The Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card is a popular credit card that offers numerous benefits and rewards to its cardholders.
This card is particularly appealing to those who frequently stay at Marriott properties, providing extra points, 15 elite night credits, Silver elite status, and a free anniversary hotel night.
The Bonvoy Boundless also comes with nice travel insurance benefits allowing you to travel without worry.
We have a lot to cover, so let’s dive right in.
- 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
Welcome Bonus
The Bonvoy Boundless currently offers the following welcome bonus:
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
Earning Marriott Bonvoy Points
The Bonvoy Boundless® earns Marriott points at the following rates:
- 6 points per dollar on eligible purchases at hotels participating in the Marriott Bonvoy program;
- 3 points per dollar on the first $6,000 spent in combined purchases each year on grocery stores, gas stations, dining; and
- 2 points per dollar on all other eligible purchases.
Annual Fee
The Bonvoy Boundless® comes with an annual fee of $95, but it can be offset by utilizing the free annual hotel night.
Bonvoy Boundless Card Benefits
This card offers a lot of great benefits at Marriott Hotels and Resorts, in addition to travel and purchase protections:
Free Anniversary Hotel Night
You’ll receive a free hotel night certificate every cardmember anniversary at any hotel priced at 35,000 points or less. This is an outstanding deal, as Marriott is one of the world’s largest hotel chains, and you can easily redeem your certificate at hotels costing $200 or more per night.
Automatic Silver Bonvoy Elite Status
Marriott Bonvoy Boundless cardholders enjoy an automatic Silver Bonvoy elite status, which typically requires 10 elite nights.
This status gets you these perks:
- Priority late check-out, subject to availability
- 10% points bonus on Marriott hotel stays
- Compensation if Marriott Bonvoy fails to honor your reservation
- Book reservations using exclusive phone lines
You can elevate your elite status to Gold to unlock even better benefits by spending $35,000 on purchases in a calendar year. Gold status normally requires 25 elite nights. Added perks include:
- 25% points bonus on Marriott hotel stays
- 2 p.m. late check-out
- Room upgrade, subject to availability
15 Elite Night Credits Annually
Cardmembers receive 15 Elite Night Credits every year to help you reach higher elite status levels.
For example, you would only need to stay 10 nights at Marriott Hotels and Resorts to earn Gold Elite status, or 35 nights for Platinum Elite Status.
On top of that, you’ll also get one Elite Night Credit for each $5,000 you spend with your Marriott Card.
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.
For the Chase Bonvoy Boundless, you can seek get up to $500 in compensation per ticket if your flight is delayed by 12 hours or requires an overnight stay.
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.
For this card, you can spend up to $100 per day for a maximum of 5 days if your baggage is delayed by more than 6 hours.
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.
The Bonvoy Boundless covers you for up to $3,000 per person for each trip, including up to $500 per person for jewelry, cameras, and other electronic equipment.
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.
Visa Concierge
Visa Signature Concierge Service is available to Marriott Bonvoy Boundless cardmembers 24/7. Simply call the Visa Signature Concierge to get assistance, whether you’re looking for premium tickets to your favorite sports events or making dinner reservations for a special occasion.
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.
Upgradable to Discontinued Chase Ritz Carlton Card
One of the secret features of the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless card is the ability to upgrade the card after one year to the discontinued Chase Ritz Carlton credit card.
The Ritz Carlton card has a $395 annual fee, but you get $300 travel credit, Priority Pass airport lounge access with unlimited guests, top-tier travel protections, Marriott Gold status, and upgrades certificates for the Club Level at Ritz Carlton properties.
Plus, you can add an unlimited amount of authorized users who also get benefits like Priority Pass lounge access.
Advantages of the Chase Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card
The Marriott Card offers several enticing benefits that make it a worthy addition to a traveler’s rewards card selection.
Annual Free Night Certificate – This is one of the best perks of having the Marriott credit card, and it easily offsets the card’s yearly cost. Marriott properties worth 35,000 points and higher typically cost $200 to $300 per night, so the $95 annual fee is already a money-saving deal for getting a free night at these hotels. Plus, you can add a maximum of 15,000 Marriott Bonvoy points to your free night certificate if you want to redeem your points for a more luxurious stay.
Automatic Silver Elite Status – If you want instant elite status membership, holding the Marriott Card immediately gets you Silver Elite status, which is the lowest tier in the Marriott Bonvoy hotel loyalty program. The extra 10% points bonus on Marriott hotel stays helps you accrue more points to earn free nights faster.
Elite Night Credits – With 15 Elite Night Credits every year, it’s easier to level up your elite status and enjoy more exclusive perks. It’s also worth noting that you’ll receive 1 Elite Night Credit for every $5,000 in spending to help you reach upper status tiers. For example, Gold Elite status requires 25 nights per year. With your annual 15 Elite Night Credits, you only need 10 more nights to become a Gold elite member.
Travel Benefits – The Marriott Card comes with essential travel protections, including trip delay, baggage delay, lost luggage, and purchase protections.
Disadvantages of the Chase Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card
High Minimum Spending Threshold to Reach Gold Elite Status – While the Marriott credit card offers a pathway to obtaining Gold status, you need to spend at least $35,000 per year. This could be difficult for cardholders who don’t travel a lot or frequently charge everyday purchases to their Marriott Card.
Less Versatile Than All-Around Travel Rewards Cards – This card offers the highest rewards rate for hotel stays. Other rewards cards, like the Chase Sapphire Reserve Card, provide more well-rounded earnings and higher returns in popular categories, offering 3 points on dining and travel.
The Verdict
The Marriott Bonvoy Boundless credit card is a must-have for Marriott loyalists and even occasional travelers, mainly for its anniversary free night certificate and annual 15 elite nights toward status, which easily justify the $95 annual fee.
If you value elite status with the Marriott Bonvoy loyalty program, holding this card gets you instant Silver Elite status membership with the opportunity to upgrade to Gold status through spending.
This card is an excellent points earner if you aim to earn Marriott Bonvoy points to book more award stays without paying a premium annual fee or foreign transaction fees.
Additionally, you’ll get travel protection for peace of mind against unforeseen situations when you’re miles away from home.
- 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
