses related to the amount you spend on the card annually. For example, you'll enjoy "Gold Elite status" (which means perks like complimentary room upgrades, late checkout, enhanced in-room internet access) if you spend £15,000 on eligible purchases a calendar year. Spending £25,000 could bag you a free hotel stay. And don't forget you can transfer your points to over 40 major airline frequent flyer programmes.
If you're a regular guest at these hotels, try to work out whether the annual fee would be worth shouldering, by looking at how much you'd realistically spend on the card and what that would translate to in rewards.
Existing cardholders will get their hands on the fancy new-look card when their current one expires.
As of February 2020 Amex has updated this card to reflect the merging of the Starwood (SPG) and Marriott loyalty programmes in 2019. If you like to travel in style, then you can still earn tailored rewards while you spend with this specialised offer.
| Issuer | American Express |
| Network | Amex |
| Representative APR | 54.5% APR (variable) |
| Annual/monthly fees | £95 per annum |
| Loyalty scheme | Points |
| Incentive | Earn 20,000 bonus Marriott Bonvoy ® points when you spend £3,000 in the first 3 months of Cardmembership. 18+, subject to status. Terms apply. |
| Incentive on opening | Earn 20,000 bonus Marriott Bonvoy ® points when you spend £3,000 in the first 3 months of Cardmembership. 18+, subject to status. Terms apply. |
| Additional Rewards Info | Automatic upgrade to Gold when you spend £15,000 in purchases on you card each year. |
| Purchases | 30.7% |
| Purchases interest-free period (days) | 56 |
| Balance transfers | 30.7% |
| Potential costs | 6.1Standard |
| Doing its job | 7.7Great |
| Extras | 9.1Excellent |
| Overall Finder Score | 7.4Great |
| Minimum monthly payment | 2% or £25 (whichever is greater) or the total of any interest, default fees and charges, 1/12th of annual fee plus 2% of the outstanding balance. |
| Annual/monthly fees | £95 per annum |
| Balance transfer fee | 3% |
| Foreign usage charge (EU) | 2.99% |
| Foreign usage charge (rest of world) | 2.99% |
| Cash advance fee | 3% (min. £3) |
| Late payment fee | £12 |
| Replacement card fee | £0 |
| Duplicate statement fee | £2 |
| Exceeding limit fee | £0 |
| Additional card fee | £0 |
| Dormancy fee | £0 |
| Minimum Age | 18 |
| Residency | UK resident and has a UK bank or building society account. |
| Availability | Available to new customers |
Approval for any credit card depends on your status. The representative APRs shown represent the interest rate offered to most successful applicants. Depending on your personal circumstances, the APR you're offered may be higher, or you may not be offered credit at all. Fees and rates are subject to change without notice. It's always wise to check the terms of any deal before you borrow. Most of the data in Finder's comparison tables is provided by Moneyfacts.
You can make manual repayments through American Express's app by logging in to your online banking or over the phone. Alternatively, you may wish to set up a direct debit.
A direct debit protects you from forgetting to make a repayment and either damaging your credit score, getting hit with a penalty fee (£12) or losing any promotional rates as a result.
You can arrange a direct debit for repayments when you apply for the credit card. The table below shows the options available.
| Minimum amount | |
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| Fixed amount | |
| Fixed percentage | |
| Full amount |
First, you can use Finder's eligibility checker to find out if you'd be likely to get approved for The Marriott Bonvoy American Express Card. This won't impact your credit score. If it's good news, you can then proceed to American Express's online application, which takes 10–15 minutes to complete.
Following an overhaul in early 2020, the Marriott Bonvoy American Express credit card now offers a flexible rewards scheme for those who like to stay at Marriott International’s extensive range of hotels. While the welcome points bonus has been reduced, you’ll automatically get upgraded to Silver Elite status, which offers a range of hotel-specific perks.
However, this card might not be the best choice if you’re likely to carry an outstanding balance from month to month – you’d be likely to pay a lot more in fees and interest than you’d earn in rewards. But if you’d use the card a fair bit and generally do clear your balance in full each month, this card undoubtedly offers handsome rewards for Marriott devotees.
If American Express offers you this deal, it will specify a personalised credit limit based on American Express's assessment of your situation. The minimum limit offered on this card is £700, and American Express does not specify a maximum. Once you've had the card for a while and shown American Express you're reliable, you may wish to apply for a credit limit increase.
Although it's possible, withdrawing cash from a credit card account is generally not a good idea, as "cash-like transactions" (such as withdrawing cash at an ATM, getting cashback at the till, spending at a casino or buying currency) often incur steep fees and/or higher rates of interest.
The cash advance fee on The Marriott Bonvoy American Express Card is 3% (min. £3). For example, if you withdraw £50, you'll incur a fee of £3.00. Withdraw £250 and you'll incur a fee of £7.50.
The interest rate on this part of your balance will be 38% (chargeable from the day of the transaction – the card's usual "up to 56 days interest-free" grace period won't apply).
Non-sterling transactions are subject to a 2.99% charge (which is very standard). For example, if you spend 200 euros (£164.83), it'll cost you around £4.93 in fees.
Yes, you can request one more. There's no fee for additional cards. Plus, with additional cards, you could earn points at a faster rate. Bear in mind that card debt accrued by additional cardholders is the sole responsibility of the account holder – not the additional cardholder.