The Ultimate Guide to Credit Cards
Sunday, September 24, 2023

Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card Review

Toby Sembower

By: Toby Sembower

Toby Sembower
Toby Sembower

Toby founded Digital Brands, the parent company of CardRates.com and its sister sites, and now serves as Chairman of the Board. He lends his 15 years of credit card industry experience to educate consumers on the responsible use of credit. His knowledge base spans credit card reward programs to credit repair, lending, and credit bureau reporting.

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Editor: Lillian Guevara-Castro

Lillian Guevara-Castro
Lillian Guevara-Castro

Lillian Guevara-Castro brings more than 30 years of editing and journalism experience to the CardRates team. She has written and edited for major news organizations, including The Atlanta Journal-Constitution and the New York Times, and she previously served as an adjunct journalism instructor at the University of Florida. Today, Lillian edits all CardRates content for clarity, accuracy, and reader engagement.

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Reviewer: Ashley Fricker

Ashley Fricker
Ashley Fricker

Ashley has more than a decade of experience as a finance contributor and editor, and has specialized in the credit card industry since 2015. She has worked closely with the world’s largest banks and financial institutions, up-and-coming fintech companies, and press and news outlets to curate comprehensive content and media. Her credit card commentary is often featured on national media outlets that include CNBC, MarketWatch, Investopedia, and Reader's Digest, among many others.

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Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card Review

Rated 4.6 /5.0 ★★★★★

Are you in the market for a new card and considering the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card? Before you apply for the card, you'll want to learn some key facts about the offer and how it compares to other cards on the market.

First, let's cover the basics. In reviewing the card, we rated it a 4.6 out of 5.0, which means that like many other cards, we found the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card to have some solid benefits and some possible drawbacks.

This card offers "next-level luxury," according to Amex, and comes with lots of perks and rewards for Marriott loyalists. Cardholders can easily cover the hefty annual fee through its benefits and rewards, so don't let that scare you off.

Next up, let's dive into the details you should consider before applying. Here's a rundown of the card's key features, rates, and terms:

Disclosure: When you apply through links on our site, we often earn referral fees from partners. For more information, see our ad disclosure and review policy.

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CardRates.com is a free online resource that offers valuable content and comparison services to users. To keep this resource 100% free, we receive compensation for referrals for many of the offers listed on the site. Along with key review factors, this compensation may impact how and where products appear across CardRates.com (including, for example, the order in which they appear). CardRates.com does not include the entire universe of available offers. Editorial opinions expressed on the site are strictly our own and are not provided, endorsed, or approved by advertisers.

Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card Review

at the issuer'ssecure website

BEST OVERALL RATING

★★★★★

4.6

OVERALL RATING

  • Earn 95,000 Marriott Bonvoy Bonus Points after you use your new Card to make $5,000 in purchases within the first 3 months of Card Membership.
  • Earn 6X Points on hotels for eligible purchases at participating Marriott Bonvoy hotels, 3X Points at U.S. restaurants and flights booked directly with airlines, and 2X Points for each dollar on everything else.
  • Enjoy up to $25 a month in Dining statement credits each calendar year for eligible purchases made at restaurants worldwide.
  • 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®
  • Book direct using a special rate for a 2-night minimum stay at The Ritz-Carlton® or St. Regis® and get up to $100 in credit for qualifying charges.
  • With Card Membership, you can enroll in Priority Pass™ Select, which offers unlimited access to over 1,200 lounges in over 130 countries, regardless of which carrier or class you are flying.
  • $650 Annual Fee
Intro (Purchases)
Intro (Transfers)
Regular APR
Annual Fee
Credit Needed
N/A
N/A
20.24% - 29.24% (Variable)
$650
Excellent

There's certainly a lot to like about the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card. But just like with other cards we review, we stress that potential applicants should pay attention to this card's rates and fees as part of the bigger overall picture.

Let's dive deeper into those rates and fees, as they could make or break whether owning the card makes sense for you and your financial situation.

Interest Rate & Annual Fee

The interest rate, also known as APR (annual percentage rate), tells you what percentage of your balance you can expect to pay in interest annually if you carry a balance.

According to the issuer, the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card currently charges the following interest rates on purchases and balance transfers:

  • Purchase Intro: N/A
  • Balance Transfer Intro: N/A
  • Regular APR: 20.24% - 29.24% (Variable)

Another possible expense to consider is the annual fee, which is the amount a cardholder is required to pay each year for the privilege of owning a particular card.

Here's the annual fee for the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card as listed by the issuer:

  • Annual Fee: $650
See site for details »

Credit Needed for Approval

So far, we've covered the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card in great detail, from its many benefits to its current rates and fees. But what are your odds of approval? What credit score is needed to become a cardholder?

According to the issuer, the current general credit history requirement for the card is:

  • Credit Level:

If you feel you have the credit needed for approval and you're ready to apply, you can do so online on the issuer's secure website.

Keep in mind that rates and features may change, so if you like what the card is offering today, you may want to apply now to lock it in its current terms before it's too late.

How Does It Rank?

We've discussed the many benefits, drawbacks, and requirements of the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card, but how does it rank versus similar cards on the market? Below are all the category-specific ratings our team gives the card, along with the card's ranking within each category.

Quick hint: Want to see our best-reviewed cards in each category? Simply click the category name to see our top picks:

(Ranked #47 out of 151)
★★★★★
4.6
(Ranked #26 out of 63)
★★★★★
4.7
(Ranked #9 out of 39)
★★★★★
4.7
(Ranked #17 out of 42)
★★★★★
4.7

Bottom Line on Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card

Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card Review

All told, our team's review of the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card resulted in a rating of 4.6 out of 5.0, as the card features many pros and cons for a potential cardholder to consider. Ultimately, it's up to you to determine if the card's benefits outweigh its possible drawbacks. If you determine that it's a fit for your needs, you may want to apply soon, as terms throughout the industry change regularly.

We hope our guide has been helpful in learning all you need to know about the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card. We wish you the very best on your financial journey!

Alternatives to Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card

Be sure to visit the official website for Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card to learn complete details about its features and terms. If you’re not quite sure if Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card is right for you, we encourage you to check out these guides to popular alternatives:

Before applying for the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card offer or any other offer, be sure you understand all fees, interest rates, and terms so you can make the best decision for your own financial goals.

About the Author

Toby Sembower
Toby Sembower Finance Expert

Toby founded Digital Brands, the parent company of CardRates.com and its sister sites, and now serves as Chairman of the Board. He lends his 15 years of credit card industry experience to educate consumers on the responsible use of credit. His knowledge base spans credit card reward programs to credit repair, lending, and credit bureau reporting.

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Toby Sembower