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Marriott Bonvoy Bold Credit Card — Full Review [2024]

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Jarrod West
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Jarrod West

Senior Content Contributor

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Boasting a portfolio of over 20 cards, Jarrod has been an expert in the points and miles space for over 6 years. He earns and redeems over 1 million points per year and his work has been featured in o...
Edited by: Juan Ruiz
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Juan Ruiz

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Juan has extensive experience in writing and editing content related to credit cards, loyalty programs, and travel. He has been honing his expertise in this field for over a decade. His work has been ...
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Kellie Jez

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Kellie’s professional experience has led her to a deep passion for compliance, data reporting, and process improvement. Kellie’s learned the ins and outs of the points and miles world and leads UP’s c...

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Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card

Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card

U.P. Rating
The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the in's and out's of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as rates and fees are all taken into account. Compensation from the issuer does not affect our rating. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse.
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Learn More(at Chase's secure site)
  • 60,000 points + 1 Free Night Award

  • $0

  • 20.99% - 27.99% Variable

  • Good to Excellent (670-850)

Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card

A great option for Marriott hotel fans who want a no annual fee card and automatic Marriott Bonvoy elite status.

U.P. Rating
The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the in's and out's of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as rates and fees are all taken into account. Compensation from the issuer does not affect our rating. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse.
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Learn More(at Chase's secure site)
Summary

Casual travelers who like to frequent properties that are part of the Marriott Bonvoy collection of brands may want to consider the Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card.

The Marriott Bold card rewards cardholders for Marriott stays and gives them a boost towards Marriott Bonvoy elite status.

Card Details

Card Snapshot

Welcome Bonus & Info

Rewards Center

Marriott Bonvoy

Customer Service Number

800-627-7468

Pros & Cons

Pros

  • Up to 14x points per $1 on Marriott purchases
  • 2x points at grocery stores, rideshare, select food delivery, select streaming, and internet, cable, and phone services
  • 5 Elite Night Credits each year
  • Automatic Silver elite status
  • No foreign transaction fees
  • No annual fee

Cons

  • Lower point earn rate than other Marriott Bonvoy cards
  • Marriott Bonvoy Silver Elite status is the lowest status tier
More Reads

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  • First-Hand Credit Card Experience
  • Shared Across 200+ Top Outlets
  • Methodical “U.P. Rating” System
  • 1088+ Expert Credit Card Guides

Great Card If

  • You enjoy staying at Marriott hotels
  • You want a fast track to Marriott Bonvoy elite status
  • You want a card with no annual fee

Don’t Get If

  • You’re not a fan of Marriott-branded hotels or don’t travel much
  • You visit Marriott hotels frequently enough that one of their premium card options would be more rewarding for you
  • You prefer a card with more elite benefits like airport lounge access

Marriott Bold Card — Is It Worth It?

The Marriott Bold card is the ideal option for those looking for a hotel credit card who enjoy staying in Marriott-branded hotels but do not want to pay an annual fee.

Not only will the card help you earn more Marriott Bonvoy points during your stays and on everyday purchases, but it also gives you automatic Silver Elite status and 5 Elite Night Credits towards the next status level.

Marriott Bold Card Top Benefits

Silver Elite Status

The card automatically earns you Silver Elite status, and while that status may be the lowest in the Marriott Bonvoy program, it is certainly better than having no status at all.

Marriott Bonvoy Silver Elite comes with perks including:

  • Priority late checkout, based on availability
  • 10% bonus on Marriott Bonvoy points
  • Access to exclusive phone lines for booking reservations
  • Compensation if Marriott can’t honor your reservation

The most notable benefit here is the extra 10% in point earnings on your Marriott stays. However, the bonus applies to points earned through the hotel, not the credit card.

This bonus amounts to a total of up to 14 Marriott Bonvoy points per $1 when you use your Marriott Bold card at over 7,000 participating Marriott Bonvoy hotels.

5 Elite Night Credits

So what are Elite Night Credits exactly? Not to be confused with free night certificates, you cannot redeem these credits for award nights — they exclusively count towards your status. With that said, a 5-night jump towards the next status tier can be beneficial.

But just by holding the card, you are automatically going to qualify for Silver Elite status — but why stop there? For example, Gold Elite status and Platinum Elite status require 25 nights and 50 nights a year, respectively.

