Marriott Bonvoy Bevy Review 2023

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The information for the following product(s) has been collected independently by Business Insider: Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card, Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card, Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful™ Card, Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card. The details for these products have not been reviewed or provided by the issuer.

The Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express® Card is worth considering if you stay with Marriott often, want to earn points fast, and don't mind paying a high annual fee for better earning rates and premium travel perks like Gold elite status. But the card has some notable caveats compared to some other Marriott credit cards that affect its overall appeal.

Marriott Bonvoy Bevy Review: Is It the Best Credit Card for You? 

The Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express® Card, with a Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express® Card annual fee, is positioned as a mid-tier card between the popular Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card (Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card annual fee) and premium Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant™ American Express® Card (Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant™ American Express® Card annual fee). For example, it comes with automatic Marriott Gold elite status, compared to the Silver status awarded by the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card and Platinum status with the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant™ American Express® Card.

The Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express® Card earns 6x points on hotel purchases at participating Marriott Bonvoy locations, as well as 4x at restaurants globally and at U.S. supermarkets on the first $15,000 in combined purchases per year (then 2x). All other purchases earn 2 points per dollar. While that's a great earning rate for dining and groceries, if you spend more than $15,000 in those categories annually, the cap could be a significant drawback. 

Surprisingly, unlike other annual-fee Marriott Bonvoy credit cards, the Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express® Card doesn't get you an annual free night certificate. Instead, you can only receive a Free Night Award worth up to 50,000 points after making $15,000 in purchases in a calendar year. This is a major snag in the overall value of the card. On other Marriott Bonvoy cards, like the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card, the free anniversary night certificate is one of the best perks, so its absence on the Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express® Card really sticks out. 

If you're interested in getting the annual free night, the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card currently has a welcome bonus offer of Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card for a Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card annual fee. It earns 3x points at grocery stores, gas stations, and on dining (on up to $6,000 in combined purchases per year, then 2x). And, you can earn one Elite Night Credit every time you spend $5,000 on your card. 

Outside of the Marriott Bonvoy program are other valuable hotel cards, like the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card, which are also worth considering. This card offers cardholders automatic Hilton Gold elite status and a Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card annual fee, with a welcome bonus offer of Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card.

Before you apply, you should check out our guide to the best hotel credit cards to find the card that best suits you.  

See our picks for the best credit cards »

We're focused here on the rewards and perks that come with each card. These cards won't be worth it if you're paying interest or late fees. When using a credit card, it's important to pay your balance in full each month, make payments on time, and only spend what you can afford to pay.

Marriott Bonvoy Bevy Rewards

Welcome bonus offer

New cardholders can earn Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express® Card. That's worth around Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express® Card in stays, based on Insider's points and miles valuations, but keep in mind that the actual value of your points will vary depending on how you redeem them. 

How to earn points

The Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express® Card was designed with speed in mind; cardholders are meant to earn points quickly in useful categories, but in reality that depends on how you spend. The easiest way to earn rewards is on hotel purchases, as it's the highest earning category. 

The Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express® Card earns valuable Marriott Bonvoy points on purchases including: 

• 6 points per dollar spent on purchases at participating Marriott Bonvoy hotels
• 4 points per dollar spent at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (up to $15,000 in combined purchases a year, then 2x)
• 2 points per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases

The Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express® Card also awards 1,000 bonus points for each qualifying Marriott stay (more on that in a bit).

How to use points

The Marriott Bonvoy program lets you redeem points for free hotel stays at thousands of participating properties around the world. Hotel rates can range from 5,000 points per night up to 120,000 points per night. Since Marriott Bonvoy uses dynamic award pricing, prices can significantly fluctuate depending on travel season and room pricing. 

You can also transfer points to airline partners, or redeem them for rental cars, gift cards, and exclusive culinary, sports, arts, and lifestyle experiences through Marriott Bonvoy moments.

Marriott Bonvoy Bevy Benefits and Features

Complimentary Gold Elite Status

The Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express® Card comes with automatic Gold elite status for the primary cardholder. This gets you exclusive perks like a 25% bonus points on stays, upgrades to better rooms (when available), 2 p.m. late checkout (when available), and welcome gift points. 

Bonus points on stays

When you use your Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express® Card card to pay at Marriott Bonvoy properties, you can earn 1,000 Marriott bonus points for each eligible stay. To receive the points, you must book directly through Marriott and not a third-party site or online travel agency.

According to Insider's valuations, 1,000 Marriott points are worth about $7 in stays, which isn't a lot. But if you stay with Marriott frequently, this benefit could add up.

Free Night Award

Unlike other Marriott cards that award a free night after every account anniversary, the Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express® Card only offers a free night after you make $15,000 in purchases in a calendar year. The free night award is valid at hotels that cost up to 50,000 points per night, and you can top up free night awards with up to 15,000 Marriott points from your account if you want to stay at a pricier hotel. 

