Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express
150,000 points welcome · 6x on hotels · $650/yr
The Brilliant is the only Bonvoy card here that hands you Platinum Elite status outright, and that plus a Free Night Award good for redemptions up to 85,000 points is the reason to pay $650 a year. The credits do a lot of the work: $25 a month in dining statement credits ($300 a year), a $100 property credit on stays of two or more consecutive nights, Global Entry or TSA PreCheck reimbursement every four years, and Priority Pass Select lounge access. Amex cut the welcome offer from 200,000 points in May and has since brought it back to 150,000, earned in two stages after $8,000 of spending in six months. Earning is fine but not the draw: 6x at Marriott Bonvoy hotels, 3x at restaurants and on flights booked directly with airlines, and 2x on everything else. This card only works if you stay at Marriott enough for Platinum to matter and you reliably use the monthly dining credit, because $650 is a lot to carry on status alone.
Earn rates & credits
| Category | Rate |
|---|---|
Hotels Hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy | 6x |
Dining Restaurants worldwide | 3x |
Airlines Flights booked directly with airlines | 3x |
Everything Else | 2x |
| Benefit | Value |
|---|---|
Dining Credit $25/month in statement credits at restaurants worldwide | $25 /mo |
Marriott Property Credit $100 statement credit for stays of 2+ consecutive nights at Marriott Bonvoy properties | $100 /yr |
Global Entry / TSA PreCheck Credit Statement credit every 4 years for the $120 Global Entry application fee or up to $85 for TSA PreCheck | $120 every 4 yr |
Cell Phone Protection Reimburses repair or replacement costs up to $800 per claim (2 approved claims per 12 months, $50 deductible) when the prior month's wireless bill was paid with the Card. | $800 |
| Total annual credits | $430 |
Card details
Regular APR | 19.49%–28.49% variable |
Foreign transaction fee | None |