When I size up the roster of credit cards for Marriott Bonvoy loyalists, the Marriott Bonvoy Bevy® American Express® Card certainly stands out. Unfortunately, it’s for all the wrong reasons.
For a $250 annual fee (see rates and fees), the Marriott Bonvoy Bevy is positioned to feature mid-tier perks when cardmembers stay with Marriott. But with a steep spending requirement for a free night award and no additional statement credits to offset this fee, this card falls completely short of expectations.
Regardless of your Marriott Bonvoy spending habits or preferences, here’s why it’s likely you’re better off with another Marriott cobranded card. Card rating*: ⭐⭐½
*Card rating is based on the opinion of TPG’s editors and is not influenced by the card issuer.
Marriott Bonvoy Bevy: The basics
The Marriott Bonvoy Bevy is a cobranded Marriott card with American Express. There are seven total Marriott credit cards available. American Express issues two personal Marriott card options and a business card. Chase issues four personal Marriott cobranded cards.
The Bevy sits in the middle of these offerings. It provides some perks for Marriott loyalists, including mid-tier status and elite night credits.
Annual fee: $250.
Benefits:
- Complimentary Marriott Gold Elite status
- Free night award worth up to 50,000 points at participating hotels (certain hotels have resort fees) after making at least $15,000 in eligible purchases during the calendar year
- Travel and purchase protections
- 15 elite qualifying night credits each calendar year (which can be stacked with elite night credits earned on a Marriott business card)
- 1,000 bonus points per paid eligible stay
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Pool at Petra Marriott Hotel in Jordan. RYAN SMITH/THE POINTS GUY
These benefits are lackluster when compared to the card’s annual fee, since there isn’t a complimentary free night award or any built-in statement credits.
Rewards: Cardmembers earn Marriott Bonvoy points for spending on the Bevy.
TPG’s November 2025 valuations deem Marriott points to be worth 0.7 cents each. You can redeem these points for award nights, experiences, gift cards, merchandise and room credits. You can also move your Marriott points to one of its airline transfer partners for travel redemptions.
I highly recommend using your Marriott points for hotel stays, since that’s most likely the highest-value option for you.
Related: Is the Marriott Bonvoy Bevy worth the annual fee?
Marriott Bonvoy Bevy pros and cons
ProsCons
- Automatic Gold Elite status
- Bonus points for every Marriott stay
- Elite night credits boost each calendar year
- High points-earning at Marriott properties
- Some travel and purchase protections
- High spending requirement to earn a free night award
- No ability to spend toward higher elite status
- No additional statement credits to help offset the annual fee
- No lounge membership or passes
Related: The best ways to earn Marriott Bonvoy points
Marriott Bonvoy Bevy benefits
While you shouldn’t expect the full suite of premium Marriott benefits with this mid-tier card, the Marriott Bonvoy Bevy does provide a few perks. However, it falls short of where it should be at its annual fee threshold.
Automatic Gold Elite status
You’ll receive Marriott Gold Elite status as soon as you get the Bonvoy Bevy. This is a midlevel tier within Marriott’s program, with benefits that include:
- Enhanced room upgrades (subject to availability)
- Complimentary in-room Wi-Fi
- Points welcome gift (amount determined by property)
- 2 p.m. late checkout (subject to availability)
- 25% bonus points on stays
Bonus points
Cardmembers earn 1,000 bonus Marriott points for every paid eligible stay booked directly with Marriott.
NICKY KELVIN/THE POINTS GUY
Per TPG’s valuations, these bonus points are worth $7.
Elite night credits boost
While you can’t spend toward qualifying for elite status on the Bevy, you will receive 15 elite qualifying night credits each calendar year.
The benefit can be stacked with the nights you earn with a Marriott small-business card (such as the Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card), which can be used to fast-track to up to 30 elite nights.
For reference, you need 50 nights per year to qualify for Platinum Elite status, the next tier up from Gold Elite.
Spending-based free night award
This is the Bevy benefit that I take the most issue with. For a $250 annual fee, you don’t receive a complimentary annual free night award. Instead, cardmembers must make at least $15,000 in eligible purchases during the calendar year to earn a free night award. This award is valued at up to 50,000 points at participating hotels (certain hotels have resort fees).
Per TPG’s valuations, this free night award is worth up to $350.
