The Marriott Rewards Card is a Visa Signature card best for those who frequently stay at any one of the hotels included in the Marriott Hotel Brand Portfolio when they travel. A very generous new member signup bonus is currently being offered. This card has an annual membership fee of $85 which is not waived. The Marriott Rewards Card is issued by JPMorgan Chase.
The Marriott Hotel Portfolio consists of 19 hotel and resort brands located in more than 4,000 worldwide destinations. Everything from luxurious resorts to urban retreats, smaller boutique properties to spacious suites, Marriott hotels offer unique possibilities to each traveler.
The Marriott brands are:
| Hotel Type: Full-service | Number of Properties | Location(s) |
| Delta Hotels & Resorts | 37 | Canada |
| Gaylord Hotels | 5 | U.S. |
| JW Marriott | 80 | 27 countries |
| Marriott Hotels & Resorts | 526 | 55 countries |
| Renaissance Hotels | 163 | 34 countries |
| Hotel Type: Focus | Number of Properties | Locations(s) |
| Courtyard by Marriott | 1,046 | 40 countries |
| Fairfield Inn & Suites | 783 | 3 countries |
| Marriott Executive Apartments | 26 | 15 countries |
| Marriott Vacation Club | 59 | 8 countries |
| Residence Inn by Marriott | 705 | 8 countries |
| SpringHill Suites | 343 | U.S. |
| TownePlace Suites | 278 | U.S. |
| Hotel Type: Boutique | Number of Properties | Location(s) |
| AC Hotels by Marriott | 86 | 8 countries |
| Autograph Collection Hotels | 97 | 23 countries |
| Protea Hotels | 107 | 8 countries- African continent |
| Moxy Hotels | 1 | Italy |
| Hotel Type: Luxury | Number of Properties | Location(s) |
| Bulgari | 3 | 3 countries |
| Edition | 4 | 3 countries |
| Ritz-Carlton | 93 | 29 countries |
Important: Bulgari Hotels and Resorts does not participate in the Marriott Rewards program. Marriott Executive Apartments is an earning-only Marriott Rewards partner. Delta Hotels and Resorts and Protea Hotels will soon be part of the Marriott Rewards program. Courtyard by Marriott participates in the Rewards program in North and Central American locations only.
New account holders have the opportunity to receive 80,000 Bonus Points upon approval. To qualify, you must make at least $3,000 in eligible purchases on the card within the first three months that your account is open. Note: this offer is not available to current cardholders or previous members who received a signup bonus within the past 24 months. Eligible purchases are defined as the total amount of transactions minus any credits and/or returns. Additionally, balance transfers, cash advances, cash-like purchases such as money orders, traveler’s checks, or foreign currency, as well as any fees associated with your account (including the annual fee) do not qualify as purchases. Once the spending threshold has been met, it may take 6-8 weeks for the Bonus Points to post to your account. Please note that if your Marriott Rewards Card account is not open for at least six months, Marriott and Chase reserve the right to deduct the bonus points from your Marriott Rewards account.
Card members earn points at the following rates:
- 5X for every dollar spent at participating Marriott locations
- 2X for every dollar spent at car rental agencies and airline tickets (when purchased directly from the airline)
- 1X for every dollar spent on all other purchases
There is no maximum amount of points that you can accumulate in the program.
Account holders have various options when redeeming points including free nights at participating Marriott properties, car rentals and flights, and merchandise. Marriott groups its hotels and resorts into categories, depending on the brand, location, and type. For example, a Category 1 hotel such as a Courtyard in Wichita requires 7,500 points for a Free Night. However, a Courtyard in downtown Little Rock is a Category 5 hotel and would require 25,000 points for a Free Night Award. Redemption points needed range from 7,500 to 45,000 and are all based on a standard room. Upgrades may be available for extra points and no blackout dates apply (except at Marriott Vacation Club resorts).
Cardholders earn an annual Free Night Stay every year on the anniversary date that your account was originally opened. This Free Night Stay E-Certificate is valid for hotels in categories 1-5 and expire 12 months after the issue date. Your account must be open and in good standing to receive this anniversary date certificate.
With the Marriott Rewards Card, members receive 15 Elite Credits after your account is opened and every year thereafter. These credits guarantee you Silver Elite status. Cardholders also receive one credit towards Elite Status for every $3,000 spent on purchases (no cap on credits you can earn).
Silver Elite benefits include:
- A 20% bonus for each stay
- 10% discount on the regular room rate for Friday and Saturday nights at participating Courtyard and SpringHill Suites locations, when available
- 10% discount on Marriott Gift Shop merchandise
- 10% discount on Ritz-Carlton branded merchandise purchased at Ritz-Carlton Gift Shops
- Priority late check-out, when and where available
- Dedicated Exclusive Guest Services Phone Line
The annual percentage rate on purchases is 15.99% (variable) which is based on the current Prime Rate. This same APR also applies to balance transfers. Additionally, a balance transfer fee of either $5 or 3% of the total transfer amount (whichever is greater) is added to each balance transfer.
