Frequent Miler's latest team challenge, Million Mile Madness, is happening now! Follow us as Greg, Nick, and Stephen compete to earn 1 Million SAS miles by flying 15 airlines before November 23rd. Who will complete the challenge with the most Speed, Affordability, and Style?
Reminder 9/21 – Tomorrow the Bonvoy Brilliant’s $300 hotel credit is changing to a $25/month dining credit. Until the changeover happens, new cardholders will still be able to double-dip by using the full hotel credit before 9/22 and then taking advantage of the dining credits after (as Nick details below). But, you must make the hotel charge (and have it post) before 9/22, meaning that today is the last call. Front desk gift cards, anyone?
One of the key benefits of the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant card (at the time of writing) is a $300 annual statement credit for purchases at Marriott properties. Effective 9/22/22, that $300 Marriott credit (which can currently be used in a lump sum) is being replaced with a monthly $25 credit for dining purchases. Some people may prefer that, though I think this is a disappointing change for Marriott and credit card rewards enthusiasts.
From premium hotel card to the latest coupon book
The Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant card currently offers up to $300 in statement credits annually for Marriott purchases. That’s a cumulative total which can be used with a single stay/purchase or multiple purchases. The key limitation of the credit is that it has to be used at Marriott hotels and resorts. Of course, those who would consider paying a $450 annual fee for a Marriott credit credit presumably spend more than $300 per year at Marriott properties, so I wouldn’t view that as a limitation but rather a nearly cash-like benefit.
In recent years, Amex has increasingly moved away from one-time lump-sum credits and toward monthly dribs-and-drabs credits. That is no doubt intended both to increase breakage (people forgetting to take advantage of the benefit) and to make it impossible to take advantage of a full year’s benefit without keeping the card for a full year. I understand why a change like this is being rolled out, but I don’t like it. I’d much rather have a credit that can be used in one shot than have to try to remember to use the card once a month for a $25 restaurant charge (and sacrificing some rewards while I’m at it). I regularly spend more than $25 per month at restaurants, I just wouldn’t want to need to track it for the purposes of making sure I triggered the credit. I would much rather be able to spend $300 on a single Marriott stay.
Is the card still worthwhile?
While I don’t have the Bonvoy Brilliant card, I don’t think it is difficult to justify its annual fee. The combination of the $300 annual Marriott credit (at the time of writing) and the 50K free night certificate could easily exceed the value of the annual fee for someone who regularly spends more than $300 per year at Marriott hotels (keep in mind that some people qualify for Ambassador status with more than $20K per year in spend at Marriott properties).
With the change to a dining credit, the extra hassle of being sure to use the credit each month makes it a slightly more questionable value in my opinion. It certainly wouldn’t be impossible to get enough value to justify the fee, it’s just more hassle than I’d prefer on an ultra-premium card. I think this change in the credit makes the Ritz card a clearly superior long-term choice.
Bottom line
The Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant card still comes with an annual $300 credit for purchases at Marriott properties, but starting on 9/22/22 that credit will become up to $25 per month in statement credits for purchases at restaurants worldwide. I believe that if you applied before 9/22/22 you would be able to take advantage of the $300 Marriott credit this year provided you do so before 9/22/22 and then also get a year’s worth of $25 dining credits. While I still don’t love the hassle, that would add a nice little boost on top of the card’s welcome offer and might make it worth considering in the short-term — I just think this card is now harder to justify in the long term.
Want to learn more about miles and points? Subscribe to email updates or check out our podcast on your favorite podcast platform.
Has anyone received credit for any unused credit as of Sep 22? Multiple people (me included) were told that any unused Marriott credit would just be given to people, but now Amex is denying that this was ever the policy.
Can I still purchase the $300 gift card?
Purpose?
We recently received our Brilliant card.
So confused! There was a 9/22 deadline…what did I miss?
Can someone please confirm if the $25 restaurant credit is available for September or does it start in October?
Thanks Nick I bought a $300 Gift card off the Marriott site and was reimbursed already by AX without having to call. Piece of cake. On a side note I doubt I will renew now that AF is going up to $650.
