Is the Marriott Bonvoy Business Card Worth the Annual Fee?

Every credit card in your wallet with an annual fee deserves a yearly review: Is that fee justified for keeping the card another year?

The Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card offers a solid array of benefits for its $125 annual fee (see rates and fees), but it may not be the right fit for everyone. In fact, it might lack some features you desire in a hotel credit card. It’s important to note that hotel credit cards generally aren't the best choice for maximizing spending outside of that hotel chain's purchases.

Can the Marriott Bonvoy Business Amex strike a balance between extravagant perks and no benefits at all—justifying its $125 annual fee? Let’s explore.

Sign-Up Bonus

Currently, by using the Bonvoy Business Amex, you can receive three free night awards after making $6,000 in purchases 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 Marriott Bonvoy hotels. Please note that resort fees and terms apply.

According to TPG's September 2024 valuations, the welcome bonus could be valued at as much as $1,275.

You might be curious if you qualify for a business credit card. If you’ve confirmed your eligibility, you may be thinking about the Marriott Bonvoy Business Amex.

Some of the prime ways to utilize Marriott Bonvoy points include award stays at luxurious destinations like The Ritz-Carlton, Turks & Caicos, The St. Regis Bora Bora Resort, The West Hollywood Edition, and the London Marriott Hotel Park Lane. For skiing or snowboarding enthusiasts, options like The St. Regis Aspen Resort, The St. Regis Deer Valley, and The Ritz-Carlton, Bachelor Gulch are appealing.

Be aware that American Express imposes restrictions that may affect your eligibility for a new member bonus if you’ve previously held Marriott credit cards through Chase. Luckily, a pop-up notification will inform you of any ineligibility for the bonus during your application, prior to Amex checking your credit — and our chart can also clarify this information.

Annual free night benefit

Following your card renewal month each year, you will earn a free night award valued at up to 35,000 points. Cardholders can obtain a second free night award by spending $60,000 on the card within a calendar year.

These awards can be redeemed at locations such as The St. Regis Bangkok, The St. Regis Doha, W Atlanta — Downtown, and various hotels near national parks.

However, due to the dynamic pricing previously mentioned, it's advisable to conduct a calendar search for flexible dates to discover nights costing 35,000 points or less. Utilizing your free night awards can be particularly challenging during holidays, as award prices tend to rise during these periods.

With just a little effort, you can typically redeem this free night award for about $125 in value — and often even more. Therefore, this benefit alone could justify the card's annual fee.

Elite status and associated benefits

Owners of the Bonvoy Business Amex automatically gain Gold Elite status with Marriott Bonvoy.

At this tier, you can anticipate perks such as upgrades to preferred rooms (excluding suites), late checkout, and a welcome gift of bonus points during check-in.

Cardholders also earn 15 elite night credits in their Marriott Bonvoy account each year. These are essential for reaching higher status levels and can be combined if you also possess a personal credit card from Marriott.

For instance, if you have the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card from Chase, you'll receive an additional 15 elite night credits — starting your year with a total of 30 elite night credits automatically.

To achieve Platinum Elite status — where benefits like suite upgrades and complimentary breakfast become available — you must complete 50 nights per year with Marriott Bonvoy, and having these two credit cards would put you well on your way.

Additional benefits

Cardholders receive a 7% discount off standard rates for reservations of standard guest rooms at hotels within the Marriott Bonvoy program when booking directly through Marriott under the Amex Business Card rate. Terms and conditions apply.

However, we evaluated this benefit, and it’s not as advantageous as it appears. Typically, you’ll receive a discount of 2%-5% off the member's rate, but you can often secure better deals with other discounts instead of relying solely on this cardholder perk.

Regarding point accumulation, cardholders earn:

• 6 points for every dollar spent on eligible purchases at Marriott Bonvoy participating locations
• 4 points for each dollar spent at restaurants worldwide
• 4 points per dollar spent at U.S. gas stations, on wireless services purchased directly from U.S. providers, and on U.S. shipping purchases
• 2 points per dollar on all other eligible purchases with the Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card

According to TPG's September 2024 valuations, this translates to a return of approximately 5.1% on Marriott purchases, 3.4% at restaurants and U.S. gas stations, as well as on select phone and shipping transactions, and 1.7% on everyday purchases. While these rates aren't particularly exceptional, they are reasonable for a cobranded card.

Cardholders also benefit from Amex Offers, which can provide exclusive discounts or bonus points on eligible purchases, along with extended warranty and purchase protection features.

Note: Eligibility and benefit levels may differ by card. Terms, conditions, and limitations apply. For details, visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide. Policies are underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company.

Conclusion

The Marriott Bonvoy Business Amex isn’t particularly glamorous, lacking features like lounge access or top-tier elite status. Nevertheless, it provides a valuable mid-tier status effortlessly within a hotel program with an extensive global presence.

Combining your business card with a personal Marriott credit card can also assist you in reaching higher status, thanks to the elite night credits credited to your account.

Additionally, an annual free night that can be redeemed for over $200 in value with minimal effort should make the cost of keeping this card worthwhile. However, this is contingent on actively utilizing the benefits each year.