Overview of the Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful Card
The Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful® Credit Card, offered by Chase, is one of several co-branded Marriott cards. While it comes with an attractive welcome bonus, the overall benefits may not meet the expectations associated with a $250 annual fee. Card rating*: ⭐⭐⭐
* The card rating reflects the views of Flying Frugal’s editors and is not influenced by the issuer.
Marriott Bonvoy provides a variety of cobranded cards with annual fees ranging from $0 to $650. The Bountiful card is positioned in the middle, with a $250 annual fee.
This card offers a similar structure to the Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express® Card, which also carries a $250 annual fee (see rates and fees).
Cardholders benefit from complimentary Marriott Gold Elite status, higher point earnings on hotel purchases, and an annual free night award when a specific spending threshold is reached. Applicants should ideally have a credit score of 670 or higher to boost their odds of approval.
Let’s dive deeper into the Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful card’s features to determine if it aligns with your financial needs.
Details regarding the Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful card have been independently compiled by The Points Guy and have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Pros and Cons of the Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful
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Welcome Offer for the Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful
New cardholders for the Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful card can earn 85,000 bonus points by spending $4,000 within the first three months of account opening.
According to Flying Frugal’s March 2025 evaluations, Marriott Bonvoy points are valued at 0.7 cents each, making the welcome bonus worth $595.
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As a card issued by Chase, it’s crucial to be aware of the 5/24 rule. If you’ve opened five or more credit cards in the past 24 months, your application will be declined. Additionally, check Marriott’s application restrictions to ensure you’re eligible before applying.
See also: The ultimate guide to credit card application restrictions
Benefits of the Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful
The Bonvoy Bountiful card brings a range of perks that might appeal to frequent travelers:
- Marriott Gold Elite status: Primary cardholders automatically receive Marriott Gold Elite status as long as their account remains open. Key benefits include room upgrades (when available) and a 25% points bonus on hotel spending. However, unlike many hotel credit cards, there’s no method within the Bountiful card to attain higher status through spending.
- Free night award through spending: Spend at least $15,000 on eligible purchases within a calendar year to earn a free night certificate, valid for a one-night stay worth up to 50,000 points, though some hotels may impose resort fees.
- Elite night credits: Holders of the Bountiful card earn 15 elite qualifying night credits each year. This benefit can be combined with nights earned through a Marriott business card, placing you well on the path to Platinum Elite status.
- Bonus points on hotel stays: Cardholders receive 1,000 bonus points for each eligible stay at participating Marriott hotels, which equals an additional $7.00 in value based on Flying Frugal’s March 2025 valuation.
- Travel protections: This card provides trip delay insurance for trips delayed over 12 hours due to a covered reason when you pay for part of your trip using the Bountiful card (including taxes and fees on flight awards). Additionally, cardholders benefit from baggage delay insurance, lost luggage reimbursement, secondary car rental loss and damage insurance, roadside dispatch services (pay-per-use), travel accident insurance, and emergency assistance services that can connect you to necessary support during emergencies. Note that charges may apply for some third-party services.
- Shopping protections: Purchases made with this card are protected for 120 days (up to $500 per claim, and $50,000 per account) against theft, damage, or loss of new items. Moreover, extended warranty coverage is available for one year on warranties of three years or less, up to $10,000 per claim and $50,000 per account.
- Complimentary DashPass: Cardholders receive a complimentary one-year DashPass membership for DoorDash if activated by December 31, 2027.
Related: Is the annual fee for the Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful worth it?
However, it’s essential to point out the benefits that are notably missing. Essentially, the card lacks several features often found in cards at the same or lower annual fees, including:
Earning Points with the Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful
The earning rates for the Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful card align closely with other Marriott credit cards, such as the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card and Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card, but with some important distinctions.
Primarily, cardholders can earn 6 Marriott Bonvoy points per dollar spent on hotel purchases at properties within the Marriott Bonvoy program, a competitive rate compared to other co-branded Marriott cards.
