Thai Airways Royal Orchid Plus Loyalty Program Review

Operating out of its hubs in Bangkok and Phuket, Thai Airways is the flag carrier airline of Thailand. Thai Airways doesn’t fly nonstop to the U.S., but its Bangkok hub has flights to destinations across Asia, Australia, and Europe.

Along with airlines like Air New Zealand, ANA, Avianca, Lufthansa, and United, Thai Airways is a Star Alliance member. This means Thai Airways miles can be redeemed for flights on airlines across the Star alliance.

Thai Airways Royal Orchid Plus Overview

The frequent flyer program of Thai Airways is called Royal Orchid Plus, and it can potentially provide value when flying on a Thai Airways or Star Alliance partner flight.

Elite status for Royal Orchid Plus members is awarded based on the number of Qualifying Miles (Q Miles) earned in the evaluation period. Q Miles are calculated based on 2 factors: 1) the fare class of the ticket, and 2) the distance flown.

Bottom Line: Thai Airways requires its members to earn a certain number of Q Miles for its lowest elite status. For its 2 highest elite tiers, members will need to earn a certain number of Q Miles as well as fly a certain number of Thai Airways flight segments. 

Joining Royal Orchid Plus

Membership in the Royal Orchid Plus program is free; you can set up an account by completing this application.

When your application has been confirmed via email, your Royal Orchid Plus membership provides you with the opportunity to earn and redeem Q miles in the frequent flyer program.

How to Sign in to Your Royal Orchid Plus Account

To access your account, provide your Member ID and PIN on the login page.

Hot Tip: Thai Airways mirrors many airlines, in that you don’t need to log in to your account see the number of miles required to book an award flight. 

Viewing Your Q Miles Account Activity

Follow these easy steps to check out the mileage activity in your account:

1. Log in to your account
2. Click the drop-down next to your name at the top right

Points Expiration

Q Miles are valid for 3 years. Miles earned in each quarter and not redeemed expire at the end of the corresponding quarter 3 years later.

Thai Airways Royal Orchid Plus Program

Royal Orchid Plus Elite Status

The Thai Airways Royal Orchid Plus program has 3 elite tiers that members can earn.

For flyers who can earn the higher elite tiers, Thai Airways will award you with a host of benefits that focus on lounge access, removal of mileage expiration, and complimentary upgrades.

Silver: Royal Orchid Plus’ lowest elite tier provides these benefits:

• Priority reservation wait-listing
• Priority airport standby
• Additional checked baggage allowance
• 3,000-mile tier status bonus

Gold: The middle elite tier in the Thai Airways program comes with the following perks:

• Priority phone number when calling the Thai Airways Contact Center
• Guaranteed economy availability when contacting Thai Airways reservations
• Access to the Royal Silk Class lounge with 1 guest
• Priority boarding
• 5,000-mile tier status bonus
• Complimentary upgrades on round-trip Thai Airways flights

Platinum: Thai Airways’ highest elite tier offers members the following benefits:

• Fast-track security clearance
• Access to Thai Airways Royal First Class lounge with 1 guest
• 10,000-mile tier status bonus
• Waiver of program booking fees
• Miles don’t expire
• Multiple complimentary upgrades when accumulating 50,000 tier miles
• Unlimited changes to a platinum member award nominee list

If you’re interested in a deeper dive, check out the full list of program benefits for more information.

Bottom Line: Thai Airways is enticing for those who want elite status with lounge access, removal of booking fees, no mileage expiration, and complimentary upgrades. 

Value of Thai Airways Royal Orchid Plus Elite Status

The Platinum tier comes with first class lounge access, a 10,000-mile tier bonus, waiver of booking fees, miles that don’t expire, and complimentary upgrades as perks members can attain.

Below the Platinum tier is Gold – it has interesting benefits, but it’s helpful to ask yourself if the benefits offered at each elite tier are valuable to you. If you decide to earn elite status, try to earn Platinum status as the benefits at this level will give you the most in returned value.

Hot Tip: Other Star Alliance member airlines like United Airlines will provide more elite status value for travelers based in the U.S.

Earning Thai Airways Royal Orchid Plus Elite Status

Elite status in the program is earned by the number Q Miles flown. Q Miles are determined by the distance flown plus any additional class of service miles.

Note that you must earn Thai Airways elite status from flying — miles earned from credit card spending do not count as Qualifying Miles.

Silver

Silver status requires 10,000 Q Miles during a 12-month period, or 15,000 Q Miles during a 24-month period.

