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Marriott Bonvoy is a popular loyalty program for many travelers as Marriott is a global brand. Additionally, their large hotel portfolio makes it easy to find a hotel in most cities, including those who travel for business. However, is the Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card best for your business trips? Let’s look to see what you can expect from the Marriott Bonvoy Business American Express Card.
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.
Marriott Bonvoy Business American Express Card
The Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card has some exciting benefits, including a free anniversary night. And you can get special Bonvoy member perks, such as elite status and airline transfer bonuses. Here are a few other benefits to be aware of.
Welcome Offer
New offer: New Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card cardholders can earn 3 Free Night Awards after using their new Card to make $6,000 in eligible purchases within the first 6 months of Card Membership. Each Free Night Award has a redemption level of up to 50,000 Marriott Bonvoy® points, for a total potential value of up to 150,000 points, at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy®. Certain hotels have resort fees. Terms apply.
If you currently own a personal Marriott Bonvoy credit card, you might qualify for this bonus. However, you must not have earned a Marriott welcome bonus in the last 24 months.
Purchase Rewards
Your Marriott Bonvoy Business American Express Card purchases earn up to 6x Marriott Bonvoy points:
- 6x points on eligible purchases at hotels participating in the Marriott Bonvoy® program
- 4x points at restaurants worldwide, U.S. gas stations, wireless telephone services purchased directly from U.S. service providers & on U.S. purchases for shipping
- 2x points on all other eligible purchases
You will earn unlimited Bonvoy points for each purchase category. As is common with other Amex credit cards, select bonus purchases must occur within the United States to earn 4 Bonvoy points per $1.
Additionally, all points deposit directly into your linked Marriott Bonvoy loyalty account. As Marriott Bonvoy points expire within 24 months of account inactivity, card purchases renew your current points balance.
Related: Best American Express Business Credit Cards
Redeeming Bonvoy Points
Your points are most valuable for Marriott Bonvoy award nights. Fortunately, there are over 7,000 properties in the hotel portfolio. Marriott uses peak and off-peak award pricing.
But, you can also find rooms for the standard rate — which is the average of these two other rates. At the standard rate, free nights cost between 7,500 and 85,000 points per night.
Air+Car Transfer Partners
Your next best redemption option is transferring your points to airline partners. There are over 40 participating airlines, but the transfer ratio for most is 3:1. At this rate, 3,000 Bonvoy points are worth 1,000 airline miles.
This isn’t the best transfer ratio for a credit card. When you transfer at least 60,000 points at once, you get 5,000 additional airline miles. This transfer bonus helps make your transferred balance more valuable.
Related: How Much Are 60k Miles Worth? Here Are Some Examples
Marriott Bonvoy Business American Express Card Benefits
There are several Marriott Bonvoy benefits you get for having the Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card. Let’s take a look at what you can get.
Free Nights
Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card cardholders can receive 1 Free Night Award annually after their Card renewal month. Plus, they can earn an additional Free Night Award after spending $60k in purchases on their Card in a calendar year. Awards can be used for one night (redemption level at or under 35,000 Marriott Bonvoy® points) at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy®. Additionally, certain hotels have resort fees.
This is one of the best credit cards for a free night award.
Some people only keep hotel credit cards for the free night award. They also make periodic purchases to keep their account in good standing and prevent their points balance from expiring.
Related: Best Hotel Credit Card Offers
Discounts
Plus, receive a 7% discount on eligible bookings as a benefit of being both a Marriott Bonvoy® member & a Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card Member when you book directly with Marriott through an eligible channel for a participating property under the Amex Business Card Rate.
Gold Elite Status
You get instant Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite loyalty status upon approval.
15 Elite Night Credits
Having the Marriott Bonvoy Business Card deposits 15 Elite Night credits each year. This credit gives you a head start on qualifying for Gold Elite status. Staying 10 more nights gives you the 25 necessary nights to bump up to Gold Elite status.
