The Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card is the popular hotel chain's most economical option. You can earn extra Marriott points without paying an annual fee, and you'll get a couple of hotel perks, too. However, there are several Marriott Bonvoy cards available with more benefits. Find out if this credit card is the right one for you in our Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card review.
Ratings Methodology
Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card
Rating image, 4.00 out of 5 stars.
4.00/5Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.5 stars equals Best.4 stars equals Excellent.3 stars equals Good.2 stars equals Fair.1 star equals Poor.We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs. = Best = Excellent = Good = Fair = Poor
Rating image, 4.00 out of 5 stars.
4.00/5Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.5 stars equals Best.4 stars equals Excellent.3 stars equals Good.2 stars equals Fair.1 star equals Poor.We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs. = Best = Excellent = Good = Fair = Poor
Credit Score:Falling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending decisions.
Recommended Credit Score required for this offer is: Good/Excellent (670-850)
Poor
Fair
Good
Excellent
300-579
580-669
670-739
740-850
Credit ScoreFalling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending decisions.
Good/Excellent (670-850)
Intro APRN/A
Purchases: N/A
Balance Transfers: N/A
Regular APR
21.49% - 28.49% Variable
RewardsEarn up to 14X total points for every $1 spent at thousands of hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy®. Learn more about additional benefits with the Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card.
Up to 14X Points on Stays
Annual FeeN/A
$0
Welcome OfferEarn 30,000 Bonus Points after spending $1,000 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening with the Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card!
Earn 30,000 Bonus Points
A reasonable option for travelers who don't want to pay an annual fee, but frequent Marriott guests will be better off with one of its other cards.
- Travel rewards sign-up bonus
- Marriott Bonvoy hotel rewards
- Automatic elite status
- No annual fee
- Consumer and travel protections
- Limited hotel benefits
- Small bonus opportunities
- Earn 30,000 Bonus Points after you spend $1,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
- 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.
- 1X point for every $1 spent on all other purchases.
- Your points don't expire as long as you make purchases on your card every 24 months.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Member FDIC
Credit card comparison
We recommend comparing options to ensure the card you're selecting is the best fit for you. To make your search easier, here's a short list of standout credit cards.
| Offer | Our Rating | Welcome Offer | Rewards Program | APR | Learn More |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card | Rating image, 5.00 out of 5 stars. 5.00/5Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.5 stars equals Best.4 stars equals Excellent.3 stars equals Good.2 stars equals Fair.1 star equals Poor.We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs. | $200 cash rewardsEarn a $200 cash rewards bonus after spending $500 in purchases in the first 3 months. | 2% cash rewardsEarn unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases. | Intro:0% intro APR for 12 months from account opening on purchases and qualifying balance transfers Purchases: 0% intro APR, 12 months from account opening Balance Transfers: 0% intro APR, 12 months from account opening on qualifying balance transfers Regular:20.24%, 25.24%, or 29.99% Variable APR | |
Discover it® Cash Back | Rating image, 5.00 out of 5 stars. 5.00/5Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.5 stars equals Best.4 stars equals Excellent.3 stars equals Good.2 stars equals Fair.1 star equals Poor.We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs. | Discover will match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year.N/A | 1% - 5% CashbackEarn 5% cash back on everyday purchases at different places you shop each quarter like grocery stores, restaurants, gas stations, and more, up to the quarterly maximum when you activate. Plus, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases—automatically. | Intro: Purchases: 0%, 15 months Balance Transfers: 0%, 15 months Regular:18.24% - 28.24% Variable APR | |
Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card Apply Now for Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card OnBank of America'sSecure Website. | Rating image, 4.00 out of 5 stars. 4.00/5Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.5 stars equals Best.4 stars equals Excellent.3 stars equals Good.2 stars equals Fair.1 star equals Poor.We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs. | 25,000 points25,000 online bonus points after you make at least $1,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening - that can be a $250 statement credit toward travel purchases | 1.5 points per dollarEarn unlimited 1.5 points per $1 spent on all purchases, with no annual fee and no foreign transaction fees, and your points don't expire as long as your account remains open. | Intro:0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for purchases. 0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for any balance transfers made in the first 60 days. After the intro APR offer ends, 19.24% - 29.24% Variable APR on purchases and balance transfers will apply. A 3% fee for 60 days from account opening, then 4% fee applies to all balance transfers. Purchases: 0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for purchases Balance Transfers: 0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for any balance transfers made in the first 60 days Regular:19.24% - 29.24% (Variable) | Apply Now for Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card OnBank of America'sSecure Website. |
Full Marriott Bonvoy Bold review
This credit card is a good fit for: People who occasionally stay at Marriott Bonvoy properties and want to avoid an annual fee.
