NOTE: If you subscribe to Bonus Offer Notifications, you already got these in your inbox hours ago 😉
With the Amex co-branded cards, the offers seem to jump back and forth. Regular offer, elevated offer (this can vary from lots more points to maybe including a free night) and then back down.
And so, we now are seeing the “elevated offers” phase on both the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card and the Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express® Card.
Let’s take a look at each welcome bonus (new vs. old):
In this article
Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card
Now: Earn 185,000 Marriott Bonvoy® bonus points after you use your new Card to make $6,000 in purchases within the first 6 months of Card Membership. Terms apply.
From May 2nd until today: Earn 95,000 Marriott Bonvoy bonus points after you use your new Card to make $6,000 in purchases within the first 6 months of Card Membership. Terms apply.
Same spend, almost DOUBLE the points. Clearly a better time to pull the trigger.
Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express® Card
Now: Earn 155,000 Marriott Bonvoy bonus points after you use your new Card to make $5,000 in purchases within the first 6 months of Card Membership. Terms Apply.
From May 2nd until today: Earn 85,000 Marriott Bonvoy bonus points after you use your new Card to make $5,000 in purchases within the first 6 months of Card Membership. Terms apply.
Again, same spend and almost double the points.
Now I’ll say the same thing I say all the time about these cards.
I get the case for the Bonvoy Brilliant and I have it myself. While the fee is $650 (yes, very high indeed), it does come with Marriott Platinum status, 25 elite night credits (which you can combine with 15 elite night credits from a Marriott Bonvoy Business card – although you need to wait 2 years since getting the bonus on one to get the other, crazy as that sounds), and $25 in monthly dining credits for a net rebate of $300 if used entirely. Plus you get a certificate for a free night valued up to 85,000 (which you can top up with another 15,000 points from your account if you want).
I look at the card as having a net $350 annual fee after the dining credits and assume that the 85k certificate will cover that completely – leaving me 25 elite night credits as a kicker.
Now, I already have Lifetime Platinum. If I didn’t, I’d value the card even more because of it, since it’s a “real” status at Marriott with 4pm checkout (guaranteed except at resorts and convention centers), lounge access, and breakfast. So for me it’s a “break even” card with the 25 elite nights towards 50 in a year to earn Suite Night Awards. I also have a business card so the combo gives me 40 elite nights leaving me needing only to stay 10 nights in order to get the SNAs which have come in very handy for me with a family.
All that to say, this isn’t a bad time to get the card if it meets your needs.
As for the Bevy, I don’t get it. I never have and never will. The $250 annual fee doesn’t net you status, nor a free night with the annual fee alone. If you have one and love it, please comment below what I am missing 🙂
Learn how to apply for either card here:
Thoughts?
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You can find credit cards that best match your spending habits and bonus categories at Your Best Credit Cards.
New to all of this? My “introduction to miles and points” book, MilesTalk: Live Your Wildest Travel Dreams Using Miles and Points is available on Amazon and at major booksellers.
