Is the Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card worth it?
The Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card is a good option for small-business owners — but only if you’re a regular at Marriott properties.
This co-branded card includes Marriott-oriented perks that more than make up for the $125 annual fee: a generous welcome bonus, an annual free night award, Gold Elite status with Marriott Bonvoy and more. Because American Express isn’t universally accepted outside the U.S., you’ll get the most value from this card if most of your travels are domestic.
Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card: Rewards
Welcome bonus
If you spend $8,000 on purchases in six months from the date you opened the account, you’ll earn five Free Night Awards. Each of these nights is good for a hotel stay that’s worth up to 50,000 Marriott Bonvoy points. Certain hotels have resort fees. Terms apply.
Earning rewards
The Marriott Bonvoy Business card comes with an excellent rewards earning potential, especially if your job takes you to hotels in the Marriott family on a regular basis. You’ll earn points with every purchase, and even more with eligible hotel stays.
Here’s what you can earn in each spending category:
- 6X points for bookings at participating Marriott Bonvoy hotels
- 4X points on restaurants around the world, gas stations in the United States, cell phone service with U.S. carriers and purchases from U.S. merchants for shipping
- 2X points for all other purchases of goods and services
If you’re a Marriott Bonvoy member, you can earn even more — up to 10 Marriott Bonvoy points for every dollar you spend at qualifying properties with the Marriott Bonvoy Business card. Because the card comes with free Gold Elite Status, you’ll also get a 25% bonus. This applies to the room and anything you charge to it, including meals and spa treatments.
Redeem rewards
There are several ways to redeem your Marriott Bonvoy points.
The most popular is to book hotel stays. You can use the points to pay for bookings at hotels that participate in the Marriott Bonvoy program. This includes a mix of mid-tier and luxury properties, such as Delta, Four Points by Sheraton, Aloft, St. Regis and Le Méridien.
You can also transfer your points to more than 40 different airlines. If you do, the transfer ratio is typically three Bonvoy points to one airline mile. Some carriers have different ratios.
Alternatively, Marriott’s Air+Car Transfer Program enables you to use points to book flights and rental cars with hundreds of providers. However, keep in mind that many Marriott Bonvoy Business reviews note that this redemption option reduces the point value.
Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card: Benefits
The Marriott Bonvoy Business Amex card has a slew of significant benefits. If your business requires a great deal of travel, these benefits can help you save money and enjoy a more luxurious experience.
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Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status. When you’re approved for the Amex Marriott Bonvoy Business card, you automatically get Gold Elite status with Marriott Bonvoy. In addition to the points bonus, you’ll be eligible for free late checkout until 2 p.m. and enhanced room upgrades where available.
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Free Night Award. For every year you have the Marriott Bonvoy Business card, you’ll get a Free Night Award for a hotel stay worth up to 35,000 points. If you charge $60,000 in one calendar year — an average of $5,000 per month — you’ll get another free night.
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Marriott Bonvoy® room rate discount. Book a participating Marriott Bonvoy property with your Amex credit card, and you’ll have access to discounted room rates. Look for the “Amex Business card rate.” Combined with the standard Bonvoy member discount, it can save you up to seven percent off the regular rate.
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15 Elite Night Credits. In addition to your annual free night certificate, you’ll earn 15 Elite Night Credits for every year you hold the Marriott Bonvoy Business Amex card. These credits help you move up from your complimentary Gold Elite status toward more premium Elite tiers. Each new level comes with additional benefits. For example, Platinum Elite comes with a 50% point bonus, better upgrades and a welcome gift.
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Premium internet access. As an Amex cardholder, you don’t need to pay for upgraded internet access at Marriott Bonvoy hotels. Simply book an eligible rate, and you’ll get premium service for free.
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Rental car insurance. Car rentals paid for with your Marriott business card include Amex loss and damage insurance. As long as you decline coverage through the rental company, you’ll be covered for up to $50,000 for damage to or theft of the car.
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Baggage insurance. This insurance covers replacement costs if your baggage is damaged or lost. It only applies when you’re traveling with a common carrier on a ticket you paid for with your Amex card. Carry-on baggage is covered up to $1,250 per person. Checked bags are covered up to $500.
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Purchase protection. Purchases you make with the Marriott Bonvoy Business card are covered for up to 90 days. If an eligible item is damaged by accident or stolen, you can get reimbursed for up to $1,000. This benefit maxes out at $50,000 per account, per year.
