Home › Credit Cards › Reviews

Marriott Bonvoy Business American Express Card — Full Review [2022]

We may be compensated when you click on links from one or more of our advertising partners. Opinions and recommendations are ours alone. Terms apply to offers below. See our Advertiser Disclosure for more details.

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.

"Great choice for Marriott Bonvoy loyalists!"

A great option for business owners who stay in Marriott hotels and want automatic elite status.

Learn More (at Amex's secure site)

Jarrod West

- UPDATED: January 20, 2022 |

Business travelers who opt for Marriott as their hotel chain of choice will definitely want to consider the Marriott Bonvoy Business™ American Express® Card. The card offers great benefits to cardholders like a complimentary hotel night once a year, automatic Silver Elite status (with a fast-track to Gold Elite status), and multiple point redemption options.

Pros

6x points per $1 spent at hotels participating in the Marriott Bonvoy™ program
4x points per $1 at U.S. restaurants, at U.S. gas stations, on wireless telephone services purchased directly from U.S. service providers, and on U.S. purchases for shipping
2x points per $1 on all other purchases
15 Elite Night Credits
1 Free Night Award each cardmember anniversary (up to 35,000 points)
Silver Elite status (Gold Elite status when you spend $35,000 on purchases each account year)
No foreign transaction fees

Cons

Moderate annual fee of $125 (see rates and fees)
No premium perks like airport lounge access
Marriott Silver Elite is the lowest status tier

Marriott Bonvoy Business Card — Snapshot

Welcome Bonus & Info (Partner Content)
- Welcome Offer: Earn 75,000 bonus Marriott Bonvoy points after you use your new Card to make $3,000 in eligible purchases within the first 3 months of Card Membership. Plus, earn up to $150 back in statement credits on eligible purchases made on your new Card within the first 3 months of Card Membership.
- 6x points at hotels participating in the Marriott Bonvoy™ program.
- 4x points at U.S. restaurants, at U.S. gas stations, on wireless telephone services purchased directly from U.S. service providers and on U.S. purchases for shipping. 2x points on all other eligible purchases.
- Receive 1 Free Night Award every year after your Card account anniversary. Plus, earn an additional Free Night Award after you spend $60K in purchases on your Card in a calendar year. Awards can be used for one night (redemption level at or under 35,000 Marriott Bonvoy points) at hotels participating in the Marriott Bonvoy™ program. Certain hotels have resort fees.
- Enjoy complimentary Marriott Bonvoy Silver Elite status with your Card. Plus, earn Gold Elite status after making $35,000 in eligible purchases on your Card in a calendar year.
- Terms apply.
Card Categories:
Rewards Center
Marriott Bonvoy
Customer Service Number
800-627-7468
Login Link
https://www.americanexpress.com
Related Articles

Great Card If

You’re a business owner and Marriott loyalist
You want a fast track to Marriott elite status
You see value in the annual complimentary night certificate

Don't Get If

You’re not a business owner
You’re not a fan of Marriott-branded hotels, or don’t travel much
You prefer a card with more elite benefits like airport lounge access
You want a card with no annual fee

Marriott Bonvoy Business Card — Fees

Annual Fee
- $125
Foreign Transaction Fees
None
Interest Rates
- 15.74% - 24.74% Variable
Late fees
- Up to $39
- Penalty APR: 29.24% Variable
Cash Advance APR
- 25.24% Variable

The Ideal Cardholder

Business Man Walking with Suitcase — When you’re always on the go, you need a card that helps you travel in style. Image Credit: Jacob Lund via Shutterstock

The Marriott Bonvoy Business card is a great option for business owners who travel frequently and prefer staying with Marriott-branded hotels. Additionally, taking into account the annual fee, you’ll want to make certain you can get great value out of each of the card’s benefits.

Anniversary Complimentary Night Certificate

The complimentary night certificate, given each year at your card renewal, is perhaps one of the best benefits this card has to offer and helps to make up for the card’s annual fee. This free night award is good for any Marriott hotel costing up to 35,000 points per night.

