The Marriott Bonvoy Bevy American Express Card has a $250 annual fee. It earns 6X points at participating Marriott Bonvoy hotels, 4X at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets on up to $15,000 a year, and 2X on everything else. It also comes with Gold Elite status. Whether it earns a place in your wallet depends on which Marriott card you carry now, so this review takes the two cases in turn. Every Bevy figure comes from Amex's page for the card.
If You Already Hold a Marriott Card
The Boundless
The Marriott Bonvoy Boundless costs $95 a year. It earns 6X at Marriott hotels and 3X on the first $6,000 a year in combined purchases at grocery stores, gas stations and dining, according to Chase's page. Its free night certificate covers properties up to 35,000 points.
The Bevy costs $250. Its 4X category is restaurants and U.S. supermarkets, with a $15,000 cap instead of $6,000. Its Free Night Award works differently. You earn it after spending $15,000 on eligible purchases with the card in a calendar year, and it's good for one night at a hotel with a redemption level of 50,000 points or less. Both cards give you 15 Elite Night Credits a year, and the Bevy adds Gold Elite status where the Boundless has Silver.
The Brilliant
The Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant costs $650. Amex's page lists 6X at Marriott hotels, 3X at restaurants worldwide and on flights booked directly with airlines, Platinum Elite status, a Free Night Award every year after your card renewal month at a redemption level up to 85,000 points, and up to $300 a year in dining statement credits (up to $25 a month).
Next to that, the Bevy's case is the 4X category. Amex's page says the Bevy doesn't currently have lounge access benefits. Amex also notes that the Elite Night Credits have limits per Marriott Bonvoy member account and aren't exclusive to Amex cards, so check how they'd count toward your next status level before you add a second card.
If You Hold No Marriott Card: The Bevy vs. the Boundless
The two cards line up like this:
- Annual fee: $250 for the Bevy, $95 for the Boundless.
- At Marriott hotels: 6X on both.
- Everyday spending: 4X at restaurants and U.S. supermarkets on up to $15,000 a year for the Bevy. 3X on the first $6,000 at grocery stores, gas stations and dining for the Boundless.
- Everything else: 2X on both.
- Status: Gold Elite for the Bevy, Silver Elite for the Boundless.
- Free night: after $15,000 in a calendar year for the Bevy, for a hotel at 50,000 points or less. A certificate for properties up to 35,000 points for the Boundless.
Amex's wording is U.S. supermarkets, and Chase's is grocery stores. Confirm that the stores you shop at count before you plan around the 4X.
The Decision
If you hold the Boundless, the Bevy is worth adding only if restaurants and U.S. supermarkets take most of your spending, since that category has to cover the higher fee. If you hold the Brilliant, the Bevy adds a second annual fee of $250 for 4X at restaurants, where the Brilliant earns 3X, and 4X at U.S. supermarkets.
If you hold no Marriott card, start with the Boundless unless your restaurant and supermarket spending is high enough to use the $15,000 cap. In that case, apply for the Bevy.
