Complimentary nights and effortless status: Here's why I hold 3 Marriott Bonvoy credit cards, despite paying over $1,200 annually in fees

Friends and family frequently ask me if airline and hotel cobranded cards are worthwhile. The brief answer is that they usually are—particularly if you travel with a specific provider often. In some instances, having multiple cards linked to one loyalty program can be beneficial.

This perfectly describes my experience with Marriott Bonvoy. Currently, I possess three active Marriott credit cards and incur $1,225 in annual fees to maintain them.

While this might seem excessive, I consistently recover that value (and more) each year without fail.

Here's why I hold these cards—and why you might want to adopt a similar approach.

Overview of Marriott credit card options

Let’s begin with a brief summary of the Marriott Bonvoy credit card lineup. Currently, there are six options available for new applicants. Three are offered by American Express, while the other three come from Chase, some of which provide limited-time elevated welcome bonuses:

• Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card: Receive 95,000 Marriott Bonvoy bonus points after spending $6,000 within the first six months of card membership.
• Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express® Card: Obtain 85,000 Marriott Bonvoy bonus points after using your new card for $5,000 in purchases during the first six months of membership.
• Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card: Earn three free night awards after spending $6,000 within the first six months of card membership. Each free night award can be redeemed for up to 50,000 Marriott Bonvoy points at participating hotels. Resort fees and terms apply.
• Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful® Credit Card: Gain 85,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 within the first three months of account opening.
• Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card: Earn 125,000 bonus points after spending $5,000 in the first three months of account opening.
• Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card: Receive 60,000 bonus points plus one free night award (valued at up to 50,000 points) after spending $2,000 within the first three months of account opening. Certain hotels may charge resort fees.

In addition to these six cards, there are still some legacy products from before the merger of Marriott, Starwood Preferred Guest, and Ritz-Carlton—including the Ritz-Carlton Rewards Card, which is not open to new applicants but might be available for a product change.

The details regarding the Bonvoy Bountiful card and Ritz-Carlton card have been gathered independently by Dinogo. The information presented here has not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

My three Marriott credit cards

From this selection, I hold the Bonvoy Brilliant Amex with an annual fee of $650 (see rates and fees), the Bonvoy Business Amex with a $125 annual fee (see rates and fees), and the Ritz-Carlton card, which comes with a $450 annual fee.

Moreover, it’s important to highlight that none of these cards are new. The two Amex cards were originally branded as SPG, and I acquired the Ritz-Carlton card in 2018, just before it closed to new applicants.

When you sum up those fees, I pay a total of $1,225 each year just to maintain these cards; here’s the reason why.

Achieving elite status

I travel frequently throughout the year but prefer to keep my options flexible. That’s why I appreciate how these cards not only make it easy to attain Marriott Bonvoy elite status but also unlock additional perks.

In September 2022, the Bonvoy Brilliant received a major update, including an upgrade to the card's automatic status. Cardmembers now benefit from Marriott Platinum Elite status instead of Gold Elite, which comes with advantages like free breakfast and room upgrades based on availability.

However, it does not include the Marriott Choice Benefit selection available for those who reach 50 nights in a calendar year—this is why the other status-related benefits offered by these cards hold significant value for me.

Along with automatic Platinum Elite status, the Bonvoy Brilliant provides 25 elite night credits each year. On the other hand, the Bonvoy Business Amex offers 15 credits—and you can combine credits from both personal and business cards. This means I kick off each year with 40 elite nights just from these two cards. (The Ritz-Carlton card also grants 15 nights, but those do not stack with other personal cards.)

In simpler terms, after staying just 10 nights at Marriott properties in a calendar year, I can achieve Platinum Elite status the "hard way" and select a Choice Benefit—which for me is almost always five Nightly Upgrade Awards. With only 35 nights, I can attain Titanium Elite status and earn another Choice Benefit.

Essentially, these cards provide a shortcut to accessing higher tiers of status, additional elite perks, or both.

Using free night rewards

However, it’s not solely the elite status that keeps these cards in my wallet. The primary value I gain each year comes from their annual free night certificates.

With both the Bonvoy Brilliant and Ritz-Carlton cards, I receive a complimentary night award worth up to 85,000 points every year upon card renewal. In contrast, the Bonvoy Business Amex offers a free night valued at up to 35,000 points upon renewal, and I can also earn a second one by spending $60,000 on the card within a calendar year (certain hotels may charge resort fees).

In 2022, Marriott introduced the option to top up these certificates with an extra 15,000 points—providing even greater flexibility for booking luxury accommodations.

In the coming year, I have reservations planned using these certificates at the following locations:

• St. Regis Bal Harbour: The standard room price on my travel date was $984 (excluding the $55 resort fee), and my 85,000-point certificate covered the full stay.
• Sheraton Miami Airport: A standard room on my travel date (considering a late-night flight arrival) was $231, and my 35,000-point certificate also covered the entire stay.

Once my cards renew this fall, I'll receive another two 85,000-point certificates, and I'm excited to plan another luxury getaway (or two) using them.

Additional benefits

Lastly, each of these cards comes with at least one more benefit that justifies keeping them:

• Monthly dining statement credit of up to $25 on the Bonvoy Brilliant: Although this isn't as straightforward as the $300 annual Marriott credit it replaced, it still provides me $25 off restaurant bills every month. I aim to use it for affordable, fast-casual meals or a round of drinks before dinner to maximize my $25 credit, as I prefer earning 4 points per dollar spent on restaurant purchases with my American Express® Gold Card (on the first $50,000 in purchases each year; then 1 point per dollar).
• $300 annual travel credit on the Ritz-Carlton card: Each year, I receive $300 off qualifying airline incidental expenses — covering in-flight Wi-Fi, snacks, drinks, or seat assignment fees.
• Discounted room rates with the Bonvoy Business Amex: As a Bonvoy Business cardholder, I can take advantage of a 7% discount on eligible bookings made directly with Marriott at participating locations worldwide when I use the card.
• While I've occasionally found that AAA rates can be slightly lower, I've utilized this discount twice in the last year, saving approximately $50 on paid stays.

Lastly, I can add authorized users to my Ritz-Carlton card at no extra annual cost — which I've done for my wife. This gives her a separate Priority Pass Select membership and activates primary car rental coverage when she rents a car in her name.

Conclusion

It might be surprising to learn that I'm shelling out over $1,200 a year in annual fees for three Marriott Bonvoy credit cards — but as illustrated above, the value I receive is substantial. From enjoying elite status benefits and saving hundreds with free-night certificates to leveraging other perks, I find it easy to justify this expense. These three cards will remain in my wallet for years ahead.

With several Marriott cards currently offering enticing welcome bonuses and summer travel costs remaining elevated, now could be an excellent opportunity to gain some of the benefits mentioned by adding a new Marriott credit card to your wallet.