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Credit Card Review: AMEX Marriott Bonvoy Business [August 2022 Update]
The main reason why I like holding hotel credit cards is that most of them usually come with readily usable benefits that can significantly offset the annual fee. For example, the American Express (AMEX) Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant card has an annual fee of $450, but a cardmember receives a 50,000-point free night certificate on his or her card membership anniversary. 50,000 Marriott Bonvoy points are worth about $400, using a 0.8 cents per point valuation. This trend holds true for other hotel credit cards such as the World of Hyatt card by Chase and the AMEX Hilton Aspire card. Because of these perks, it is easy to justify the cost of owning hotel credit cards since they can be keeper cards in your wallet as long as you travel once or twice a year. The AMEX Marriott Bonvoy Business credit card is another great hotel credit card for Marriott loyalists or business owners looking to expand their collection of hotel credit cards. Here’s my review of the AMEX Marriott Bonvoy Business card:
The AMEX Marriott Bonvoy Business card can be a long-term keeper card in your wallet.
Why You Probably Already “Own” a Business
Before I get into the details of this card, one of the questions I get asked is, “Do I Need to Own a Business to be Approved for a Business Credit Card?” While most people would respond, “Well, I don’t own a business.” The real question boils down to, “Do you need to own a business to be approved for a business credit card?” Yes, you need to have a business, but you don’t need an established corporation or LLC to qualify as a business owner to most institutions. In reality, sole proprietorship qualifies for many business credit card applications, and most side gigs or hustles certainly count. For instance, if you were to sell old clothes on eBay or Craigslist, you would qualify for a business line of credit. Do you tutor students after school or over the summer? Sole proprietorship right there. What if you were to, say, write blogs for fun? Once again, sole proprietorship. Check out my detailed article about how to get a business credit card if you have additional questions!
If you have a side gig, it’s possible that you already qualify for a small business credit card. Photo by Christin Hume from Splash
Sign-Up Bonus & Multiplier
The AMEX Marriott Bonvoy Business card is currently offering a sign-up bonus of 125,000 Marriott Bonvoy points after spending $5,000 in three months. Be aware that since this is an AMEX card, you’re only allowed to receive the sign-up bonus once per lifetime. With a 0.8 cents per point valuation, the sign-up bonus is worth about $1,000. The Marriott Bonvoy Business card earns 6X Marriott Bonvoy points per dollar when you book directly with Marriott, 4X points on dining, U.S. shipping purchases, U.S. wireless telephone services, and at U.S. gas stations. All other purchases earn 2X points.
It’s great to see multipliers for restaurants and gas stations for the AMEX Marriott Bonvoy Business card. Photo by AMEX.
If you’d like to apply for the AMEX Marriott Bonvoy Business card, please consider using my referral link. It will continue to help fund my blog operations and help visitors make informed decisions to maximize their rewards. Thank you! Click HERE to access my referral link!
Annual Fee & Benefits
The card's annual fee is $125, but it comes with valuable benefits and perks that effectively offset the annual fee.
Free Night Award - Redeemable up to 35,000 Marriott Bonvoy Points
After your card anniversary, you will receive one free night award, redeemable up to 35,000 Marriott Bonvoy points, which can secure a night at a mid-tier property. I recommend aiming for a mid-tier property that costs between $300 and $400 per night. If you want to earn more free nights, you can earn an additional free night award after spending $60,000 in a calendar year. I don’t think a 35,000-point certificate is worth putting $60,000 on this credit card, but if you have business expenses, you may as well earn a free night at a hotel. Your mileage may vary, but a free night certificate will allow card members to justify keeping the Marriott Bonvoy Business card for the long term. The free night certificate alone will normally offset the credit card's annual fee, and in most cases, it can yield more value than $125.
A night at the Glenmark Hotel in Los Angeles, CA would cost about $251 in cash, but you can redeem a 35,000-point free night certificate to cover the cost! Photo by Marriott.
