What the Card Offers
American Express markets the Marriott Bonvoy card as a hotel co-brand card: 5x Bonvoy points at Marriott hotels, 2x everywhere else, an annual free night from the second year, and a path to Gold Elite status.
- 5x
Points at Marriott hotels1
5 Marriott Bonvoy points per $1 charged directly with participating Marriott Bonvoy properties.
- 2x
Points on everything else1
2 Marriott Bonvoy points per $1 on all other eligible purchases.
- 35,000
Annual Free Night Award1
Each year after your first, a free night at a property costing up to 35,000 points, for a standard room.
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- 15
Elite Night Credits a year1
15 Elite Night Credits toward Marriott Bonvoy status each calendar year, for the Basic Cardmember.
- Gold
Gold Elite status with $30,000 spend1
Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status for at least a year after $30,000 in net purchases in a card year.
- 70,000
Welcome bonus points1
60,000 points after $3,000 in your first 3 months, plus 10,000 for $500 spent in your 13th month.
- 7
Insurance coverages2
Including car rental theft & damage, $500,000 travel accident, and flight and baggage delay insurance.
Benefits as advertised by the issuer. The conditions attached to them are in the Fine Print Report below.
Sources (2)
- Marriott Bonvoy Amex product page footnotes (retrieved 2026-10-13)
- Marriott Bonvoy Card Certificates of Insurance (eff. July 1, 2025)
Points & Redemption
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Rates: Marriott Bonvoy Program Rules (updated September 2026), sections 3.3, 3.6 and 3.7; Marriott Bonvoy Amex footnotes. The CardTruth estimate is our own valuation, not a rate stated in the terms. The program states no fixed cash value, so what a point is worth depends on how you redeem it. Ranges marked est. are CardTruth estimates, from a conservative redemption to a typical one.
The Fine Print Report
Moderate fine print. The hotel benefits are real, but their value depends on staying with Marriott and redeeming points well.
No travel medical or trip cancellationImpact level: High
No emergency medical or trip cancellation insurance
The card's insurance covers flight and baggage delay, hotel burglary, lost baggage, travel accident, car rental, extended warranty and purchase protection. It includes no out-of-province emergency medical insurance and no trip cancellation or interruption insurance.
Why it matters: For a hotel travel card, the two coverages travellers most often need aren't included. You'd need them from another card or a separate policy.
Free night: year 2+, up to 35,000 pointsImpact level: Medium
The free night starts in year two, caps at 35,000 points, and loses any unused value
The Annual Free Night Award is issued each year after your first, 8–10 weeks after your annual reset date, so the first one comes only after you've paid the second-year fee. It covers a standard room costing up to 35,000 points and must be booked and used within a year. Using it on a cheaper night forfeits the difference.
Why it matters: The award's value depends on finding a standard room at or near 35,000 points. You can add up to 25,000 of your own points to use it at a more expensive property.
Points expire after 24 inactive monthsImpact level: Medium
Points expire after 24 months without account activity, and the annual fee doesn't count
Marriott Bonvoy points expire if your Marriott account has no qualifying activity for 24 consecutive months, and the card's annual fee does not count as activity. Amex's product page has described the points as not expiring; the footnote and Marriott's rules qualify that.
Why it matters: Earning points with the card counts as activity, so regular card use keeps them alive. If the card sits unused for two years, all accumulated points are forfeited and can't be reinstated.
10,000 bonus points need a second yearImpact level: Medium
10,000 of the welcome points require keeping the card into its second year
The welcome offer pays 60,000 points after $3,000 in net purchases in the first 3 months, and 10,000 more for $500 in net purchases charged in your 13th month. To get the second part, you keep the card into its second year, when the second-year annual fee is payable. Points may be deducted if returns bring you below the spend requirement.
Why it matters: If you'd cancel before the second year, plan on 60,000 points, not 70,000. Avoid returns that drop your first-3-month total under $3,000.
No bonus if you've held this card beforeImpact level: Medium
Current or former Marriott Bonvoy Amex Cardmembers aren't eligible for the welcome bonus
The welcome offers are only for new Marriott Bonvoy American Express Cardmembers. Amex may approve an application from a current or former Cardmember, but that account won't receive the offers.
