Marriott Bonvoy Business® from American Express® Review

Marriott Bonvoy Business® from American Express® — all information about the credit card.

By Hanna Volkava
Updated August 01, 2023
American Express® Marriott Bonvoy Business®
Our Rating:
3.22 out of 5
scorer
Recommended credit score
Good to Excellent (670-799)
  • Rewards Rate:
    • 6x Bonus Marriot Bonvoy points at Marriott per dollar on eligible purchases at hotels participating in the Marriott Bonvoy® program.
    • 4x Bonus Marriot Bonvoy points on purchases at restaurants worldwide, at U.S. gas stations, on wireless telephone services purchased directly from U.S. service providers and on U.S. purchases for shipping.
    • 2x Bonus Marriot Bonvoy points on all other purchases.
  • Intro Offer:
    • 75,000x Bonus Marriot Bonvoy points after spending $3,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 3 months of Card Membership.
  • Annual Fee:
    $125 annually
  • Purchase Intro APR:
    None
  • Regular APR:
    20.99% - 29.99% Variable
  • Balance Transfer APR:
    None
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American Express® Marriott Bonvoy Business® Rewards Calculator

How do you record your expenses?
Enter your monthly spendings on:
6X
Marriott Bonvoy
$
4X
Dining
$
4X
Gas
$
4X
Internet
$
2X
All other purchases
$
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All benefits

  • Cash back
    • 6% At Marriott per dollar on eligible purchases at hotels participating in the Marriott Bonvoy® program.
    • 4% On purchases at restaurants worldwide, at U.S. gas stations, on wireless telephone services purchased directly from U.S. service providers and on U.S. purchases for shipping.
    • 2% On all other purchases.
  • Travel
    • 7% Marriott Bonvoy® Room Rate Discount.
    • Earn & Redeem Free Nights:
    • Get one Free Night Award every year, after your Card renewal month. And earn another Free Night Award after you spend $60,000 in purchases on your Card in a calendar year. Awards can be used for one night (redemption level at or under 35,000 Marriott Bonvoy points) at over 7,000 hotels participating in the Marriott Bonvoy program worldwide.
    • Elite Night Credits:
    • Each calendar year you can receive 15 Elite Night Credits towards the next level of Marriott Bonvoy Elite status. Limitations apply per Marriott Bonvoy member account. Benefit is not exclusive to Cards offered by American Express.
    • Marriott Bonvoy Air+Car Transfer Program:
    • Air+Car allows members to redeem Marriott Bonvoy points for flights and car rentals across hundreds of travel partners around the world.
    • Complimentary Gold Elite Status:
    • Receive complimentary Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status with your Card, which includes priority late checkout when available and 25% bonus points on stays.
    • Premium Internet Access:
    • Stay connected with complimentary in-room, premium internet access while staying at hotels participating in the Marriott Bonvoy program.
    • No Foreign Transaction Fees:
    • Do business globally without any foreign transaction fees on purchases.
    • Baggage Insurance Plan:
    • Travel more comfortably knowing you can be covered for lost, damaged, or stolen Baggage when you purchase the Entire Fare for a Common Carrier Vehicle ticket (e.g. plane, train, ship, or bus) on an Eligible Card. Coverage can be provided for up to $1,250 for carry-on Baggage and up to $500 for checked Baggage, in excess of coverage provided by the Common Carrier. For New York State residents, there is a $10,000 aggregate maximum limit for all Covered Persons per Covered Trip.
    • Global Assist® Hotline:
    • Whenever you travel more than 100 miles from home, you may be eligible for 24/7 emergency assistance and coordination services, including medical, legal, and passport referrals, emergency cash wires, and missing luggage assistance.
    • Car Rental Loss and Damage Insurance:
    • As a Card Member, You can be covered for Damage to or Theft of a Rental Vehicle in a Covered Territory when you use your Eligible Card to reserve and pay for the Entire Rental and decline the collision damage waiver (CDW) at the Rental Company counter.