Premium On-Property Internet Access
Your Gold Elite status already gives you free on-property internet. Now, you can have premium in-room internet access as long as you own the Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card. This perk makes it possible to have better connection fees or avoid more incidental fees.
Travel Insurance Benefits
American Express provides some travel protection benefits.
One benefit is baggage insurance. Carry-on bags get up to $2,500 coverage, and checked bags get $500. New York state resident benefits cap at $10,000 for all persons per trip.
The second benefit is secondary rental car collision and theft protection. This benefit can cover the remaining costs after your primary car insurance benefits pay their share of the at-fault claim.
Marriott Bonvoy Business American Express Card Business Benefits
So, what business benefits does American Express offer you?
Here are most of the standard Amex business card benefits:
- Free basic Bill.com vendor pay for one user
- Manage receipts and track spending with the American Express Business App
- Ability to designate an account manager
- Free employee cards with spending limits, alerts, and spending reports
You might also be able to save cash at qualifying merchants with the Amex Offers program. You can activate spending offers to get cash savings on one-time purchases.
Related: Best American Express Cards
Annual Fee
The annual fee is $125 per year for the primary credit card. Each additional employee card is free. Also, this card has no foreign transaction fee (See Rates & Fees).
This annual fee is competitive, with most hotel credit cards offering a free anniversary night. However, it’s more expensive than most business credit cards. If you can use the benefits, this card can be worth the annual fee.
Related: Best Small Business Credit Cards
Positives and Negatives
Here’s a quick look at the good and bad of the Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card.
Pros
- One free award night each year
- Instant Gold Elite loyalty status
- 15 Elite Night credits each year
- No foreign transaction fee
Cons
- Most airline partners have a 3:1 airline transfer
- $125 annual fee
Terms apply.
Who Should Get the Marriott Bonvoy Business Card?
Two different types of business travelers should consider getting the Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card.
The first (and most obvious) group is loyal Marriott customers. If you prefer earning hotel points on business purchases, you can book award nights more often.
A second group who should consider this card is those who want the free award night. Additionally, to get the most value, this free night should be worth more than the $125 annual fee. Making periodic purchases also prevents your Bonvoy points from expiring if you don’t stay at Marriott properties often.
This card isn’t a good option if you prefer to redeem credit points for award flights or cash rewards. Also, this card won’t add value to your wallet if you don’t stay at Marriott Bonvoy properties on a regular basis.
Summary
In conclusion, the Marriott Bonvoy Business American Express Card is a good option for regular Marriott customers. The free annual award night, Gold Elite loyalty status, and a reasonable $125 annual fee make this card attractive. However, other cards can be better if you don’t want to redeem points for Marriott award nights.
3 Free Nights: Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card
FAQs
Is the Marriott Bonvoy business card metal?
The current Marriott Bonvoy Business American Express Card isn’t made of metal. Previous versions of this card were metal. However, there are a few business metal credit card options still available.
How long do Bonvoy points last?
Marriott Bonvoy points expire after 24 months of account inactivity. Earning or redeeming points renews your points balance for another 24 months. Additionally, card purchases from a personal or business credit card also extend the life of your entire point balance.
However, if your Marriott Bonvoy credit card closes or is no longer in good standing, your points can expire. That is unless you earn or redeem points with qualified activity in your Bonvoy account.
What do you need to get approved for a Marriott credit card?
The Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card requires you to be at least 18 years old and earn business income. You can apply with a Social Security Number or an Employer Identification Number.
Additionally, having a credit score of at least 670 also means you’re more likely to get instant approval if you qualify.
It’s a good idea to try for a Marriott credit card when you qualify for the welcome bonus. Plus, you most likely qualify if this is your first Marriott card. However, previous owners of any Marriott credit card may not qualify if they received a bonus in the last 24 months.
3 Free Nights: Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card
Related Articles:
- Best Business Credit Cards for Consultants
- Best Credit Cards for Hotel Elite Status
- IHG Rewards Club Premier vs Marriott Bonvoy Reward Night
For rates and fees of the Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card, please click here.
