Over the weekend, Greg and I spoke at the New York Travel & Adventure Show. During question & answer time, an audience member noted that they had one of the Marriott credit cards, but they wanted to know whether it was the best Marriott card to have. I’d never really considered whether one Marriott card was better than the others. My instinct was that if you’re going to have one it just comes down to whether / how much you value the benefits of the ultra-premium cards. The ideal Marriott card strategy involves two Marriott credit cards. Still, I realized that many average cardholders have probably wondered the same. Is one better than the others? Definitely, maybe.
A single Marriott credit card strategy isn’t best
My first mental reaction at the question was that there isn’t one “best” Marriott card, but rather that the best Marriott card strategy means having at least one consumer card and one business card.
That’s because Marriott gives 15 elite night credits to cardholders of their co-branded credit cards. You can get a total of 15 elite night credits from holding any number of Marriott consumer cards and a total of 15 elite night credits from holding any number of Marriott business cards. In other words, if you have a Marriott consumer card and a Marriott business card, you can get 15 elite night credits from each of those credit cards for a total of 30 elite night credits every year. Note that elite nights only stack if you have both consumer and business cards — elite nights from multiple consumer or multiple business cards do not stack.
The nice thing about a Marriott consumer + business card strategy is that it gets you more than halfway to meaningful elite status. Platinum status, which offers free breakfast at most Marriott properties and lounge access at most Marriott properties requires 50 elite nights per year. Having one consumer and one business credit card gives you 30 nights, so you’ll only actually need to spend 20 nights in Marriott hotels to have meaningful(ish) status.
Therefore, the best Marriott credit card strategy is to have one consumer and one business card.
Executing that strategy isn’t intuitively simple. Marriott is in a bizarre league of its own when it comes to credit card rules. It is a rare exception in that there are two card issuers issuing co-branded cards with Marriott (both Chase and Amex) and there are complicated application rules surrounding which card(s) you can get based on which card(s) you have and/or have gotten. Greg has written guides to Marriott’s byzantine credit card rules, but the key simplification is that if you have no Marriott cards now you can get both the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant Amex card and the Amex Marriott Bonvoy Business card and achieve your 30 elite nights per year without running afoul of any of the rules. That involves a high annual fee on the Brilliant card, but in future years that card can be downgraded to a $95 card that is no longer available to new applicants if you don’t value the benefits enough to pony up for the high annual fee.
All that is to say that “Which Marriott card is the best Marriott card”? Is a question that never popped into mind because having a single Marriott card isn’t the most sensical strategy.
However, if you’re going to pick only one Marriott card, is there one that makes the most sense?
All of the Marriott credit cards that you could have or get
Not all of the Marriott credit cards are currently available to new applicants. However, a number of cards that are no longer available for new applicants still exist. Here are the Marriott credit cards that you can get and/or may still have:
| Card Info Name and Link Only (no offer) |
|---|
Note that the Chase business card is no longer available and there is no way to product change your way to it. However, the rest of the cards above are either available new or you could product change to them from other Marriott cards.
Greg has written a post about how to get 5 Marriott cards if you wanted to have 5 of them. The strategy, which should be taken as a purely theoretical exercise that doesn’t make much sense practically speaking, would involve not earning welcome bonuses on several of the cards. That isn’t much fun, so I don’t recommend it. Still, the post goes into detail about the application rules and product changing strategy, which could be useful if you’re interested in card that you can’t get.
If you currently have a Marriott card or cards and want to know which card(s) you can still get, see the post: Are you eligible for a new Marriott card?
Bonus categories don’t really matter
The Marriott credit cards generally offer poor return on spend. That’s because Marriott Bonvoy points aren’t worth a ton. Even the very best bonus category — spending at Marriott properties — only yields a rough equivalent of about 4% back.
On the consumer side, bonus categories don’t even quite yield 2% back toward Marriott stays. You’d probably be better off with a no-fee 2% cash back card (or one of the many even better cards for everyday spend).
