Here’s Why I Am Keeping My Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant Card, Despite the $650 Annual Fee

Although I prefer to redeem hotel points at mid-tier properties for longer stays, going all out at some of the best hotels in the world is also a ton of fun. There are few things better than staying at a luxury hotel for free, even if it’s just for 1 night.

Fortunately, some hotel cards make this possible. One of these cards is the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant^® American Express^® Card, the most premium Marriott Bonvoy card available. The card has a generous welcome offer, great earning potential, a long list of benefits, and an incredibly valuable free night award.

I have carried the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant card since it was publicly available in 2018. However, I’ve made a conscious effort to lower the number of credit cards I am paying fees on recently (I have over 30 active accounts!).

With the card’s $650 annual fee approaching (rates & fees), I reconsidered whether it was worth keeping for another year. Here’s a quick look at the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant card and the 4 main reasons I am keeping it open despite its higher annual fee.

Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant Card Overview

The Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant card currently has an intriguing welcome offer: Earn 95,000 points after spending $6,000 in purchases within the first 6 months.

We value Marriott Bonvoy points at 0.7 cents, making this welcome bonus worth $665. However, how you choose to redeem the points can change how much value you get. When it comes to Marriott Bonvoy points, you have the option to redeem points for Marriott hotel stays or you can redeem points for flights.

Besides the fantastic welcome offer, here’s a look at the earning structure and benefits of the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant card:

• 6x points on eligible purchases at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy
• 3x points at restaurants worldwide and on flights booked directly with airlines
• 2x points on all other purchases
• Complimentary Marriott Bonvoy Platinum Elite status
• Annual dining credit upon enrollment (up to $25 per month)
• Free night award (redemption level at or under 85,000 Marriott Bonvoy points)
• $100 credit on select 2-night stays at Ritz-Carlton or St. Regis properties
• 25 elite night credits toward the next level of Marriott Bonvoy elite status
• Fee credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck
• No foreign transaction fees (rates & fees)
• $650 annual fee

Why I Am Keeping the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant Card

While the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant card may not be the best (or even a great) card for everyday spending, it can provide a ton of value to those who frequently stay at Marriott hotels. The card offers an interesting credit and some excellent perks that help justify its hefty annual fee.

Here’s a look at the 4 most important reasons I am keeping the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant card.

Annual Dining Credit

When it comes to cards with higher annual fees, I first look for credits to help offset the fee. Fortunately, the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant card offers a fantastic credit covering almost half the card’s $650 annual fee.

Cardholders can get up to $300 in statement credits per calendar year for eligible purchases at restaurants worldwide upon enrollment. While the total amount is the same, the credit is now broken down into a monthly up to $25 amount, and the best part is that it does not need to be used at once.

The up to $25 dining credit will automatically be applied to the first dining charges (totaling $25) each month.

I eat out at least once per month and can easily maximize up to the $25 limit. As long as you remember to use the credit each month, the yearly up to $300 dining credit can essentially be considered a wash and substantially offsets the card’s annual fee.

Complimentary Platinum Elite Status

One excellent perk of the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant card is that it provides complimentary Marriott Bonvoy Platinum Elite status, which is considered the tier where valuable perks and benefits really begin to kick in. Marriott Bonvoy Platinum Elite status benefits include:

• 4 p.m. late checkout and early check-in (when available)
• 50% points bonus
• In-hotel welcome gift (Marriott Bonvoy points, breakfast offering, or amenity)
• Enhanced room upgrade based on availability (including select suites)
• Lounge access (when available)

If you stay at Marriott hotels multiple times a year but can’t earn Marriott Platinum Elite status naturally, it may be worth having the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant card in your wallet. It is a major deciding factor for me.

Typically, guests must spend 50 nights per calendar year at Marriott hotels to attain Marriott Bonvoy Platinum Elite status. It is a huge benefit to be able to achieve Platinum Elite status just by carrying the card.

On my most recent trip to Asia earlier this year, I stayed at 8 different Marriott hotels. I was upgraded to a better room each time (and a suite several times) and took advantage of the 4 p.m. late checkout each time.

25 Elite Night Credits

The Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant card also gives cardholders 25 elite night credits each year (not to be confused with free nights). These elite night credits are deposited into your Marriott Bonvoy account and can help you reach the next elite status tier.

You can combine these elite night credits with those earned on the Marriott Bonvoy Business^® American Express^® Card. I carry the old Marriott Rewards^® Premier Business credit card (closed to new applicants), which also provides 15 elite night credits.

Between these 2 cards, I automatically have 40 elite night credits (plus Platinum Elite status) deposited into my account each year. At that point, I only need 35 nights to reach Titanium Elite status, which provides even more perks.

All information about Marriott Rewards^® Premier Business Credit Card has been collected independently by Upgraded Points.

Marriott Free Night Certificate

Lastly, and quite possibly, the best perk that helps offset the card’s annual fee is the free night award you earn every card anniversary. The free night award gives cardholders a reward night at any hotel participating in Marriott Bonvoy (up to 85,000 points).

Marriott uses dynamic pricing for awards, so you’ll need to do a calendar search to find flexible dates when a standard room costs 85,000 points or less. As mentioned above, we value Marriott Bonvoy points at 0.7 cents, meaning this 85,000-point certificate is worth $595.

Marriott also allows members to top off free night awards with up to 15,000 more points. This means you can use this free night at properties that cost up to 100,000 points per night. This opens up endless opportunities to stay at some of the most luxurious Marriott hotels in the world.

Last year, I used my free night award at The Ritz-Carlton Toronto, where cash rates for a standard room started around $729 per night. Due to Fan Expo Canada that same weekend, hotels in Toronto were extremely pricey.

Thanks to my Platinum Elite status, I was upgraded from a standard room to a more premium CN Tower view room at check-in, which was going for more than $1,000 for the 1-night stay. That 1 free night more than covered the card’s annual fee, and the upgrade was the cherry on top!

I often keep hotel credit cards that have a yearly free night since I am consistently able to redeem my free nights at hotels with prices higher than the annual fee.

Final Thoughts

Despite the hefty annual fee, the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant card provides a ton of value for those who frequently stay at Marriott hotels. It offers an annual up to $300 dining credit, automatic Marriott Bonvoy Platinum Elite status, elite night credits, and an annual free night, among other perks.

The dining credit covers almost half the card’s annual fee, assuming you can take advantage of the credit each month. The other benefits, particularly the annual free night, cover the rest of the annual fee for me since I typically redeem it effectively.

With all that being said, it’s becoming increasingly difficult to justify having so many cards, some with extremely high fees. I will keep the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant card in my wallet unless American Express plans to increase the annual fee again.