ELLIE NAN STORCK/THE POINTS GUY
Other Marriott cards offer a free night award by default at the same annual fee threshold as the Bevy or less.
Travel and purchase protections
Some of the Bevy’s positive attributes include its shopping and travel protections.
*Eligibility and benefit level vary by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for details. Policies are underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company.
**Eligibility and benefit level vary by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for details. Policies are underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company.
***Eligibility and benefit level vary by card. Not all vehicle types or rentals are covered, and geographic restrictions apply. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for details. Policies are underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company. Coverage is offered through American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc.
Related: Can I earn more than 1 Marriott Bonvoy credit card free night?
How to earn and use Marriott points
When you pay with the Marriott Bonvoy Bevy, you’ll earn Marriott points to redeem with the brand and some loyalty partners.
Earning points
When cardmembers pay with the Bevy, here’s what they’ll earn:
- 6 points per dollar spent on eligible purchases at hotels participating in the Marriott Bonvoy program
- 4 points per dollar spent on the first $15,000 per year in combined purchases at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (then 2 points per dollar spent after reaching this limit)
- 2 points per dollar spent on other eligible purchases
Per TPG’s valuations, you’ll get a 4.2% return on Marriott Bonvoy purchases, 2.8% on the first $15,000 per year in combined purchases at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets, and 1.4% on all other purchases.
LAUREN WASSUM/THE POINTS GUY
When you add in the 10 points a cardmember earns for being a Marriott Bonvoy member, the 6 points from card membership and the up to 2.5 points earned via Gold Elite status, you can total up to 18.5 points per dollar spent on your stay.
These earning rates are solid, but can’t solely justify the card’s annual fee, in my opinion. Plus, the $15,000 spending cap on U.S. supermarkets and restaurants is far from ideal, considering the card charges a $250 annual fee.
Redeeming points
When it comes to redeeming Marriott points, it’s natural that the most valuable redemptions are for hotel stays.
Marriott Bonvoy uses dynamic award pricing. This means that the number of points needed for a night at any property can vary depending on timing and demand.
If you’re looking for the best deal for your Marriott points, it’s best practice to search ahead to find lower prices and remain flexible with your dates.
Beyond redeeming for hotel stays, you can transfer your points to airline partners; use them to cover flights, car rentals and cruises; or redeem them for merchandise and gift cards.
ERIC ROSEN/THE POINTS GUY
However, these options will likely yield less value per point than TPG’s valuation of 0.7 cents per point, so we recommend using your points for stays whenever possible.
There are numerous Marriott properties to redeem your points at. TPG credit cards writer Chris Nelson used 37,000 points in the summer to book a night at The St. Regis Belgrade, where the cash price was $375. This came out to nearly 1 cent per point in value, much higher than our valuation of Marriott points.
Meanwhile, TPG lead points and miles writer Katie Genter gets outsize value from her Marriott points by redeeming them for stays in increments of five nights to maximize Marriott’s “Stay for 5, Pay for 4” benefit. She’ll occasionally consider transferring points to one of Marriott’s airline partners, but usually prefers to save her points for stays.
Transferring points
While it’s generally recommended that you redeem your Marriott points for hotel stays, you do have the option to transfer your points to more than 35 airline partners.
However, this rarely offers good value unless you need to top off an account balance for flight redemptions. You may also consider this option if you want access to an airline loyalty program that doesn’t partner with any of the major U.S. credit card issuers, such as Japan Airlines’ JAL Mileage Bank.
Related: When does it make sense to transfer Marriott points to airlines?
Where the Marriott Bonvoy Bevy falls short
There are multiple reasons for most Marriott fans to consider another cobranded card instead of the Marriott Bonvoy Bevy. Here are three of the most important notes.
You have to spend $15,000 for a free night award
This is the point where it feels only fair to mention that the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card (see rates and fees) provides an annual free night certificate regardless of spending. The Marriott Boundless costs $95 each year — a whopping $155 less for a benefit you don’t have to spend toward.
Admittedly, the free night award on the Boundless is worth up to 35,000 points, which is 15,000 short of the Bevy’s. However, you can top the Boundless award off with 15,000 points to total 50,000 (certain hotels have resort fees).
EMILIA WRONSKI/THE POINTS GUY
Factor in how you have to spend $15,000 for a similar perk on a $250-annual-fee card like the Bevy, and this card is simply outclassed by its less-expensive sibling.
