A few months ago, Marriott registered several new trademarks pertaining to their credit card portfolio, and in August there was already a leak with an actual image of the American Express Bonvoy BEVY card.
Today, both American Express as well as Chase as the two credit card partners of Marriott Bonvoy in the U.S. made new card products available for fresh applications on their website.
While American Express now offers the BEVY card at a price of $250/year (and the Brilliant upgraded to $650/year), Chase now has the Bountiful card product which is a Visa Signature card at $250 annual fee.
Both banks have also added new sign-up bonus offers on the websites with rather high bonuses to push these new products.
Here are the Amex offers:
You might get higher bonuses such as an additional statement credit when you check the Marriott website and make a (dummy) booking. Often times a slightly better offer than it shows on the bank’s website will pop up.
The same goes for Chase card portfolio:
These new cards were expected and there was a wild online discussion about the products ever since the trademarks first popped up.
Marriott also released a press statement today, concerning the launch of their new cards:
Marriott Bonvoy®, the award-winning travel programfrom Marriott International, announces the expansion of its U.S. cobrand credit card portfolio with the introduction of the Marriott Bonvoy Bevy American Express® Card and the Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful™ Card from Chase. These new cards are designed for consumers seeking to quickly accumulate points toward free stays at more than 8,100 hotels and resorts participating in the Marriott Bonvoy program and includes an extraordinary portfolio of luxury and lifestyle properties, All-Inclusive by Marriott Bonvoy™, and more than 70,000 premium rentals on Homes & Villas by Marriott International® around the globe.
In addition, Marriott Bonvoy is announcing enhancements to its premium Marriott Bonvoy
Brilliant® American Express® Card, including Marriott Bonvoy Platinum Elite status (which offers
late checkout, a welcome gift of choice upon arrival and more), a $300 annual credit at
restaurants worldwide (up to $25/month back) and an annual Free Night Award.These enhancements follow upgraded benefits introduced earlier this year for the Marriott
Bonvoy Boundless® Card from Chase and the Marriott Bonvoy Business® Card from American
Express.“We are experiencing a travel renaissance among our Marriott Bonvoy members. The new
cards from American Express and Chase will meet the growing desire to earn points as fast as
possible – whether members are staying at one of our properties or making everyday purchases
– and redeem their points toward free stays,” said David Flueck, Senior Vice President, Global
Loyalty, Marriott International. “Today’s announcement tops off a year of enhancing our
cobrand card portfolio to provide members a wider assortment of rich credit card options to
meet their needs.”“From weekend getaways to trips across the world, customers have told us they want to get to
that next trip faster – while enhancing their travel experience along the way,” said Jon
Gantman, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Cobrand Product Management at
American Express. “With new ways to earn points on everyday purchases, elevated Marriott
Bonvoy Elite status and new ways to get to free nights faster, our Marriott Bonvoy American
Express Cards can help people get the most out of the Marriott Bonvoy program.”“No matter where or why we travel, experiencing more of the world provides fresh
perspectives and has the power to be transformative,” said Khary Barnes, Managing Director
and General Manager of Marriott Co-Brand Cards at Chase. “Building on the Marriott Bonvoy
Boundless Card enhanced benefits announced earlier this year, the addition of the Marriott
Bonvoy Bountiful Card to the Chase Card portfolio provides our card members with additional opportunities to unlock meaningful value and elevate their travel experiences with Marriott
Bonvoy.
While card issuers will always laude their own products, I think from a consumer perspective the most surprising thing here is the Amex Bonvoy Brilliant Card that will now carry Marriott Bonvoy Platinum status which basically eliminates any need for loyalty to the Marriott brand. Get the credit card and boom – you’re Platinum with all the benefits. The fee will now be $650 and the annual free night is going to be good for up to 85,000 points value.
For Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® Card Members who opened accounts prior to September 22, 2022,
the new annual fee will take effect on those Card Members’ annual renewal dates on or after
January 1, 2023.
Effective September 22nd, the $300 Marriott Bonvoy statement credit benefit will also no longer be available. It has now been replaced with $300 in statement credits per calendar year (up to $25 per month) for eligible purchases at restaurants worldwide. Another coupon book style discount.
What’s totally new is their new Amex BEVY card as well as the Chase Bountiful card:
Benefits for the Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express Card and the Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful™ Card from Chase include:
- 6X Marriott Bonvoy Points on purchases at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy
- 4X Marriott Bonvoy Points on up to $15,000 in combined purchases per year at
restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets - 2X Marriott Bonvoy Points on all other eligible purchases
- 1,000 Marriott Bonvoy Bonus Points with each qualifying stay
- Complimentary Gold Elite status
- A Free Night Award (redemption level at or under 50,000 Marriott Bonvoy Points) after
making $15,000 in purchases per year. Certain hotels have resort fees. - 15 Elite Night Credits each calendar year toward higher Elite status
Terms and conditions apply. The annual fee for the Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American ExpressCard and Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful™ Card from Chase is $250.
So now in order for the cards to come with an annual free night certificate, you need to spend at least $15,000 with it and it will no longer be an automatic annual benefit. That alone is pretty much a killer for the cards in my opinion.
The Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express Card annual fee will be increasing to $650. For
Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® Card Members who opened accounts prior to September 22, 2022,
the new annual fee will take effect on those Card Members’ annual renewal dates on or after
January 1, 2023.
Conclusion
Two new Marriott Bonvoy co-branded credit card products are live now, the Amex Bonvoy BEVY as well the Chase Bonvoy Bountiful. American Express has also modified the Bonvoy Brilliant Card, making it more premium (read: expensive).
Many of the changes and introductions aren’t very exciting or positive. I don’t like the $15,000 minimum annual spend requirement just to earn the free night certificate for the BEVY and Bountiful card. Likewise, I think for existing Platinum members who obtain their status by actually spending 50 nights at the hotel or have spent 600+ nights with them to get to Lifetime Platinum such a credit card that offers instant Platinum for just $650 makes a mockery of a loyalty program. I already criticized this with the Amex Hilton Aspire card.
Some will be happy, others will re-assess their credit card strategy. Personally, I believe that these changes have made other brands credit cards such as the Chase Hyatt and IHG Visa cards much more attractive.