Since Marriott now utilizes dynamic award pricing, this complimentary night certificate could get you a free night in a Category 5 property, assuming that it is not a peak night.

Category 5 Marriott properties can often be priced anywhere from $200 to $300 a night, so the annual fee in exchange for a free night in one of these hotels can make a lot of sense if you know you’ll be frequenting Marriott hotels anyway.

The free night certificate expires 12 months after it was issued, giving you plenty of time to find a good use for it.

Silver Elite Status

The card also grants you Silver Elite status in the Marriott Bonvoy program, and while this is the lowest status level in the Marriott Bonvoy program, it can still be valuable to those frequenting Marriott hotels that didn’t have status with the chain otherwise.

Marriott Bonvoy Silver Elite status offers:

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

The primary benefit is that you will earn an extra 10% point bonus on your Marriott stays, and it’s worth mentioning that this applies to points earned through the hotel, not through the credit card.

This bonus amounts to a total of 11 Marriott points per $1 on your Marriott stays, up 1 point from the base membership level.

If your business has a decent level of expenses each year then you’re in luck, as the Marriott Bonvoy Business card also offers a fast track to Gold Elite status after spending $35,000 or more on the card each calendar year. Marriott Gold Elite status offers increased perks like a 25% point bonus, 2 p.m. late checkout (based on availability), and enhanced room upgrades.

15 Elite Night Credits

In terms of working your way to upper levels of Marriott elite status, the Marriott Bonvoy Business card gives cardholders a boost towards status with 15 nights of elite credit each year. Don’t confuse these with free night certificates, though, as you cannot redeem these credits for award nights — they only count towards your elite status requirements.

For example, Gold Elite status and Platinum Elite status require 25 nights and 50 nights a year, respectively. That means, with your automatic 15 elite night credits, you will only actually need to stay 10 nights each year to earn Gold Elite status, and 35 nights each year to earn Platinum Elite status.

How to Earn More Marriott Points

Business Owner Amex Business Platinum vs Amex Business Gold — Image Credit: Dragon Images via Shutterstock

Marriott Stays

It should come as no surprise that you’ll want to use this card for all of your Marriott stays. The card earns 6x Marriott points per $1 spent with the hotel chain. This represents a 4.2% return on your spend with Marriott hotels, based on our 0.7 cents per point valuation for Marriott points.

Hot Tip: With the Silver Elite status, you’ll earn 11x points per $1 for being a Silver Elite member, plus another 6x points per $1 when paying with your card for a total of 17x points per $1 (or 11.9% back).

U.S. Restaurants and U.S. Gas Stations

The card also earns 4x points per $1 at U.S. restaurants and U.S. gas stations. There are cards out there that offer a much better return on your spending for both dining and gas stations, but both of these categories present a great opportunity to earn extra Marriott points.

Wireless Telephone Services and U.S. Purchases for Shipping

If your business has significant shipping and telephone service expenses, then the Marriott Bonvoy Business card is a stellar option as it will reward you with 4x points for every $1 you spend in these categories.

Again, this makes for an excellent opportunity to earn extra points for expenses you’re likely to be making anyway.

Everyday Spending

Finally, the Marriott Bonvoy Business card earns 2x points for every $1 you spend on all other purchases. While this isn’t a top option for non-bonused spending, it is worth considering for those trying to earn as many Marriott points as possible.

Refer-a-Friend Bonus Rewards

Know another business owner in need of a solid travel rewards card? You can refer people to the Marriott Bonvoy Business card and earn up to 50,000 Marriott points per year — 10,000 for each referral.

To send out a referral, visit the Refer-a-Friend website and log in using your Amex username and password (or your credit card information).

Adding Ultimate Rewards Cards

Marriott is one of the Chase Ultimate Rewards transfer partners, so utilizing their credit cards can help you earn extra Marriott points as well!

If you’re interested in learning about some Chase credit card options, here are some of our favorites for personal and business use.

