The Platinum Card from American Express vs Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card
Annual fees: The Platinum Card from American Express $895/yr, Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card $650/yr. Strongest bonus categories: The Platinum Card from American Express on hotels, Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card on flights.
Card data as of October 12, 2026.
- The Platinum Card from American Express
American Express · $895/yr
Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express CardAmerican Express · $650/yr
Overview
- Annual fee
- The Platinum Card from American Express$895Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card$650Lowest
- Welcome offerCurrent public offer
- The Platinum Card from American ExpressAs high as 175,000 points — offers varyMarriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card100,000 points
- Rewards
- The Platinum Card from American ExpressAmerican Express Membership RewardsMarriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express CardMarriott Bonvoy
- Foreign transaction fee
- The Platinum Card from American ExpressNoneMarriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express CardNone
- Network
- The Platinum Card from American ExpressAmerican ExpressMarriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express CardAmerican Express
Earn ratesPer $1 spent
- Flights
- The Platinum Card from American Express5xHighestMarriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card3x
- Dining
- The Platinum Card from American Express1xMarriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card3xHighest
- Hotels
- The Platinum Card from American Express1xMarriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card2xHighest
- Everything else
- The Platinum Card from American Express1xMarriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card2xHighest
Statement creditsAs the issuer states them · — means none on record
- Travel
- The Platinum Card from American Express
- $600 hotel credit
- $219 CLEAR Plus credit
- $200 airline credit
- $120 Global Entry or up to $85 TSA PreCheck / 4 years · $120 every 4 years
Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card- $120 Global Entry/TSA PreCheck · $120 every 4 years
- $100 luxury hotel credit · $100 per stay
- Rideshare & transit
- The Platinum Card from American Express
- $200 Uber Cash
- $120 Uber One credit
Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card— - Dining & delivery
- The Platinum Card from American Express
- $400 Resy credit
Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card- $300 dining credit
- Entertainment & streaming
- The Platinum Card from American Express
- $300 streaming credit
Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card— - Shopping & wellness
- The Platinum Card from American Express
- $300 Equinox credit
- $300 Lululemon credit
- $200 Oura Ring credit
- $155 Walmart+ credit
Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card—
Perks & access— means none on record
- Lounges
- The Platinum Card from American Express
- Airspace Lounge access at US airports with 2 guests
- 26 Centurion Lounges worldwide with premium dining
- 10 Delta Sky Club visits per year when flying Delta
- Escape Lounge access at US airports with food and beverages
- International Amex Lounges at select global airports
- Global Lounge Collection with 1,550+ airport lounges
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- Lufthansa Business Lounge access on Lufthansa Group
- Plaza Premium Lounge access at airports with Global Lounge
- Priority Pass Select with 1,300+ lounges globally
Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card- Unlimited Priority Pass lounge visits worldwide
- Hotel status & programs
- The Platinum Card from American Express
- Hilton Gold with 80% bonus points and breakfast
- Leaders Club Sterling Status at Leading Hotels
- Marriott Gold with 25% bonus points and upgrades
- Fine Hotels + Resorts: $100 credits and upgrades
- Hotel Collection access with room upgrades and credits
Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card- Marriott Bonvoy Platinum Elite status with room upgrades
- Complimentary premium WiFi at Marriott properties
- Airline perks
- The Platinum Card from American Express
- International Airline Program 5-40% off premium cabins
Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card— - Car rental
- The Platinum Card from American Express
- Elite status with Hertz, National, Avis for upgrades
Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card— - Other perks
- The Platinum Card from American Express
- Amex Offers
- 24/7 premium travel assistance with medical transport
- Premium Events Collection™
- Early access to concerts and events
- 24/7 Platinum Concierge for travel and lifestyle help
- Free expedited card replacement in 24-48 hours worldwide
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- Entertainment access with exclusive presales and VIP events
- No foreign transaction fees on international purchases save
- Roadside assistance with up to 4 service calls per year
- Platinum Nights by Resy
- Platinum Travel Service
Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card- Amex Offers
- 24/7 premium travel assistance with medical transport
- 24/7 global travel assistance
- American Express Experiences®
Protections & insuranceLimits where published · — means none on record
- Trip insurance
- The Platinum Card from American Express
- $10,000 trip cancellation coverage per covered trip
- $500 trip delay Cover for delays exceeding 6 hours
Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card- $10,000 trip cancellation/interruption insurance
- $500 trip delay insurance for 6+ hour delays
- Baggage
- The Platinum Card from American Express
- $3,000 baggage insurance for lost or damaged bags
Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card- $3,000 baggage insurance per trip
- Rental car
- The Platinum Card from American Express
- $100,000 primary rental car coverage for $20-$25/rental
- $75,000 car rental loss and damage insurance
Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card- $75,000 car rental insurance (primary for international)
- Purchase & returns
- The Platinum Card from American Express
- $10,000 purchase Cover against theft and damage for 90 days
- $300 return Cover when merchants won't accept returns within
Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card- $10,000 purchase protection per item
- Return protection for unwanted purchases · up to $300
- Extended warranty
- The Platinum Card from American Express
- Extended warranty adds 1 year to warranties under 5 years
Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card- Extended warranty protection for eligible purchases · up to $1
- Cell phone
- The Platinum Card from American Express
- $800 cell phone protection with $50 deductible
Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card- $800 cell phone protection per claim
- Other protections
- The Platinum Card from American Express
- Zero liability protection on fraudulent charges
- Global Assist Hotline with 24/7 emergency help traveling
Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card- Zero liability protection on fraudulent charges
Pros & cons
- Pros
- The Platinum Card from American Express
- Access to 9 lounge networks including exclusive Centurion Lounges with 2 guests free
- $200/year Uber Cash plus a $120 Uber One membership credit
- $400/year Resy dining credit at select restaurants
- Automatic Marriott Gold and Hilton Gold status with room upgrades and breakfast
- 5X points on flights booked direct or via Amex Travel
Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card- Automatic Platinum Elite status with room upgrades, late checkout, and lounge access at select brands
- 25 Elite Night Credits annually accelerates path to Titanium/Ambassador status
- Free Night Award worth up to 85,000 points (can book luxury properties)
- $300 annual dining credit offsets nearly half the annual fee
- Priority Pass Select with unlimited lounge visits
- Cons
- The Platinum Card from American Express
- $895 annual fee requires significant credit utilization to break even
- Many credits require specific merchants (Resy, Equinox, lululemon, Oura)
- Only 1X points on non-travel purchases limits everyday earning
- Secondary car rental coverage unless paying $24.95/rental for primary
- $195 authorized user fee after first 3 free cards
Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card- $650 annual fee is among the highest for hotel cards
- Dining credit is use-it-or-lose-it monthly ($25/month structure)
- Points locked to Marriott Bonvoy program with limited transfer partners
- American Express acceptance more limited than Visa/Mastercard internationally
- Free Night Award capped at 85K points; top-tier properties often cost more
Category-by-Category Winner
The Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card wins in 2 of 2 categories. The The Platinum Card from American Express leads in 0. 2 more categories depend on booking channel or caps.
