Who ought to (and should not) get the Amex Marriott Bonvoy Bevy card?

There are a lot of Marriott credit cards. There are definitely more cards to choose from than what Hilton, Hyatt or IHG have, for example. With so many options, understanding your choices and making a decision can be difficult.

These decisions are complicated because Marriott Bonvoy has credit cards available from two different issuers — Chase and American Express — each with its own credit card application rules and restrictions. Plus, there are so many rules surrounding Marriott credit cards that we needed an entire chart to help you understand bonus eligibility on these cards.

The Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express® Card is one of the newest credit cards from Marriott, launched in September 2022. It offers perks like complimentary mid-tier status with Marriott Bonvoy and a moderate earning structure but also lacks some features we’ve come to expect from hotel credit cards.

Let’s look at who should (and shouldn’t) get the Amex Marriott Bonvoy Bevy card.

The Amex Marriott Bonvoy Bevy card is a mid-tier credit card in the Marriott Bonvoy credit card portfolio. Annual fees on Marriott’s credit cards range from $0 to $650, and the Bevy card sits in the middle, with an annual fee of $250 (see rates and fees). Here are the most important things to know about the Bevy card.

• The welcome offer is worth over $1,400. New applicants can earn 125,000 Marriott Bonvoy bonus points after spending $5,000 on eligible purchases in the first six months; plus, earn 50,000 points after you stay six eligible nights at Marriott hotels through Jan. 31, 2024. Offer ends August 9. TPG values Marriott points at 0.84 cents apiece, making this bonus worth $1,470.
• You’ll get complimentary Gold Elite status. Cardmembers receive complimentary Gold Elite status with Marriott Bonvoy each year, with perks like room upgrades (but not to suites), late checkout and bonus points on stays. TPG values Gold status at $800 per year if you stay enough to make use of these benefits. If you’re looking to earn higher levels of status, you’ll receive 15 elite night credits in your Bonvoy account each year to help you on your way.
• You get 1,000 bonus points on each paid stay. Cardmembers who stay at a Marriott Bonvoy hotel or resort and pay cash will receive 1,000 bonus points for each stay. This means points redemptions and using free night awards won’t qualify for the bonus points. TPG values these points at $8.40.
• There’s no complimentary free night award. Many hotel credit cards come with a free night award, which is deposited into your account on your cardmember anniversary each year. You’d receive this free night award if you spent $1 or $1 million on your card in the previous 12 months. However, the Amex Marriott Bonvoy Bevy doesn’t offer this free night award unless you spend $15,000 or more on your card during a calendar year. This free night award, if earned, is worth up to 50,000 points.
• Vacations and goods purchased with your card are protected. Cardmembers can enjoy numerous travel and shopping protections when using their Bevy card to pay for a trip or a new smartphone. If you run into problems, these protections can provide assistance and peace of mind.

For more details, check out our detailed review of the Amex Marriott Bonvoy Bevy card.

Who should get the Amex Marriott Bonvoy Bevy card?

You may want the Bevy card and could benefit from having it in your wallet for multiple reasons. Consider the following:

You don’t have any Marriott cards and want to diversify your points

The most obvious reason to get the Bevy card would be diversification. Even if you have a lot of hotel points with a different hotel brand, you may find yourself in a location where your best hotel option is a Marriott Bonvoy property. Diversifying your hotel points before upcoming trips is a smart move, and having points (plus elite status) with Marriott can be advantageous to ensure your ability to redeem points for hotel nights wherever you’re going.

You’re eligible for a bonus on a Marriott credit card

Determining your eligibility for the welcome offer on the Amex Marriott Bonvoy Bevy card can be a bit difficult since you’ll be subject to American Express restrictions as well as Marriott Bonvoy restrictions. Check your eligibility before applying for a Mariott Bonvoy credit card.

If you do meet the restrictions and are eligible for the 175,000-point welcome bonus with the Bonvoy Bevy, it can be worth over $1,400, according to TPG’s valuations.

Related: Are you eligible for a new Marriott Bonvoy card? This chart tells you yes or no.

You’re able to get maximum value from your Marriott Bonvoy points

Those who know how to extract maximum value from Marriott points may not be fazed by the $250 annual fee (see rates and fees) on the Bevy card. While TPG values Marriott Bonvoy points at 0.84 cents apiece, it’s not difficult to get more value than that.

Some of the ability to receive outsized redemption value has gone down with Marriott Bonvoy’s shift to dynamic pricing, but you can still redeem your points for incredible value. That’s true not just at fancy resorts like The St. Regis Bora Bora or The Ritz-Carlton, Turks & Caicos but also at properties in the U.S. — whether you’re visiting Walt Disney World or visiting relatives during holidays when cash prices are high.