Hot Tip: If you’re a regular reader of the Upgraded Points, you know we value Chase Ultimate Reward points much higher than Marriott points, so we generally don’t recommend transferring Chase points over to Marriott.

How to Use Marriott Points for Max Value

Once you’ve racked up a bunch of Marriott points, which redemption methods offer the best value?

Marriott Stays

Not surprisingly, one of the best ways to redeem your Marriott points is for award stays at Marriott hotels.

Marriott has over 6,900 hotels worldwide across 30 different brands. Marriott has 8 different award categories, and with the addition of peak and off-peak pricing, free nights can range anywhere from 5,000 to 100,000 points per night. Depending on which hotels you decide to use them with, you can receive excellent value for your Marriott points on hotel stays.

Hot Tip: Want to extend the value of your Marriott points even further? Then take advantage of the fifth-night free perk on your award stays. This effectively earns you a 20% discount on the number of points required for a redemption!

Airline Transfer Partners

Similar to American Express Membership Rewards and Chase Ultimate Rewards, your Marriott points are also a transferable currency. But unlike the first 2, Marriott has a massive list of over 40 airlines you can transfer your points to.

Although, while the list of potential transfer partners is longer, these are not 1:1 transfers. Marriott points, for the most part, transfer at a 3:1 ratio with a 5,000-mile bonus for every 60,000 Marriott points transferred. This means that transferring 60,000 Marriott points to Korean Airlines would result in 25,000 miles in your account.

From a numbers standpoint, this might seem like a terrible idea. Why would it be a good idea to end up with fewer points after a transfer, right? But keep in mind that not all points are created equal.

If you’re transferring your Marriott points to an airline in order to have enough for a redemption, or moving them to an airline program that doesn’t have any other transfer partners, then it can make a lot of sense.

Marriott Moments

Cardholders also have the option of redeeming their points for one-of-a-kind experiences through the Marriott Experiences portal, like sporting events or culinary trips.

Some experiences cost a set number of Marriott points, while others are auction-style, allowing you to attempt to outbid others. Be certain of your travel plans before bidding, though, as most experiences are nonrefundable.

Marriott Hotel + Air Package

Marriott allows you to redeem your points for one of their Hotel + Air packages, which consist of a 7-night hotel stay plus a stash of airline miles.

When you buy a Hotel + Air Travel Package, you’ll get a certificate for a 7-night Marriott hotel stay plus a certain number of airline miles ranging from 50,000-110,000, depending on which package you choose. Packages range from 255,000 all the way to 750,000 Marriott points, depending on how high of a hotel category you select.

Hot Tip: When Marriott and SPG merged, the Hotel + Air package redemptions were devalued in a big way — but that doesn’t mean there isn’t still value to be had. Check out our full guide to find out which packages make the most sense.

Marriott Shopping

Marriott, like many programs, also allows you to redeem your points for products or merchant gift cards. The redemption rates when doing so are generally pretty poor and it seldom makes sense to do so.

Bottom Line: At Upgraded Points, we highly advise that you redeem your points either for hotel stays, or via an airline transfer partner whose points are both valuable and hard to earn, like Alaska Airlines, Japan Airlines, or Korean Air.