Rate and fee information

  • Purchase Intro APR
    • None
  • Purchase APR
    • 20.99% - 29.99% Variable
  • Intro Balance Transfer APR
    • None
  • Balance Transfers APR
    • None
  • APR for Cash Advances
    • 29.99% Variable
  • How to Avoid Paying Interest
    • Your due date is at least 25 days after the close of each billing period. You will not be charged interest on purchases if you pay your entire balance by the due date each month. You will be charged interest on cash advances on the transaction date.

Fees

  • Annual Fee
    • $125 annually
  • Fees for Cash Advances
    • Either $5 or 3% of the amount of each cash advance, whichever is greater
  • Penalty Fees
    • 29.99%
  • Return Payment
    • $39
  • Late Payment
    • Up to $39
View all Rates & Fees

Pros & Cons

Pros:
  • No foreign transaction fees
  • Hotel perks and discounts
  • Welcome offer covers the annual fee
Cons:
  • Low Marriott Bonvoy points value
  • Points expire

Features

Classic
American Express
Contactless
  • No foreign transaction fees
  • Payment Flexibility
  • Fraud Protection
  • Rewards
  • Bonus points
  • Purchase Protection
  • Extended Warranty Protection
  • Travel
  • Lost Luggage Reimbursement
  • Baggage Delay Insurance
  • Auto Rental Insurance
  • Good Credit
  • Excellent Credit

About the issuer

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American Express Marriott Bonvoy Business Card Review

The Marriott Bonvoy Business card from American Express offers a nice range of rewards for business travelers.

With 6x Marriott Bonvoy points on Marriott hotel stays, 4x points on many common business expense categories, and 2x points on all other purchases, this card is worth considering if you travel a lot and are loyal to the Marriott brand.

Cardholders receive complimentary Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status, which comes with additional bonus points and extra perks for the stays. This card is aimed at small business owners who not only make regular purchases for the business but are also frequent travelers.

Bonvoy Business card: Pros and Cons

Pros: Cons:
No foreign transaction fees. This is a nice perk for business travelers who may want to book stays or make purchases outside the US. Low Marriott Bonvoy points value. Marriott Bonvoy hotel points are typically valued at $0.007 - $0.084 per point.
Hotel perks and discounts. The Marriott Bonvoy Business card comes with discounts on direct Marriott Bonvoy hotel bookings, free nights, and extra room perks. Points expire. Points do expire after 24 months of account inactivity.
Welcome offer covers the annual fee. The annual fee of $125 is more than covered by the welcome offer of 75,000 Marriott points

Marriott Bonvoy Business Card Rewards

Marriott Bonvoy Business cardholders earn 2 Marriott Bonvoy points for each dollar spent with the card, regardless of category. For purchases made at restaurants, US gas stations, for US wireless phone plans, and US shipping, cardholders earn an additional 2 points per dollar, for a total of 4 points per dollar spent. Marriott hotel bookings earn 4 extra points above the baseline per dollar spent, for a total of 6 points per dollar spent.

The points earned will vary in value depending on how they are used. Points can be redeemed in the following ways:

  • Reward nights at 7,000+ Marriott properties. The minimum amount of points necessary for a reward night at a hotel is 5,000. Standard nights in category 1 hotels cost 5,000 to 10,000 points, depending on the season. Meanwhile, high-end luxury hotel costs may range from 85,000 to 100,000 points per night.
  • Miles. Marriott partners with about 40 Frequent Flier Programs worldwide.
  • Cruise. Book your cruise using points + cash or just points.
  • Rental cars. You can redeem points and enjoy special savings on Hertz rentals.
  • Room upgrades.
  • Dining, concerts, and sports experiences.
  • Gift cards and shopping.
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Generally, cardholders will get the most value for Marriott Bonvoy hotel stays, and the least value for item purchases. On average, Marriott Bonvoy points are only worth about 0.7 - 0.84 CPP, so 6x points translate to around 4 - 5 cents cash back per dollar spent.

Who should get this card?

This card is aimed at small business owners who frequent Marriott Bonvoy properties. With its rewards emphasis on travel categories such as hotels, gas, and restaurants, cardholders who spend heavily in these categories will be able to utilize the rewards in the best way possible.