Your Silver status expires at the end of the 12-month or 24-month period, whichever is applicable, unless you earn it again during that time period.

Every time a member attains or retains Silver status, a 3,3,000-mile bonus is credited to the member’s account.

Gold

Earning Gold status requires 50,000 Q Miles during a 12-month period, or 80,000 Q Miles during a 24-month period. In addition, you’ll need to fly 40 Thai Airways international flight segments in any 12-rolling-month period.

Gold status expires at the end of the 12-month or 24-month period, whichever is applicable, unless the status is earned again during that time period.

When a member attains or retains Gold status, a 5,000-mile bonus will be credited to the member’s account.

Platinum

The highest elite status, Platinum, requires 80,000 miles flown on Thai Airways Royal First Class or Royal Silk Class flights every 12 months on a rolling basis.

Platinum status expires at the end of the 12-month or 24-month period, whichever is applicable, unless you earn it again during that time period

If you earn Platinum status again, you’ll earn a 10,000-mile bonus credited to your account each time.

Hot Tip:

Thai Airways will be discontinuing first class in the next few years, so you may want to book it before it goes away.

How to Earn Royal Orchid Plus Miles

Thai Airways partners with 2 of the 5 transferable point programs: Citi ThankYou Rewards and Marriott Bonvoy.

Unfortunately, they don’t partner with the other 3 other transferable point programs (Amex Membership Rewards, Chase Ultimate Rewards, and Capital One).

It’s important to note that neither Citi ThankYou nor Marriott Bonvoy transfer times are instant. Citi ThankYou point transfers to Thai Airways take 4 days, and Marriott Bonvoy point transfers take 10 days.

Hot Tip: With partner transfer times ranging from 4-10 days, keep the booking timeline in mind if you are eyeing an award flight!

Earning Miles Through Flying

Thai Airways’ Earn Miles page makes it incredibly easy to see the miles that you’ll earn for a Thai Airways flight. The airline uses booking class and flight distance to determine the number of miles that you’ll earn for each trip.

There is no elite status bonus in addition to the base miles that you’ll earn, though you can earn more miles based on the fare class that you book.

Thai Airways flights booked in first class, Silk Class, and premium economy earn 150%, 125%, and 110% miles of the distance flown, respectively.

If you’re looking to credit Star Alliance partner flight miles earned to Royal Orchid Plus, check the airline page of the operating airline to see how many miles you’ll earn.

In addition to the Star Alliance, Thai Airways has a partnership with Nok Air that allows members to earn Q Miles on Nok Air flights.

Earn Miles With Credit Cards

Citi ThankYou and Marriott Bonvoy offer a number of cards that earn points you can transfer directly to Thai Airways.

If you’re using Citi ThankYou points, some of Citi’s airline partners have a regular transfer bonus, which allows you to receive even more value for the points you earn.

As far as Marriott Bonvoy credit cards, remember that you’ll receive a 5,000-mile bonus for every 60,000 points transferred to an airline partner like Thai Airways.

Marriott Bonvoy points transfer to Thai Airways at a 3:1 ratio, meaning that 60,000 Marriott points become 25,000 Thai Airways miles with the 25% airline transfer bonus.

Earning Bonus Miles in Other Ways

In addition to flying and credit card spending, Thai Airways provides its members with a couple of additional ways to earn Q Miles.

First, you can check out the Thai Airways Facebook, Twitter, and Special Offers pages for additional places to earn Thai Airways Q Miles.

Second, you can utilize Thai Airways’ car rental and hotel partners, where you’ll earn miles with every car rental and hotel stay.

Hot Tip: If you want to learn more about how to earn miles, we have an entire post on the best ways to earn Royal Thai Orchid Plus miles. 

Branded and Partnered Credit Cards

Thai Airways partners with 2 transferable point programs to give you a couple of ways to earn Thai Airways Royal Orchid Plus miles: Citi ThankYou Rewards and Marriott Bonvoy.

Thai Airways Credit Cards

If you’re a Thailand resident, Thai Airways offers a few branded cards that allow you to earn miles directly with your credit card spending.

For U.S customers, American Express and Citi are the 2 most recognizable Thai Airways credit card partners. However, none of these co-branded offerings are compelling due to the lack of a welcome bonus, so we recommend passing on them for now.

If you’re looking for ways to earn Thai Airways miles with credit card spending, check out the options below.