Marriott consumer card details
| Card Name w Details No Review (no offer) |
|---|
$0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $95 Earning rate: 6X Marriott ✦ 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: Marriott Gold Elite with $30K annual spend (note this threshold will increase to $35K on January 1, 2019) Noteworthy perks: 1 Free Night Award every year after your Card account anniversary up to 35K points (subject to resort fees) ✦ Receive free premium internet at Marriott properties. See also: Marriott Bonvoy Complete Guide |
$650 Annual Fee Earning rate: 3X airfare -on flights booked directly with airlines; 3X restaurants worldwide, 6X Marriott; 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: Annual Choice Award with $60K calendar year spend Noteworthy perks: ✦ 85K Free Night Award each year upon renewal ✦ $300 dining credit per membership year ($25/mo) ✦ Platinum Elite status ✦ 25 elite nights credit ✦ Priority Pass membership (Lounges only) with 2 guests ✦ Global Entry fee credit ✦ Free premium internet at Marriott properties Note: Enrollment required for some benefits. See also: Marriott Bonvoy Complete Guide |
$250 Annual Fee 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. 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 |
$250 Annual Fee Earning rate: 6X Marriott.✦ 4X restaurants & grocery on up to $15K spend per year ✦ 2X everywhere else Card Info: Visa Signature issued by Chase. This card has no foreign currency conversion fees. Big spend bonus: One 50K Free Night Award after $15K calendar year spend. 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 |
$450 Annual Fee Earning rate: ✦ 6X Ritz & Marriott.✦ 3X airline tickets purchased directly with the airline, at car rental agencies and at restaurants ✦ 2X everywhere else Card Info: Visa Infinite issued by Chase. This card has no foreign currency conversion fees. Big spend bonus: $75K spend per calendar year for Platinum elite status Noteworthy perks: ✦ Annual 85K hotel certificate upon renewal ✦ 3 club level upgrades. $100 hotel credit for each 2 night or longer stay ✦ Priority Pass Select with unlimited guests ✦ $300 annual credit for airline incidentals ✦ Automatic Gold Status See also: Marriott Bonvoy Complete Guide |
$85 Annual Fee Earning rate: ✦ 2X airline, car rental, & restaurants ✦ 5X Marriott. Card Info: Visa Signature issued by Chase. This card has no foreign currency conversion fees. Big spend bonus: 1 credit towards elite status for every $3,000 in purchases Noteworthy perks: ✦ 15 night credit towards elite status every year upon account anniversary ✦ Free category 1-5 certificate each year upon renewal |
$95 Annual Fee Earning rate: ✦ 6X Marriott Bonvoy ✦ 3X gas stations, grocery stores, and dining on up to $6K in combined purchases each year ✦ 2X everywhere else Card Info: Visa Signature issued by Chase. This card has no foreign currency conversion fees. Big spend bonus: Earn Gold status when you spend $35K each year ✦ 1 Elite Night Credit towards elite status for every $5K spent Noteworthy perks: ✦ Annual free night certificate for 1 night at a hotel redemption level up to 35K ✦ Automatic Silver status ✦ 15 nights of elite credit each year ✦ 1 Elite Night Credit for every $5K spent See also: Marriott Bonvoy Complete Guide |
No Annual Fee Earning rate: ✦ 3X Marriott Bonvoy ✦ 2X travel ✦ 1X everywhere else Card Info: Visa Signature issued by Chase. This card has no foreign currency conversion fees. Noteworthy perks: Automatic Silver status ✦ 15 nights of elite credit each year See also: Marriott Bonvoy Complete Guide |
On the business side, the bonus categories slightly eclipse what you might otherwise get with a basic cash back card, though even then they don’t really compete with cards that offer the best category bonuses in the same categories. I guess that earning the equivalent of about 2.64% back at gas stations isn’t horrible, but with no-annual-fee cards offering 3 or 4% back on gas, I just can’t really get behind using a Marriott card for much of anything from a rewards standpoint.
Marriott business card details
| Card Name w Details No Review (no offer) |
|---|
$125 Annual Fee Earning rate: 6x at Marriott Bonvoy properties ✦ 4x at restaurants worldwide, U.S. gas stations, wireless telephone services purchased from U.S. suppliers and on U.S. purchases for shipping ✦ 2x on all other eligible purchases. Terms Apply. (Rates & Fees) Card Info: Amex Credit Card issued by Amex. This card has no foreign currency conversion fees. Big spend bonus: Earn an additional 35k free night certificate (can be topped-up with up to 15k additional points, subject to resort fees) after you spend $60K on purchases in a calendar year Noteworthy perks: Complimentary Marriott Gold elite status ✦ 15 Elite Night Credits each calendar year ✦ 35k Free Night Award every year after card renewal (subject to resort fees) ✦ Complimentary premium Internet access at Marriott properties ✦ Terms Apply (Rates & Fees) See also: Marriott Bonvoy Complete Guide |
$99 Annual Fee Earning rate: 6X Marriott ✦ 4X dining, internet, cable and phone service ✦ 4X gas stations and shipping ✦ 2X everywhere else. Card Info: Visa Signature Business issued by Chase. This card has no foreign currency conversion fees. Noteworthy perks: 35K free night award each year upon renewal ✦ Gold status ✦ 15 elite night credits each calendar year ✦ Free in-room premium internet ✦ 7% discount off the standard rate for a standard room at participating hotels when you book direct (Terms and Conditions apply) See also: Marriott Bonvoy Complete Guide |
How much do you value the benefits?
Since all of the Marriott credit cards offer the same 6x at Marriott properties and none of them offer particularly compelling bonus categories, the real question comes down to how much you value the benefits of any of the Marriott cards.
