Understanding Marriott Bonvoy Credit Card Application Regulations: Extensive Overview
Marriott International, the world's largest hotel chain with over 8,700 properties in more than 130 countries, offers six co-branded credit cards for new applicants. These cards are issued by American Express and Chase, with each issuer offering three cards. In this article, we will explore the welcome bonuses, benefits, and rewards of each card.
Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant Card (Amex)
To qualify for the welcome bonus, you must not have previously had this card or its predecessor, the Starwood Preferred Guest card. Amex enforces a once-per-lifetime welcome offer limit per card, meaning you cannot receive the bonus again if you have already received it from the same card series. The Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant Card offers a Free Night Award certificate and complimentary Marriott Bonvoy Platinum Elite status.
Marriott Bonvoy Boundless and Bold Cards (Chase)
Chase’s 5/24 Rule applies: if you have opened five or more credit cards across any issuer in the past 24 months, you are unlikely to be approved. There is no explicit restriction on holding both Boundless and Bold cards simultaneously, but Chase limits welcome bonuses if you have held these or related Marriott cards recently. Chase typically restricts you from obtaining the welcome offer on the same card more than once in a lifetime. You must also consider restrictions around having applied for other Marriott cards in the past 30-90 days to be eligible for welcome bonuses.
Other Marriott Bonvoy Cards
For the full set of six co-branded Marriott cards (five personal, one business), the application rules align similarly: each issuer applies its own approval criteria and once-per-lifetime bonus offer restrictions. Carrying multiple Marriott co-branded cards at once is generally permitted, but maximizing welcome offers requires navigating issuer-specific timing and history rules.
Marriott Bonvoy BountifulTM Credit Card
The Marriott Bountiful card is a more premium card, albeit with fewer benefits than expected. However, it offers automatic Gold Elite status, 15 elite night credits, and 1,000 bonus points per paid Marriott stay. The Marriott Bountiful card provides up to 18.5x points at Marriott hotels, which is more than any other co-branded Marriott Bonvoy credit card. The card has a $595 annual fee and a variable APR of 21.49%-28.49%. With the Marriott Bountiful card, cardholders can earn up to 18.5x points at Marriott hotels and 4x points in combined purchases yearly at grocery stores and dining (up to $15,000).
Marriott Bonvoy Bevy American Express Card
The Marriott Bonvoy Bevy American Express Card provides 6x Marriott Bonvoy points at Marriott hotels and 4x points at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets. It offers 155,000 Marriott Bonvoy bonus points after $5,000 in purchases within the first 6 months.
Marriott Bonvoy Business American Express Card
The Marriott Bonvoy Business American Express Card offers 125,000 Marriott Bonvoy points after $8,000 in eligible purchases within the first 6 months. It provides 6x Marriott Bonvoy points at Marriott hotels and 4x points for purchases made at restaurants worldwide, U.S. gas stations, wireless telephone services, and U.S. purchases for shipping.
Marriott Bonvoy Bold Credit Card
The Marriott Bonvoy Bold Credit Card offers 30,000 Bonus Points after spending $1,000 on eligible purchases within 3 months.
In summary, new applicants should evaluate whether they meet issuer rules (Chase 5/24, Amex lifetime bonus limits), their prior history holding Marriott cards and receiving bonuses, and recent application activity with Marriott cards (last 30 to 90 days) to determine their eligibility for current welcome bonuses on Marriott Bonvoy cards from Chase and American Express.
- Investing in a Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant Card (Amex) can provide a Free Night Award certificate, complimentary Marriott Bonvoy Platinum Elite status, and is subject to Amex's once-per-lifetime welcome offer limit.
- When considering Chase's Marriott Bonvoy Boundless and Bold Cards, it's essential to understand the 5/24 Rule and the restrictions on receiving welcome bonuses if you have held these or related Marriott cards recently.
- Among the six Marriott Bonvoy co-branded cards from Chase and American Express, each issuer applies its own approval criteria and once-per-lifetime bonus offer restrictions, making it crucial to navigate issuer-specific timing and history rules to maximize welcome offers.