Marriott Transfer Partner	Min Transfer	Transfer Ratio (Marriott > Partner)	Bonus Airline Miles for every 60k Marriott Points Transferred	Transfer Time (based on pre-merger reports)
Aegean Airlines Miles+Bonus	3,000	3:1	5,000	3 days
Aer Lingus Aeroclub	3,000	3:1	5,000	unknown
Aeroflot Bonus	3,000	3:1	5,000	20 days
AeroMexico Club Premier	3,000	3:1	5,000	4 days
Air Canada Aeroplan	3,000	3:1	5,000	5 days
Air China PhoenixMiles	3,000	3:1	5,000	5 days
Air France/KLM Flying Blue	3,000	3:1	5,000	3 day
Air New Zealand Airpoints	3,000	200:1	25	1 day
Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan	3,000	3:1	5,000	4 days
Alitalia MilleMiglia	3,000	3:1	5,000	7 days
ANA Mileage Club	3,000	3:1	5,000	4 days
American Airlines AAdvantage	3,000	3:1	5,000	2 days
Asiana Airlines Asiana Club	3,000	3:1	5,000	4 days
Avianca Airlines LifeMiles	3,000	3:1	5,000	1 day
British Airways Executive Club	3,000	3:1	5,000	3 days
Cathay Pacific Asia Miles	3,000	3:1	5,000	5 days
China Southern Airlines Sky Pearl Club	3,000	3:1	5,000	3 days
Copa Airlines ConnectMiles	3,000	3:1	5,000	3 days
Delta Air Lines SkyMiles	3,000	3:1	5,000	1 day
Emirates Skywards	3,000	3:1	5,000	3 days
Etihad Guest	3,000	3:1	5,000	3 days
FRONTIER Miles	3,000	3:1	5,000	unknown
Hainan Airlines Fortune Wings Club	3,000	3:1	5,000	8 days
Hawaiian Airlines HawaiianMiles	3,000	3:1	5,000	1 day
Iberia Plus	3,000	3:1	5,000	1 day
Japan Airlines JAL Mileage Bank	3,000	3:1	5,000	2 days
InterMiles	3,000	3:1	5,000	unknown
JetBlue TrueBlue	3,000	6:1	2,500	1 day
Korean Air SKYPASS	3,000	3:1	5,000	2 days
LATAM Airlines Multiplus Fidelidade	3,000	3:1	5,000	2 days
Qantas Frequent Flyer	3,000	3:1	5,000	2 days
Qatar Airways Privilege Club	3,000	3:1	5,000	3 days
Saudi Arabian Airlines Alfursan	3,000	3:1	5,000	unknown
Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer	3,000	3:1	5,000	2 days
South African Airways Voyager	3,000	3:1	5,000	3 days
Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards	3,000	3:1	5,000	1 day
TAP Air Portugal Miles&Go	3,000	3:1	5,000	unknown
Thai Airways Royal Orchid Plus	3,000	3:1	5,000	4 days
Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles	3,000	3:1	5,000	unknown
United MileagePlus	3,000	3:1.1	5,500	3 days
Virgin Australia Velocity Frequent Flyer	3,000	3:1	5,000	2 days
Virgin Australia Velocity	3,000	3:1	5,000	1 day
Vueling Club	3,000	3:1	5,000

Alternatives to the Marriott Bonvoy Business Card

The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card

Rather have Hilton as your hotel chain of choice? The Hilton Business Amex card is a great option. With an annual fee of just $95 (see rates and fees) it offers 12x points per $1 on Hilton stays, 6x points per $1 with U.S. gas stations, wireless telephone services, U.S. purchases for shipping, U.S. restaurants, flights booked directly with airlines, and car rentals booked directly from select car rental companies, plus 3x points per $1 on everything else.

The card also offers Hilton Honors Gold status, a free weekend night award when you spend $15,000 on your card in a calendar year, and 10 free Priority Pass visits.

Ink Business Preferred℠ Credit Card

Not loyal to a specific hotel group or prefer a more well-rounded option? The Ink Business Preferred card could be a good fit.

While it doesn’t feature any of the luxury perks or elite status, it has a fantastic earning rate of 3x points per $1 on up to $150,000 in combined purchases on travel, shipping, ad purchases made with social media sites or search engines, internet, cable, and phones services.

Given the annual fee is just $95, it makes for a compelling option for those who just want a strong point earning card without any extras.

For rates and fees of the Marriott Bonvoy Business™ American Express® Card, click here.

Featured Image Credit: American Express

Frequently asked questions

Is the Marriott Bonvoy Business card worth it?

If you’re a business owner who frequents Marriott hotels enough to get value out of the elite status and annual free night, then the Marriott Bonvoy Business card might be a great option.

Which Marriott Bonvoy card is best?

Which card is best depends on which is the best fit for you and your needs. Be sure to compare and contrast the benefits of each card to determine which will be the most useful to you.

Can you transfer Marriott points?