Greg has a handy premium card spreadsheet to help you decide which cards are worth it for you, but comparing solely Marriott cards comes down to a couple of key benefits.
Most of the Marriott cards with an annual fee around $100 come with an annual free night certificate valid for a night costing up to 35K points. Greg has previously valued those certificates at $250. In other words, the free night certificate alone makes any of the ~$100 Marriott cards an annual win provide that you use the certificate even moderately well.
The two ultra-premium cards, the Amex Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant and the Chase Ritz-Carlton Visa Infinite card, each offer an annual free night certificate valid for one night up to 50K points. Greg valued those certificates at $325, which doesn’t completely offset the $450 annual fee on either card.
However, both cards come with a number of valuable additional benefits. Both cards feature annual statement credits of up to $300. The Amex Bonvoy Brilliant card offers $300 in statement credits for Marriott purchases each year, whereas the Chase Ritz card offers $300 in statement credits for airline incidental fees.
The Amex credit is more straightforward and it triggers automatically with spend at Marriott properties (note that it is possible to buy Marriott gift cards at the front desk of some properties). The Chase Ritz credit requires calling or sending a secure message and officially it only works on airline incidentals, though in practice people have had all sorts of travel-related charges reimbursed. Agents seem to have wide latitude and some are more conscious of qualifying purchase types than others. For most people, I think the annual credits on the Amex card are the better deal because of the ease of use, but I actually prefer the Ritz credits. I’ve been able to use mine in situations where I’d have used the card anyway and I otherwise already have access to a good deal on Marriott gift cards.
Where the gap begins to widen is in general travel benefits and protections.
The Bonvoy Brilliant card offers a Priority Pass Select membership that excludes restaurants and is valid for the cardholder plus two guests. The Chase Ritz card offers a Priority Pass Select membership that includes restaurants and unlimited guests (and each authorized user also gets their own Priority Pass membership with unlimited guesting). Those who travel to or through airports with Priority Pass lounges and have a family (or family members who would benefit from a Priority Pass membership via authorized user card) would do much better with the Ritz card.
When it comes to travel protections, the Ritz card is head and shoulders above the Brilliant. Whereas the Brilliant card comes with car rental coverage, it is only secondary coverage and there are a few country exclusions. Chase coverage is primary and I believe there are no country exclusions. Amex has trip delay coverage, but only if a round trip ticket was purchased entirely with your Bonvoy Brilliant card, whereas trip delay coverage kicks in on the Ritz card when you charge even part of your ticket on the Ritz card (like just the taxes on an award ticket). The same story is true with Trip Cancellation / Interruption protection: Amex requires the entire trip be purchased on the Bonvoy Brilliant card whereas Chase only requires part of the trip to be charged to the Ritz card for coverage. The Ritz card includes some small emergency medical / dental coverage whereas Amex does not include that. Essentially, the Ritz card protections mirror the best-in-class Chase Sapphire Reserve protections. See more comparisons in the post Ultra-Premium Credit Card Travel Protections.
If you already have another card that provides excellent travel protections, the same benefits on the Ritz card may be meaningless to you. For example, if you’re going to have the Chase Sapphire Reserve, then the travel protections of the Ritz don’t add any value. On the other hand, if you won’t otherwise carry a card with great travel protections, I think the Ritz-Carlton card is well worth considering. Note that you can’t get that card as a new cardholder since it is no longer available for new applicants. However, it should still be available as a product change from another Chase Marriott consumer card.
If those travel protections don’t matter to you, then the easier-to-use Marriott credits on the Brilliant card may be more appealing.
And if the 50K free night certificate and additional benefits on the ultra-premium cards don’t easily add enough value to eclipse the annual fee, any of the ~$100 cards with 35K free night certificates are easy wins.
Bottom line
Personally, I find the Chase Ritz-Carlton card the most compelling of the Marriott cards. That’s because I value a Priority Pass with unlimited guests for family trips and I value the travel protections offered. While those protections overlap with those on my wife’s Sapphire Reserve card, having the same protections on my own card means I can use the card for my solo travel and if I need to make a claim I can save my wife the call and make that claim myself. I easily use the $300 in travel credits each year on trips I would book with the Ritz for its travel protections anyway, so the annual free night certificate feels like it costs me less. If I were to only have one Marriott card, the Ritz card would be it. However, for those who don’t value the additional benefits, I think any Marriott card is about as good as the next one — just do yourself a favor and get one business and one consumer card and the reduced path to elite status will likely make both cards worth a bit more yet to you.
Want to learn more about miles and points? Subscribe to email updates or check out our podcast on your favorite podcast platform.
Kind of related question…
Does the card member need to be flying in order to receive the various travel protections?