Related: The award travelers guide to Marriott Bonvoy

You want elite status with Marriott

The main selling point of the Amex Marriott Bonvoy Bevy card may be the fact it offers mid-tier status without any spending requirements. Cardmembers get complimentary Gold Elite status with Marriott Bonvoy each year. Perks include upgrades to preferred rooms (but not suites), late checkout, early check-in and bonus points on each stay. These perks can prove valuable since they enhance your stay and help you quickly rack up points.

Normally, earning Gold Elite status requires one of a few things. You could spend toward this status on other credit cards or spend more nights at Marriott Bonvoy hotels and resorts (though you start with 15-25 elite night credits as a perk with numerous Marriott credit cards). Receiving status automatically without any effort can be a more enjoyable path for those who can use the benefits but won’t necessarily qualify for Gold status in another way.

Related: Is the Marriott Bonvoy Bevy worth the annual fee?

Unfortunately, the Bevy card requires spending $15,000 or more on purchases in a calendar year to earn a free night award worth up to 50,000 points. Since many hotel credit cards with lower annual fees automatically offer a free night certificate, the Bevy spending requirement is a real drawback.

In contrast, several of Marriott’s credit cards offer a free night award each year on your account anniversary. Cardholders get a free night worth up to 35,000 points on the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless card and Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card, and a free night awards worth up to 85,000 points on the Ritz-Carlton card and the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card.

The information for the Ritz-Carlton Card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

Related: 7 of the best hotel credit cards that come with an annual free night

You want to spend your way toward higher status levels

Gold Elite status isn’t bad, but it’s not great. The real perks with Marriott Bonvoy kick in when you reach Platinum Elite status. This is the tier where you can unlock suite upgrades, welcome gifts on each stay and free breakfast at many hotels.

While other credit cards like the World of Hyatt Credit Card and the Marriot Bonvoy Boundless card offer paths toward elite status through credit card spending — either earning the status simply from spending or accelerating your path through spending — there’s no amount of money you could spend on your Bevy card that would propel you to Platinum Elite status with Marriott. To reach higher status, you’ll need to spend nights at Marriott Bonvoy properties. For many people, this may defeat the purpose of having a hotel credit card or having elite status automatically.

Related: The complete guide to earning Marriott elite status with credit cards

You’re eligible for a business credit card

The Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card offers complimentary Gold Elite status and a free night award on your account anniversary each year with an annual fee of just $125 (see rates and fees). That’s half of what the Bevy card charges each year.

But wait, there’s more.

You can stack the 15 elite night credits offered by the Amex Marriott Bonvoy Business card with the elite night credits offered by a card like the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless, which has a $95 annual fee. By holding both of these cards, you’d start each year with automatic Gold Elite status, 30 elite night credits (putting you just 20 nights shy of Platinum status) and also have two free night awards worth up to 35,000 points each. You’d pay $215 in annual fees to hold these two cards — still less than what the Bevy card offers for the same status, fewer elite night credits and no free night awards.

Related: Here’s why you need both a personal and business Marriott Bonvoy credit card

You won’t get much value from Gold Elite status

The main selling point of the Bevy card is that it offers complimentary Gold status each year. If you aren’t staying at Marriott hotels frequently enough to earn this status without the Bevy, you may not stay frequently enough to get a lot of value from your automatic Gold Elite status. Before you sign up to pay this card’s $250 annual fee, you’ll want to calculate just how much value you’ll get from this main perk.

Related: What is Marriott Bonvoy elite status worth?

A lot goes into choosing your next credit card or finding the best credit card for you. You need to find a card that aligns with your travel goals and spending habits, and the card should provide real value to you rather than have perks you’re only using “because they’re there.”

Not everyone is the same. For some people, the Amex Marriott Bonvoy Bevy card could be a great addition to their wallets; for others, it’s not worth getting. After reading through the considerations for who should and shouldn’t get the Bevy card, you can decide whether it works for you.

Official application link: Marriott Bonvoy Bevy American Express Card with a 125,000 Marriott Bonvoy bonus points after spending $5,000 on eligible purchases in the first six months; plus, earn 50,000 points after you stay six eligible nights at Marriott hotels through Jan. 31, 2024. Offer ends August 9.

For rates and fees of the Amex Marriott Bonvoy Bevy card, click here.
For rates and fees of the Amex Marriott Bonvoy Business card, click here.

Additional reporting by Emily Thompson.