Marriott Bonvoy Bold card review: A decent entry-level Marriott rewards card that’s worth getting for the welcome bonus and status upgrade alone

That might be enough for someone who very occasionally books a Marriott Bonvoy stay, but true brand loyalists will want a far more rewarding card like the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card, which offers 6X and a three-night welcome bonus for a $95 annual fee. 

Still, if you plan to stay at Marriott properties here and there, it might be worth having the Marriott Bonvoy Bold in your drawer for the elevated status and welcome bonus alone.

Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card Overview

Card type: Hotel Rewards, Travel Rewards

If you’re the kind of person who isn’t loyal to a particular hotel brand (IHG, Hyatt, Marriott etc.) but you like maximizing rewards regardless of the hotel chain you book with, the Marriott Bonvoy Bold card might be a great fit for your travel wallet. 

That’s because you’ll get a nice welcome bonus of 30,000 Marriott Bonvoy points towards future bookings, Silver Elite status for as long as you hold the card and 3X points on Marriott Bonvoy bookings – all without the ongoing commitment of an annual fee. 

While 3X on Marriott Bonvoy and 2X on travel isn’t as generous an earning scheme as other flexible point cards offer ,it could be worth keeping the Marriott Bonvoy Bold card around for the welcome bonus and status bump alone.

Who is the Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card good for?

The Marriott Bonvoy Bold is best for someone who doesn’t book stays at Marriott properties very frequently – but still wants to maximize their points when they do. 

If you’re the kind of person who likes to have one rewards card for each hotel chain (IGH, Hyatt, Marriott etc.) without committing to any annual fees, the Marriott Bonvoy Bold is a logical choice. 

Who shouldn’t get this card? 

If you’re even slightly committed to the Marriott brand (i.e. you’re already certain you’ll be booking a few stays this year), you’ll probably be happier committing to the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card card. Sure, it’s $95 but it offers a tidal wave of value to compensate, ranging from a beefy welcome bonus to instant status and free nights. 

You also shouldn’t get the Marriott Bonvoy Bold card if you’re seeking a general-purpose travel rewards card. Among other reasons, the Marriott suite of credit cards (pun intended) generates Marriott Bonvoy points with no cash back option, limiting their overall utility. For a travel card to compliment your everyday use card, check out our list of the Best travel credit cards of 2024 instead. 

Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card: How to earn rewards

The Marriott Bonvoy Bold offers the following ways to earn rewards: 

• 3X points per dollar spent at Marriott Bonvoy properties at over 7,000 hotels in the Marriott Bonvoy network
• 2X points per dollar on other travel purchases
• 1X point per dollar on all other purchases

Chase touts an earnings rate of “up to 14X” but those numbers are a bit misleading. You’ll get 10 points per dollar just for being a Marriott Bonvoy member – which is free – and another 1 point per dollar for having Silver Elite Status. Granted, the Marriott Bonvoy Bold card does get you instant Silver Elite status, so you could say the card indirectly offers 4 additional points per dollar on Marriott Bonvoy stays. 

Another thing to keep in mind is that you’re earning Marriott Bonvoy points instead of other, more flexible transferable points. That means your redemption options will be much more limited—as well as the value of the points themselves.

How to redeem Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card rewards 

Marriott Bonvoy currently offers the following ways to redeem your points: 

• Hotel stays: free nights, upgrades and other purchases at Marriott properties
• Flights and rental cars: book flights and car rentals directly with over 250 travel partners
• Cruises: booked through Marriott Bonvoy’s Cruise With Points program
• Transfers: transfer your points to 39 airline partners (most at a 3:1 points-to-mile ratio)
• Shopping: shop for merchandise like headphones, fashion, gift cards, etc.
• Marriott Bonvoy Moments: book activities like select dining, concert and sports experiences
• TSA Precheck: redeem 25,000 points towards membership in the trusted traveler program
• Gift or donate: give your points to charities or other members

Unfortunately, redemption rates are pretty low across the board. According to various sources, the average Marriott Bonvoy point is worth around 0.8 cents when redeemed for hotel rewards and 0.75 cents across all redemption categories. That means your 30,000-point welcome bonus is really only worth around $240 in hotel redemption unless you find a deal on Marriott Bonvoy PointSavers where points are worth a pinch more.

Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card rates and fees

Aside from no annual fee and no foreign transaction fees, the rest of the Marriott Bonvoy Bold card’s terms and conditions are pretty standard fare. 

There’s no introductory 0% APR period like the Chase Freedom Unlimited^® and Chase Freedom Flex℠ offer, but you do still have access to My Chase Plan which lets you pay off big expenses (like a Marriott stay) in fixed monthly fees at 0% interest. 