Citi Credit Cards

Citi flies under the radar among the 5 main transferable point programs for good reason: the bank simply did not offer that many credit cards that both earn Citi ThankYou Points and come with compelling welcome offers, until recently with the Strata credit card lineup.

It is no longer challenging to earn Citi ThankYou Points from your credit card spending, and the Citi ThankYou program offers regular bonuses when transferring points to its airline partners.

Citi has 5 credit cards that earn ThankYou Points that are open to applications. We recommend applying for the Citi Strata Premier℠ Card first because the welcome bonus is substantial, it has one of the highest bonus spending category earning rates in gas, and the annual fee is only $95:

Citi Strata Premier℠ 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.

Citi Strata Premier℠ Card

Welcome Offer

Earn 60,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 in the first 3 months of account opening, redeemable for $600 in gift cards or travel rewards at thankyou.com

60,000 points

UP's Offer Valuation*:

$960

Annual Fee

$95

APR

19.74% to 27.74% Variable APR

Why We Like This Card

The Citi Strata Premier℠ Card is a great all-around travel rewards card that allows you to earn big rewards on a variety of purchases like air travel, at restaurants, supermarkets, gas stations, and more, along with flexible redemption options, all for a modest annual fee.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• 10x points on hotels, car rentals, and attractions booked through CitiTravel.com
• 3x points on air travel, other hotel purchases, restaurants, supermarkets, gas stations, and EV charging stations
• $100 annual hotel benefit

Cons

• $95 annual fee

Read Full Review

Card Highlights

• Earn 60,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 in the first 3 months of account opening, redeemable for $600 in gift cards or travel rewards at thankyou.com.
• Earn 10X points per $1 spent on hotels, car rentals, and attractions booked on CitiTravel.com.
• Earn 3X points per $1 on air travel and other hotel purchases, at restaurants, supermarkets, gas and EV charging stations.
• Earn 1X point per $1 spent on all other purchases.
• $100 Annual Hotel Benefit: Once per calendar year, enjoy $100 off a single hotel stay of $500 or more (excluding taxes and fees) when booked through CitiTravel.com. Benefit applied instantly at time of booking.
• No expiration and no limit to the amount of points you can earn with this card.
• No foreign transaction fees on purchases.

Financial Snapshot

• APR: 19.74% to 27.74% Variable APR
• Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Citi Strata Elite℠ 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.

The Citi Strata Elite card is Citi's most premium card built for frequent travelers and foodies.

Citi Strata Elite℠ Card

The Citi Strata Elite card is Citi's most premium card built for frequent travelers and foodies.

Welcome Offer

Earn 100,000 bonus ThankYou Points after spending $6,000 within the first 3 months of account opening.

100,000 points

UP's Offer Valuation*:

Up to $1,600

Annual Fee

$595

APR

20.74% to 28.74%

Why We Like This Card

The Citi Strata Elite card is a great option for frequent travelers, foodies, and those who are fans of the Citi ThankYou Rewards ecosystem thanks to its combination of bonus categories, perks, and annual credits.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• 12x points on hotels, rental cars, and attractions booked through Citi Travel
• 6x points on airfare through Citi Travel
• 6x points on dining on Citi Nights (Friday and Saturday nights from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m.) and 3x points on dining at all other times

Cons

• $595 annual fee
• Boosted dining rewards are limited to 2 nights per week

Read Full Review

Card Highlights

• Earn 100,000 bonus ThankYou Points after spending $6,000 within the first 3 months of account opening
• 12x points on hotels, car rentals, and attractions booked on cititravel.com
• 6x points on air travel booked on cititravel.com
• 6x points at restaurants, including restaurant delivery services, every Friday and Saturday from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. ET, and 3x points any other time
• 1.5x points on all other purchases
• Global Entry or TSA PreCheck credit
• Up to $300 annual hotel benefit
• Up to $200 annual Splurge credit
• Up to $200 annual Blacklane credit
• 4 American Airlines Admirals Club passes every calendar year
• Transfer Citi ThankYou Points to partners like American Airlines
• Complimentary Priority Pass membership
• No foreign transaction fees

Financial Snapshot

• APR: 20.74% to 28.74%
• Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Citi Strata℠ 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.

Citi Strata℠ Card

Welcome Offer

Earn 30,000 points after spending $1,000 on purchases in the first 3 months.

30,000 points

UP's Offer Valuation*:

$480

Annual Fee

$0

APR

0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months, and then a variable APR 18.74% to 28.74%.

