The
Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card is the only Marriott rewards credit card with no annual fee. It is a good choice for Marriott Bonvoy members with good credit or better who don’t travel often enough to justify paying an annual fee for extra points and other cardholder perks.
There is a lot more to Marriott Bold than what it doesn’t have, however. The card does pack a fair amount of savings potential. New cardholders can earn an initial bonus of
1 Free Night Award (worth nearly
$430 in Marriott reservations) by spending
$1,000 within
3 months of opening an account. Cardholders also earn
1 - 3 points per $1 spent on purchases normally, with Marriott purchases getting the top rate and other travel expenses providing 2 points per $1.
Bonvoy Bold brings other benefits to the table, too. Perhaps most importantly, it gives cardholders enough Elite Night Credits (15 per year) to qualify for Silver Elite status in the Marriott Bonvoy loyalty program. Silver Elite status gets you bonus points on stays, a dedicated customer service line and priority late checkout, among other perks.
Marriott Bonvoy Bold Credit Card Review Highlights:
Initial Bonus: 1 Free Night Award
That is worth roughly $430, according to our research. New cardholders who make at least $1,000 in purchases within 3 months of opening an account will receive their bonus points within 8 weeks of meeting the spending requirement.
Applicants who currently have another Marriott Bonvoy credit card or who applied for one recently may not be eligible for the bonus.
Marriott Rewards Rate: 3 points per $1 spent (equal to ~2.73% cash back)
That applies to all purchases made directly through Marriott. Other Marriott credit cards offer higher earning rates, but they also charge higher annual fees. When combined with the 10 points per $1 that you get from Marriott for being a Marriott Bonvoy member and the extra 1 point for having Silver Elite Status, you get to a 14 points per $1 rate.
Normal Travel Rewards Rate: 2 points per $1 spent (equal to ~1.82% cash back)
This earning rate applies to all travel-related purchases – except, of course, purchases made directly through Marriott. The travel-related purchases eligible for this middle rewards rate range from airfare and other hotel reservations to ridesharing services and train tickets. It ultimately comes down to how each retailer you buy something from is coded by the companies that process credit card transactions.
Base Rewards Rate: 1 point per $1 spent (equal to ~0.91% cash back)
This is the standard earning rate for a rewards credit card offering points. Most credit card points are worth about a penny apiece, too.
Annual Fee: $0
Bold is the only Marriott credit card with no annual fee and $21.58 per year cheaper than the average credit card offer as a result.
Foreign Transaction Fee: $0
Marriott Bonvoy has 7,000 properties across 131 countries. You won’t face an international surcharge for making purchases at any of those outside the United States, or anywhere else you travel abroad. It could even save you money on purchases made through international merchants while you’re home in the U.S.
Interest Rates: 21.49% - 28.49% (V)
Each applicant will receive a rate from within that range, depending on creditworthiness. For context, the APRs on credit cards that require good credit for approval average 24.1%. Cards that require excellent credit charge about 18.01% on average. The Marriott Bonvoy Card does not offer 0% introductory APRs on purchases or balance transfers.
Marriott Bonvoy Status: Silver Elite
The Bonvoy Bold Card doles out 15 Elite Night Credits per year, more than enough to stay qualified for Silver Elite status in the program. Silver Elite status helps you earn free nights faster, in addition to providing an assortment of perks that make life easier from the time you check in until you check out.
Min. Credit Standing Needed: Good
We recommend a credit score of 700 or higher for good approval odds. You can check your latest credit score for free on WalletHub.
Bottom Line: Who Should Apply for the Marriott Bold Credit Card? You should consider applying for the Marriott Bold Card if you have a credit score of 700+ and you want to earn rewards on Marriott reservations and other travel purchases without paying a fee. You also have to be planning on paying the bill in full every month, otherwise interest charges will quickly eat away at your rewards earnings.
This card could be used to supplement an existing cash back or low interest credit card, or it could work as the only card in your wallet.