Chase Ritz has great benefits – perfect travel protection, primary insurance and great Priority Pass. Having this card essentially eliminates the need for CSR and I’d argue that Ritz is better than CSR. However, if one has the same set of benefits from another card, e.g. CapOne Venture X, the benefits coming from Chase Ritz have zero extra value.
Assuming it’s the case and taking the $300 credit at the face value, it comes down to $150 for 50K certificate vs $95 for 35K certificate which is $55 for 15K Marriott points. 0.37 c/pt is not bad even after the devaluation so in my mind the Ritz card is the winner.
This is like debating which Spirit airlines card would be best (if there were many different flavors). Marriott is nuking their entire program to the point that IHG is looking like a better option. Barring a massive revamp of the earn rates come 2023, the best Marriott card to have would be a canceled Marriott card.
Yeah. I did similar research a couple months ago and came to the same conclusion. Considered upgrading an older card to the Ritz, but just didn’t feel like dealing with another high AF and canceled.
Maybe they will lose enough business they come to sweeten the pot a bit down the line.
I am using the 2 certs from my personal and business Marriott Amex card at the Straf Design Hotel in Milan, a 35k property. The cash price is 375 per night and it is in a fantastic location.
How was your stay? Just booked for September
It was good, it’s in a perfect location, literally right outside of the Duomo. The rooms were all black, black marble in the bathroom and black sink and toilet. I guess cause its a design hotel.
I miss the incredible flight benefits that used to come with the Ritz card. $100 every 2 domestic flights. Those were the days!
And I miss the Marriott miles and 1 week stay they used to have! Years ago, we did 1 week stays with Marriott points in Paris, Munich and London (twice I think) over the years.
Don’t you have to actually have a business to get business cards? Don’t think that is a strategy most people can use (unless the commit fraud). Sure you qualify since you own a business and if you have a legit business go for it but please don’t encourage people to get business cards who don’t have businesses just because no one will check! As a former business owner I would assume issuers require a TIN and lying about that is actually a Federal crime.
Business cards do not require a business tax ID. I’m not sure what you view as a “legit” business, but regardless of your definition a sole proprietor uses their own social security number. Many, many people sell something occasionally on eBay or Craigslist, write a blog, consult, drive for Uber or UberEats or engage in some other activity that qualifies as a business (even if only occasionally). The vast vast majority of businesses in the US are small businesses and even those very small businesses qualify for business credit cards (in fact even with no or very low revenue). There is no fraud in having a small sole proprietorship with low or zero revenue and applying for business cards. Whatever you may define as a “legit” business isn’t what matters — the fact is that card issuers list sole proprietorships as one of the qualifying business types and even those with no revenue are often approved (I think Amex now requires a minimum of $1,000 in projected revenue per year, but I’m not aware of another issuer with an explicit requirement like that). You certainly wouldn’t make up a tax ID number — you’d just use your own social security number (or get a free EIN at the IRS website if you want, which takes about 15 minutes and can be done as a sole proprietor, though it isn’t necessary to be approved for business cards).
I certainly understand there are many small businesses and that anyone can set one up and run it. I also am well acquainted with all the various legal structures such businesses can take (I set up and ran my own national consulting firm years ago as a sole proprietorship but did get a TIN for it). I also was SVP Operations for a Fortune 50 company with, among other things, responsibly for acquisitions so have seen about every form of legal structure imaginable. If someone is ACTUALLY in business I have zero problem with them getting business cards.
However, to encourage people to get a business card that really don’t have a business just because they can is, IMHO, deceitful and inconsistent with issuer rules. On the other hand this is a sight that pushes max spend and other sham transactions (I put abusing business cards in a similar category) so go for it. I’m a poker player and we have a term for this – it is called angle shooting which are things not necessarily illegal but definitely inappropriate. Personally, I run $150,000 a year through my cards just on normal spend so have no desire to play games or push the envelope. To each his own I guess and hopefully the issuers will claw back points and shut down accounts for those that abuse their programs.
Your feelings about what qualifies as an appropriate business are irrelevant to the discussion. No need to follow up with all of this pretentious fluff. Nobody cares that you were a big shot at a fortune 50 company, play poker, or push 6 figures of organic spend a year. Banks have weighed the risk of allowing sole proprietorships to apply for these types of cards and have allowed it. A single individual making a hundred bucks a month on the side is no less of a business than your national consulting firm.
Shockingly enough AC, no one actually cares.
A retired gambler doesn’t know what he’s talking about but brags about himself and rambles on for ages, what a shock.
With top-offs to FNCs coming up, we are looking forward to keeping all six of our Marriott CCs. We don’t need any more of those cards – five $100 cards and one Brilliant card. Since we almost never spend on those cards, what would be a good way to acquire Marriott points for the top-offs?
Unfortunately there aren’t many great ways to amass Marriott points. Best bet is to take advantage of spend offers for your cards when they come.