Marriott bonvoy boundless credit card foreign transaction fee

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Travel lovers will appreciate the benefits from the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card, but won’t have a reason to keep it at the top of their wallet. The ongoing benefits at Marriott-family hotels (including a free night every year upon card renewal) make it easy to justify the $95 annual fee and Bonvoy Silver Elite status is nice to have. However, the card offers weak rewards for ongoing spending. Get this card for the perks, not the rewards.

Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card

Welcome Bonus

100,000 Bonus Points

Regular APR

18.24% - 25.24% Variable

Credit Score

Good, Excellent

Pros

• Free night certificate every year (valued at 35,000 points)
• 15 Elite Night Credits per year
• Automatic Silver Elite status

Cons

• Stingy earnings structure
• High APR
• $95 annual fee

Highlights

• Limited Time Offer! Earn 100,000 Bonus Points after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
• Earn 3X points per $1 on the first $6,000 spent in combined purchases each year on grocery stores, gas stations, and dining.
• Earn 1 Elite Night Credit towards Elite Status for every $5,000 you spend.
• 1 Free Night Award (valued up to 35,000 points) every year after account anniversary.
• Earn up to 17X total points per $1 spent at over 7,000 hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy® with the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Card.
• 2X points for every $1 spent on all other purchases.
• Receive 15 Elite Night Credits annually, automatic Silver Elite Status each account anniversary year, and path to Gold Status when you spend $35,000 on purchases each calendar year.
• No foreign transaction fees.

Introduction

At first glance, the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card seems like an obvious choice for Marriott loyalists. You’ll earn Marriott points with every purchase you make plus a hefty welcome bonus to use toward your choice of hotels. However, points rack up slowly with most purchases only earning 2 Marriott points per dollar spent. At that rate, most consumers will be better off putting their charges on a different card. Even cash-back cards can outearn the Boundless.

This card redeems itself with a package of Marriott benefits. Cardholders are automatically upgraded to Silver Elite in the Bonvoy program and can take advantage of benefits like free Wi-Fi, priority late checkout and bonus points on every stay. Gold Elite is also within reach: Cardholders get 15 elite night credits of the 25 necessary, making it easier to fit in the other stays. Alternatively, cardholders can earn Gold Elite status by spending $35,000 in a single year.

One of the best features of this card is the free night award added to your Marriott account each year after your account anniversary. The certificate is valid for a one night stay at properties requiring 35,000 points or less. It’s almost certain that the cost of a stay will at least break-even with the card’s $95 annual fee. In many cases, you can come out ahead.

The card rounds out benefits with extras that are valuable to travelers. Basic trip delay and lost luggage insurance are included and there are no foreign transaction fees.

Compare Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card With Other Cards

At a Glance

• Welcome bonus: 100,000 bonus points after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening
• $95 annual fee
• Automatic Marriott Silver Elite benefits, with a Gold Elite upgrade if you spend $35,000 during your account year
• 15 elite night credits every year, with one additional elite night credit for every $5,000 spent
• Earn 6 points per dollar at participating Marriott Bonvoy hotels, 3 points per dollar spent each year (up to $6,000) on combined grocery stores, gas stations and dining purchases and 2 points per dollar on all other purchases
• Free Night Award (valued up to 35,000 points) each year after account anniversary
• No foreign transaction fees

Rewards

Earning Rewards

Earning points with the Boundless card is simple. Purchases at Marriott Bonvoy properties earn 6 points per dollar at participating Marriott Bonvoy hotels, 3 points per dollar spent each year (up to $6,000) on combined grocery stores, gas stations and dining purchases and 2 points per dollar on all other purchases.

Although earning double points sounds great, most redemptions provide less than one cent per point in value. When comparing this card to others, the overall value can be lacking unless you spend a lot directly through Marriott hotels.

All rewards earned through the card are issued as Marriott Bonvoy reward points and are automatically deposited into your account. This allows cardholders to earn rewards faster since points from the card are combined with those earned through hotel stays and other members. Like all Marriott points, your rewards won’t expire as long as you have activity in your Bonvoy account within the last 24 months.

Redeeming Rewards

Since all points earned are deposited into your Marriott Bonvoy account, cardholders have access to all of Marriott’s redemption options. As you’d expect, the most traditional reward choice is using points to pay for a free night at any of Marriott’s hotels. Category 1 hotels can cost as few as 4,000 points per night on off-peak dates, though Category 8 hotels cost up to 100,000 points per night.

Marriott members can stretch their points farther by seeking PointSavers hotels, which offer a 20% points discount. Cardholders can also save points by booking longer stays: The fifth consecutive night is free when you redeem points for the first four nights. Additionally, members can book Cash + Points reservations, where a cash copay is used to lower the number of points needed.

Marriott Bonvoy offers several other ways to redeem points including using points to pay for flights or hotels. Bonvoy points can also be transferred directly to Marriott partner airlines without also redeeming for a hotel stay.

If you have more Marriott points than you can use on travel, there are also options to redeem toward special experiences known as Marriott Bonvoy Moments or to buy gift cards.

Rewards Potential

Forbes Advisor uses data from various government agencies in order to determine both baseline income and spending averages. The 70th percentile of wage-earning households bring in $107,908 annually and spend $32,072 on credit card purchases.

