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- The no-annual-fee Marriott Bonvoy Bold now earns bonus points on groceries, rideshares, and more.
- You can earn 60,000 bonus points and one free night award after you spend $2,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.
- Cardholders now have automatic Silver elite status, but will only get 5 elite night credits a year.
If you could use a free hotel stay this year, consider signing up for the no-annual-fee Marriott Bonvoy Bold credit card.
Right now, new cardholders can earn 60,000 bonus points and one free night award after you spend $2,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening. That’s enough points for up to six additional nights. This is the best offer we’ve ever seen on the Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card
, which is the only option out of six Marriott Bonvoy credit cards that doesn’t come with an annual fee.
Marriott credit cards only earn Bonvoy points, so they’re not a good fit for anyone seeking a well-rounded travel rewards credit card. But a no-annual-fee hotel card can be a good addition to your travel wallet, especially if you stay in Marriott-owned hotels at least once a year or more.
The newly updated Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card has a few other benefits that may enhance your adventures this year. We’ll evaluate each perk in more detail below.
One Free Night Award and 60,000 Marriott Bonvoy points
As of July 11, new Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card cardholders can earn a very attainable welcome bonus: 60,000 bonus points and one free night award after you spend $2,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.
This welcome offer is particularly generous because Marriott points are very flexible when redeemed effectively. The Free Night Award you’ll earn from this bonus is good for any hotel night valued at 50,000 Marriott Bonvoy points or more.
Bonvoy hotels utilize dynamic pricing, where the cost fluctuates nightly depending on demand. During slow seasons, this means you can get a particularly great deal on aspirational properties or in popular destinations such as the Maldives. Conversely, your Free Night Award may not work for certain higher-value properties during peak season.
Fortunately, this is where the second half of your welcome bonus kicks in. You can use your 60,000 Bonvoy points toward booking a single night at a high-end property like the St. Regis New York. Alternatively, you could split that stash into as many as 10 or 12 award nights at a Courtyard or Residence Inn during off-peak seasons. You can also combine points and cash to craft your ideal stay.
Best for automatic Silver elite status with no annual fee
Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card
Regular APR
21.49% – 28.49% Variable
Earn 60,000 bonus points and one free night award
Recommended Credit
Good to Excellent
- No annual fee
- Cardholders get 15 elite night credits toward status
- Only offers strong rewards for Marriott purchases
Complimentary Bonvoy Silver elite status
Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card cardholders previously enjoyed Silver elite status because the card came with 15 free elite night credits — the metric Marriott uses to evaluate status eligibility, and equates to 15 nights stayed in Marriott hotels each year (or credits earned through activities such as holding the right credit card or spending a certain amount on Marriott cards).
With this benefit update, cardholders now get automatic Silver status, which comes with the following benefits:
- 10% more Bonvoy points on eligible Marriott purchases
- Priority late check-out when available
- Special member rates and discounts
- Complimentary WiFi
5 elite night credits each year (down from 15)
Unfortunately, this “benefit” will be a downgrade for some cardholders who rely on the no-annual-fee Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card to get them closer to higher tiers of elite status. While cardholders can now enjoy automatic Silver elite status, they’ll need to earn 10 additional nights than before to earn Gold elite status, which is reached by spending 25 nights in Marriott hotels (or earning elite night credits through spending or other means).
Travel Now, Pay Later
Travel Now, Pay Later is a new benefit on the Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card that allows cardholders to pay off qualifying travel purchases in equal monthly installments with no interest and no plan fees. Travel Now, Pay Later is available for purchases between $100 to $5,000 that are made directly with an airline or at Marriott Bonvoy hotels. Cardholders still earn Bonvoy points on Travel Now, Pay Later transactions.
Marriott Bonvoy earning rates
Speaking of earning Bonvoy points, Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card cardholders can now earn twice as many rewards on several common household categories.
Cardholders now earn Bonvoy points at the following rates per dollar spent:
- 3x on Marriott Bonvoy hotel purchases
- 2x on groceries, rideshares, Internet, cable, and phone bills, certain food delivery transactions, and select streaming services
- 1x on everything else
Marriott Bonvoy program members earn 10 points per dollar on qualifying spend from most Marriott Bonvoy hotel brands, and Silver elite members earn an additional 1x point. All in, cardholders can easily earn up to 14x Bonvoy Points per dollar spent on eligible Marriott expenses.
Marriott Bonvoy Bold card benefits and protections
The Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card comes with solid benefits for a card that doesn’t charge an annual fee:
- Baggage Delay Insurance
- Lost Luggage Reimbursement
- Trip Delay Reimbursement
- Purchase Protection
- Zero Liability Protection
- Travel Accident Insurance
- Roadside Dispatch Travel + Emergency Assistance
- Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver
- Extended Warranty Protection
- No Foreign Transaction Fees
- No Annual Fee
The most noteworthy benefits on this list include travel insurance and reimbursement benefits when your bags are delayed or lost in transit, or if your trip is delayed for eligible reasons. No foreign transaction fees means that you won’t pay an additional surcharge when using this card internationally, which makes the Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card a great addition to your travel wallet.
If you’re interested in learning more or hearing from Business Insider’s personal finance experts, take a look at our full Marriott Bonvoy Bold credit card review.
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