The Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card is Marriott’s no-annual fee personal credit card.
The Bonvoy Bold offers entry-level perks like 3x points at Marriott hotels and Marriott Silver status, but it lacks the higher welcome bonus and free annual hotel night of the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card (review).
This article will cover everything you need to know about the Bonvoy Bold card to see if it’s worth a spot in your wallet.
- Earn 30,000 Bonus Points after spending $1,000 in Purchases in the First 3 Months.
- 3X Points at Marriott and 2X Points on Other Travel Purchases
- Silver Elite Status + 15 Elite Night Credits
- Trip Delay Insurance
- 120-Day Purchase Protection
- No Foreign Transaction Fees
- $0 Annual Fee
Welcome Bonus
The Bonvoy Bold Card currently offers the following welcome bonus:
Earn 30,000 Bonus Points after spending $1,000 in Purchases in the First 3 Months.
Earning Marriott Bonvoy Points
The Bonvoy Bold Card allows cardholders to earn Marriott points at the following rates:
- 3 points per dollar on eligible purchases at hotels participating in the Marriott Bonvoy program.
- 2 points per dollar on other travel purchases, including airfare, taxis, and trains.
- 1 point per dollar on all other eligible purchases.
No Annual Fee
The Bonvoy Bold Card has no annual fee making it a good option for people who want to earn Marriott points without committing to an annual fee.
Card Benefits
The Bonvoy Bold Card offers the following card benefits:
Marriott Bonvoy Silver Elite Status
The Marriott Bold card gives you 15 elite night credits which is enough for Marriott Bonvoy Silver elite status, which gets you late checkout and a 10% points bonus on hotel stays.
15 Elite Night Credits
Cardmembers get 15 elite night credits each year to help you reach higher elite status levels.
No Foreign Transaction Fees
This card has no foreign transaction fees on purchases outside the U.S., which is helpful if you travel internationally to help you avoid paying a 3% fee on those international purchases.
Trip Delay Insurance
This card offers trip delay insurance when you purchase your flight with this card.
This reimburses you for reasonable expenses things like hotels, food, transportation, and other necessary items.
Flights are increasingly delayed or canceled, and it is too risky to not use a card that offers free trip delay insurance.
Baggage Delay Insurance
Baggage delay insurance can reimburse you for the cost of necessary personal and business items if (1) you purchased your trip with this card and (2) your bag is delayed by a common carrier like an airline, train, ferry, or cruise ship, etc.
Common reimbursable items include clothing, toiletries, and phone chargers, which can be a life-saver when you are without your bag.
Lost Luggage Reimbursement
Lost luggage reimbursement covers the cost to repair or replace your luggage and the contents inside if your bag is lost or damaged during a covered trip.
You must purchase the trip with this card, and it will also cover immediate family members traveling with you.
Purchase Protection
Purchase protection can save you a lot of money if you bought an eligible item that is damaged or stolen within 120-days.
For example, if accidentally dropped your new phone or laptop and broke the screen, you could file a claim to get it replaced if it was purchased within the last 120 days.
Complimentary DashPash
This card offers a one-year DashPass membership for free, which includes DoorDash and Caviar, offering unlimited deliveries with free delivery fees and reduced service fees for eligible purchases The offer must be activated by December 31, 2024.
Once the free membership is over, you will be automatically enrolled in DashPass at the prevailing monthly rate.
Redeeming Points
There are many ways to maximize your Marriott Bonvoy points redemptions, including taking advantage of the free fifth night on award stays or booking a Points Saver rate.
Marriott award stays start at 5,000 points and can go all the way up to 100,000 points for top-tier properties.
Marriott also has a diverse group of 40+ airline transfer partners that you can convert 3 Marriott points to 1 airline mile for most partners, including my favorites of ANA, Iberia, and Avianca LifeMiles.
Plus, Marriott gives you a bonus of 5,000 airline miles when transfer 60,000 points, which effectively drops the transfer ratio to 2.4 Marriott points to 1 airline mile.
Marriott Bonvoy Points Transfer Partners
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|---|---|
| Marriott points transfer at a rate of 3 Marriott points to 1 airline mile with a transfer bonus of 5,000 airline miles when you transfer 60,000 Marriott points. | |
Aegean Airlines
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Aer Lingus
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Aeroflot
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AeroMexico
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Air Canada Aeroplan
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Air China
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Air France/KLM Flying Blue
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Air New Zealand [200 to 1 Ratio]
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Alaska Airlines
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Alitalia
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ANA
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American Airlines*
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Asiana Airlines
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Avianca Lifemiles*
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British Airways
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Cathay Pacific Asia Miles
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China Eastern Airlines
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China Southern Airlines
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Copa Airlines
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Delta SkyMiles*
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Emirates
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Etihad
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Frontier Airlines
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GOL
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Hainan Airlines
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Hawaiian Airlines
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Iberia
|
Japan Airlines
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jetBlue [6 to 1 Ratio]
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Korean Air*
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LATAM Airlines
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Lufthansa Miles & More
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Qantas
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Qatar Airways
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Saudi Arabian Airlines
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Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer
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South African Airways
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Southwest Airlines
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TAP Air Portugal
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Thai Airways
|
Turkish Airlines
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United [3 to 1.1 Ratio]
|
Virgin Atlantic
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Virgin Australia
|
| * Transfer Bonus Does Not Apply | |
Pros and Cons
While the Marriott Bonvoy Bold offers a number of travel benefits to cardholders, it has a few drawbacks that should be taken into account. Let’s take a closer look at the pros and cons of this credit card.