Members are not charged foreign transaction fees when using the card outside of the U.S.
The Marriott Rewards Card comes with smart chip technology for added security and convenience (especially when traveling overseas).
Cardholders enjoy Visa Signature benefits including:
- Concierge Service
- Emergency Card and Cash Replacement
- Purchase Security
- Extended Warranty
Specific limitations and/or restrictions may apply to all benefits.
The annual fee for this card is $85 (not waived).
The Facts
Below we have broken down the specific details of the Marriott Rewards Card to help you determine if it’s a good choice for you.
The Good:
Signup bonus:
Chase is now offering new card members the opportunity to earn 80,000 Bonus Points upon approval. To qualify, you must make at least $3,000 in eligible net purchases on the card during the first three months that your account is open. This is a limited-time offer and delivers one of the most generous signup bonuses available at the present time. Depending on which type of hotel property you choose, these bonus points can be redeemed for Free Night Stays around the world.
Note: This offer is not available to current members or former cardholders who received a new member bonus within the last 24 months. Net purchases are the total amount of transactions minus any credits and/or returns. Cash advances, balance transfers, and any fees (including the annual membership fee) do not count as purchases.
Easy to earn points:
Card members earn points at the following rates:
- 5X for every dollar spent at participating Marriott locations
- 2X for every dollar spent at car rental agencies and airline tickets (when purchased directly from the airline)
- 1X for every dollar spent on all other purchases
Note: Points are earned on net purchases which excludes balance transfers, cash advances, fees, and cash-like purchases such as traveler’s checks, money orders, and foreign currency.
Various redemption options:
Account holders have various options when redeeming points including free nights at participating Marriott properties, car rentals and flights, and merchandise. Redemption points needed range from 7,500 to 45,000 and are all based on a standard room. Upgrades may be available for extra points and no blackout dates apply (except at Marriott Vacation Club resorts).
Automatic Silver Elite Status:
As a card member, you will receive 15 Credits towards Elite Status after your account is opened and every year thereafter. These Credits automatically guarantee Marriott Silver Elite Status. Your account must remain open and in good standing to receive the yearly Credits. Benefits include:
- A 20% bonus for each stay
- 10% discount on the regular room rate for Friday and Saturday nights at participating Courtyard and SpringHill Suites locations, when available
- 10% discount on Marriott Gift Shop merchandise
- 10% discount on Ritz-Carlton branded merchandise purchased at Ritz-Carlton Gift Shops
- Priority late check-out, when and where available
- Dedicated Exclusive Guest Services Phone Line
Big spender bonus:
Cardholders receive one credit towards Elite Status for every $3,000 spent on purchases (no cap on credits you can earn).
Yearly Anniversary-date Free Night Stay Award:
Cardholders earn an annual Free Night Stay every year on the anniversary date that your account was originally opened. This Free Night Stay E-Certificate is valid for hotels in categories 1-5 and expire 12 months after the issue date. Your account must be open and in good standing to receive this anniversary date certificate.
No foreign transaction fees:
Card members are not charged foreign transaction fees when making purchases on the card while traveling outside of the U.S.
The Bad:
Annual fee:
The annual membership fee is $85 which is not waived for the first year. This is a fairly high fee for a hotel-related credit card.
Not everyone will qualify:
Generally, a good to very good credit score (720+FICO) is needed to qualify for the Marriott Rewards Card.
The Ugly:
Wide range of point levels needed:
The Marriott Rewards program has different categories of hotels (1-9) all of which vary according to brand, hotel type, and location. For instance, a Courtyard property may be a level 1 in one city and a level 5 in another. Plus, the Ritz-Carlton has its own redemption policy consisting of “Tiers”. The Marriott Rewards site requires time and effort to navigate in order to find the best redemption values for your earned points.
Card benefits Marriott loyalists:
This card generously rewards people who travel often and prefer to stay at Marriott Hotel and Resort properties including Ritz-Carlton. The 5X points on Marriott and Ritz-Carlton purchases delivers solid value- but only if you stay at these properties on a regular basis. The 3X points on car rentals and airline tickets also rewards the frequent traveler. Everyday purchases only earn 1X point and is a fairly anemic rate of return.
Remember, too, that airline tickets must be purchased directly from the airline. Flights purchased from discount websites and other travel-type agencies do not qualify for the triple points rate.
That being said, if you are a road warrior who enjoys staying at any of the Marriott Hotel Brands this card may be a good option to consider. The 80,000 bonus points signup offer gives you a lot of bang for the buck (you must spend $3,000 in the first three months) but you also automatically receive Silver Elite Status. You should be able to easily recoup the $85 annual fee with the rewards you’ll earn.