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Compare the Features and Benefits of Marriott Bonvoy Bold Credit Card and
Alaska Airlines Visa Signature® credit card

Detailed Comparison Overview

Key Facts
Annual Fee
Avg. Min. Credit Score
Ongoing APR
Balance transfers fees
Best Multiplier
Avg. Point Value
(Learn More)
Bonus Offer
Rating
Review
Key features
Unique Card Benefits
Trip Protections
Secondary Car Rental CDW Waiver
Extended Warranty
No Foreign Transaction Fees
No Fees for Authorized Users
Grants Hotel Status
Earns Transferable Points
Travel and Emergency Assistance Services
Purchase Protection
Free Access to Credit Score
Free Checked Bags
Priority Boarding
Annual Fee
$0
Avg. Min. Credit Score
670-850
Ongoing APR
20.24%-27.24% (Variable)
Balance transfers fees
-
Best Multiplier
3x Hotels

Earn 3X at Marriott Bonvoy properties booked direct. Earn 2X on all other hotel bookings.

2x Groceries
2x Streaming Services

Select Streaming services

2x Cable / Internet / VOIP Phone
1x Everything Else
Avg. Point Value
(Learn More)
$0.006
Bonus Offer
Earn 60,000 Points + 1 Free Night after spending $2,000 on eligible purchases within the first 3 months from account opening. 1 Free Night valued up to 50,000 points. Certain hotels have resort fees.
Rating
YBCC Card Rate Stars Filled
YBCC Card Rate Stars Empty
(3.4) Our Review

Our ratings are determined by the authors and editors on our team. Each individual card feature is compared against all other cards we offer and the total score is an average of those 4 ratings.

Review

There’s a Marriott credit card for everyone, and the Marriott Bonvoy Bold Credit Card is the most affordable one of the bunch. The main standouts of the card are that there’s no annual fee and no foreign transaction fees. Whether you’re a travel newbie or want to downgrade your Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card with a $95 annual fee, the Marriott Bonvoy Bold Credit Card is best for those wanting to avoid extra fees that come with other Marriott credit cards.

But when it comes to benefits, the Marriott Bonvoy Bold underperforms compared to its more expensive family members. It offers just 5 elite night credits (as compared to 15 with the Boundless, which qualifies you for entry-level Silver elite status in the Marriott Bonvoy program. At this level, you’ll be earning 10% bonus points on Marriott purchases and priority late checkout, which won’t move the needle for most travelers looking for real added-value benefits at hotels.

marriot-bonvoy-bold

On the flip side, the earning rate at Marriott presents quite a sizable return. Thanks to the complimentary Silver elite status, you’ll be earning 14x total points on purchases at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy in the following fashion: 10x points for holding a Marriott Bonvoy member account, 3x points with the Bonvoy Bold credit card, and 1x points for Silver elite members. Although still, with the Boundless card you’d earn 6X at Marriott and therefore 17X total points.

On everyday expenses, the rewards rate is less impressive as Marriott Bonvoy points aren’t as valuable as other loyalty currencies. We estimate that Marriott Bonvoy points are worth 0.6 cents each. In that sense, the Marriott Bonvoy Bold offers 2x points (1.2% return) on each dollar spent for select streaming, and internet, cable, and phone service purchases, and 1x (0.6% return) points on all other eligible purchases. You can certainly do much better with another travel rewards card or another Marriott Bonvoy credit card.

Although Marriott Bonvoy points have been devalued over the years, the good news is that they can be redeemed for Marriott’s enormous portfolio worldwide. As the largest hotel chain in the world, you’d be hard-pressed not to find a Marriott hotel no matter where you’re traveling. Another solid option of Marriott Bonvoy points is to transfer them at a 3:1 ratio to more than three dozen airline loyalty programs.

As a co-branded card with Chase, the Marriott Bonvoy Bold does excel in offering a number of travel and purchase protections, which can be quite valuable if you’re stuck in a travel emergency. Finally, card members can activate a DoorDash DashPass membership for one year, if enrolled by December 31, 2024. This can be a great way to save money on food delivery fees and find extra value from this no-annual-fee card.

In all, the Marriott Bonvoy Bold is not the most compelling option out there, but it provides two main purposes. First, if you need an introduction to the Marriott Bonvoy loyalty program but don’t want to pay an annual fee, this card can help you earn Marriott points on eligible purchases. Finally, this Chase card is a good downgrade option if you were thinking about canceling the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card.

