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Marriott Bonvoy Bevy Review: A Hotel Card That Packs a Lot of Value

Review Updated
Matt Frankel, CFP®
Matt Frankel, CFP®
| 1 other [ + ]
Nathan Alderman
Fact Checked: Nathan Alderman
Nathan Alderman
Nathan Alderman
Fact checker

Nathan Alderman has been a full-time Motley Fool employee since 2005, making errors his arch-enemies in a variety of roles including a six-year stint as the dedicated fact-checker for The Motley Fool's premium newsletter services. As Motley Fool Money's Compliance Lead, he makes sure that all the site's information is accurate and up to date, which ensures we always steer readers right and keeps various financial partners happy. A graduate of Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism, Nathan spends his spare time volunteering for civic causes, writing and podcasting for fun, adoring his wife, and wrangling his two very large young children.

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Many or all of the products here are from our partners that compensate us. It’s how we make money. But our editorial integrity ensures that our product ratings are not influenced by compensation.

The Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express® Card is good for maximizing rewards for Marriott hotels stays. It is a higher-end hotel card, with a mid-range annual fee and a lot of benefits for frequent Marriott travelers. While it isn't a good fit for everyone, you might be surprised how much value it packs.

Check out our in-depth Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express® Card review to see if this card could be right for you.

Ratings Methodology

Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express® Card

Apply Now for Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express® Card

On American Express' Secure Website.

Rates & Fees External Link Icon

Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express® Card
Rating image, 3.50 out of 5 stars.
3.50/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our 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.
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Rating image, 3.50 out of 5 stars.
3.50/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our 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.
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= Excellent
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Credit Score: Circle with letter I in it. 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 (670-850)
Apply Now for Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express® Card

On American Express' Secure Website.

Rates & Fees External Link Icon

Credit Score Circle with letter I in it. 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.

Good (670-850)

Intro APR

Purchases: N/A

Balance Transfers: N/A

APR

20.24%-29.24% Variable

Rewards Circle with letter I in it. 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.

2X - 6X points

Annual Fee

$250

Welcome Offer Circle with letter I in it. Earn 155,000 Marriott Bonvoy bonus points after you use your new Card to make $5,000 in purchases within the first 6 months of Card Membership.

155,000 Marriott Bonvoy bonus points

  • The Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express® Card is the mid-tier Marriott cobranded card offered by Amex. It has some excellent benefits for frequent Marriott customers. It can easily justify its annual fee for those who take advantage of its benefits.

    • Strong welcome offer
    • Competitive rewards program
    • Automatic elite status
    • No foreign transaction fees
    • Annual fee
    • Free night award requires spending minimum
    • Fewer perks than many competitors
    • No 0% intro APR
    • Earn 155,000 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 with the Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ Card.
    • 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.
    • 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™ Card in a calendar year. Award can be used for one night (redemption level at or under 50,000 Marriott Bonvoy® points) at a hotel participating in Marriott Bonvoy®. Certain hotels have resort fees.
    • 15 Elite Night Credits: Each calendar year with your Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express Card® you can receive 15 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. Terms apply.
    • Plan It® is a payment option that lets you split up purchases of $100 or more into equal monthly installments with a fixed fee. Plus, you'll still earn rewards 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.
• Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. • Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. • Card Members are responsible for the costs charged by third-party service providers. • Trip delay insurance underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company. • Extended warranty, baggage insurance plan, and car rental loss & damage insurance underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company.

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
Rating image, 4.50 out of 5 stars.
4.50/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our 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.
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Best for cash back on rotating categories 		Discover will match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year. 1% - 5% Cashback Circle with letter I in it. Earn 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.

Intro:

Purchases: 0%, 15 months

Balance Transfers: 0%, 15 months

Regular: 18.24% - 27.24% Variable APR

Apply Now for Discover it® Cash Back

On Discover's Secure Website.

Rates & Fees External Link Icon

Rating image, 5.00 out of 5 stars.
5.00/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our 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
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Best for cash rewards on everyday spending 		$200 cash rewards Circle with letter I in it. Earn a $200 cash rewards bonus after spending $500 in purchases in the first 3 months. 2% cash rewards Circle with letter I in it. Earn unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases.

