Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card vs Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card
Annual fees: Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card $95/yr, Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card $650/yr. Strongest bonus categories: Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card on dining, Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card on flights.
Card data as of October 12, 2026.
Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit CardChase · $95/yr
Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express CardAmerican Express · $650/yr
Overview
- Annual fee
- Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card$95LowestMarriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card$650
- Welcome offerCurrent public offer
- Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card—Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card100,000 points
- Rewards
- Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit CardMarriott BonvoyMarriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express CardMarriott Bonvoy
- Foreign transaction fee
- Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit CardNoneMarriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express CardNone
- Network
- Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit CardVisa SignatureMarriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express CardAmerican Express
Earn ratesPer $1 spent
- Dining
- Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card3xMarriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card3x
- Flights
- Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card2xMarriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card3xHighest
- Gas Stations
- Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card3xHighestMarriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card2x
- Grocery Stores
- Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card3xHighestMarriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card2x
- Everything else
- Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card2xMarriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card2x
Statement creditsAs the issuer states them · — means none on record
- Travel
- Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card
- Up to $100 airline credits (through 6/30/2027) · $100 one-time
Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card- $120 Global Entry/TSA PreCheck · $120 every 4 years
- $100 luxury hotel credit · $100 per stay
- Dining & delivery
- Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card
- DoorDash DashPass
Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card- $300 dining credit
Perks & access— means none on record
- Lounges
- Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card—Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card
- Unlimited Priority Pass lounge visits worldwide
- Hotel status & programs
- Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card
- 15 Marriott Bonvoy Elite Night Credits Awarded Annually
- Gold Elite status at $35,000 annual card spend
- Automatic Silver Elite with 10% points bonus on stays
- 1 Free Night Award worth up to 35,000 points/year
Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card- Marriott Bonvoy Platinum Elite status with room upgrades
- Complimentary premium WiFi at Marriott properties
- Other perks
- Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card
- 24/7 concierge for travel, dining, and 4+ services
- No Foreign Transaction Fees on International Purchases
- 24/7 travel and emergency assistance in 200+ countries
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
- Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card
- Up to $500 Trip Delay Reimbursement for Extended Delays
Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card- $10,000 trip cancellation/interruption insurance
- $500 trip delay insurance for 6+ hour delays
- Baggage
- Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card
- Up to $3,000 Lost Luggage Reimbursement per Traveler
- Up to $500 Baggage Delay Insurance Coverage
Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card- $3,000 baggage insurance per trip
- Rental car
- Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card
- Rental car CDW saves $15-30/day on collision waiver
Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card- $75,000 car rental insurance (primary for international)
- Purchase & returns
- Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card
- Up to $500 Purchase Protection Against Theft and Damage
Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card- $10,000 purchase protection per item
- Return protection for unwanted purchases · up to $300
- Extended warranty
- Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card—Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card
- Extended warranty protection for eligible purchases · up to $1
- Cell phone
- Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card—Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card
- $800 cell phone protection per claim
- Other protections
- Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card
- 24/7 roadside dispatch assistance (pay-per-use)
Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card- Zero liability protection on fraudulent charges
Pros & cons
- Pros
- Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card
- Automatic Silver Elite status
- 15 elite night credits per year
- 6X card points at participating Marriott hotels; up to 17X combined with eligible Bonvoy membership and Silver Elite earnings
- Anniversary Free Night Award (up to 35,000 points)
- 3X on dining, gas, and grocery (first $6,000 combined annually)
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
- Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card
- Only 2X on non-bonus category purchases
- Silver Elite has limited benefits
- Points locked to Marriott ecosystem
- 3X bonus categories have combined $6,000 annual spend cap
- Free Night Award capped at 35,000 points (mid-tier properties)
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 1 of 1 categories. The Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card leads in 0. 2 more categories depend on booking channel or caps.
Gas Stations
Depends: up to $6,000/yr
Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card earns 3X when conditions are met; Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card earns 2X (2X without restrictions)
Grocery Stores
Depends: up to $6,000/yr
Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card earns 3X when conditions are met; Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card earns 2X (2X without restrictions)
Flights
Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card earns 3X vs 2X
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.
Ongoing value favors the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card; year-one value favors the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card.
| Scenario | Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card | Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card | Ongoing winner | Year-one winner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Light spender: $1,000/month | Rewards: $168 Credits (our usable estimate): $0 − Annual fee ($95) Ongoing: $73 Year one: $133 | Rewards: $181 Credits (our usable estimate): $210 − Annual fee ($650) Ongoing: -$259 Year one: $441 | Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card | Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card |
| Heavy spender: $4,000/month | Rewards: $672 Credits (our usable estimate): $0 − Annual fee ($95) Ongoing: $577 Year one: $637 | Rewards: $722 Credits (our usable estimate): $210 − Annual fee ($650) Ongoing: $282 Year one: $982 | Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card | Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card |
Is the Fee Difference Worth It?
The Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card costs $650/yr — that's $555 more than the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless 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 Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card means losing:
- -Airport lounge access
- -Global Entry credit
Which Card Is Right for You?
Get the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card if you:
- +Do most of your spending at grocery stores
Get the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card if you:
- +Fly frequently and value airport lounge access
The Bottom Line
Ongoing value favors the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card; year-one value favors the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card.
Published annual fees: Marriott Bonvoy Boundless 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 Marriott Bonvoy Boundless 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 Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card or Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card?
- Both cards earn 2X on everyday purchases. The difference is in bonus categories — check the earn rate comparison above for a full breakdown.
- What benefits does the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card have that the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card doesn't?
- The Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card offers travel credits. The Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card offers lounge access, dining credits, cell phone protection.
- Should I get the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card or the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card?
- Use the spend scenarios on this page: the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless 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.
Related Comparisons
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.