Lots of travel-related perks this card provides will make your travel even more enjoyable. Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status, room rate discount, Elite Night credits, and others will enhance your travel experience. Add into the mix 6x points on eligible spending at Marriott properties and 4x points on business-related expenses, restaurants, and US gas stations, resulting in a great small business card for travel. Of course to get the most out of this card you have to be a Marriott loyalist.

How to Make the Most of the Bonvoy Business Card

The Marriott Bonvoy Business card offers some nice travel rewards. The 7% room discount on direct bookings of Marriott hotels, one free night a year plus an additional one if you make $60,000 in card purchases in the year, and Elite Night credits help you save on business travel.

Your Marriott hotel stays are also upgraded. The Bonvoy business card upgrades you to Elite Gold status, which qualifies you for a late checkout and extra bonus points on your booking. Another nice perk for the business traveler is free premium Wi-Fi included with your hotel room.

Since Marriott Bonvoy points are valued rather low compared to other cards’ rewards points programs (0.7 - 0.84 cents per point), use your points strategically. It’s better to apply your points to hotel rooms and carefully chosen flights than on purchases through the Marriott shopping portal.

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Marriott Bonvoy points do expire. If you do not make any purchases with your card or your points for 24 months, your points will expire. Points older than 2 years old will not expire if you continue to make new purchases and keep your account active.

Marriott Bonvoy program points can be redeemed through their redemption portal.

Other card benefits

Along with the travel benefits, this card also comes with business expense management tools:

  • Travel Insurance. The American Express Marriott Bonvoy Business card comes with several forms of travel insurance, including Lost/Stolen Baggage, Delayed Flight, Baggage Delay, Hotel Burglary, $500,000 Travel Accident, Car Rental Theft and Damage, and Travel Emergency Assistance.
  • Elite Night Credits. Each year, you’ll earn 15 Elite Night credits on qualifying stays which help to achieve the next Elite status. This perk may be combined with nights earned by using an American Express Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant credit card to allow you to earn up to 40 Elite Nights annually.
  • Additional Employee cards. Corporate cardholders can issue additional Employee Cards, and set spending limits on the individual cards while still earning rewards points on the employee purchases. Account alerts allow you to retain control of your employees’ spending on the cards.
  • Expense management through QuickBooks. The Marriott Bonvoy Business card also can be connected to QuickBooks, so purchases can be automatically logged and categorized.
  • Purchase protection. The card also comes with purchase protection for up to 90 days, warranty extensions on qualified purchases, and dispute resolution for incorrect or fraudulent charges.

Conclusion

While the American Express Marriott Bonvoy Business card has some nice features, it’s not the best all-around business traveler credit card on the market. If you use it strategically for business travel and hotel bookings with Marriott Bonvoy, it will do great for you. However, if you are looking to simply maximize the value of your points, you might be better off with a lower or no annual fee card (such as the American Express Blue Business Cash), a greater per-point value card, or both.

FAQ

What is the customer service phone number for the American Express Marriott Bonvoy Business card?

The customer service number for the American Express Marriott Bonvoy Business card is 1(800) 926-0143.

How do I check my application status for the American Express Marriott Bonvoy Business Card?

You can check your application status for all new American Express cards here. If you are upgrading your current card or asking for a credit limit increase, use the toll-free number on the back of your card.

Is insurance coverage available with the American Express Marriott Bonvoy Business card?

The American Express Marriott Bonvoy Business card provides different types of travel insurance, among them:
  • Lost/Stolen Baggage Insurance;
  • Delayed Flight Insurance;
  • Baggage Delay Insurance;
  • Hotel Burglary Insurance;
  • $500,000 Travel Accident Insurance;
  • Car Rental Theft and Damage Insurance;
  • Travel Emergency Assistance.
More details on these insurance coverages can be found on the American Express website.

Does the American Express Marriott Bonvoy Business card offer a 0% introductory APR?

Unfortunately, American Express Marriott Bonvoy Business does not offer introductory APR.
Hanna VolkavaHanna Volkava

Financial and product expert

hv@myfin.us
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