Yes, Marriott has a variety of airline transfer partners that you can transfer your points to.

Am I eligible for a business credit card?

If you’re a business owner, even just as a sole-proprietor or freelancer, you’re eligible to apply for a business card. Whether or not you will be approved depends on your credit worthiness which is determined by your credit score as well as other factors like your income.

Does the Marriott Bonvoy Business card charge foreign transaction fees?

The Marriott Bonvoy Business card does not charge foreign transaction fees.

Are employee cards free with the Marriott Bonvoy Business card?

Yes, adding employee credit cards are no cost for Marriott Bonvoy Business cardholders (see rates and fees).

Do Marriott points expire?

Your Marriott points will expire after 24 months of no account activity. To keep them alive, you just need to a qualifying activity, like earning or redeeming points.

About Jarrod West

Jarrod first became fascinated with the world of points and miles as the perfect way to visit dream destinations without breaking the bank. On his first major award trip, he spent 3 months traveling through Europe, financed nearly entirely with points; while flying in premium cabins and staying in 5-star hotels along the way. Now, he is on a mission to help others realize their travel goals and upgrade their travel experiences. Jarrod has been writing about credit cards and travel loyalty programs for 4 years, and his work has been featured by Travel and Leisure, The New York Times, Matador Network, Yahoo Finance, and U.S. News.

How to Beat the Crowds & Lock In Affordable Travel While You Still Can...

With lockdowns ending, the demand for travel is surging to record levels - and so are prices.

We’ll show you the strategies and tools to unlock huge savings, but that window is closing fast - so you need to get on this right now.

Download our last-chance playbook here:

We respect your privacy. Please view our privacy policy here.

2 comments

Chris October 10, 2021
I believe that I received an additional two award certificates upon renewal of the Bonvoy Business Amex this cycle. In total, three 35K certs showed up in my account over the course of a week. While I’m not complaining I would like to know if there’s official wording about renewals getting extra certs. Makes sense as a customer retention tool since new apps for the card get two certs (at a higher point value, no less) after minimum spend.
Any thoughts?
- Christine Krzyszton October 10, 2021
  Hi Chris. Not aware of any additional free night certs being offered to members as a renewal gesture. However, business cardholders who spend $60,000 in a year or personal cardholders who spend $25,000 in a year, each receive an extra certificate. The value of these certs is 35K and 20K respectively. I know when the expiration dates of existing certificates were extended, I thought I had received an extra cert too but in the end, I determined I did not. Hope you get to enjoy yours and thanks for sharing. Perhaps other readers experienced the same.

Featured Cards

Pros

Cons

Marriott Bonvoy Business Card — Snapshot

Great Card If

Don't Get If

Marriott Bonvoy Business Card — Fees

The Ideal Cardholder

Anniversary Complimentary Night Certificate

Silver Elite Status

15 Elite Night Credits

How to Earn More Marriott Points

Marriott Stays

U.S. Restaurants and U.S. Gas Stations

Wireless Telephone Services and U.S. Purchases for Shipping

Everyday Spending

Refer-a-Friend Bonus Rewards

Adding Ultimate Rewards Cards

How to Use Marriott Points for Max Value

Marriott Stays

Airline Transfer Partners

Marriott Moments

Marriott Hotel + Air Package

Marriott Shopping

Alternatives to the Marriott Bonvoy Business Card

Frequently asked questions

Is the Marriott Bonvoy Business card worth it?

Which Marriott Bonvoy card is best?

Can you transfer Marriott points?

Am I eligible for a business credit card?

Does the Marriott Bonvoy Business card charge foreign transaction fees?

Are employee cards free with the Marriott Bonvoy Business card?

Do Marriott points expire?

About Jarrod West

Urgent Report:

How to Beat the Crowds & Lock In Affordable Travel While You Still Can...

2 comments

Any thoughts or questions? Comment below! Cancel reply

Related Articles

Urgent Travel Report:

Urgent Report:

How to Beat the Crowds & Lock In Affordable Travel While You Still Can...

Advertiser Disclosure