Additionally, cardholders earn 4 points per dollar on dining and grocery purchases (for the first $15,000 in combined expenditures per year; thereafter, it drops to 2 points per dollar). All other purchases yield 2 points per dollar spent.
According to Flying Frugal’s valuations from March 2025, this translates to a 4.2% return at Marriott properties, 2.8% return on the first $15,000 spent on restaurants and groceries, and 1.4% return on all other expenditures.
This structure can be beneficial for loyal Marriott customers looking to enhance their Bonvoy points balance; however, it’s worth noting that other credit cards may provide better rewards on non-bonus categories.
Moreover, the Bountiful card does not offer bonuses for other common spending categories (like gas and airfare), so consider alternative cards for these expenditures.
Related: Best ways to earn Marriott Bonvoy points
Redeeming Points with the Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful
There are numerous options for redeeming your Marriott points, with free hotel stays generally being the most valuable redemption choice. Marriott boasts a global portfolio of roughly 10,000 properties across 30 brands in 141 countries, ranging from budget-friendly locations like TownePlace Suites to luxury options such as J.W. Marriott and Luxury Collection.
Some of the premier locations feature suites, while others offer all-inclusive experiences—like the Al Maha Resort outside Dubai. Many top-tier properties can exceed 100,000 points (or more) per night.
Remember, though, that room rates can reach as high as $1,500 per night, providing a significant redemption value, exceeding Flying Frugal’s March 2025 valuation for Marriott points.
However, keep in mind that Marriott uses a dynamic pricing model instead of a fixed award chart.
Additionally, you can secure award bookings with Marriott up to 60 days in advance, even if you don’t have enough points at the time. This confirmation merely guarantees the room but does not lock in the price.
When you finally possess the necessary points to finalize the reservation, you’ll be charged the award rate applicable at that time. This could potentially save you points if the price drops but might also lead to disappointment if the cost increases by 5,000 or 10,000 points per night.
This could have a considerable impact on longer stays, especially during a week-long vacation.
Fortunately, Marriott provides a free night for stays booked with points for every fifth night (or more). However, this only applies if at least five of the nights are booked with points, excluding free night certificates.
This benefit can accumulate, meaning that booking a ten-night award stay with Marriott would grant you two complimentary nights.
Transferring Points with the Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful
Marriott Bonvoy points can be transferred to various airline partners, offering an excellent potential for savvy users compared to Hilton and Hyatt points.
Typically, most Marriott Bonvoy partners operate on a 3-to-1 transfer ratio, translating to 1,000 airline miles for every 3,000 Marriott points transferred. Additionally, there’s a 5,000-mile bonus for every 60,000 points transferred to select airlines, effectively improving the transfer ratio to 2.4:1.
Some notable airline partners include AeroMexico Club Premier, Air Canada Aeroplan, Air France-KLM Flying Blue, Avianca LifeMiles, and Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles.
Related: When is it advantageous to transfer Marriott points to airlines?
Competing Cards to the Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful
If you are considering different hotel brands or desire enhanced benefits, these alternative options may serve you better:
For further comparisons, explore our selections for the best hotel credit cards.
The information regarding the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire card has been independently sourced by The Points Guy, and the details presented here have not been reviewed or provided by the issuer.
Related: Hilton Amex Aspire vs. Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant
Final Thoughts
With an annual fee of $250, the Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful card occupies a middle ground between luxury hotel and entry-level cards. However, the rewards and benefits offered may not justify the cost for many cardholders. With no free night included annually (a free night is granted only after $15,000 in spending) and lacking statement credits for hotel stays or other purchases, it leaves room for improvement.
I wouldn’t recommend the Bonvoy Bountiful for most unless you are a dedicated Marriott enthusiast looking for a mid-range card; if that isn’t the case, consider opting for another hotel card.
Related: Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful vs. Marriott Bonvoy Boundless
For rates and fees of the Amex Bonvoy Bevy, click here.