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Extended warranty. When you buy a covered item with a warranty of five years or less, American Express will extend the coverage up to one extra year.
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Amex Offers. The Amex Offers Program is another way to increase your point earnings. When you apply, you can choose from a variety of offers from different brands; take advantage of the offer, and you’ll get the rewards between five and 90 days after the offer ends.
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Global Assist Hotline. When you’re traveling, you can call the hotline for help as needed. Operators can help you get cash in an emergency, make referrals for passport problems, coordinate legal or medical assistance, and more. Any trip that’s more than 100 miles from your home qualifies.
*Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions, and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by Amex Assurance Company.
Marriott Bonvoy Business: The fine print
Whether you intend to use the Marriott Bonvoy Business card for general company expenses or hotel stays, it’s important to understand the associated fees and rates (see rates and fees).
Fees
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Annual fee: $125
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Foreign transaction fee: $0
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Cash advance fee: The greater of $5 or 3% of the advance
Interest rates
Your annual percentage rate (APR) depends on American Express’ assessment of your creditworthiness.
Here’s a look at the different variable APRs associated with this card:
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Regular APR: 20.49%-29.49%
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Purchase Intro APR: N/A
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Balance Transfer Intro APR: N/A
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Regular Balance Transfer APR: 20.49%-29.49%
You can be switched to this higher rate if you:
- Are late on payments twice in 12 months
- Fail to pay the minimum payment before the billing period closes
- Have a returned payment
The penalty APR stays in place for at least 12 billing periods. It will be removed after you have at least 12 periods with no late or returned payments.
Credit limit
American Express sets your credit limit based on a variety of factors. Typically, these include your credit profile, existing debt, income and other financial factors
How the Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card compares
Compared to other hotel-branded credit cards, the Marriott Bonvoy Business card is a solid option for small businesses and regular business travelers.
It has a lower fee than traditional luxury travel cards, but you’ll still get plenty of value when staying at hotels that participate in the Bonvoy program. And with the included Gold Elite status and bonus earning categories, your Marriott stays will earn even more.
The main drawback with this card is the lack of flexibility in redeeming rewards. You can use them to book hotels, flights and rental cars, but Marriott redemptions offer the best redemption value. If your hotel stays and general travel needs tend to be more varied, a general travel credit card could be a better fit.
Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card vs. The Business Platinum Card® from American Express
While the Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card offers Marriott-focused rewards and benefits, The Business Platinum Card® from American Express} is a more general-use travel and business card. It earns American Express Membership Rewards® points instead of Marriott Bonvoy points, which gives you a wider range of redemption options.
The Amex Business Platinum card is a higher-tier product. For the $695 annual fee (see rates and fees, it includes perks such as over $1,000 in available statement credits. You’ll also get complimentary access to the American Express Global Lounge Collection®, up to $200 in airline credits and up to $199 in CLEAR Plus credit. Both cards include Gold Elite status with Marriott Bonvoy. Terms apply.
Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Enrollment may be required for select American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more.
Is the Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card right for me?
The Marriott Bonvoy Business card from American Express may be right for you if you run or represent a small business, travel often and prioritize Marriott properties for hotel stays. That’s because you’ll maximize reward earning potential and redemption value with stays at hotels that participate in Marriott Bonvoy.
A business card also makes it easy to keep your professional expenses separate, all while earning rewards. The annual fee is reasonable, and it’s easy to recoup the cost with the card’s many perks.
If you’re looking for more flexible redemption options, these other Amex business cards may be a better fit for you:
How do I qualify for the Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card?
You can learn more about the Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® card and apply online.
Getting approved for the Marriott business credit card is possible if you run a business (or represent one) and have strong credit — usually, this means a score of 700 or more. You must also be a U.S. resident, at least 18 years old and have a Social Security number.
Keep in mind that American Express has specific eligibility requirements for the welcome offer.
You aren’t eligible if you’ve had any of these Marriott credit cards from Chase within the 30 days before you apply:
- Marriott Rewards® Business Credit Card
- Marriott Bonvoy Business® Credit Card
- Marriott Bonvoy® Premier Plus Business Credit Card
- Marriott Rewards® Premier Plus Business Credit Card
The same applies if you’ve opened one of these Chase cards in the previous 90 days or received a bonus offer on one for being a new card member within the past two years:
- Marriott Bonvoy Boundless®
- Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful™ Credit Card
- Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card
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For rates and fees of the Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card, please visit this page.
For rates and fees of The Business Platinum Card® from American Express, please visit this page.
