Key facts
If you’re looking for an introduction into the vast Marriott Bonvoy program, the Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card is an option without an annual fee. It’s one of the few hotel cards that offers automatic elite status benefits as well as a 14x total earn rate on eligible Marriott hotels (credit card and loyalty program earnings combined). It will offer you the same 15 elite night credits annually as the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless, but that’s about where the benefits end.
Annual Fee:
$0Min. Credit Score for Approval:
670-739 * GoodOngoing APR:
20.24%-27.24% VariableForeign Transaction Fee:
0%Beyond that, the card doesn’t offer much in the way of meaningful perks. For example, Marriott’s other hotel cards offer a valuable free night award, which can translate into hundreds of dollars in value every year and offset any potential annual fee. But for travelers who want a no-annual-fee option that waives foreign transaction fees, the Marriott Bonvoy Bold still holds its weight as an affordable travel card.
Reward multipliers
The Marriott Bonvoy Bold offers 6X points at participating Marriott Bonvoy hotels, 2X points on every $1 spent at grocery stores, and on rideshare, select food delivery, select streaming, and internet, cable and phone services, and 1x points on all other eligible purchases.
Earns bonus points for spend in the following bonus categories:
Earn 3X at Marriott Bonvoy properties booked direct. Earn 2X on all other hotel bookings.
Estimated Rewards Value: 1.8%
Estimated Rewards Value: 1.2%
Estimated Rewards Value: 1.2%
Estimated Rewards Value: 0.6%
Please note the following definitions of select rideshare and select food delivery which earn 2X points per dollar spent:
Rideshare: You’ll earn 2 points for each $1 spent on purchases made in the following rideshare rewards category: taxicabs and limousines.
Select Food Delivery: You’ll earn 2 points for each $1 spent on purchases made directly through the following select food delivery services: doordash.com or the DoorDash mobile app; trycaviar.com or the Caviar mobile app; ubereats.com or the Uber Eats mobile app; postmates.com or the Postmates mobile app; grubhub.com or the Grubhub mobile app; seamless.com or the Seamless mobile app; delivery.com or the Delivery.com mobile app.
Key features
Unique Card Benefits
5 Elite Night Credits
Every year, card members get 5 elite night credits. This can help you qualify for higher ranks of Marriott Bonvoy elite status, which offers five different levels.
Add a Marriott Bonvoy Business® Credit Card, which comes with 15 elite nights as well, and you’ll start each year with 20 nights towards a higher elite status.
Note, however, that the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless card comes with 15 elite nights as opposed to 5 on this card.
Complimentary Doordash Membership
Chase provides solid partner benefits with popular retailers, and currently, Marriott Bonvoy cardholders can receive a one-year complimentary DashPass membership if they activate this perk by December 31, 2024.
This membership offers free deliveries with $0 delivery fees and lower service fees on eligible orders. After this one-year trial period, you’ll be automatically enrolled in the DashPass program.
Grants Hotel Status
The card offers complimentary Silver elite status, which normally requires 10 nights at Marriott properties. At this level, you’ll get 10% bonus points on eligible Marriott stays and priority late checkout.
Earns Transferable Points
Marriott Bonvoy points aren’t just good for Marriott stays. You can also transfer them to 35+ frequent flyer programs at a 3:1 ratio (with a few exceptions), from American AAdvantage to Delta SkyMiles.
Trip Protections
Trip Delay
If you’re traveling on a common carrier (such as an airline) and your travel is delayed by 12 or more hours or requires an overnight stay, you and your family members can be reimbursed for expenses, up to $500 per ticket.
Baggage Insurance
The card offers two types of baggage protections: lost luggage reimbursement (up to $3,000 per eligible passenger) and baggage delay insurance (up to $100 for a maximum of 5 days).
Secondary Car Rental CDW Waiver
The coverage is secondary for damage or theft when renting an eligible vehicle, so you’ll first need to file a claim with any primary rental car insurance you may have.
Travel and Emergency Assistance Services
The Marriott Bonvoy Bold card comes with access to 24/7/365 travel and emergency assistance referral services, but you’ll be required to pay for any services rendered.
