World of Hyatt Credit Card vs Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card
Annual fees: World of Hyatt Credit Card $95/yr, Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card $650/yr. Strongest bonus categories: World of Hyatt Credit Card on dining, Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card on flights.
Card data as of October 12, 2026.
World of Hyatt Credit CardChase · $95/yr
Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express CardAmerican Express · $650/yr
Overview
- Annual fee
- World of Hyatt Credit Card$95LowestMarriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card$650
- Welcome offerCurrent public offer
- World of Hyatt Credit CardUp to 60,000 pointsMarriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card100,000 points
- Rewards
- World of Hyatt Credit CardWorld of Hyatt Loyalty ProgramMarriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express CardMarriott Bonvoy
- Foreign transaction fee
- World of Hyatt Credit CardNoneMarriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express CardNone
- Network
- World of Hyatt Credit CardVisa SignatureMarriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express CardAmerican Express
Earn ratesPer $1 spent
- Dining
- World of Hyatt Credit Card2xMarriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card3xHighest
- Flights
- World of Hyatt Credit Card2xMarriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card3xHighest
- Fitness
- World of Hyatt Credit Card2xMarriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card2x
- Transit
- World of Hyatt Credit Card2xMarriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card2x
- Everything else
- World of Hyatt Credit Card1xMarriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card2xHighest
Statement creditsAs the issuer states them · — means none on record
- Travel
- World of Hyatt Credit Card—Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card
- $120 Global Entry/TSA PreCheck · $120 every 4 years
- $100 luxury hotel credit · $100 per stay
- Dining & delivery
- World of Hyatt Credit Card
- DoorDash DashPass
Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card- $300 dining credit
Perks & access— means none on record
- Lounges
- World of Hyatt Credit Card—Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card
- Unlimited Priority Pass lounge visits worldwide
- Hotel status & programs
- World of Hyatt Credit Card
- Automatic World of Hyatt Discoverist Elite Status Included
- Annual Free Night Certificate at Category 1-4 Hyatt Hotels
- Bonus Free Night Certificate After Spending $15,000 Annually
- Receive 5 Tier-Qualifying Elite Night Credits Each Year
- Earn 2 Elite Night Credits for Every $5,000 Spent
Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card- Marriott Bonvoy Platinum Elite status with room upgrades
- Complimentary premium WiFi at Marriott properties
- Other perks
- World of Hyatt Credit Card
- No Foreign Transaction Fees on International Purchases
- 24/7 Visa Signature Concierge Service at No Cost
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
- World of Hyatt Credit Card
- Up to $5,000 trip cancellation and interruption insurance
Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card- $10,000 trip cancellation/interruption insurance
- $500 trip delay insurance for 6+ hour delays
- Baggage
- World of Hyatt Credit Card
- Up to $3,000 lost luggage reimbursement coverage
- Up to $500 baggage delay insurance coverage
Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card- $3,000 baggage insurance per trip
- Rental car
- World of Hyatt Credit Card
- Auto rental coverage (secondary in the U.S.)
Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card- $75,000 car rental insurance (primary for international)
- Purchase & returns
- World of Hyatt Credit Card
- Up to $500 purchase protection per item
Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card- $10,000 purchase protection per item
- Return protection for unwanted purchases · up to $300
- Extended warranty
- World of Hyatt Credit Card
- Extended Warranty Adds 1 Year to Eligible Products
Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card- Extended warranty protection for eligible purchases · up to $1
- Cell phone
- World of Hyatt Credit Card—Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card
- $800 cell phone protection per claim
- Other protections
- World of Hyatt Credit Card—Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card
- Zero liability protection on fraudulent charges
Pros & cons
- Pros
- World of Hyatt Credit Card
- $95 annual fee is remarkably low for a hotel status card
- 4X card points at participating Hyatt hotels; up to 9X combined with eligible World of Hyatt membership earnings
- Automatic Discoverist status with late checkout and room upgrades when available
- 5 tier-qualifying nights annually plus up to 10 more through spend
- Free night certificate each anniversary (Category 1-4)
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
- World of Hyatt Credit Card
- Free night certificates limited to Category 1-4 properties (excludes luxury)
- No airport lounge access or travel credits
- Hyatt has smaller global footprint than Hilton or Marriott
- 1X earn rate on non-bonus categories is below average
- Discoverist is entry-level status with limited benefits
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 3 of 3 categories. The World of Hyatt Credit Card leads in 0.
Dining
Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card earns 3X vs 2X
Flights
Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card earns 3X vs 2X
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.
Both scenarios favor the World of Hyatt Credit Card on net value (rewards, usable credits, fees, and welcome offer).
| Scenario | World of Hyatt Credit Card | Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card | Ongoing winner | Year-one winner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Light spender: $1,000/month | Rewards: $228 Credits (our usable estimate): $0 − Annual fee ($95) Ongoing: $133 Year one: $628 | Rewards: $181 Credits (our usable estimate): $210 − Annual fee ($650) Ongoing: -$259 Year one: $441 | World of Hyatt Credit Card | World of Hyatt Credit Card |
| Heavy spender: $4,000/month | Rewards: $911 Credits (our usable estimate): $0 − Annual fee ($95) Ongoing: $816 Year one: $1,311 | Rewards: $722 Credits (our usable estimate): $210 − Annual fee ($650) Ongoing: $282 Year one: $982 | World of Hyatt Credit Card | World of Hyatt Credit Card |
Is the Fee Difference Worth It?
The Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card costs $650/yr — that's $555 more than the World of Hyatt Credit Card ($95/yr). To justify that gap, you need to extract at least $555 in annual value from the card's higher earn rates and benefits.
The Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card includes 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 $555 fee gap for your own usage.
Bottom line: Use the year-one vs ongoing table for modeled earn value at your spend level. The $555 fee gap means the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card needs roughly $555 more in annual rewards (or credits you will use) to break even on flights and dining and everyday spend.
What You Give Up
Choosing one card means missing out on these benefits from the other.
Choosing World of Hyatt Credit Card means losing:
- -Airport lounge access
- -Global Entry credit
Which Card Is Right for You?
Get the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card if you:
- +Fly frequently and value airport lounge access
- +Prefer a high flat rate across all spending
The Bottom Line
Both scenarios favor the World of Hyatt Credit Card on net value (rewards, usable credits, fees, and welcome offer).
Everyday (non-bonus) spend earns 2X on the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card vs 1X on the other card.
Published annual fees: World of Hyatt Credit Card $95/yr, Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card $650/yr — a $555 difference before welcome offers and credits.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Is the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card worth the higher annual fee?
- The Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card costs $650/yr vs $95/yr for the World of Hyatt Credit Card. Compare the year-one vs ongoing value table on this page — the $555 gap must be offset by higher earn rates, welcome offers, or credits you will use (the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card also lists lounge access, dining credits).
- Which card earns more rewards, the World of Hyatt Credit Card 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 World of Hyatt Credit Card have that the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card doesn't?
- The World of Hyatt Credit Card focuses on earn rates, while the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card offers lounge access, dining credits, cell phone protection.
- Should I get the World of Hyatt Credit Card or the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card?
- Use the spend scenarios on this page: the World of Hyatt Credit Card has a lower $95/yr fee; the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card must earn enough extra (or offer a larger welcome bonus) to justify $650/yr.
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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.