ReviewsMarriott Bonvoy Business American Express Review
Card Review
How to Apply
The Marriott Bonvoy Business American Express card is a great credit card for small business owners who travel frequently and who are loyal to the Marriott Bonvoy hotel group. It has a variety of perks that, more often than not, offset its reasonable annual fee.
Marriott Bonvoy Business American Express Quick Review
Here are the highlights of the Marriott Bonvoy Business American Express card:
Annual Fee: $125
APR: 20.99% - 29.99% Variable
Sign-Up Bonus: 75,000 bonus Marriott Bonvoy points
Benefits:
- Redeem points for flights using Marriott Bonvoy Air+Car
- Complimentary Silver Elite Status
- Earn Gold Elite Status with $35,000 in annual spending
- Earn a free night on your account anniversary
- Earn a second free night with $60,000 in spending in a calendar year
- Premium internet access
- No foreign transaction fee
- Earn 6x points on Marriott Bonvoy purchases
- Earn 4x points on restaurant, gas station, and wireless telephone service
- Earn 2x points on all other purchases
Minimum Payment: The greater of the two below options
- $35, or
- The following calculation:
Modified New Balance (MNB) = New Balance – penalties – fees
Applicable Rate (round to 4 decimals) = (1% of MNB under $25,000 + 5% of MNB between $25,000 and $75,000 + 10% of MNB over $75,000) / MNB
Minimum Payment = MNB * Applicable Rate + interest and fees
Other Fees:
- 3% for cash advances with a $5 minimum
- Up to $39 for late payment
- Up to $39 for returned payment
Why Apply for the Marriott Bonvoy Business American Express
The Marriott Bonvoy Business American Express card is a great choice for frequent travelers for a few reasons.
Stay for free: New cardholders will earn 75,000 bonus Marriott Bonvoy points when they spend $3,000 in the first three months of having the card. Marriott breaks its hotels into categories, and category 1 hotels cost just 5,000 points per night during off-peak times, giving you as many as 15 free nights from just the sign up bonus. After you’ve held the card for a year, you’ll earn a free night every account anniversary. You’ll also be able to earn a second night by spending $60,000 in one calendar year.
Great perks for status hunters: Whether you want the perks of status or want to accelerate your progress toward the best status available, this card fits the bill. You’ll automatically qualify for Silver Elite status when you have the card. You can earn Gold Elite status with an annual spend of $35,000. If you want to reach status through frequent stays, the card gives you 15 night credits each year. Status can give you free breakfasts, access to exclusive lounges and room upgrades.
Business benefits: Business owners can take advantage of the card’s expense management tools to track their spending. They can also give employees cards to help earn more points. If you ever have a question about your account, the card has 24/7 customer support available.
Marriott Bonvoy Business American Express: Drawbacks and Downsides
Before you apply for the card, you should be aware of some of its downsides.
Points have less value than some competitors’ cards: The true value of a Marriott point is less than a penny per point. So, while free nights start at just 5,000 points, there are few hotels that will actually let you book a room at that rate. Point values can get even lower if you transfer your points to one of Marriott’s partners.
High spend requirements for perks: While the perks that the card offers, such as free nights and status upgrades are nice, they require significant levels of spending. Small business owners may have trouble spending $35,000 or $60,000 in a single year to take advantage of these benefits.
Marriott Bonvoy Business American Express Alternatives
If you’re thinking about applying for the Marriott Bonvoy Business American Express, here are some alternatives that may interest you.
Chase Sapphire Reserve: If you want a personal credit card with flexible travel rewards, the Chase Sapphire Reserve is one of the best travel credit cards on the market. Cardholders can earn 50,000 points as a welcome bonus and redeem them at nearly any hotel or airline at a value of 1.5 cents per point. The card also offers $300 in travel credits each year, which goes a long way toward offsetting the card’s $450 annual fee.
American Express Blue Business Plus: If you’re looking for a flexible, fee-free business credit card, the American Express Blue Business Plus card offers 2x points on all of your spending, with no annual fee. You can redeem your points with a variety of hotels or airlines, or redeem them for cash. If you have other American Express cards, you can pool your points to take full advantage of the perks that your cards offer, such as the Business Platinum’s 35% airline redemption rebate.
Other Things to Know
Here are some of the most common questions that people have about the Marriott Bonvoy Business American Express.
Do Marriott Bonvoy Points Expire?
Marriott Bonvoy points do expire, but it takes 24 months of account inactivity for them to expire. If you earn or use a single point, that resets the 24-month expiration clock.
Does Marriott Status Expire?
Yes, you must meet the requirements for Marriott status each year to maintain your status, otherwise it will expire. Marriott offers long-time status-holders lifetime status if they meet certain minimums. For example, Lifetime Silver Elite status requires 250 lifetime nights and 5 years of elite status to qualify.
Bottom Line: Should You Apply for the Marriott Bonvoy Business American Express?
The Marriott Bonvoy Business American Express card is a solid card for Marriott loyalists who own a small business. It offers solid perks that get even better if you spend a lot on the card each year, and for a reasonable annual fee.
