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Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card [See rates and fees.]
American Express has a great new limited-time offer for the Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card: Earn 5 Free Night Awards, valued at up to 50K points each for eligible stays after you use your new card to make $8,000 in purchases within the first 6 months of Card Membership. Offer ends 10/16. Resort fees & terms apply. (As with all Marriott redemptions, resort or destination fees may apply.)
This could be used as the equivalent of 250,000 Marriott points, which I’d estimate at worth $1,500. They’re quite flexible, as Marriott allows you to top off free night awards for standard rooms with up to 15,000 additional points per night in order to redeem for the hotel you want.
We’ve seen similar offers on the Chase-issued consumer card, but I only recall it twice before on this card, and it’s an improvement over the recent offer.
And of course the business card offers 15 elite qualifying nights each year and those are stackable with elite nights earned from a consumer card. Furthermore, American Express small business cards generally do not add to your 5/24 total.
I do not view it as a go-to for ongoing spend however, earning 6x Marriott Bonvoy points on each dollar of eligible purchases at hotels participating in the Marriott Bonvoy® program.; 4x points for purchases made at restaurants worldwide, at U.S. gas stations, on wireless telephone services purchased directly from U.S. service providers and on U.S. purchases for shipping. These are ok for accelerator categories but not super compelling in my opinion.
Nonetheless it’s a keeper for the annual elite nights and 1 Free Night Award every year after your Card renewal month. (You earn an additional Free Night Award after you spend $60K in purchases on your Card in a calendar year, spending exactly that amount could be worth it – but I have the card and do not do this myself.) These free nights are valid on redemptions up to 35,000 Marriott Bonvoy points for the night.
Finally, the card comes with eligibility for a 7% discount rate that may be available on certain direct bookings. I believe I’ve only made this rate work as the best available I was eligible for one time. This is a $125 annual fee card.
For rates and fees of the Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card, click here.
Gold Level is included which is good for a late check out plus additional points earned and possibly a room upgrade (not suites). I find the free night certificates not worth the full face value (potential for breakage or partial breakage, no transfer partners and no fifth night free benefit). I’m keeping the card but it is barely earning its keep.