Purchase Protection
You can receive up to $500 per claim and up to $50,000 per account for approved purchase protection claims on eligible items purchased within the past 90 days.
Extended Warranty
If an eligible item that you buy with the card comes with a U.S. manufacturer’s warranty of three years or less, extended warranty can provide up to an additional year of coverage for damage or theft.
No Foreign Transaction Fees
In additional to no annual fee, there are no foreign transaction fees to pay when using your Marriott Bonvoy Bold outside of the U.S.
No Fees for Authorized Users
You can add authorized users for no additional fee to the card to the Marriott Bonvoy Bold.
Free Access to Credit Score
Available via Chase’s free Credit Journey offering.
Earn more rewards by combining credit cards
Pros & cons
- No annual fee
- Automatic Silver elite status in the Marriott Bonvoy program and 15 elite night credits every year
- Earn 6X Bonvoy points at participating Marriott hotels
- Marriott Bonvoy Silver elite status won't get you much besides priority late checkout
- The card doesn't come with a Marriott free night award
- The earning rate on non-Marriott purchases is mediocre (2x points on travel purchases and 1x points on all other eligible purchases)
Our 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.
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.
Frequently asked questions
Does Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card have an annual fee?
No! The base-level Marriott Bonvoy credit card does not have an annual fee.
Is it hard to get the Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card?
Despite not carrying an annual fee, you’ll want to have a good to excellent credit score to qualify for the Marriott Bonvoy Bold Credit Card.
Is it worth getting Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card?
If you’re strictly looking for a card with no annual fee and no foreign transaction fees when you travel internationally, the Marriott Bonvoy Bold Credit Card may be a good choice if you like to stay at Marriott properties. But there are certainly more rewarding travel cards out there with minimal fees, including the Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card.
How do I earn points with the Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card?
You’ll earn a combined 14x Marriott Bonvoy points on hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy (3X directly from the charge on your Card ad the rest via the Bonvoy program), 2x Marriott Bonvoy points on travel purchases, and 1x Marriott Bonvoy points on all other eligible purchases.
Is there a better credit card than the Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card?
Chase offers the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card, which is a one-step-up from the Marriott Bonvoy Bold Credit Card. Although it charges a $95 annual fee, you’ll get an annual free night award (valued at up to 35,000 points!) and even more bonus points on everyday purchases.
Does the Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card charge foreign transaction fees?
There are no foreign transaction fees on the Marriott Bonvoy Bold credit card.
Does the Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card have car rental coverage?
The Marriott Bonvoy Bold comes with secondary car rental coverage, which will only provide reimbursement once you file a claim with primary rental car insurance. Of course all other disclaimers about vehicle and country limitations occur as well as reserving and paying for the rental with your Card in full and declining the rental car company’s CDW.
Does the Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card come with any Elite Status?
Yes, the Marriott Bonvoy Bold Credit Card offers automatic Marriott Bonvoy Silver elite status. It also gives you 15 “elite night credits” towards higher levels of status.
Does the Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card offer extended warranty?
Yes, the card comes with extended warranty protection which can extend the time period of an eligible U.S. manufacturer’s warranty by an additional year. However, the existing warranty must have a time period of three years or less.
Does the Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card offer purchase protection?
The Marriott Bonvoy Bold comes with purchase protection benefits for eligible card purchases made within 90 days. You can file a claim for theft or damage.
Does the Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card offer trip protections?
There are a few trip protections that can save the day in case of a travel mishap, including trip delay reimbursement, travel accident insurance, secondary rental car insurance, lost luggage reimbursement and access to travel and emergency services.
What credit score do I need to get a Marriott Bonvoy Bold?
It’s recommended to have at least a 670 FICO score to qualify for this Marriott Bonvoy credit card.
What can I do with the points earned for spending on the Marriott Bonvoy Bold?
Marriott Bonvoy points are quite useful, as you can redeem them at 8,500+ hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy worldwide and your 5th night is free on an award stay. You can also transfer them to various airline loyalty programs, although at a less desirable 3 Marriott Bonvoy to 1 airline frequent flyer mile ratio in most cases.
Does the Marriott Bonvoy Bold have Cell Phone Protection?
No, this card does not come with cell phone protection benefits.