Frequent Miler's latest team challenge, Million Mile Madness, is almost done! The last two weeks Greg, Nick, and Stephen competed to earn 1 Million SAS miles by flying 15 airlines. But who completed the challenge with the most Speed, Affordability, and Style?
Amex has an increased welcome offer on the Marriott Bonvoy Bevy card to go along with the new offer on the Bonvoy Brilliant card that we wrote about earlier today. Instead of the free night certificates offered with the Brilliant card, this one is all about points: 125,000 of them.
The Offer & Key Card Details
| Card Offer and Details |
|---|
85K Points ⓘ Affiliate 85K points after $5K spend in the first 6 months. Terms apply. (Rates & Fees)$250 Annual Fee Recent better offer: (Expired 10/2/24) 155K points after $5K spend in the first 6 months. Earning rate: 6X Marriott.✦ 4X restaurants & U.S. Supermarkets on up to $15K spend per year ✦ 2X on all other eligible purchases Card Info: Amex Credit Card issued by Amex. This card has no foreign currency conversion fees. Big spend bonus: One 50K Free Night Award after $15K calendar year spend on eligible purchases. Noteworthy perks: 15 night credit towards elite status every year upon account anniversary ✦ 1,000 bonus points with each qualifying stay ✦ Gold elite status See also: Marriott Bonvoy Complete Guide |
Quick Thoughts
I’ve always been a little perplexed about the Bevy card, ever since Marriott and Amex first released it. It’s got a fairly hefty annual fee of $250/year, but the benefits are on the skimpy side: complimentary Bonvoy Gold status, 1,000 bonus points on every Marriott stay and the ability to get a 50k Marriott free night certificate with $15k spend in one year. The last one is especially strange, given that the $95 Chase Marriott Boundless card comes with a 35k free night cert every year, regardless of how much you spend on the card. I just don’t see much reason to keep the Bevy after the first year, unless there’s a juicy retention offer available.
Still, this could be appealing for some folks in the Bonvoy poorhouse. 125K is among the best offers that we’ve seen on the card, outside of one that we saw over the summer for 125k points + an additional 50k with 6 paid nights at Bonvoy hotels. We value the redemption of Marriott points at ~0.8 cents each; even accounting for the annual fee that gives about $700 in first-year value.
Are you eligible for a Amex Bonvoy Brilliant card?
Here’s Greg’s chart for deciphering the Marriott eligibility rules:
| Card You Want | |||||||
| Cards You've Had (Or Recently Applied For) | Chase Bonvoy Bold | Chase Bonvoy Boundless | Chase Bonvoy Bountiful | Amex Bonvoy Business | Amex Bonvoy Brilliant | Amex Bonvoy Bevy | |
| Chase | Ritz Carlton | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ⚠30 | |
| Bonvoy ($45 card) | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | |
| Bonvoy Premier | ⚠24 | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ||
| Bonvoy Bold | ✅ | ⚠90 ⚠24 | ⚠30 ⚠90 ⚠24 | ||||
| Bonvoy Boundless | ✅ | ||||||
| Bonvoy Bountiful | ✅ | ✅ | ⚠24 | ||||
| Bonvoy Business ($45 card) | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ⚠30 | ✅ | ✅ | |
| Bonvoy Premier Plus Business | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ⚠90 ⚠24 | ⚠30 | ||
| Amex | Bonvoy | ⚠30 | ⚠30 ⚠90 ⚠24 | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | |
| Bonvoy Business | ⚠90 ⚠24 | ⛔ | ✅ | ✅ | |||
| Bonvoy Bevy | ✅ | ✅ | ⛔ | ||||
| Bonvoy Brilliant | ✅ | ⛔ | ⛔ | ||||
| Eligibility Key | |
| ✅ | You are eligible for this card and welcome bonus |
| ⚠30 | Your are not eligible for a welcome bonus if you have had the card on the left within the past 30 days |
| ⚠24 | You will not be approved if you currently have or if you've received a welcome bonus in the past 24 months for the card on the left |
| ⚠90 ⚠24 | You are not eligible for a welcome bonus if you were approved for the card on the left within the past 90 days; or if you've received a welcome or upgrade bonus in the past 24 months. |
| ⚠30 ⚠90 ⚠24 | You are not eligible for a welcome bonus if you've had the card on the left within the past 30 days; or if you were approved for it within the past 90 days; or if you've received a welcome bonus or upgrade bonus for it in the past 24 months. |
| ⛔ | You are not eligible for a welcome bonus if you've ever had this card before (but the system seems to "forget" that you've had the card about 5 to 7 years after you cancel) |
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Even more confusing to me is why the Bountiful seems to be completely ignored for elevated SUB offers. It’s essentially the same card as the Bevy but Chase leaves it out of the promotions with the Bold and Boundless.
Tim, Besides the Bonvoy Boundless, what other cards can you upgrade to the Ritz?
Marriott is so in my rear view mirror. Dynamic pricing makes it have zero to almost zero value.
Is it possible to PC to the Bonvoy Business $45 card from the Chase Bonvoy Premier Business card? I’m loath to give up a $95 night every year but the Premier blocks all Amexes but the $$$ Brilliant
Possible to PC to Amex Bonvoy after a year?
Yep, won’t be a problem to PC to another Marriott card.