Marriott Bonvoy Business American Express

For $125 a year this is the cheapest way to get Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status plus a free night award good for redemptions up to 35,000 points, and the welcome offer is substantial: 125,000 points total, structured as 75,000 after $6,000 in purchases and another 50,000 after $3,000 more within the first 6 months. The category rates are genuinely useful for a small business, with 4 points per dollar on restaurants worldwide, U.S. gas stations, U.S. wireless service bought directly from providers, and U.S. shipping, plus 2x on everything else. The 6 points per dollar rate only applies at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy, so treat it as a stay bonus rather than a travel rate. The second free night award sounds appealing but requires $60,000 in purchases in a calendar year, which most small businesses will not hit. The honest test is whether the annual free night plus 15 elite night credits and the 7% room rate discount clear $125 for you, and for anyone who stays at Marriott even twice a year, they usually do.