Marriott Bonvoy Bold^® Credit Card Review [2024]: No Fee, All Reward

The Marriott Bonvoy Bold^® Credit Card offers rewards that new travelers might love, but it doesn’t have the firepower of some other travel rewards credit cards. This card works best for people who travel frequently and primarily stay at hotels that are part of the Marriott Bonvoy program. If you're looking for a more general travel credit card that offers rewards no matter what hotel you stay at, then you might want to consider other options. 

Is the generous welcome offer enough incentive for you to want this new card for your wallet? Find out in this Marriott Bonvoy Bold Credit Card review — learn the pros and cons of Marriott’s latest card addition and find out who it’s best suited for.

A Great Choice for New Travelers

Marriott Bonvoy Bold^® Credit Card

3.7

FinanceBuzz writers and editors score cards based on a number of objective features as well as our expert editorial assessment. Our partners do not influence how we rate products.

Marriott Bonvoy Bold^® Credit Card

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Current Offer

Earn 30,000 bonus points after you spend $1,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening

Annual Fee

$0

Rewards Rate

up to 14X points at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy; 2X points on other travel purchases; and 1X points on all other purchases

Benefits and Drawbacks

Benefits

• Earn 30,000 bonus points after you spend $1,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening
• up to 14X points at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy
• 15 Elite Night Credits each calendar year
• No foreign transaction fees
• No annual fee

Drawbacks

• No free night for cardmember anniversary

Card Details

• Earn 30,000 bonus points after you spend $1,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening
• up to 14X points at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy; 2X points on other travel purchases; and 1X points on all other purchases

Who should get the Marriott Bonvoy Bold Credit Card?

People just starting to explore travel rewards may appreciate the rewards and benefits that come with the Marriott Bonvoy Bold Credit Card. While it doesn’t have all the bells and whistles that higher-tier Bonvoy branded cards offer, it's a no-annual-fee card, so you don't need to worry about an added cost. This makes the Marriott Bonvoy Bold one of the best hotel credit cards for someone that wants an entry-level card.

Travelers who already have other Bonvoy-branded cards could possibly get this credit card, depending on eligibility, to supplement points earned from other Bonvoy cards without adding another annual fee. Loyal Marriott travelers could also benefit from the Bonvoy Bold card because of the points-earning potential it offers through stays at most Marriott properties around the world.

Card basics

Marriott Bonvoy Bold Card benefits and perks

• Generous welcome offer: Earn 30,000 bonus points after you spend $1,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.

• Multiple ways to earn points: You’ll earn up to 14X points at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy; 2X points on other travel purchases; and 1X points on all other purchases.

• Silver Elite status: You’ll receive 15 Elite Night Credits annually, which qualifies you for Marriott Silver Elite status. With Silver Elite status, you'll enjoy perks like late checkout and bonus rewards on eligible Marriott hotel stays.

• No foreign transaction fees: Use your card to make purchases outside the U.S. as much as you like without worrying about foreign transaction fees.

• No expiration date: As long as you use your Marriott Bonvoy Bold card once every 24 months, your points won’t expire.

• Baggage delay insurance & lost luggage reimbursement: You and your immediate family are covered up to $3,000 per passenger for checked or carry-on bags damaged or lost by the carrier.

• Trip delay reimbursement: You’ll get reimbursed for travel expenses up to $500 per ticket if your trip is delayed more than 12 hours or requires an overnight stay.

• Purchase protection: Cardmembers receive purchase protection coverage (up to $500 per claim or $50,000 per account) against damage or theft for 120 days following a new purchase made with their card.
  

• DoorDash benefits: Receive a complimentary 12-month DashPass subscription if you activate by Dec. 31, 2024. DashPass benefits include $0 delivery fees for orders over $12.
  

• Visa concierge service: Since the Bonvoy Bold is a Visa Signature card, you get 24/7 access to Visa concierge service, which can help you make travel arrangements, book event tickets, and more.
  

Drawbacks to the Marriott Bonvoy Bold Card

• No annual free night stays: Even though the higher-tier Bonvoy credit cards give cardmembers a free award night each year on their account anniversary, the Marriott Bonvoy Bold does not offer this benefit. 
• Lower earning rates: The higher-tier Bonvoy cards come with higher earning rates than the Bonvoy Bold. With the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless^® Credit Card, you can earn up to 17X points at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy; 3X points at grocery stores, gas stations, and dining on the first $6,000 spent in combined purchases each year; and 2X points on all other purchases. Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant^® American Express^® Card cardmembers earn 6X points on eligible purchases at hotels participating in the Marriott Bonvoy program, 3X points at worldwide restaurants and on flights booked directly with airlines, and 2X points on all other eligible purchases. Terms apply.

Earning & redeeming Marriott Bonvoy Points

Potential earnings in years one and two

Here's a look at how your points can add up with the Marriott Bonvoy Bold Card. To calculate these values, we used a point valuation of one cent.

Remember, this is an estimation. The actual value will be determined by how much you spend and in which categories you spend.

Year one earnings: $685.00

Year two earnings: $385

These values are based on the FinanceBuzz Credit Card Rewards Valuation Model, which takes a look at points earned via spending, the welcome bonus, and the annual fee.