15 annual elite night credits

You'll receive 15 elite night credits per calendar year toward higher elite status (the next tier after Gold is Platinum Elite status, which requires 50 elite nights per year). 

Secondary car rental insurance

When you decline the car rental company's collision damage waiver and use your Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express® Card to pay for your vehicle rental, you can be covered for damage or theft. This coverage is secondary, and does not include liability insurance.

Baggage insurance plan

If you paid for your airline ticket or fare with other common carriers using your Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express® Card, you'll be covered for eligible lost, damaged, or stolen baggage up to $1,250 per covered person.

Trip delay insurance

Pay for your ticket with the Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express® Card, and you can get reimbursed by trip delay insurance for up to $300 per covered trip for essentials like meals, lodging, toiletries, medication, and other personal items if you're delayed by 12 hours or more, up to two times per consecutive 12-month period.

Purchase protection

If you've paid for an eligible item with your Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express® Card and it's accidentally damaged or stolen within 90 days of purchase, purchase protection may cover you for up to $10,000 per covered purchase, and up to $50,000 per eligible card (up to $500 for a natural disaster covered event).

Extended warranty

Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express® Card cardholders can also qualify for an extended warranty on eligible items when they use their card to pay — up to one additional year added to eligible US manufacturer's warranties of five years or less. Coverage is up to $10,000 per purchase and up to $50,000 per eligible card.

Global Assist Hotline

With the Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express® Card, you'll get access to Amex's Global Assist Hotline, which can help you arrange things like passport replacement, medical referrals, and translation services if you're away from home. While the service itself is complimentary, you'll be responsible for any third-party costs. 

Marriott Bonvoy Bevy Annual Fee and Other Costs

The Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express® Card doesn't add foreign transaction fees, so it's a good option for international purchases. 

The card does have a Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express® Card annual fee, so it's not for the casual traveler. In addition, if you carry a balance, there's a Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express® Card - Regular APR APR.

There are also fees in specific situations, including cash advances, late payments, and returned payments.

How the Marriott Bonvoy Bevy Compares

Marriott Bonvoy Bevy vs other Marriott credit cards

*Bonus points at Marriott hotels are in addition to the points members would normally earn from a stay

***the Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express® Card offers a free night award after you spend at least $15,000 in a calendar year for participating Marriott Bonvoy properties that cost up to 50,000 points

****the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless™ Credit Card offers an annual free night award each year after your account anniversary for participating Marriott Bonvoy properties that cost up to 35,000 points

***the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant Card offers an annual free night award each year after your card renewal month for participating Marriott Bonvoy properties that cost up to 85,000 points

Marriott Bonvoy Bevy vs other hotel credit cards

Marriott Bonvoy Bevy Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Is the Marriott Bonvoy Bevy worth it?

The Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express® Card is worth it for folks who stay with Marriott often enough to get value from earning 1,000 points per stay, or who spend up to $15,000 combined annually on global restaurant and US supermarket purchases. While the card offers complimentary Gold elite status, it's hard to predict the value you'll get (for example, you're not guaranteed room upgrades, and Gold status doesn't come with perks like free breakfast).

Most occasional Marriott guests can do better with a card like the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card, with a much more manageable annual fee.

What credit score do you need for the Marriott Bonvoy Bevy card?

Most folks approved for Marriott Bonvoy credit cards have good to excellent credit (FICO score of at least 670). 

Who is eligible to apply for the Marriott Bonvoy Bevy card? 

Like other Marriott cards, there are some application restrictions with the Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express® Card.

If you have or have had The Ritz-Carlton® Credit Card from JPMorgan, J.P. Morgan Ritz-Carlton Rewards® Credit Card, Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful™ Card, Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card, Marriott Rewards® Premier Plus Credit Card from Chase, Marriott Bonvoy® Premier Credit Card from Chase, Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card, Marriott Bonvoy® Premier Plus Business Credit Card from Chase, or the Marriott Rewards® Premier Plus Business Credit Card from Chase in the last 30 days, you won't be eligible for the Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express® Card.

You also won't be eligible if you've received a new cardmember or upgrade bonus from the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card, Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card, or Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful™ Card in the past 24 months, or if you opened any of those cards in the past 90 days.  

Methodology: How We Reviewed the Marriott Bonvoy Bevy

The credit card experts at Insider assessed the Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express® Card by comparing it to other Marriott credit cards and to competing mid-tier hotel credit cards from other banks. We looked at several factors, including:

• Simplicity — Are the card's earning rates and benefits easy to understand? Is redeeming rewards straightforward, or are there a ton of hoops to jump through?
• Rewards potential — Does the card have a valuable welcome bonus and bonus categories that are useful to travelers? Do any of the bonus categories have a maximum cap?
• Benefits — Does the card come with perks that can save you money or improve your travel experience? 
• Annual fee — When there's an annual fee (especially if it's high), is it worth it based on the benefits and rewards you get? 

Here's a deeper dive into how we rate credit cards at Insider.