Top perks
Here's a look at the most useful benefits of this Marriott Bonvoy credit card.
Earn 30,000 Bonus Points
Earn 30,000 Bonus Points after spending $1,000 on purchases within the first 3 months of account opening. Since Marriott points are generally worth about $0.005 to $0.01 each, you could save anywhere from about $150 to $300.
MORE OPTIONS: Best Sign-Up Bonus Credit Cards
Purchase rewards
This hotel credit card earns:
- Up to 14 points per $1 at participating Marriott Bonvoy hotels
- 2 points per $1 on all other eligible travel purchases
- 1 point per $1 on other purchases
To explain how the rewards rate on Marriott purchases works, this card earns a rate of 3 points per $1 at Marriott. You can also earn up to 10 points per $1 for being a Marriott Bonvoy member and up to 1 point per $1 with Silver Elite status, a benefit you qualify for simply by having this card.
These are solid earning rates, although they're unspectacular outside of Marriott Bonvoy spending. You may want to compare this to what some of the top rewards credit cards earn before you commit.
No annual fee
The Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card doesn't charge an annual fee. The advantage of no annual fee cards is that they don't cost you extra, which helps if you're on a strict budget. Just keep in mind that the Marriott Bonvoy credit cards with annual fees have much better benefits.
Silver Elite status
You get 15 elite night credits every year with this card. That's more than enough for Marriott Bonvoy's Silver Elite status, which requires 10 elite night credits.
Silver Elite status doesn't quite mean they'll be rolling out the red carpet upon arrival, but it does get you 10% bonus points. This applies only to the points you earn as a Marriott Bonvoy member, not those from your Marriott Bonvoy credit card. It also includes a late checkout, when available, and free wifi, among other benefits.
Purchase protection
Eligible new purchases you pay for with your Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card are covered for 120 days against damage or theft. The coverage limits are $500 per claim and $50,000 per account.
Travel protection
In terms of travel protection, paying with the Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card gives you baggage delay insurance, and reimbursem*nt for lost luggage and delayed trips. It's always a plus when travel credit cards include protections like these that can cover you in case anything goes wrong.
No foreign transaction fee
Since this is a travel credit card for a hotel with a major international footprint, it makes sense that it doesn't charge foreign transaction fees.
SEE MORE: Best No Foreign Transaction Fee Credit Cards
What could be improved
There are a couple of notable downsides to know about with this card.
Limited Marriott Bonvoy benefits
Since the Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card doesn't charge an annual fee, the special cardholder benefits are limited. Other hotel credit cards may offer, for example, a free night certificate every year, spending credits, or elite status that includes complimentary upgrades when available. It's normal that this card doesn't, but you should consider whether you'd get value out of those types of perks.
Small bonus opportunities
Another drawback that comes with this being a no annual fee card is that it doesn't offer the best bonuses. The sign-up bonus is smaller than what's available from many other travel rewards cards. It also doesn't earn that many points on most purchases, except at participating Marriott Bonvoy hotels. Consider looking at other credit card reviews first to see if you can find a card with more earning opportunities.
Find the best credit card for your needs
Compare credit card rewards, fees, APRs, and more using our side-by-side comparison tool.
Compare Cards
Suggested credit score
To get the Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card, you should have a FICO® Score of 670 or higher. Credit card applications aren't all about your credit score, but it is a key factor, and this rewards card is aimed at those who have good credit.
There's also one other factor that plays a big role in the success of your application, and that's Chase's 5/24 rule. Chase is the card issuer of the Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card, and it almost always declines applicants who have already opened five or more credit cards within the past 24 months.
RELATED: Best Chase Credit Cards
The Marriott Bonvoy Bold is right for you if:
You book stays at Marriott hotels a couple of times per year and want a no annual fee credit card.
The Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card is certainly a solid hotel credit card, but it's also one with a small target audience. If you visit Marriott hotels often, you're probably better off with a card that charges an annual fee that offers more features, such as the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card. If not, you may want to look at more versatile credit cards.
Our credit card methodology
At The Motley Fool Ascent, we rate credit cards on a five-star scale (1 = poor, 5 = best). Our rating criteria includes rewards rates, welcome bonuses, fees, and perks like travel credits and 0% intro APR offers to evaluate our ratings.
We combine these factors with an evaluation of brand reputation and customer satisfaction to ensure you're getting the best card recommendations. Learn more about how The Ascent rates credit cards.
FAQs
The minimum starting credit limit for the Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card is $2,000, but you could be approved for a higher amount depending on your creditworthiness. Some cardholders have reported getting credit limits of $25,000 or more.
It's typically not hard to get the Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card if you have good credit. Applicants should aim for a FICO® Score of at least 670.
Yes, you can use this card internationally, and it doesn't charge a foreign transaction fee.