Suggestions on loadable apps/accounts that will work? Thinking Starbucks and Chikfila so far.
I just finished up the $300 Marriott property credit in August.
My renewal isn’t until March of 2023.
Can I use the $25 until then? Or does that credit start for me in March (if I were keeping the card)?
I asked directly and the rep told me I would still get the dining credit for September, October and November. (September only gives you 8 days to use it, though.)
Thanks. Did you also use all of your $300 credit before 22 Sept?
I’m using my new credits until my card year ends, then I’m cancelling the card. No point having a Bonvoy card for a monthly takeaway food order. I have other cards for that, like my Amex Platinum’s monthly Uber Cash credit. For that matter, I earn bonus points on hotel stays paid with my Platinum anyway. Bye bye Bonvoy Brilliant
do you think the $25 will work on uber eats when you utilitze your $15 gold and $25 platinum credits? pay with bonvoy, codes as restaurant? might make it easy to track and use, but agree 100%, i didn’t get this card for dining credits.
I would have been happy with something like a maximum of $100 per Marriott stay up to a $300 total. That would drive stays a little bit. But I don’t have a Marriott card so I can order a monthly pizza, and this change doesn’t do anything to drive hotel stays. I will be downgrading.
I have bought physical gift cards from the Marriot website in the past and had them mailed to me for a small fee ($1.50 I think) which triggered the benefit. Thinking of buying a $300 gift card to be mailed to me, which should trigger the credit and set me up to start using the $25 monthly dining credit after. Anyone else do this?
thinking the same, check out Brant‘s response below posted 5 days ago.
FT forum threads mentioned it worked on egift cards at Marriott site, I followed & got the full credits.
E-gift card purchases triggered the $300 credit for me earlier this month
I am not eligible for the Brilliant signup bonus, but it still seems like a good deal. $450 for a $300 credit, $300 dining credits, 20k MR referral from P2, and then a free night at the end of the year.
Do we know if the monthly dining credit will be afforded billing cycle or calendar month?
The rep told me calendar month. (With a short month in September 2022.)
I called the Ritz Laguna Niguel and they said that they still sell physical gift cards in their on site store. Hoping this will take care of the $300 credit and I can use the card at any Marriott property. Has anyone bought a gift card there?
Be careful because a lot of hotels sell gift cards that can only be used at their property.
You really need to buy them from the front desk to ensure getting credit
I bought $300 e-gift cards from gifts.marriott.com last week and received the credit about a week later.
Would it be worth it to product change from the Bonvoy card to the Brilliant? Would the $300 Marriott credit post right away and would I have to keep the card for a year before downgrading? I too find tracking the monthly dining credits to be a pain. Thanks for any insight anyone can share!
Sure, as long you already received Brilliant sign-up bonus it’s worth it. No need to keep the card for a year if no points offered. You can “change your mind” after getting $300 Marriott credit.
Thanks so much for your quick reply!
I chatted with an Amex Rep who insisted that I would be paid out within 6 weeks of any portion of the $300 I had not used. My initial argument was that since my card renewed in May and I had no plans to stay at a Marriott at the moment, I would not get the full $300 in dining credits . He reiterated twice (and I took screenshots) that any portion of the credit not used by 9/22 would be credited as statement credit.
Oh if only we could trust that Amex would stand behind the things their chat reps say…
I was told that same thing today as well.
I wonder if Nick would be willing to reach out to Amex to find out if this is true.
For what it’s worth, I was just also told this on the phone (probably slightly more reliable than chat). Still, it would be nice to see it in writing.
Thanks for sharing, that is definitely a good sign. I have heard of couple more people that got the same response by chat.
I was told the other day, when I complained about having unused of the $300 credit, that bc I was a good customer (really?) they offered me 60K Marriott points for $3K spend in 3 months to make up for it. So now I have to spend another $3K, of which they’ll get 2.5-3% (~$75-90), right? I’ve already got another spend I’m trying to make too. I did take it though.