Why it matters: If you've held this card before, reapplying gets you the card but not the welcome points.
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5x only when booked directly with MarriottImpact level: Medium
5x only on purchases charged directly with Marriott-owned or managed properties
The 5x rate applies to purchases charged directly with participating Marriott Bonvoy properties, Marriott retail establishments and Marriott online stores owned or managed by Marriott. Purchases made through a third-party payment account, an online retailer selling other merchants' goods, or a mobile card reader earn 2x.
Why it matters: A Marriott stay booked through an online travel agency or another third party earns 2x, not 5x. Book and pay with the hotel or Marriott directly.
2.5% FX fee, not refunded on returnsImpact level: Medium
2.5% foreign currency conversion commission, not refunded on returns
Purchases in a foreign currency are converted to Canadian dollars with a 2.5% conversion commission. If a foreign-currency purchase is refunded, the commission charged on the original purchase is not returned.
Why it matters: Marriott stays abroad charged in local currency carry the 2.5% commission on top of the room rate.
Marriott can change award rulesImpact level: Medium
Marriott sets award prices and can change the program's rules and awards
Points have no fixed cash value: what a night costs in points varies by property and date. Marriott can change, limit, modify or cancel the program rules and awards, with or without notice, and can end the program with six months' notice.
Why it matters: Points saved for a future stay may buy less if award prices rise. Points are most useful when redeemed for a stay you have in mind.
Gold Elite needs $30,000 spendImpact level: Low
Gold Elite status takes $30,000 in a card year, or 10 paid nights plus the card's night credits
Gold Elite status is earned with $30,000 in net purchases before your annual reset date, or by combining 10 qualifying paid nights in a calendar year with the card's 15 Elite Night Credits. The 15 credits are for the Basic Cardmember only and are capped at 15 per calendar year across all Marriott Bonvoy cards.
Why it matters: Most cardholders will reach Gold through stays rather than spending. Holding a second Marriott Bonvoy card doesn't add more night credits.
Airline transfers: 3 points = 1 mileImpact level: Low
Most airline transfers convert at 3 Bonvoy points to 1 mile
Marriott Bonvoy points can be transferred to airline programs, mostly at 3 points to 1 mile. A bonus of 5,000 miles applies only when 60,000 points are transferred in one transaction. Ratios, minimums and maximums vary by airline, and transfers can't be reversed.
Why it matters: 60,000 Bonvoy points typically become 25,000 airline miles. Flexible points like Membership Rewards transfer to Aeroplan at 1:1.
Who This Card Is For
Great fit if you...
- Stay at Marriott hotels a few times a year
- Will use a free night worth up to 35,000 points
- Want a path to Marriott Gold Elite status
- Already have travel medical insurance elsewhere
- Book directly with Marriott properties
Consider alternatives if you...
- Need travel medical or trip cancellation cover
- Rarely stay at Marriott hotels
- Want points that transfer 1:1 to airlines
- Would cancel before the second year
- Have held this card before (no welcome bonus)
Welcome Bonus History
Marriott Bonvoy Amex Welcome Bonus History
The Verdict
The Marriott Bonvoy card is built for people who already stay at Marriott hotels. Its 5x rate at Marriott properties, annual free night and 15 Elite Night Credits are most useful to someone who books directly with Marriott a few times a year.
The fine print narrows the travel side. The free night only arrives after the second-year fee, Bonvoy points have no fixed value and transfer to most airlines at 3:1, and the insurance has no emergency medical or trip cancellation coverage.
The Recommendation: Best for regular Marriott guests who will use the annual free night and book directly with Marriott. If you want points that work across airlines and hotels, an Amex Membership Rewards card such as the Cobalt transfers to Marriott at 1:1.2 and to Aeroplan at 1:1.
Before you apply: This teardown is general information, not financial, legal or insurance advice, and reflects the issuer's documents as of October 2026. Terms, rates, fees and offers change, and the issuer's own agreement, disclosure statement, insurance certificates and program terms are what govern your card. Read them in full and confirm details with the issuer before you apply. Full disclaimer