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Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card
U.P. Rating
The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the ins and outs 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.
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 ins and outs 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.
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.
Our seasoned and experienced team brings years of expertise in the credit card and travel sectors. Committed to integrity, we offer data-driven guides to help you find the card(s) that best fit your requirements. See details on our intensive editorial policies and card rating methodologies.
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Methodical “U.P. Rating
The U.P. Rating System
The ratings for these cards have 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.
” System
1105+ 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 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.
The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the ins and outs 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!
Complimentary Hilton Honors Silver status, plus great earnings at Hilton, U.S. gas stations, U.S. supermarkets, and U.S. restaurants!
Earn 70,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points plus a Free Night Reward after you spend $2,000 in purchases on the Hilton Honors American Express Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Offer Ends 4/29/2025.
70,000 points + a Free Night Award
Up to $350
$0
19.99%-28.99% 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
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.
Earn 70,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points plus a Free Night Reward after you spend $2,000 in purchases on the Hilton Honors American Express Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Offer Ends 4/29/2025.
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.
Apply with confidence. Know if you're approved for a Card with no impact to your credit score. If you're approved and you choose to accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.
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.
The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the ins and outs 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.
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 100,000 Bonus Points after spending $2,000 on purchases within the first 3 months of account opening.
100,000 bonus points
$500
$0
19.99% - 28.49% 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
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®
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.
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