The top-tier Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card also provides a free night award valued at up to 85,000 points (certain hotels have resort fees). However, this card comes in at a much higher $650 annual fee (see rates and fees).
You can’t spend your way to higher elite status
While you can stay your way to elite status (helped out by a boost of 15 credits each year), you can’t reach the next tier up based on actually spending on the card, which is a perk we’ve come to expect across comparable cards from competing brands.
LAUREN WASSUM/THE POINTS GUY
This includes the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card, the mid-tier card for Hilton loyalists. Cardmembers receive complimentary Hilton Gold status with the opportunity to spend their way toward top-tier Diamond status. The Surpass charges $150 in annual fees (see rates and fees) — $100 less than the Bevy.
You won’t receive statement credits that offset the annual fee
While the Bevy’s perks do provide some value, it is disappointing not to see a single premium perk or statement credit meant to help offset its annual fee.
Many comparable cobranded cards offer an application fee waiver for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck, or even provide quarterly brand-specific statement credits for on-property purchases. But you won’t find that on the Bevy.
Bonvoy Bevy vs. Bonvoy Bountiful
The Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful® Credit Card is the card most similar to the Bevy. It offers the same earning rates, Gold Elite status and elite night credits each calendar year, for the same annual fee.
The information for the Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Neither card provides a free night certificate with card membership. For both, you have to spend $15,000 on your card in a calendar year to earn one.
The biggest difference is that the Bountiful earns bonus points at supermarkets outside of the U.S., while the Bevy does not.
Related: Marriott Bonvoy Bevy vs. Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful: Which shines brighter?
When to apply for the Marriott Bonvoy Bevy
Perhaps one of the few reasons to apply for the Marriott Bonvoy Bevy at all is its welcome offer, since earning a bonus is a quick way to top off your account for a redemption.
The current Bonvoy Bevy offer provides new cardmembers with the chance to earn 85,000 bonus points after spending $5,000 on purchases within the first six months of card membership.
Per TPG’s valuations, those 85,000 bonus points are worth $595.
ANDREA ROTONDO/THE POINTS GUY
The current bonus doesn’t meet our threshold for when to apply, which is any time the offer is over 85,000 points.
Remember that Amex has restrictions limiting your ability to collect a new-member bonus if you’ve had similar Marriott products from Chase or previous Starwood Preferred Guest cards from American Express.
Related: The best credit card welcome bonuses currently available
Other cards to consider instead of the Marriott Bonvoy Bevy
If you want more or different hotel benefits than the Marriott Bonvoy Bevy provides, one of these cards may be a better fit:
- If you want a better-value Marriott card for a lower annual fee: The $95-annual-fee Marriott Bonvoy Boundless is the card I’d recommend to most Marriott travelers who aren’t interested in the premium Bonvoy Brilliant. The benefits on the Boundless provide enough ongoing value to make it worth keeping your wallet each year. To learn more, read our full review of the Bonvoy Boundless.
- If you aren’t loyal to Marriott: The Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card provides premium benefits for Hilton stays, including top-tier Diamond status with Hilton Honors and a free night award each year on your account anniversary. To learn more, read our full review of the Hilton Amex Aspire.
- If you want a more general travel card: The American Express Platinum Card® earns Membership Rewards points (which can be transferred to Marriott Bonvoy) and provides Marriott Gold Elite status to cardmembers. It provides many more travel-related statement credits and lounge access to help offset its high $895 annual fee (see rates and fees). To learn more, read our full review of the Amex Platinum.
For additional options, check out our full list of the best hotel cards.
Related: Who should (and shouldn’t) get the Marriott Bonvoy Bevy American Express card?
Bottom line
The Bonvoy Bevy is the weak link in the Marriott card lineup. I find it difficult to see how its ongoing perks justify a $250 annual fee, especially when you consider its cobranded counterparts.
If you want baseline Marriott benefits, go for the Bonvoy Boundless. If you prefer luxury, apply for the Bonvoy Brilliant.
Whatever you decide, aim for something better than the mediocre Bevy. Unless the card undergoes a major overhaul (or at least receives a few statement credits), there’s little reason to waste a hard pull on this one.
Apply here: Marriott Bonvoy Bevy American Express Card
For rates and fees of the Amex Marriott Bonvoy Bevy, click here.
For rates and fees of the Amex Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant, click here.
For rates and fees of the Amex Platinum, click here.