Intro: Circle with letter I in it. 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: 19.24%, 24.24%, or 29.24% Variable APR

Apply Now for Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card

On Wells Fargo's Secure Website.

Rates & Fees External Link Icon

Rating image, 4.00 out of 5 stars.
4.00/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our 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
Best for unlimited rewards on purchases 		25,000 points Circle with letter I in it. 25,000 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 1.5-3 points per dollar Circle with letter I in it. Earn 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. Earn 3 points per $1 spent on travel purchases booked through the Bank of America Travel Center.

Intro: Circle with letter I in it. 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, 18.24% - 28.24% 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. Balance transfers may not be used to pay any account provided by Bank of America.

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: 18.24% - 28.24% (Variable)

Apply Now for Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card

On Bank of America's Secure Website.

Marriott Bonvoy Bevy American Express review

Is the Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express® Card worth it?

The Marriott Bonvoy Bevy is a mid-range hotel card, with a $250 annual fee (see rates and fees) and strong benefits for frequent Marriott customers. The two biggest perks are the card's automatic Gold elite status and its rewards program, which offers a high earning rate on Marriott purchases and several other spending categories. While not everyone, especially occasional travelers, will get enough value from the card to justify the cost, those who stay at Marriott hotels several times a year should take a closer look.

Author's note

I don't have this exact version of the Amex Marriott cards, but I do have one of the others. I stay at Marriott properties three or four times per year on average and have had a very positive experience with the card. The Amex Offers platform is a major perk, and while Gold status isn't quite as valuable as some of the higher Marriott tiers, it can be nice to have at many properties. The rewards program of the Marriott Bonvoy Bevy card can deliver quite a bit of value, especially when used at Marriott properties. The biggest drawback I can see is that you need to meet a rather high spending threshold to receive a free night award each year -- most competing hotel credit cards, including many with lower annual fees, automatically issue a free night award upon renewal each year.

What everyone else is saying

We strive to provide unbiased credit card reviews, but we're going to take things a step further than simply providing our opinion. Here's what some other reviewers and customers have to say.

What our competitors think

Average competitor rating: 3.7/ 5.0 stars

Our competitors seem to agree that this is a solid hotel card, but it isn't an excellent one. We looked at three star-based reviews from top competitors, as well as several articles about whether the $250 annual fee is worth it. Several agree that if the free annual night were an automatic perk, it would go a long way. And most reviews' general consensus is that if the cardholder stays at Marriott properties often, but not enough to achieve Gold status by hotel stays alone, this card could be well worth the cost.

Social media consensus

Many social media threads and forums praise the Marriott Bonvoy Bevy's welcome offer, but agree that the lack of a truly free annual night is a big drawback. For example, on a Reddit thread, while many agree that it is a good card to accumulate Bonvoy points, there's little perceived value over the lower-end Amex Marriott card that has half of the annual fee. In a forum on frequent traveler website FlyerTalk, many travelers agree that the card has some good benefits, but that the $250 annual fee seems a little steep for what you get.

Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express® Card features and benefits

Strong welcome offer

American Express is offering a welcome offer of 155,000 Marriott Bonvoy bonus points after spending $5,000 on the Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express® Card within the first 6 months (terms apply). Not only is this a longer period to meet a spending threshold than most peers offer, but this can be a valuable bonus. Most sources value Marriott Bonvoy points at about $0.008 each.

Strong rewards in several categories

The rewards program offered by the Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express® Card is arguably its strongest point. The card earns:

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

Based on the $0.008 valuation discussed earlier, this makes the effective reward rates 4.8%, 3.2%, and 1.6%, respectively. In addition, cardholders get an additional 1,000 points per eligible Marriott stay.

When combined with the points earned for being a Marriott Bonvoy member and having Gold Elite status, cardholders can earn as much as 18.5 points for every $1 spent at Marriott hotels.

Automatic Gold status

One of the biggest benefits of the Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express® Card is automatic Gold Elite status in the Bonvoy program (terms apply). This is the second of Marriott's five elite tiers, and comes with benefits such as 2 p.m. late checkout, free room upgrades, and a 25% bonus on points earned through hotel stays.