Credit Recommended

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 card application.

Good to Excellent

Why We Like This Card

The Citi Strata card offers a fresh way to earn Citi ThankYou Points with a $0 annual fee, allowing you to maximize your spend at gas stations, supermarkets, and more.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• 5x points on hotels, car rentals, and attractions booked on CitiTravel.com
• 3x points at supermarkets, select transit, gas and EV charging stations, and an eligible self-select category of your choice (fitness clubs, select streaming services, live entertainment, cosmetic stores/barber shops/hair salon or pet supply stores)
• 2x points at restaurants

Cons

• Doesn’t offer the best transfer ratio to Citi’s airline and hotel partners
• Charges foreign transaction fees

Read Full Review

Card Highlights

• Earn 30,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 in the first 3 months of account opening.
• Earn 5x points per $1 spent on hotels, car rentals, and attractions booked on CitiTravel.com.
• Earn 3x points per $1 on supermarkets, select transit, gas, and EV charging stations, and an eligible self-select category of your choice every quarter (fitness clubs, select streaming services, live entertainment, cosmetic stores/barber shops/hair salons, or pet supply stores).
• Earn 2x points per $1 at restaurants.
• Earn 1x point per $1 spent on all other purchases.
• No expiration and no limit to the amount of points you can earn with this card.

Financial Snapshot

• APR: 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months, and then a variable APR 18.74% to 28.74%.
• Foreign Transaction Fees: 3% of the U.S. dollar amount of each purchase

Rewards Center

Citi ThankYou Rewards

Citi Double Cash^® 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.

Great card for the average spender with no specific focus category; worry-free cash-back earning on everything!

Citi Double Cash^® Card

Great card for the average spender with no specific focus category; worry-free cash-back earning on everything!

Welcome Offer

Earn $200 cash-back after spending $1,500 on purchases in the first 6 months of account opening.

$200 cash-back

Annual Fee

$0

APR

17.74% to 27.74% Variable

Credit Recommended

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 card application.

Fair to Excellent (580-850)

Why We Like This Card

The Citi Double Cash^® Card has long been one of the top cash-back credit cards on the market, and the card now has the ability to earn Citi ThankYou Points!

This means that cardholders of the Double Cash card will now earn 2% on every purchase with unlimited 1% cash back when you buy, plus an additional 1% as you pay for those purchases. Cash back is earned in the form of ThankYou Points. This means each billing cycle, you will earn 1 ThankYou point per $1 spent on purchases and an additional ThankYou point for every $1 paid on your purchase balance as long as there is a corresponding balance in your Purchase Tracker.

Citi has turned the Double Cash card into a top choice for those who are looking for an everyday, no-fuss credit card.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Uncapped 2% for every $1 spent (1% when you buy and another 1% when you pay)
• Flexible redemption options
• No annual fee

Cons

• No bonus categories
• 3% foreign transaction fees

Read Full Review

Card Highlights

• Earn $200 cash back after you spend $1,500 on purchases in the first 6 months of account opening. This offer will be fulfilled as 20,000 ThankYou^® Points, which can be redeemed for $200 cash back.
• Earn 2% on every purchase with unlimited 1% cash back when you buy, plus an additional 1% as you pay for those purchases.
• Earn a total of 5 ThankYou^® Points per $1 spent on hotel, car rental, and attractions, excluding air travel, when booked through the Citi Travel^® portal.
• To earn cash back, pay at least the minimum due on time.
• Balance Transfer Only Offer: 0% Intro APR for 18 months on balance transfers; after that, the variable APR will be 17.74% to 27.74%, based on your creditworthiness. Balance Transfers do not earn cash back. Intro APR does not apply to purchases.
• If you transfer a balance, interest will be charged on your purchases unless you pay your entire balance (including balance transfers) by the due date each month.
• There is an intro balance transfer fee of 3% of each transfer (minimum $5) completed within the first 4 months of account opening. After that, your fee will be 5% of each transfer (minimum $5).

Financial Snapshot

• APR: 17.74% to 27.74% Variable
• Foreign Transaction Fees: 3% of the U.S. dollar amount of each purchase

Rewards Center

Citi ThankYou Rewards

Citi Custom Cash^® 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.

Earn big on purchases in your top eligible spend category, up to the first $500 each billing cycle, without an annual fee!

Citi Custom Cash^® Card

Earn big on purchases in your top eligible spend category, up to the first $500 each billing cycle, without an annual fee!

