Compare the Features and Benefits of Marriott Bonvoy Bold Credit Card and
Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card

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.

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.

While there are plenty of travel rewards enthusiasts that want to earn points and miles with a trendy new credit card, the Bank of America Travel Rewards credit card is made for others that just want to earn a free trip with a few fees and hassles as possible. It also offers 1.5 points per dollar spent on all purchases, and those points are worth one cent each as statement credits towards any travel or dining purchases. Points can also be used to pay for baggage fees in addition to other travel expenses such as flights, hotels, vacation packages, and dining/takeout purchases. (Most people would assume the credits are only towards travel so it’s nice that Bank of America includes the statement credit to be applied against dining purchases.

But the best value is offered to Bank of America Preferred Rewards members who can earn a 25%, 50% or 75% bonus, depending on their status within the program. Those with top status can earn as much as 2.62 points per dollar, which is truly exceptional for Preferred Rewards members. These points never expire so long as you account remains open.

Best of all, there’s no annual fee for this card, and no foreign transaction fees imposed on purchases made outside the U.S., so you don’t have to worry about that when traveling.

Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card vs. Bank of America® Unlimited Cash Rewards credit card

Editor’s Note: It’s a question I had, so I thought you might too. The primary differences are that the Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card has no foreign transaction fees but redeeming your points is slightly limited in that they can only be redeemed against travel and dinning purchases whereas the Bank of America® Unlimited Cash Rewards credit card has no limitations on cashing out your points for cash, but does charge a foreign transaction fee. So, they are pretty similar, but you would choose this one if you travel internationally and probably choose the Unlimited if you don’t leave the USA.