Note that the values above only account for general travel spending, not specific spending at Marriott properties. If you use your card frequently to book Marriott hotel stays, the value you get from it will likely increase considerably. 

Best ways to earn

Regular stays at Marriott hotels are the best way to earn points with the Bonvoy Bold Card, since you earn up to 14X points for every dollar spent at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy. With nearly 7,000 qualifying hotels in the loyalty program, you could earn points traveling almost anywhere in the world.

Along with your Marriott stays, using the Bonvoy Bold card for other travel purchases will net you 2X points per dollar spent. All other purchases will earn you 1X points per dollar. This includes categories like gas stations, restaurants, and grocery stores.

Maximizing your redemptions

Your best option for maximizing redemptions using points is to stay at Marriott Bonvoy hotels when traveling. You can also combine points with cash when booking hotel stays to stretch your points.

Another option for cardholders is to transfer your points to one of Marriott’s 40-plus airline partners. For every 60,000 points transferred, Marriott will add an extra 5,000 miles. Most airline programs transfer from points to miles at a 3:1 ratio. For example, 30,000 Bonvoy points might transfer to 10,000 United Airlines miles.

Points earned with the Marriott Bonvoy Bold card can be used to book air travel and car rentals through the Marriott travel portal. Other possible redemptions include gift cards and exclusive experiences.

Marriott Bonvoy Bold transfer partners

As mentioned, the Marriott Bonvoy program has over 40 airline partners. Typically, Bonvoy points will transfer to airline partners at a 3:1 ratio. While some may argue that this isn't the best value for your points, the best value for you really depends on your goals and how you prefer to redeem your rewards. If you're interested in using your Bonvoy points to offset the cost of airfare, you can transfer them to the following partners:

•  AEGEAN Miles+Bonus
• Aer Lingus AerClub
• Aeroflot Bonus
• Aeromexico ClubPremier
• Air Canada Aeroplan
• Air France-KLM Flying Blue
• Air New Zealand Airpoints
• Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan™
• Alitalia MilleMiglia
• American Airlines AAdvantage®
• ANA Mileage Club
• Asiana Airlines Asiana Club
• Avianca LifeMiles
• British Airways Executive Club
• Cathay Pacific Asia Miles
• Copa Airlines ConnectMiles
• Delta SkyMiles®
• Emirates Skywards®
• Etihad Guest
• FRONTIER Miles
• Hainan Airlines Fortune Wings Club
• Hawaiian Airlines HawaiianMiles®
• Iberia Plus
• InterMiles
• Japan Airlines JAL Mileage Bank
• JetBlue TrueBlue
• Korean Air SKYPASS
• LATAM Airlines LATAM Pass
• Multiplus Fidelidade
• Qantas Frequent Flyer
• Qatar Airways Privilege Club
• SAA Voyager
• Saudia Alfursan
• Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer®
• Southwest Rapid Rewards®
• TAP Air Portugal Miles&Go
• Thai Airways Royal Orchid Plus
• Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles
• United MileagePlus®
• Virgin Atlantic Flying Club
• Virgin Australia Velocity Frequent Flyer
• Vueling Club

Marriott Bonvoy Bold FAQs

Other cards to consider

If you’re loyal to Marriott hotels, the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless^® Credit Card may be a better option. While it has a $95 annual fee, new cardholders can also earn 3 free night awards after spending $3,000 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening (each night valued up to 50,000 points). Boundless cardmembers earn up to 17X points at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy; 3X points at grocery stores, gas stations, and dining on the first $6,000 spent in combined purchases each year; and 2X points on all other purchases. Also, this card earns you a free hotel night annually, valued at up to 35,000 points.

A more versatile rewards card for travelers is the Chase Sapphire Preferred^® Card. This credit card offers a considerable sign-up bonus of 60,000 points for new cardmembers who spend $4,000 during the first 3 months after account opening. That’s worth $750 through the Chase Travel℠ Program. You could book travel directly through the program for maximum value or transfer points to one of Chase’s many travel partners. Or, if you'd prefer, you can redeem your points for cash back, gift cards, or use them to shop online at select retailers.

A Great Choice for New Travelers

Marriott Bonvoy Bold^® Credit Card

3.7

FinanceBuzz writers and editors score cards based on a number of objective features as well as our expert editorial assessment. Our partners do not influence how we rate products.

Marriott Bonvoy Bold^® Credit Card

3.7

FinanceBuzz writers and editors score cards based on a number of objective features as well as our expert editorial assessment. Our partners do not influence how we rate products.

Why We Like It

Earn 30,000 bonus points after you spend $1,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening

See how these cards compare:

Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card

• Earn 3 Free Night Awards after spending $3,000 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening (each night valued up to 50,000 points)
• up to 17X points at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy
• 3X points at grocery stores, gas stations, and dining on the first $6,000 spent in combined purchases each year
• One free night each year at account anniversary
• No foreign transaction fee

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

• Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening
• 5X points on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠
• 25% more value when redeeming rewards for travel through Chase Travel℠
• 10% anniversary point bonus each year
• $50 annual credit on hotel stays booked through Chase Travel℠
• Premium travel protection benefits