Welcome Offer

Earn $200 cash-back after you spend $1,500 on purchases in the first 6 months of account opening. This offer will be fulfilled as 20,000 ThankYou^® Points, which can be redeemed for $200 cash-back.

$200

Annual Fee

$0

APR

0% Intro APR on balance transfers and purchases for 15 months. After that, the variable APR will be 17.99% - 27.99%.

Credit Recommended

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 card application.

Fair to Excellent (580-850)

Why We Like This Card

The Citi Custom Cash^® Card is inventive when it comes to cash-back credit cards. Instead of earning a set amount of cash-back on predetermined bonus categories, the Citi Custom Cash card earns 5% cash-back on your highest eligible spend category each billing cycle, with a $0 annual fee.

Thanks to that unique perk, you’ll never need to worry about whether you’re using the right card for the right purchase, as your Citi Custom Cash card will always pay you 5% back on whichever category you end up spending the most on each month.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• 5% cash-back (on up to $500 each billing cycle) from your largest purchase category, including restaurants, gas stations, grocery stores, select travel, select transit, select streaming services, drugstores, home improvement stores, fitness clubs, and live entertainment
• $0 annual fee
• Multiple redemption options

Cons

• Your 5% category is limited to $500 in spend ($25 in cash-back) each month
• Not particularly rewarding for any purchases outside of your top 5% cash-back category

Read Full Review

Card Highlights

• Earn $200 cash back after you spend $1,500 on purchases in the first 6 months of account opening. This offer will be fulfilled as 20,000 ThankYou^® Points, which can be redeemed for $200 cash back.
• Get 0% Intro APR on balance transfers and purchases for 15 months. After that, the variable APR will be 17.99% - 27.99%, based on your creditworthiness.
• Earn 5% cash back on purchases in your top eligible spend category each billing cycle, up to the first $500 spent, 1% cash back thereafter. Earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases.
• Earn an additional 4% cash back on hotels, car rentals, and attractions booked with Citi Travel.
• No rotating bonus categories to sign up for – as your spending changes each billing cycle, your earn adjusts automatically when you spend in any of the eligible categories.
• $0 annual fee.
• Citi will only issue one Citi Custom Cash^® Card account per person.

Financial Snapshot

• APR: 0% Intro APR on balance transfers and purchases for 15 months. After that, the variable APR will be 17.99% - 27.99%.
• Foreign Transaction Fees: 3%

Marriott Bonvoy Credit Cards

The Marriott Bonvoy program is interesting in that it’s a hotel program that allows you to earn Marriott hotel points that can be transferred to its airline partners.

Keep in mind that transferring Marriott points to Thai Airways can take up to 10 days. For most people, this is a deal breaker.

Yes, Marriott members receive a 5,000-point bonus for every 60,000 Marriott points that are transferred to an airline partner — but waiting 10 days doesn’t always make sense if you’re looking to snag an in-demand award seat.

If you do want to take the chance of transferring miles and hoping your award flight is still available, the 60,000 Marriott Bonvoy points that you transfer to Thai Airways become 25,000 Thai Airways miles including the 5,000-point bonus (60,000 / 3 = 20,000 * 25% bonus = 25,000).

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.

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.

Welcome Offer

Earn 30,000 Bonus Points after spending $1,000 on eligible purchases within 3 months of account opening with the Marriott Bonvoy Bold^® Credit Card!

30,000 points

UP's Offer Valuation*:

$210

Annual Fee

$0

APR

19.74% - 28.24% Variable

Credit Recommended

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 card application.

Good to Excellent

Why We Like This Card

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.

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

Cons

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

Read Full Review

Card Highlights

• Earn 30,000 Bonus Points after qualifying purchases.
• Pay no annual fee with the Marriott Bonvoy Bold^® Credit Card from Chase^®!
• Earn up to 14X total points per $1 spent at thousands of hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy^® with the Marriott Bonvoy Bold^® Card.
• Earn 2X points for every $1 spent at grocery stores, rideshare, select food delivery, select streaming, and internet, cable, and phone services.
• 1X point for every $1 spent on all other purchases.
• Travel now, pay later - Break up purchases into equal monthly payments with no interest plus no plan fees on qualifying travel purchases. Terms apply.
• Pay Yourself Back^® - Redeem Marriott Bonvoy^® points for a statement credit to cover qualifying travel purchases made directly with airlines or at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy, up to $750 total in redemptions per year.
• Member FDIC

Financial Snapshot

• APR: 19.74% - 28.24% Variable
• Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Rewards Center

Marriott Bonvoy

Marriott Bonvoy Boundless^® 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.