If you’re thinking about other options, be sure to compare the options in Marriott’s portfolio — there are 4 other cobranded cards to consider! If you’re searching for a general rewards card that will help you save on travel no matter the airline or hotel brand, the Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card is a fantastic option. With no annual fee and no foreign transaction fees, the Capital One miles earned on the card are worth 1 cent each toward travel and more, or they can even be transferred to Capital One’s airline and hotel partners for more value.

Read more
Unique Card Benefits
yes
Trip Protections
yes
Secondary Car Rental CDW Waiver
yes
Extended Warranty
yes
No Foreign Transaction Fees
yes
No Fees for Authorized Users
yes
Grants Hotel Status
yes
Earns Transferable Points
yes
Travel and Emergency Assistance Services
yes
Purchase Protection
yes
Free Access to Credit Score
yes
Free Checked Bags
no
Priority Boarding
no
Annual Fee
$95
Avg. Min. Credit Score
670-850
Ongoing APR
20.74%-28.74% (Variable)
Balance transfers fees
4% of the amount of each transaction
Best Multiplier
3x Airfare

Earn unlimited 3 miles for every $1 spent on eligible Alaska Airlines purchases; otherwise earn 1X

2x Gas Stations

Including EV charging stations

2x Streaming Services
2x Cable / Internet / VOIP Phone
2x Transit

Including ride share, trains, even tolls and ferries

2x EV Charging
1x Everything Else
Avg. Point Value
(Learn More)
$0.017
Bonus Offer
LIMITED TIME ONLINE OFFER - Buy One, Get One + 50,000 Bonus Miles! Buy one ticket, get one for just the taxes and fees ($0 fare plus taxes and fees from $23) and get 50,000 bonus miles with this offer. To qualify, make $3,000 or more in purchases within the first 90 days of opening your account.
Rating
YBCC Card Rate Stars Filled
YBCC Card Rate Stars Empty
(4.13) Our Review

Our ratings are determined by the authors and editors on our team. Each individual card feature is compared against all other cards we offer and the total score is an average of those 4 ratings.

Review

With an affordable $95 annual fee and a great introductory bonus to boot, there are many ways to justify keeping the Alaska Airlines card in your wallet. In fact, there are two types of travelers who would benefit from this airline credit card: one who’s loyal to the West Coast-based carrier and wants extra perks when flying, and the other who wants an easier way to earn Alaska Airlines miles for bucket-list, premium cabin redemptions.

Let’s talk about the first type of traveler: Alaska Airlines frequent flyers. To start, you get a free checked bag on every Alaska flight and get to board the plane soon after elite status holders. While potentially less utilized, the 20% discount for onboard purchases and a $100 statement credit toward a Lounge+ membership can still prove to be beneficial if you frequently fly on Alaska Airlines network.

Now, let’s discuss the second traveler: the travel optimizer. That’s because Alaska’s Mileage Plan loyalty program allow you to redeem miles at a reasonable rate for a broad range of global airline partners beyond just Alaska. From Oneworld alliance partners to highly-rated carriers like Singapore Airlines and Starlux, Alaska miles are easily some of the most valuable airline miles out there.

As well, Alaska miles can be quite difficult to earn compared to other airline miles — unless you open the Alaska Visa to earn both the bonus offer and miles on eligible card purchases. Fortunately, the Alaska Airlines Visa Credit Card comes with a solid earning rate on Alaska flights and purchases (3x miles); everyday purchases including eligible gas, EV charging, cable, streaming services, and local transit (2x miles); and a standard 1x miles pr dollar spent on all other purchases.

alaska-airlines-visa-credit-card

No matter what your travel goals are with this credit card, the final component to discuss is Alaska’s famous companion fare, which you’ll earn as part of the welcome bonus — assuming you meet minimum spend from account opening. Essentially, you’re able to score a round-trip companion ticket from $99 (plus taxes and fees starting at $23), which can provide excellent value to many destinations. Best of all, cardholders get the opportunity to earn another companion ticket every single year by spending at least $6,000 on card purchases in the prior anniversary year.

See more Bank of America credit cards

Read more
Unique Card Benefits
yes
Trip Protections
yes
Secondary Car Rental CDW Waiver
yes
Extended Warranty
yes
No Foreign Transaction Fees
yes
No Fees for Authorized Users
yes
Grants Hotel Status
no
Earns Transferable Points
no
Travel and Emergency Assistance Services
no
Purchase Protection
no
Free Access to Credit Score
no
Free Checked Bags
yes
Priority Boarding
yes

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