Hotels
Depends: via amextravel
The Platinum Card from American Express earns 5X when conditions are met; Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card earns 2X (2X without restrictions)
Flights
Depends: via AmexTravel; up to $500,000/yr
The Platinum Card from American Express earns 5X when conditions are met; Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card earns 3X (3X without restrictions)
Dining
Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card earns 3X vs 1X
Everyday purchases
Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card earns 2X on all other spending vs 1X
Year One vs Ongoing Value
Modeled net value (bonus categories at unconditional rates, caps applied). Spend mix: dining 15%, groceries 15%, gas 10%, travel 10%, everything else 50%. Statement credits use the same recurring usable estimates as each card's detail page; first-year-only credits count in year one only. Welcome offers valued at each card's program rate shown on this page.
Close — depends on how much of the credits you use
| Scenario | The Platinum Card from American Express | Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card | Ongoing winner | Year-one winner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Light spender: $1,000/month | Rewards: $180 Credits (our usable estimate): $1,356 − Annual fee ($895) Ongoing: $641 Year one: $641 | Rewards: $181 Credits (our usable estimate): $210 − Annual fee ($650) Ongoing: -$259 Year one: $441 | The Platinum Card from American Express | Close — depends on how much of the credits you use |
| Heavy spender: $4,000/month | Rewards: $720 Credits (our usable estimate): $1,356 − Annual fee ($895) Ongoing: $1,181 Year one: $1,181 | Rewards: $722 Credits (our usable estimate): $210 − Annual fee ($650) Ongoing: $282 Year one: $982 | The Platinum Card from American Express | Close — depends on how much of the credits you use |
Is the Fee Difference Worth It?
The The Platinum Card from American Express costs $895/yr — that's $245 more than the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card ($650/yr). To justify that gap, you need to extract at least $245 in annual value from the card's higher earn rates and benefits.
The The Platinum Card from American Express includes travel credits, dining credits, lounge access, Global Entry/TSA PreCheck credit, complimentary hotel status. Those perks are not included in the earn-rate scenario table above — compare their dollar value to the $245 fee gap for your own usage.
Bottom line: Use the year-one vs ongoing table for modeled earn value at your spend level. The $245 fee gap means the The Platinum Card from American Express needs roughly $245 more in annual rewards (or credits you will use) to break even on hotels and flights and everyday spend.
Which Card Is Right for You?
Get the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card if you:
- +Spend $300+/month on restaurants and dining out
- +Prefer a high flat rate across all spending
The Bottom Line
Close — depends on how much of the credits you use
Everyday (non-bonus) spend earns 2X on the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card vs 1X on the other card.
Published annual fees: The Platinum Card from American Express $895/yr, Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card $650/yr — a $245 difference before welcome offers and credits.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Is the The Platinum Card from American Express worth the higher annual fee?
- The The Platinum Card from American Express costs $895/yr vs $650/yr for the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card. Compare the year-one vs ongoing value table on this page — the $245 gap must be offset by higher earn rates, welcome offers, or credits you will use (the The Platinum Card from American Express also lists lounge access, travel credits, dining credits).
- Which card earns more rewards, the The Platinum Card from American Express or Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card?
- The Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card has a higher base earn rate (2X vs 1X), but both cards have different bonus categories where they excel.
- What benefits does the The Platinum Card from American Express have that the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card doesn't?
- The The Platinum Card from American Express offers lounge access, travel credits, dining credits, cell phone protection. The Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card offers lounge access, dining credits, cell phone protection.
- Should I get the The Platinum Card from American Express or the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card?
- Use the spend scenarios on this page: the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card has a lower $650/yr fee; the The Platinum Card from American Express must earn enough extra (or offer a larger welcome bonus) to justify $895/yr.
Editorial disclosure: CardRewards.ai is an independent comparison service. Card data comes from issuers' published terms; catalog last published October 12, 2026, and each card page shows when its terms were last checked. Card issuers do not influence our rankings or content.