7% Room Rate Discount on Marriott Stays
When you become a cardmemebr of the AMEX Marriott Bonvoy Business card, you will receive a 7% discount off standard rates for reservations of standard guest rooms at participating Marriott hotels. You will need to book directly, and the new AMEX Business cardmember rate will show up automatically. Though this is a nice perk, if you have a AAA membership, make sure to check the AAA rate. For example, I am heading to Atlanta later in November and booked my stay at The Whitley, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Atlanta Buckhead. To my surprise, the AAA rate was $10 cheaper than the AMEX Business rate. This wasn’t consistent with all hotel reservations, but it’s worth noting that a AAA membership may save a tad bit more than the AMEX Business rate in certain cases.
Sometimes the AAA rate was cheaper than the AMEX Business rate. Photo by Marriott.
Complimentary Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite Status
By holding the AMEX Marriott Bonvoy Business card, you automatically qualify for Gold Elite status, the same complimentary status offered for owning the AMEX Platinum card. Gold Elite members can earn 25% more Marriott Bonvoy points on eligible purchases and stays. The next tier would be Platinum Elite status, which will give you an opportunity to choose the Annual Choice Benefit, lounge access, and many more. To be frank, Gold Elite status is not worth much; you rarely get upgraded to an enhanced room, and the status doesn’t come with free breakfast. However, it does set you up to achieve a more desirable status level later—such as Platinum Elite or even Titanium Elite—if you plan on staying at Marriott properties throughout the year.
Gold Elite status won’t give you amazing benefits, but it is a great stepping stone to higher Marriott Bonvoy elite levels. Photo by Marriott.
15 Elite Night Credits
I’m a Marriott loyalist, and by simply holding the AMEX Marriott Bonvoy Business card, I earn 15 elite night credits annually towards Marriott Bonvoy elite status. Unless you product-change or have been grandfathered into older products, there are four Marriott Bonvoy personal and business credit cards you can currently apply to. They are AMEX Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant, AMEX Marriott Bonvoy Business, Chase Marriott Bonvoy Boundless, and Chase Marriott Bonvoy Bold. Each of those cards will award you with 15 elite night credits annually, but your ceiling is maxed at 30 annual elite night credits. Moreover, you can only earn 15 elite night credits from a personal credit card and the other 15 elite night credits from a business credit card. Even if you were to own all three personal Marriott Bonvoy credit cards, you would only receive 15 elite night credits annually. The only way to receive all 30 elite night credits would be by holding one of the personal credit cards and the AMEX Marriott Bonvoy Business card.
You can start you year with 30 Elite night credits by holding by owning one personal Marriott Bonvoy credit card and one business Marriott Bonvoy credit card.
Starting a year with 30 elite night credits will automatically qualify you for Gold Elite status and make it easier to meet requirements for higher Elite statuses such as Platinum or Titanium Elite statuses. For example, you would need 50 and 75 Elite night credits to be a Platinum Elite or a Titanium Elite, respectively. Holding the AMEX Marriott Bonvoy Business card and one of the personal Marriott Bonvoy credit cards from either AMEX or Chase will lower the requirements to 20 and 45.
Other Benefits
Since the card is issued by AMEX, you will have access to AMEX Offers. The AMEX Marriott Bonvoy Business card covers cardholders up to $1,250 for lost luggage and has purchase protection benefits that cover up to $1,000 per incident and $50,000 per year. The card has a warranty extension benefit of up to one year as well. If you need to issue additional cards for your employees, you could add up to five cards for free.
Travel protection benefits can save your day when your travel plans derail. Photo by ConvertKit from Unsplash.
Summary
The AMEX Marriott Bonvoy Business card is the only Marriott-branded business credit card on the market. Its $125 annual fee can be easily neutralized by an annual 35,000-point free night award, which could be worth about $280 alone. The AMEX Marriott Bonvoy Business card is a must-have credit card for Marriott loyalists, especially those who would like to jumpstart their elite night credits towards status. The only way to receive all 30 elite night credits would be by holding one of the personal credit cards and the AMEX Marriott Bonvoy Business card. Don’t be discouraged that this is a business credit card because I’m sure you already “own” a business. Once you realize that business credit card applications will open many doors, and the AMEX Marriott Bonvoy Business card should be your next business credit card.
If you’d like to apply for the AMEX Marriott Bonvoy Business card, please consider using my referral link. It will continue to help fund my blog operations and help visitors make informed decisions to maximize their rewards. Thank you! Click HERE to access my referral link!