This means, with your automatic 5 Elite Night Credits, you will only actually need to stay 20 nights each year to earn Gold Elite status, and 45 nights each year to earn Platinum Elite status.

No Annual Fee

It is no secret that there are many great travel rewards cards available, but more often than not, they come with some sort of annual fee — usually ranging between $95 to $550!

So while the Marriott Bold card doesn’t offer as many benefits as cards that do offer annual fees, it’s a great option for casual travelers who don’t travel often enough to make an annual fee card worthwhile but still want to earn Marriott Bonvoy points.

How To Earn and Redeem Your Marriott Bonvoy Points

While you can earn tons of Marriott Bonvoy points just by using your card, there are many other ways to earn lots of Marriott Bonvoy points. Some of these include booking Marriott Bonvoy Tours & Activities, dining with the Eat Around Town by Marriott Bonvoy program, and utilizing travel partners.

Marriott offers thousands of hotels for you to redeem your points at, but all redemptions aren’t built evenly. If you’re wanting to get the most bang for your buck, read through some of our favorite ways to redeem Marriott Bonvoy points.

You’re not only limited to hotel redemptions, though, as Marriott also has over 40 airline transfer partners that you can transfer your points to at a 3:1 rate.

Alternative Cards to the Marriott Bold Card

Hilton Honors American Express Card

LIMITED TIME OFFER
Hilton Honors American Express CardTerms Apply / Rates & Fees
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U.P. Rating 
The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the in's and out's of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as rates and fees are all taken into account. Compensation from the issuer does not affect our rating. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse.

Complimentary Hilton Honors Silver status, plus great earnings at Hilton, U.S. gas stations, U.S. supermarkets, and U.S. restaurants!

Learn More(at Amex's secure site)

Apply With Confidence

Know if you're approved with no credit score impact

If you're approved and accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.

Complimentary Hilton Honors Silver status, plus great earnings at Hilton, U.S. gas stations, U.S. supermarkets, and U.S. restaurants!
Earn 100,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points after you spend $2,000 in purchases on the Card in the first 6 months of Card Membership. Offer ends 1/8/2025.
100,000 points
$500
$0
20.24%-29.24% Variable
Upgraded Points credit ranges are a variation of FICO®Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit cardapplication.
Good to Excellent (670-850)
Why We Like This Card

You can’t beat a comfy king-sized bed and room service. For many travelers, it’s the hotel that really makes or breaks an experience. If you’re one of those people, you’ve probably stayed at a Hilton hotel.

Whether your visits are for work or pleasure, the Hilton brand has you covered with more than 6,200 locations in 100 counties and territories.

To enjoy a host of great benefits, you may want to apply for the Hilton Honors American Express Card.

Pros & Cons
Pros
  • 7x points per $1 on Hilton stays
  • 5x points per $1 at U.S. restaurants, at U.S. supermarkets, and at U.S. gas stations
  • 3x points per $1 on all other purchases
Cons
  • Not great for those who want multiple redemption options
  • Offers the least benefits of all Hilton cards
Card Highlights
  • Earn 100,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points after you spend $2,000 in purchases on the Card in the first 6 months of Card Membership. Offer ends 1/8/2025.
  • Earn 7X Hilton Honors Bonus Points for each dollar of eligible purchases charged on your Card directly with hotels and resorts within the Hilton portfolio.
  • Earn 5X Points per dollar on purchases at U.S. restaurants, at U.S. supermarkets, and at U.S. gas stations.
  • Earn 3X Points for all other eligible purchases on your Card.
  • Enjoy complimentary Hilton Honors™ Silver status with your Card. Plus, spend $20,000 on eligible purchases on your Card in a calendar year and you can earn an upgrade to Hilton Honors™ Gold status through the end of the next calendar year.
  • No Foreign Transaction Fees. Enjoy international travel without additional fees on purchases made abroad.
  • No Annual Fee.
  • Terms Apply.
Financial Snapshot
  • APR: 20.24%-29.24% Variable
  • Foreign Transaction Fees: None
Rewards Center

Hilton Honors Loyalty Program

Perhaps you want a no-annual-fee hotel card but prefer Hilton as your favorite chain. In that case, the Hilton Honors card would be a great option for you.

