Overview of the Marriott Bonvoy Bevy American Express Card
The Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express® Card comes with mid-tier benefits, such as automatic Gold Elite status, strong points accrual at Marriott locations, and elite night credits. Nonetheless, it does fall short in several areas typically expected from a card with a $250 annual fee (see rates and fees). Card rating*: ⭐⭐⭐
*Card rating reflects the views of Flying Frugal’s editors and is not influenced by the card issuer.
Marriott provides a range of cobranded cards for potential members, with options that have no annual fee up to those charging $650. The Marriott Bonvoy Bevy American Express Card is positioned in the middle, charging an annual fee of $250.
One notable absence is the complimentary free night that is usually expected with hotel credit cards, awarded on the cardholder’s account anniversary. This might leave you questioning whether the ongoing benefits justify the annual fee in the long run.
To improve your chances of approval, Flying Frugal advises that applicants should ideally possess a credit score of 670 or higher. Additionally, there are some intricate application restrictions specific to the Bevy, similar to the other Bonvoy offerings.
If you meet the eligibility criteria, let’s explore whether the Amex Marriott Bonvoy Bevy card deserves a spot in your wallet.
Pros and Cons of the Bonvoy Bevy Amex
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
|
|
Bonvoy Bevy Amex Welcome Offer
Currently, Bonvoy Bevy Amex cardholders can earn 155,000 bonus points after spending $5,000 within the first six months of membership.
According to Flying Frugal’s March 2025 valuation of Marriott points at 0.7 cents each, those 155,000 points equate to approximately $1,085.
This current welcome offer is the most generous in the card’s history concerning the spending needed to earn those 155,000 bonus points.
Previously, the card offered 125,000 points after a $5,000 spend in the first three months, plus an additional 50,000 points after six qualifying paid nights with Marriott (this offer is no longer available). Thus, the current bonus entails significantly less spending for the points.
This bonus aligns with our threshold for when to apply (any offer over 85,000 points).
Keep in mind that Amex has restrictions that may limit your ability to earn a new member bonus if you’ve previously held similar Marriott products from Chase or past Starwood Preferred Guest cards from American Express. Check the specifics on the card’s offer details page to confirm your eligibility.
Related: The best credit card welcome bonuses currently available
Bonvoy Bevy Amex Benefits
The Bonvoy Bevy Amex excels in the benefits it offers (terms apply):
- Marriott Gold Elite status: Primary cardholders are granted complimentary Gold Elite status for as long as they maintain the card. This mid-tier status provides valuable benefits, including upgrades to enhanced rooms and a 25% points bonus on Qualifying Rates for hotel spending. Enrollment is required for this elite status benefit. Unlike many other hotel credit cards, the ability to earn higher levels of elite status through spending is absent.
- Elite night credits: Cardholders will earn 15 elite qualifying night credits each calendar year. This benefit can be combined with nights accumulated from a Marriott small-business card, enabling you to reach up to 30 elite nights. For context, you need 50 nights annually to achieve Platinum Elite status.
- Bonus points per stay: Cardholders can secure 1,000 bonus Marriott points for each eligible paid stay booked directly with a participating Marriott Bonvoy property. Terms apply.
- Shopping protections: Purchases made with this card are protected for 90 days against theft or damage** and eligible for up to one year of extended warranty coverage** on warranties of five years or less for covered purchases made in the U.S. or its territories.
- Travel protections: The card offers trip delay insurance* for delays exceeding 12 hours for covered reasons, baggage insurance** coverage, and secondary car rental loss and damage insurance.***
- Annual spending bonus: Cardholders who rack up $15,000 in eligible purchases during the calendar year will earn a free night award, redeemable for up to 50,000 points at participating hotels (note that some hotels may have resort fees). This free night offer holds more value than the free night certificates provided with lower-tier Marriott cards, which are limited to 35,000 points. However, Marriott’s dynamic pricing may affect the ability to book certain hotels during peak travel seasons.
While some other Bonvoy cards offer free night certificates without any spending requirements—such as the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card (capped at 35,000 points) and the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card (worth up to 85,000 points; terms apply)—the Bonvoy Bevy card does not.
Due to recent increases in the number of points required for hotel bookings, the higher-value certificate could provide a greater advantage.
Despite these valuable perks, the absence of a complimentary free night award on each account anniversary, and the lack of premium offerings like fee reimbursements for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck, is notable.
*Availability and benefit levels vary by card. Terms, conditions, and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for details. Coverage is underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company.
**Availability and benefit levels vary by card. Terms, conditions, and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for details. Coverage is underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company.
***Availability and benefit levels vary by card. Not all rentals or vehicle types are covered; geographic restrictions may apply. Terms, conditions, and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for details. Coverage is offered through American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc.
Earning Points with the Bonvoy Bevy Amex
Cardholders can anticipate the following earning rates with the Bevy:
- 6 Marriott Bonvoy points per dollar on eligible purchases at participating Marriott Bonvoy hotels
- 4 points per dollar on the first $15,000 spent annually at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (after this cap, 2 points per dollar apply)
- 2 points per dollar on other eligible purchases
According to Flying Frugal’s March 2025 valuations, this translates to a return of 4.2% on Marriott Bonvoy purchases, 2.8% on the first $15,000 in combined purchases at restaurants and supermarkets, and 1.4% on other purchases.
Related: The best strategies to earn Marriott Bonvoy points
Redeeming Points with the Bonvoy Bevy Amex
There are numerous appealing ways to redeem your Marriott Bonvoy points, with the most prominent and valuable option being free hotel stays.
Marriott Bonvoy utilizes dynamic pricing for awards, meaning that the points required for a night at any property can fluctuate based on demand. For optimal value from your Marriott points, search ahead for lesser prices and remain flexible with your travel dates.
Apart from hotel stays, you can transfer your Bonvoy points to airline partners, utilize them to pay for flights, car rentals, and cruises, or exchange them for merchandise and gift cards.
However, the above options may yield returns lower than Flying Frugal’s March 2025 valuation of Marriott points at 0.7 cents each, so it’s advisable to use your points for hotel stays whenever possible.
Flying Frugal’s senior points and miles writer, Katie Genter, maximizes her Marriott points by redeeming them for stays in five-night increments to leverage Marriott’s “stay for five, pay for four” offer, though she occasionally considers transferring points to airline partners, she generally prefers to reserve points for hotel stays.
Related: Optimizing redemptions with the Marriott Bonvoy program
Transferring Points with the Bonvoy Bevy Amex
Cardholders can transfer their Bonvoy points to over 35 airline partners, but this typically offers less value unless you need to fill a balance for flight redemptions.
This option may also be considered if you want frequent flyer miles from airlines that lack partnerships with major U.S. credit card issuers, like Japan Airlines’ JAL Mileage Bank.
Related: When it makes sense to transfer Marriott points to airlines?
Competing Cards to the Bonvoy Bevy Amex
If you are interested in additional hotel benefits, consider the following options:
For more suggestions, check our comprehensive list of the best hotel credit cards.
The information for the Hilton Honors Aspire Card has been gathered independently by The Points Guy and has not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Related: Who should (and shouldn’t) get the Marriott Bonvoy Bevy American Express card?
Conclusion
New cardholders can derive significant value from the welcome bonus in their first year. However, given its earning structure and benefits, it might be challenging to justify keeping this card beyond the first year, especially since other Marriott cards offer similar advantages at lower annual fees.
Apply here: Marriott Bonvoy Bevy American Express Card
Related: How to choose a hotel credit card
To learn about the rates and fees of the Amex Marriott Bonvoy Bevy, click here.