Marriott loyalists will love this card's annual Free Night Award, automatic elite status, and up to 17x points per $1 on Marriott hotel stays.

Marriott Bonvoy Boundless^® Credit Card

Marriott loyalists will love this card's annual Free Night Award, automatic elite status, and up to 17x points per $1 on Marriott hotel stays.

Welcome Offer

Earn 3 Free Nights (each night valued up to 50,000 points) after spending $3,000 on eligible purchases within 3 months of account opening with your Marriott Bonvoy Boundless^® Credit Card. Certain hotels have resort fees.

Earn 3 Free Night Awards

UP's Offer Valuation*:

Up to $1,050

Annual Fee

$95

APR

19.74% - 28.24% Variable

Credit Recommended

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 card application.

Good to Excellent

Why We Like This Card

If you’re a frequent traveler and a Marriott loyalist, there’s a lot to love about the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless^® Credit Card. The card comes packed with several great benefits like a free hotel night once a year, automatic Silver Elite status (with a fast-track to Gold Elite status), and multiple options for redeeming points.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Earn big when you use your card at thousands of participating Marriott Bonvoy hotels
• Earn big at grocery stores, gas stations, and dining
• Automatic Silver Elite Status

Cons

• $95 annual fee
• Marriott Silver Elite Status is the lowest status tier

Read Full Review

Card Highlights

• Earn 3 Free Night Awards (each night valued up to 50,000 points) after qualifying purchases.
• Earn 3X points per $1 on the first $6,000 spent in combined purchases annually on grocery stores, gas stations, and dining.
• Earn 1 Elite Night Credit towards Elite Status for every $5,000 you spend.
• 1 Free Night Award (valued up to 35,000 points) every year after account anniversary.
• Earn up to 17X total points per $1 spent at thousands of hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy^® with the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless^® Card.
• Receive 15 Elite Night Credits annually, automatic Silver Elite status, and path to Gold Status when you spend $35,000 on purchases each calendar year.
• No Foreign Transaction Fees. Your points don't expire as long as you make purchases on your card every 24 months.
• Member FDIC

Financial Snapshot

• APR: 19.74% - 28.24% Variable
• Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Rewards Center

Marriott Bonvoy

Terms Apply / Rates & Fees

Marriott Bonvoy Bevy^® American Express^® 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.

The Marriott Bonvoy Bevy card gives you automatic Marriott elite status and helps you earn more Marriott Bonvoy points on your everyday purchases.

Apply Now(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.

Marriott Bonvoy Bevy^® American Express^® Card

The Marriott Bonvoy Bevy card gives you automatic Marriott elite status and helps you earn more Marriott Bonvoy points on your everyday purchases.

Welcome Offer

Earn 85,000 Marriott Bonvoy^® bonus points after you use your new Card to make $5,000 in purchases within the first 6 months of Card Membership.

85,000 points

UP's Offer Valuation*:

Up to $595

Annual Fee

$250

APR

19.74%-28.74% Variable

Credit Recommended

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 card application.

Good to Excellent

Why We Like This Card

The Marriott Bonvoy Bevy^® American Express^® Card, the latest mid-tier offering in the Marriott Bonvoy lineup of cards, offers cardholders automatic elite status and ways to earn more Marriott Bonvoy points on each of their stays and daily purchases.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• 6x points per $1 at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy
• 4x points per $1 at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on up to $15,000 in combined purchases per calendar year, then 2x points)
• 2x points per $1 on all other purchases

Cons

• $250 annual fee (rates & fees)
• Free Night Award certificate is not an automatic benefit