The $2,220 our sample family spends on hotels would earn 15,540 Bonvoy points, assuming every hotel stay was in the Marriott Bonvoy family (remember, you’ll earn 6 points per dollar spent at Marriott properties and another 1 point for the automatic Silver Elite status Another $6,000 capped spending in combined gas, groceries and dining would earn 18,000 Bonvoy points at 3 points per dollar. The remaining $23,852 in credit charges would earn 47,704 points for a total rewards potential of 81,244 Bonvoy points in addition to the first-year welcome bonus.

Other Card Benefits

• Elite Status: All cardholders receive automatic Silver Elite Status and will earn Gold Elite if they charge $35,000 or more in purchases in one year. You’ll also get 1 Elite Night Credit towards Elite Status for every $5,000 you spend.
• Anniversary Free Night: Enjoy a Free Night Award every year after your account anniversary, valid for a one-night hotel stay at a property with a redemption level up to 35,000 points. Certain hotels have resort fees.
• Lost Luggage Reimbursement: Get reimbursed up to $3,000 per passenger.
• Trip Delay Reimbursement: Up to $500 reimbursed for purchases such as meals and lodging for flights delayed 12 or more hours.
• Visa Concierge: Cardmembers have access to the Visa Signature Concierge Service, a 24-hour service that can assist you with dining and entertainment reservations.
• No Foreign Transaction Fees: You will pay no foreign transaction fees when you use your card for purchases made outside of the United States.

Fine Print

Interest Rates

• Regular APR: 18.24% - 25.24% Variable
• Purchase Intro APR: N/A
• Balance Transfer Intro APR: N/A

Fees

• Annual Fee: $95
• Balance Transfer Fee: Either $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater.
• Cash Advance: Either $10 or 5% of the amount of each transaction, whichever is greater.
• Foreign Purchase Transaction Fee: $0

How it Stacks Up

Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card vs. Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card

Customers looking for a Marriott credit card with no annual fee should look at the Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card. Also issued by Chase, the card offers some of the same Marriott perks, including automatic Silver Elite status and 15 elite night credits to put you on the path toward gold.

Since you’re not paying an annual fee, you’ll miss out on some earning opportunities. The card earns half as many Bonvoy points when staying at Marriott hotels, netting only 3 points per dollar at over 7,000 hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy program, 2 points per dollar on other travel purchases (from airfare to taxis and trains) and 1 point per dollar on all other purchases. Notably, the welcome bonus is also much lower and you’ll also lose out on the free anniversary night.

Given that nearly everyone will get value annually from the free night certificate, the Bonvoy Boundless card is a better option unless you don’t expect to redeem your free night certificate each year.

Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card vs. Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant™ American Express® Card

Marriott loyalists have yet another personal credit card option to earn Bonvoy points. The ultra-premium Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant™ American Express® Card (Terms apply. See rates & fees) stuffs extreme value into a single card, assuming you’ll use the perks.

This card comes with a significant $650 annual fee, meaning you should do your due diligence before deciding whether to apply. In exchange for that hefty carrying cost, you’ll get up to $300 in statement credits per calendar year (up to $25 per month) for eligible purchases at restaurants worldwide. That makes the annual cost more tolerable, especially since it includes Priority Pass airport lounge access and reimbursement toward Global Entry or TSA PreCheck.

The Bonvoy Brilliant Amex also upgrades your Marriott benefits. The annual free night certificate is valid at higher-end properties priced up to 85,000 points, giving you more opportunities to use it. You’ll also automatically earn Platinum Elite status instead of Gold. Ongoing spending will add up slightly faster since the Bonvoy Brilliant offers increased earnings of 6 Marriott Bonvoy points for each dollar of eligible purchases at hotels participating in the Marriott Bonvoy® program, 3 points per dollar at restaurants worldwide and on flights booked directly with airlines and 2 points per dollar on all other eligible purchases with no caps.

Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card vs. Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

If you’re a frequent traveler but not loyal to Marriott, there’s a good chance a flexible travel rewards card is a better fit. The Chase Sapphire Preferred earns Ultimate Rewards® points which gives you extra flexibility to redeem rewards. Points can be transferred to over a dozen different travel loyalty programs (including Marriott Bonvoy), redeemed through its online booking portal or even cashed out as statement credits.

Sapphire Preferred comes with a $95 annual fee, similar travel insurance benefits and no foreign transaction fee. The welcome bonus looks lower on paper, but not all points are created equal. The bonus comes without the hassle of program restrictions.

With the Sapphire Preferred you’ll earn 5 points per dollar on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards®, 3 points per dollar on dining, select streaming services, and online grocery purchases (excluding Walmart, Target and wholesale clubs), 2 points per dollar on all other travel purchases and 1 point per dollar on all other purchases. For most households, this will add up to higher earnings overall. There’s always a downside though, and in this case, it’s giving up all the benefits when staying on-site at Marriott properties.

Is The Card For You?

This card is ideal for travelers who prefer simplicity: Assuming you redeem the free night certificate every year, it’s almost guaranteed you’ll break even (or better) compared to the annual fee. The Silver Elite perks, as well as a welcome bonus and the opportunity to earn 6 points per dollar at Marriott hotels worldwide, are also handy benefits. On the other hand, travelers who truly want to maximize their Marriott points and benefits will be better off paying for a premium card.

To view rates and fees for the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant™ American Express® Card please visit this page.

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