No foreign transaction fees

Like most travel-focused cards, the Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express® Card doesn't have any foreign transaction fees (see rates and fees). Non-travel cards often charge fees of about 3% for transactions made while traveling abroad, so this could be a good card to take on international trips.

What could be improved

Free night benefit isn't really free

Perhaps the biggest drawback of the Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express® Card is that you only earn a free night certificate after spending $15,000 on the card each year. Many other hotel cards, including a lower-priced Amex business card version, offer an automatic free night award upon renewal every year, regardless of spending.

No intro APR

The Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express® Card does not offer a 0% intro APR for either purchases or balance transfers.

$250 annual fee

The Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express® Card has a $250 annual fee (see rates and fees), which is competitive compared with other cards that offer free elite status and strong rewards, but it certainly on the higher end for travel cards, especially for the general lack of travel perks it offers. For example, in addition to an automatic free night, some competitors' cards near this price point offer perks like free TSA PreCheck memberships and other similar travel benefits.

What to know before applying

Marriott Bonvoy Bevy credit score

There's no set-in-stone credit scoring requirement for the Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express® Card, but this is a card that is generally designed for consumers with strong credit scores. At a minimum, you should have a 670 FICO® Score or higher before applying, but it's important to be aware that your credit score will be considered among a combination of other factors, such as your income, other debts, and employment history.

Pre-approval process

You can obtain a pre-approval for the Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express® Card quickly and easily on American Express' website. You'll fill out a short application, which will likely take you less than 10 minutes to complete, and you can see if you're approved for the card with no impact to your credit score. A hard credit pull will only be performed if and when you choose to accept the card.

APR

The Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express® Card doesn't have a 0% intro APR offer for either purchases or balance transfers (see rates and fees). The standard APR is 20.24%-29.24% Variable, depending on your creditworthiness, and will fluctuate based on the Prime Rate over time.

Fees

  • Annual fee: $250
  • Foreign transaction fees: N/A
  • Overlimit fee: None
  • Cash advance: $10 or 5% of the advance, whichever is greater

Credit limit

American Express doesn't share credit limit data for the card, but travel cards tend to have relatively high credit limits. Cardholders report common initial limits around $5,000 with the card, but many report limits that are much higher.

Alternatives to consider

The Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express® Card is an overall solid hotel card, but it isn't without shortcomings. Here are a few credit card alternatives to consider, especially if you aren't completely loyal to Marriott hotels.

If you are a Marriott fan and want more travel perks: The Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card could be well worth its higher $650 annual fee (see rates and fees). It comes with $300 in statement credits towards restaurants each year, a higher (Platinum) status level, a completely free night each year (with a very high point value maximum), a TSA PreCheck membership for free, and last but not least, a Priority Pass Select airport lounge membership (terms apply, enrollment may be required).

If you want a lower-cost hotel card with lots of perks: Consider the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card. Even though it has an annual fee of just $99, it comes with a completely free anniversary night every year you keep the card, automatic Platinum elite status, and a statement credit to pay for a TSA PreCheck or Global Entry membership.

Should you apply for the Marriott Bonvoy Bevy?

If you stay at Marriott hotels frequently enough to get value from having Gold Elite status, but not enough to earn it through stays alone, the Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express® Card could be worth a closer look. With a strong welcome offer and rewards program, it can be a solid value for frequent Marriott travelers.

Our credit card methodology

At Motley Fool Money, 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 Motley Fool Money rates credit cards

FAQs

  • The Marriott Bonvoy Bevy card has a $250 annual fee (see rates and fees). Unlike several other travel credit cards, it isn't waived for the first year of card membership.

  • No, the Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express® Card is the mid-level card issued by American Express with Marriott branding. The Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card is the high-end version, which comes with a $650 annual fee and considerably more perks (see rates and fees).

  • If you have Gold Elite status in Marriott's Bonvoy program, room upgrades are one of the perks. Typically this means an upgrade to a similar room on a higher floor or with a better view. However, upgrades to available suites are only a perk of Platinum status or higher.