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Card Highlights

• Earn 85,000 Marriott Bonvoy^® bonus points after you use your new Card to make $5,000 in purchases within the first 6 months of Card Membership.
• Earn 6X Marriott Bonvoy^® points for each dollar of eligible purchases at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy^®.
• Earn 4X points at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on up to $15,000 in combined purchases at restaurants and U.S. supermarkets per calendar year, then 2X points).
• Earn 2X points on all other eligible purchases.
• Marriott Bonvoy^® 1K Bonus Points Per Stay: Earn 1,000 Marriott Bonvoy^® bonus points per paid eligible stay booked directly with Marriott for properties participating in Marriott Bonvoy^®.
• Earn up to 18.5X Marriott Bonvoy^® points for every $1 spent on eligible purchases at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy. Earn 6X points with the Marriott Bonvoy Bevy^® American Express^® Card. Earn up to 10X points from Marriott Bonvoy for being a Marriott Bonvoy member. Earn up to 2.5X points from Marriott Bonvoy with the 25% Bonus Points on Stays, a benefit available with your complimentary Gold Elite status.
• With complimentary Marriott Bonvoy^® Gold Elite Status, earn up to 2.5X points from Marriott Bonvoy^® on eligible hotel purchases with the 25% Bonus Points on stays benefit.
• Marriott Bonvoy Bevy^® Free Night Award: Earn 1 Free Night Award after spending $15,000 on eligible purchases on your Marriott Bonvoy Bevy^® American Express^® Card in a calendar year. Award can be used for one night (redemption level at or under 50,000 Marriott Bonvoy^® points) at a participating hotel. Certain hotels have resort fees.
• 15 Elite Night Credits: Each calendar year, receive 15 Elite Night Credits towards the next level of Marriott Bonvoy^® Elite status. Limitations apply per Marriott Bonvoy^® member account. Benefit is not exclusive to Cards offered by American Express.
• Booking the trip is easy. Avoiding delays is next to impossible. If a round-trip is paid for entirely with your Eligible Card and a covered reason delays your trip more than 12 hours, Trip Delay Insurance can help reimburse certain additional expenses purchased on the same Eligible Card, up to $300 per trip, maximum 2 claims per Eligible Card per 12 consecutive month period. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Coverage is provided by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company.
• Plan It^® is a payment option that lets you split up large purchases into monthly installments with a fixed fee. A fixed monthly fee is shown upfront so you'll know exactly how much you’ll pay. Plus, you'll still earn rewards for the purchases you plan the way you usually do.
• $250 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.
• Terms Apply.

Financial Snapshot

• APR: 19.74%-28.74% Variable
• Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Terms Apply / Rates & Fees

Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant^® American Express^® 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 premium card for Marriott fans who want perks like an annual statement credit and Free Night Award, plus a fast track to Marriott elite status.

Apply Now(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.

Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant^® American Express^® Card

A premium card for Marriott fans who want perks like an annual statement credit and Free Night Award, plus a fast track to Marriott elite status.

Welcome Offer

Earn 100,000 Marriott Bonvoy^® bonus points after you use your new Card to make $6,000 in purchases within the first 6 months of Card Membership.

100,000 points

UP's Offer Valuation*:

Up to $700

Annual Fee

$650

APR

19.74%-28.74% Variable

Credit Recommended

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 card application.

Good to Excellent

Why We Like This Card

The Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant^® American Express^® Card is a premium card designed with road warriors and Marriott Bonvoy loyalists in mind.

So is the card a worthwhile addition to your wallet?

Pros & Cons

Pros

• 6x points per $1 at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy program
• 3x points per $1 on flights booked directly with airlines and restaurants worldwide
• 2x points per $1 on all other purchases

Cons

• Steep annual fee of $650 (rates & fees)
• 6x points per $1 is the same earn rate offered with lower annual fee alternatives like the Marriott Bonvoy Bevy^® American Express^® Card

