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Annual Fee: $95
Earn 3 Free Nights (each night valued up to 50,000 points) after spending $3,000 on eligible purchases within 3 months of account opening with your Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card. Certain hotels have resort fees.
Earn 3 Free Nights (each night valued up to 50,000 points) after spending $3,000 on eligible purchases within 3 months of account opening with your Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card. Certain hotels have resort fees.
The Boundless is the next level up from the no-annual-fee Bold, and it also comes with some next-level perks despite being a card that costs under $100 a year. You’ll receive an additional Free Night Award (valued up to 35,000 points) each year on your account anniversary, and don’t forget you can “top off” your free night with up to 15,000 additional points making it worth 50,000. This card also gives you the ability to work towards Gold Elite status by spending $35,000 in a calendar year, but you’re better off earning this status by utilizing the complimentary 15 elite night credits you’ll get and by booking stays with Marriott. Additionally, you can earn an additional elite night credit for every $5,000 you spend, offering another means of getting closer to Gold.
[.redeem] 17x [.redeem] total Marriott Bonvoy® points per $1 at Marriott (6x points for every $1 spent at participating Marriott properties, plus 10x points for being a member, and 1x points for having automatic Marriott Silver Elite status)
[.redeem] 3x [.redeem] per $1 on the first $6,000 spent in combined purchases annually on grocery stores, gas stations, and dining
[.redeem] 2x [.redeem] Marriott Bonvoy® points per $1 spent on all other eligible purchases
🏆 Best for Hilton Gold Status
🏆 Best for Hilton Gold Status
Annual Fee: $150
🏆 Best for Hyatt free nights
🏆 Best for Hyatt free nights
Annual Fee: $95
🏆 Best for IHG Loyalists
🏆 Best for IHG Loyalists
Annual Fee: $99
Earn 3 Free Nights (each night valued up to 50,000 points) after spending $3,000 on eligible purchases within 3 months of account opening with your Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card. Certain hotels have resort fees.
The Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Card is one of those hotel cards that offers just enough to be worth its keep year after year. With a small annual fee, it’s way more approachable than Marriott’s premium cards, but it still packs some great value, most notably, the annual Free Night Award worth up to 35,000 points. That benefit alone can easily outweigh the fee with one redemption. Add in the status situation, the ability to work toward Gold with spend, and decent bonus categories, and you’ve got yourself a card that works well whether you’re a casual Marriott guest or someone looking to slowly climb the elite-status ladder.
[.pro] Automatically comes with Silver Elite status [.pro]
[.pro] Earns you a free reward night (worth up to 35,000 points) each year [.pro]
[.pro] Solid earning structure [.pro]
[.pro] No foreign transaction fees [.pro]
[.con] No lounge access or premium travel perks like you’ll find on higher-end cards [.con]
[.con] Competes with flexible travel cards that may offer broader redemption options [.con]
[.redeem] 17x [.redeem] total Marriott Bonvoy® points per $1 at Marriott (6x points for every $1 spent at participating Marriott properties, plus 10x points for being a member, and 1x points for having automatic Marriott Silver Elite status)
[.redeem] 3x [.redeem] per $1 on the first $6,000 spent in combined purchases annually on grocery stores, gas stations, and dining
[.redeem] 2x [.redeem] Marriott Bonvoy® points per $1 spent on all other eligible purchases
[.dontreco] We don’t recommend: Using points for gift cards or merchandise [.dontreco]
The redemption value is much lower for non-travel options. You’ll always get more out of your points by redeeming them for free nights.
[.sometimesreco] We sometimes recommend: Transferring points to airline partners [.sometimesreco]
Marriott has a wide variety of airline transfer partners, but the transfer ratios usually aren’t as strong unless you’re topping off for a specific redemption.
[.alwaysreco] We always recommend: Redeeming points for high-end Marriott stays [.alwaysreco]
Whether it’s a boujee Ritz-Carlton or W hotel, your free night certificate and welcome offer can go far at top-tier properties, especially when combined with your status perks like suite upgrades and late checkout.
If you want to level up your Marriott game, the Brilliant makes a solid companion. While the Boundless offers a 35,000-point Free Night Award, the Brilliant bumps that up and automatically grants Platinum Elite status. That means perks like free breakfast, lounge access, and suite upgrades, which are all benefits the Boundless doesn’t provide. Having both cards means you can collect multiple Free Night Awards each year while mixing entry-level and premium Marriott perks.
If you want more flexibility alongside your Marriott points, the Sapphire Preferred is a great partner. Ultimate Rewards points can be transferred directly to Marriott when you need a little extra, but they’re also great with other transfer partners like Hyatt or United. This gives you a way to diversify your travel rewards without relying just on Marriott redemptions.
1. The Occasional Marriott Guest
Even if you only stay at Marriott hotels once or twice a year, the annual Free Night Award can make the Boundless worth it. Redeem it at a mid-range property like a JW Marriott or Renaissance, and you’ll often get a night worth far more than the small annual fee. For occasional travelers who don’t want to commit to a premium hotel card, this is one of the easiest cards to hold long-term.
2. The Points Maximizer
Already have flexible points from cards like Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card or Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card? The Boundless is a great pairing. You’ll earn 6x at Marriott properties plus Silver Elite perks, while still being able to transfer or top off accounts with your other cards. This setup allows you to maximize every stay by stacking bonuses, points, and certificates while keeping your options open with flexible currencies.
Here’s a good rule of thumb: You probably shouldn’t own a credit card if you: (1) have a bad credit score, (2) are a non-U.S. resident (for this particular card), and (3) cannot control your spending. If your credit score is low, you'll need to improve it before applying for travel credit cards, as approval for the best ones, like the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless, is unlikely. Be honest with yourself: if a new credit card will tempt you to overspend, it's best to avoid it. Credit cards are crucial for earning miles and points, but they require responsible use.
The recommended credit score for the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless is good to excellent. But again, if you’re in a solid place with your credit and feel you are ready for a new card, don’t let the fear of being rejected keep you from applying. We’ve known several people to be rejected on their first application, call to please their case, and be granted this card.
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