Pros
- No annual fee
- No Foreign transaction fees
- 15 Elite Night credits per year
Cons
- Limited benefits of Marriott Silver elite status.
- Only 3x points at Marriott hotels.
- No free night certificates like the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card (review).
Other Credit Card Alternatives
If the Marriott Bonvoy Bold card doesn’t seem like the right fit for you, there are several other credit cards available that may better suit your needs. Check out our top recommendations below.
Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card
- Earn 3 Free Night Awards up to a 150,000 Total Point Value (each night valued up to 50,000 points) after you spend $3,000 on purchases in your first 3 months from your account opening
- 6x Points at Marriott Hotels & Resorts
- 3x Points on Groceries, Gas, and Dining on the First $6,000 in Combined Purchases Each Year
- One Annual Free Night Award (Up to 35,000 Points Every Year After Account Anniversary)
- Automatic Silver Elite Status + 15 Elite Credits
- Trip Delay, Baggage Delay, and Lost Luggage Insurance
- $95 Annual Fee
The Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card (review) is a good option for travelers who want benefits at Marriott for a reasonable annual fee of $95, which is offset by a free night award of up to 35,000 points after each account anniversary.
The Bonvoy Boundless card also offers Bonvoy Silver status, 15 elite night credits, 6x points at Marriott Bonvoy hotels, 3x points at grocery stores, gas stations, and on dining on the first $6,000 in combined purchases each year.
Plus, the card offers benefits such as baggage delay insurance, lost luggage reimbursement, trip delay reimbursement, purchase protection, and no foreign transaction fees.
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
- bonus_miles_full
- 5x Points on Travel Booked Via Chase
- 3x Points on Dining and Eligible Delivery Services
- 2x Points on All Other Travel Purchases
- 10% Anniversary Points Boost
- Trip Delay and Trip Cancellation Insurance
- Primary Rental Car Insurance
- $95 Annual Fee
The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card (review) is one of the best rewards cards for travelers who want solid earning rates for travel and dining expenses.
For only $95 per year, this card earns 5x Chase Ultimate Rewards points on travel booked through the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal, 3x points on dining, online groceries, and streaming services, and 2x on all other travel purchases.
Cardholders will also get a 10% anniversary points bonus, a 12-month DoorDash DashPass subscription when activated by December 31, 2024, and a $50 anniversary hotel statement credit.
Plus, it provides extensive travel protections, including trip delay, primary rental car, baggage, and purchase protection plans.
IHG® Rewards Premier Credit Card
- bonus_miles_full
- 10x Points at IHG Hotels and Resorts
- 5x Points on Travel, Dining, and Gas
- 3x Points on All Other Purchases
- IHG Platinum Elite Status
- Anniversary Free Night
- 4th Night Free on Awards
- Baggage and Trip Interruption/Cancellation Insurance
- Purchase Protection for 120 Days
- $99 Annual Fee
The IHG® Rewards Premier Credit Card (review) is the easiest shortcut to obtaining IHG Platinum elite status, which is a higher tier that offers a 60% points bonus, complimentary suite upgrades, milestone rewards, and late check-out.
The $99 annual fee is easy to recoup for IHG loyalists, as the card comes with a free anniversary hotel night at hotels costing 40,000 points or at least $125 per night plus a fourth night free that you can use to maximize the 140,000 welcome bonus points earned after spending $3,000.
The IHG Premier offers solid returns on spending, earning 10x points at IHG properties plus 10x points for your IHG Rewards membership and 6x points for having the Platinum Elite status for a total of 26x points on hotel stays, and 5x points on travel, gas, and dining.
This card has a wide array of protections, including trip cancellation, travel accident, baggage delay, purchase, and secondary rental car insurance.
Is the Bonvoy Bold Card Worth It?
The Bonvoy Bold Card Card is a decent option for those looking to earn Marriott Bonvoy points without paying an annual fee.
With a welcome bonus, up to 3x points on Marriott purchases, and 2x points on travel purchases, this card can help you earn Marriott points. Additionally, the card offers 15 Elite Night Credits each year, which automatically gives you Silver Elite status, and no foreign transaction fees.
However, it’s important to note that the point earn rate is lower than other Marriott Bonvoy cards and Marriott Bonvoy Silver Elite status is the lowest status tier.
Additionally, if you’re a frequent traveler, you may want to consider the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card (review), which offers additional benefits such as an annual free night certificate and higher point earn rates.
- Earn 30,000 Bonus Points after spending $1,000 in Purchases in the First 3 Months.
- 3X Points at Marriott and 2X Points on Other Travel Purchases
- Silver Elite Status + 15 Elite Night Credits
- Trip Delay Insurance
- 120-Day Purchase Protection
- No Foreign Transaction Fees
- $0 Annual Fee
