3 Reasons the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Justifies Its $95 Annual Fee

Hotel credit cards often receive less attention than airline cards.

Mid-tier hotel cards, typically with annual fees up to $100, can be incredibly beneficial for any type of traveler, whether you're a casual vacationer, a frequent business traveler, or an avid globetrotter.

These cards usually have modest annual fees while offering significant value through award nights, elite status, enhanced earning potential, and various other benefits.

The Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card serves as Marriott's mid-range personal card option, provided by Chase.

It offers a sign-up bonus of 125,000 Bonus Points after you spend $5,000 on purchases within the first three months of opening your account.

Here are three additional reasons to consider applying for the Bonvoy Boundless card.

Award Nights

One of the card's standout benefits — making the $95 fee feel minimal — is the annual award night perk. Here’s how it operates (and why it holds such value).

Annually, when cardholders renew their accounts, they receive an award night certificate valid at Marriott hotels worth up to 35,000 Bonvoy points per night.

While this certificate isn’t usable everywhere, there are numerous choices available for 35,000 points or fewer per night. According to TPG's August 2024 valuations, 35,000 Marriott points are valued at $298, significantly exceeding the $95 annual fee.

Since Marriott transitioned to dynamic pricing in 2022, utilizing these certificates may become more challenging, particularly during peak times. Nevertheless, you can enhance your booking by combining a certificate with up to 15,000 points from your account for an upgraded award room, providing greater flexibility.

15 elite nights and guaranteed elite status

Like other mid-tier hotel cards from Hilton and Hyatt, the Bonvoy Boundless card provides automatic elite status.

The Bonvoy Boundless card grants you automatic Bonvoy Silver status. Although this is Marriott's entry-level tier and doesn't offer extravagant benefits like suite upgrades, it still provides a 10% points bonus, late checkout, and complimentary Wi-Fi.

Additionally, to assist cardholders in advancing to higher status levels (such as Gold and Platinum), this card gives 15 elite night credits each calendar year. Furthermore, for every $5,000 spent on the card, cardholders earn an extra credit toward elite status—a benefit introduced in 2022.

Even better, you can receive one set of elite night credits from a Marriott personal card and another set of elite night credits from a Marriott business card, such as the Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card. By combining the Boundless with the business card, you can achieve Gold status—putting you just 20 nights away from Platinum.

TPG staff members also appreciate the perks associated with the Bonvoy Boundless. Senior writer Katie Genter mentions:

The Marriott Bonvoy Boundless card is a straightforward choice for my annual renewal. For its $95 yearly fee, I earn 6 points for every dollar spent at Marriott Bonvoy hotels, receive a free night award valid for a stay at a property with a redemption level of up to 35,000 points each year after my account anniversary, and gain 15 elite night credits annually toward higher Marriott Bonvoy tiers, among other benefits. Honestly, the free night award alone justifies the card's annual fee, so I plan to keep it long-term.

Trip and baggage insurance coverage

The Bonvoy Boundless card offers an extensive range of travel and baggage protection benefits that are invaluable if your belongings are misplaced. These are perks that often go unnoticed—until something goes awry.

With baggage delay insurance, Chase can reimburse you for necessary purchases up to $100 per day for a maximum of five days. In the event of a lost bag, Chase may provide coverage of up to $3,000 per passenger.

With trip delay reimbursement, if your common carrier is delayed for over 12 hours or requires an overnight stay, Chase may cover incidental expenses like meals or lodging, up to $500 per ticket.

Just remember that you must use the card to book your trip for these protections to apply, and you’ll need to file a formal claim for reimbursement. Still, this is a robust set of protections for a card with a $95 annual fee.

Bottom line

A generous sign-up bonus and a range of perks that can easily add up to hundreds of dollars make the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless a great value for its $95 annual fee. Plus, you’ll earn 6 points for every dollar spent at Marriott properties, 3 points per dollar at gas stations, grocery stores, and restaurants (on up to $6,000 in combined purchases annually, then 2 points per dollar), and 2 points per dollar on all other purchases.

However, keep in mind that Chase enforces the 5/24 rule, meaning they may not approve your application for the Bonvoy Boundless credit card if you’ve opened five or more personal credit cards with any issuer in the last 24 months.

Moreover, there are specific Marriott guidelines regarding eligibility for any new Bonvoy credit card, so it's essential to verify your eligibility before applying.

That said, with hotel prices still elevated and the Boundless card providing an excellent sign-up bonus, this is an ideal time to apply if you meet the qualifications.