• Annual fee: $0
• Foreign transaction fee: $0 
• Regular APR: 21.49%–28.49% variable

Additional benefits

The Marriott Bonvoy Bold card comes with the following benefits, which are ho-hum for a hotel rewards card but decent for a no-annual-fee card. Instant free status is always appreciated, but there’s no free night on your card anniversary nor is there any Trip Interruption/Cancellation insurance, which is a big loss for any travel rewards card. 

• 15 Elite Night Credits each year, on or before March 1st (the date of Elite Status Annual Processing for the coming year). This means you’ll instantly qualify for Silver Elite Status (10 Nights) and will have a head start on Gold (25 Nights) and Platinum (50 Nights). At Silver Elite, you unlock 10% bonus points on purchases, priority late checkout, free Wi-Fi and more.
• Travel protections include Baggage Delay Insurance ($100 per day for 5 days), Lost Luggage Reimbursement (up to $3,000 per passenger) and Trip Delay Reimbursement (up to $500 per ticket). Trip Interruption/Cancellation Insurance is not included. 
• Purchase protection, which insures eligible new purchases against damage or theft for up to 120 days ($500 max per claim).
  One year of complimentary DashPass which waives delivery fees and lowers service fees for DoorDash and Caviar orders.

Credit cards similar to Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card

Let’s see how the Marriott Bonvoy Bold stacks up to its big brother, the Boundless card, as well as a more versatile travel rewards card with better rewards and redemption options. 

Chase Sapphire Preferred^® Card vs. Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card

The Chase Sapphire Preferred^® Card offers a hefty 60,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening (that’s $750 toward travel when redeemed through Chase Ultimate Rewards®), 5x points on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards®, 3x points on select streaming services and online grocery purchases (excluding Walmart, Target and wholesale clubs), 2x points on travel purchases and 1x points on other purchases. Toss in a $50 hotel statement credit and you have a superb and well-rounded travel rewards card. 

Sure, there’s a $95 annual fee and you won’t get instant Silver Elite status, but the Chase Sapphire Preferred offers more direct monetary value and redemption options than the Marriott Bonvoy Bold. Plus, it has a cash back option that the Bold lacks. So if you’re looking for a good general purpose travel rewards card and you’re not loyal to Marriott Bonvoy, the Chase Sapphire Preferred is a far better option.

Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card vs. Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card 

On the flip side, if you are super loyal to Marriott Bonvoy you may prefer to go from Bold to Boundless. 

The Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card charges a $95 annual fee but offers much steeper rewards to compensate. To start, there’s a welcome bonus of three free nights worth up to 150,000 points after spending $3,000 within three months. You’ll also get another free night on your account anniversary, 6X points per dollar at Marriott Bonvoy hotels, 3X points per dollar on the first $6,000 spent in combined purchases each year on grocery stores, gas stations, and diningand 2X points per dollar on other purchases. 

The real value here is the free nights plus 6X on bookings. If you stay at Marriott properties frequently enough, the annual free night alone should be worth the $95 annual fee and you’ll generate 6X on every booking throughout the year (worth ~4.8 cents towards Marriott stays). 

Is the Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card right for you?

The Marriott Bonvoy Bold card might be a good fit if you plan to stay at Marriott properties on occasion but you aren’t brand loyal enough to justify paying $95 for the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless card. 

With a 30,000 point welcome bonus towards a future stay, Silver Elite status and a decent earning rate on Marriott Bonvoy purchases for no annual fee, there’s very little reason for travelers not to apply for the Marriott Bonvoy Bold card (aside from the impact to your credit score). 

But if you’re looking to keep your wallet skinny and you only want one travel rewards card that does it all, you’ll probably be happier with the Chase Sapphire Preferred instead. It commands a $95 annual fee, but it has IHG, Hyatt and Marriott Bonvoy as transfer partners at a one-to-one ratio and a generous 60,000-point welcome bonus. 

Whether you end up choosing a Marriott-specific card or a general use card, be sure to sign up for Marriott Bonvoy rewards for a baseline 10 points per dollar on most Marriott bookings.

Frequently asked questions 

What is the Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card?

• The Marriott Bonvoy Bold is Marriott’s entry-level rewards credit card, with no annual fee, a 30,000 point welcome bonus, 3X on Marriott purchases and more. 

Is the Chase Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card worth it?

• The Marriott Bonvoy Bold card is worth it if you occasionally book a Marriott property stay and would like to maximize your rewards when doing so. If you stay at Marriott hotels more frequently you might prefer the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless card, and if you like having a single all-purpose travel rewards card you’ll probably be happier with the Chase Sapphire Preferred. 

What credit score do you need for the Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card?

• Since the Marriott Bonvoy Bold is a travel rewards card, you’ll probably need a FICO score of at least 670 to apply. 

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Please note that card details are accurate as of the publish date, but are subject to change at any time at the discretion of the issuer. Please contact the card issuer to verify rates, fees, and benefits before applying.