The card offers 7x Hilton Honors points per $1 at Hilton hotels, 5x points at U.S. supermarkets, U.S. gas stations, and U.S. restaurants, and 3x points on all other purchases.

Couple that with complimentary Hilton Honors Silver elite status and the ability to upgrade to Gold by spending $20,000 in a calendar year and you’ve got a pretty compelling card for a $0 annual fee.

IHG® Rewards Traveler Credit Card

IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card
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U.P. Rating 
The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the in's and out's of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as rates and fees are all taken into account. Compensation from the issuer does not affect our rating. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse.

Earn up to 17x when you stay at IHG hotels, 3x on monthly bills, at gas stations, and restaurants, and 2x on all other purchases.

Learn More(at Chase's secure site)
Earn up to 17x when you stay at IHG hotels, 3x on monthly bills, at gas stations, and restaurants, and 2x on all other purchases.
Earn 80,000 Bonus Points after spending $2,000 on purchases within the first 3 months of account opening.
80,000 bonus points
$400
$0
20.74% - 27.74% Variable
Upgraded Points credit ranges are a variation of FICO®Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit cardapplication.
Good to Excellent (670-850)
Why We Like This Card

If you’re someone who is looking to enhance your IHG stays by earning more points and benefits, without paying an annual fee, then the IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card might be the perfect fit for you.

In this guide, we will provide a detailed view of what the card can offer so you can decide if it makes sense to add to your wallet.

Pros & Cons
Pros
  • Up to 17x total points per $1 on IHG stays
  • 3x points per $1 on monthly bills, at gas stations, and restaurants
  • 2x point per $1 on all other purchases
Cons
    • Not as rewarding as the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card
Card Highlights
  • Earn 80,000 Bonus Points
  • No Annual Fee
  • Earn up to 17 total points per $1 spent when you stay at IHG Hotels & Resorts
  • Earn 3 points per $1 spent on purchases on monthly bills, at gas stations, and restaurants. Earn 2 points per $1 spent on all other purchases
  • No Foreign Transaction Fees
  • Redeem 3 Nights, Get the 4th Night Free
  • IHG One Rewards Bonus points are redeemable at Hotels & Resorts such as InterContinental®, Crowne Plaza®, Kimpton®, EVEN® Hotels, Indigo® Hotels & Holiday Inn®
  • Member FDIC
Financial Snapshot
  • APR: 20.74% - 27.74% Variable
  • Foreign Transaction Fees: None
Rewards Center

IHG Rewards Loyalty Program Review

Another great option for those that want a no-annual-fee hotel card, but prefer IHG hotels, is the IHG Traveler card.

The card earns 5x IHG One Rewards points on IHG stays, plus 3x on dining, utilities, select streaming services, and at gas stations, and 2x everywhere else.

It also offers Silver Elite status with IHG hotels, 20% back on purchased points, and the fourth night free on all award stays.

The information regarding the Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer.

For rates and fees of the Hilton Honors American Express Card, click here.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Marriott Bold card worth it?

Depending on your situation, it could be! If you stay at Marriott hotels often enough to find the card rewarding, but are not interested in paying an annual fee, then it might be a great option for you.

Does the Marriott Bold card charge foreign transaction fees?

The Marriott Bold card does not charge foreign transaction fees and can be used anywhere in the world that accepts Visa cards.

Do Marriott Bonvoy points expire?

Marriott Bonvoy points expire after 24 months of no account activity. To keep them alive, you just need a qualifying activity, such as earning points with your card or redeeming them for a stay.

Is the Marriott Bold card subject to the Chase 5/24 rule?

Yes — the Marriott Bold card is subject to the Chase 5/24 rule. So if you have opened 5 or more new credit card accounts in the last 24 months, you will not be eligible for the card.

Can you transfer your Marriott Bonvoy points?

Yes, Marriott Bonvoy has over 40 airline transfer partners that you can transfer your points to.

Does the Marriott Bold card have an annual fee?

No — the Marriott Bold card does not have an annual fee.

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About Jarrod West

Boasting a portfolio of over 20 cards, Jarrod has been an expert in the points and miles space for over 6 years. He earns and redeems over 1 million points per year and his work has been featured in outlets like The New York Times.

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