Read Full Review

Card Highlights

• Earn 100,000 Marriott Bonvoy^® bonus points after you use your new Card to make $6,000 in purchases within the first 6 months of Card Membership.
• Earn 6X Marriott Bonvoy^® points for each dollar of eligible purchases at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy.
• Earn 3X points at restaurants worldwide and on flights booked directly with airlines.
• Earn 2X points on all other eligible purchases.
• Earn up to 21X Marriott Bonvoy^® points for every $1 spent on eligible purchases at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy. Earn 6X points with the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant^® American Express^® Card. Earn up to 10X points from Marriott Bonvoy for being a Marriott Bonvoy member. Earn up to 5X points from Marriott Bonvoy with the 50% Bonus Points on Stays, a benefit available with your complimentary Platinum Elite status.
• $300 Brilliant Dining Credit: Each calendar year, get up to $300 (up to $25 per month) in statement credits for eligible purchases made on the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant^® American Express^® Card at restaurants worldwide.
• A Marriott Bonvoy^® Platinum Elite member will earn 50% more points on eligible purchases at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy for each U.S. dollar or the currency equivalent that is incurred and paid for by the member.
• Receive 1 Free Night Award every year after your Card renewal month. Award can be used for one night (redemption level at or under 85,000 Marriott Bonvoy^® points) at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy^®, such as Le Metropolitan, a Tribute Portfolio Hotel in Paris. Certain hotels have resort fees.
• Each calendar year after spending $60,000 on eligible purchases on your Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant^® American Express^® Card, you will be eligible to select a Brilliant Earned Choice Award benefit. You can only earn one Brilliant Earned Choice Award per calendar year. See https://www.choice-benefit.marriott.com/brilliant for Award options.
• $100 Marriott Bonvoy^® Property Credit: Enjoy your stay. Receive up to a $100 property credit for qualifying charges at The Ritz-Carlton^® or St. Regis^® when you book direct using a special rate for a two-night minimum stay using your Card.
• Fee Credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck^®: Receive either a statement credit every 4 years after you apply for Global Entry ($120) or a statement credit every 4.5 years after you apply for a five-year membership for TSA PreCheck^® (up to $85 through a TSA PreCheck official enrollment provider) and pay the application fee with your Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant^® American Express^® Card. If approved for Global Entry, at no additional charge, you will receive access to TSA PreCheck.
• Each calendar year with your Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant^® American Express^® Card you can receive 25 Elite Night Credits toward the next level of Marriott Bonvoy^® Elite status. Limitations apply per Marriott Bonvoy member account. Benefit is not exclusive to Cards offered by American Express.
• With your Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant^® American Express^® Card, you can enroll in Priority Pass™ Select, with an unlimited number of visits to over 1,200 airport lounges in over 130 countries, regardless of which carrier or class you are flying. This allows you to relax before or between flights. You can enjoy snacks, drinks and internet access in a quiet, comfortable location.
• Trip Cancelled or Interrupted? If you purchase a round-trip entirely with your Eligible Card and a covered reason cancels or interrupts your trip, we may be able to help. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Coverage is provided by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company.
• No Foreign Transaction Fees on international purchases.
• $650 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.
• Terms Apply.

Financial Snapshot

• APR: 19.74%-28.74% Variable
• Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Rewards Center

Marriott Bonvoy

Other Hotel Partner Credit Cards

Thai Airways partners with another big hotel program, the World of Hyatt. However, the transfer ratio when converting Hyatt points into Thai Airways miles isn’t favorable, at 2.5 Hyatt points to 1 Thai Airways airline mile.

For this reason, we don’t recommend converting Hyatt points into Thai Airways miles unless you are looking to top off an account or are in a serious bind.

How to Redeem Royal Orchid Plus Q Miles

Royal Orchid Plus members have a number of ways to redeem miles, but you’ll receive the most value by using your miles to book award flights.

Thai Airways uses a one-way and round-trip award chart when redeeming miles to fly on its own flights. Simply click the graphic for one-way or round-trip to see the number of miles you’ll need to book an award flight based on your origin and destination.

After you’ve had the opportunity to review the Thai Airways award chart, check out the Star Alliance award charts for more ways to use your miles.

The chart below shows the number of miles required for a one-way Star Alliance partner flight.

Diving deeper into the redemption side, here are a couple of sweet spots when using Royal Orchid Plus Q Miles:

• 60,000 miles one-way in Star Alliance business class from Central Asia/Middle East to Europe/North Africa
• 52,500 miles one-way in Thai Airways business class between Thailand and Dubai

Hot Tip: Thai Airways doesn’t provide the most value amongst the Star Alliance airlines for award flights. Consider earning and redeeming miles in the Asiana Airlines, Avianca, Singapore Airlines, and United Airlines programs instead. 

Star Alliance and Other Partner Awards

Booking Online

Thai Airways is not the best website for searching Star Alliance award flights when using Thai Airways Q Miles. Instead, use the United and Aeroplan websites to search for award availability. United tends to be the most accurate and reliable, but it’s best to use both to ensure you’re seeing all of the award availability.

As of today, award flights can only be booked online for round-trip flights departing from Bangkok. This means you’ll need to call Thai Airways at 800-426-5204 to book a partner flight not departing from Bangkok.

In general, you should keep these rules in mind when searching for award flights on different airline alliances:

• Oneworld: Search the British Airways and Qantas websites
• SkyTeam: Search the Delta and Flying Blue (Air France or KLM) websites
• Star Alliance: Search the United and Aeroplan websites

Hot Tip: For partner airline flights outside of the major alliances mentioned above, consider using Expert Flyer to locate your award flight, and then calling Thai Airways to ask them to search for the same award space you see on Expert Flyer.