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Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card overview
Even if you aren’t a Marriott loyalist, the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card (see rates and fees) is worth considering. It comes with an annual free night and elite night credits but carries a lower annual fee than most other cards in the Marriott card lineup. Card rating*: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
*Card rating is based on the opinion of TPG’s editors and is not influenced by the card issuer.
Marriott offers a diverse credit card portfolio issued by both Chase and American Express. However, the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card from Chase stands out as the only mid-tier personal Marriott Bonvoy card available to new applicants.
With an annual fee of $95 and a recommended credit score of 670 or higher, the Boundless lands just above the lowest-tier Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card (see rates and fees). Even those who stay at Marriott properties infrequently can benefit from this card’s valuable welcome bonus, annual free night and elite night credits.
Let’s take a closer look at whether the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless might be a good addition to your wallet.
Marriott Bonvoy Boundless pros and cons
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Marriott Bonvoy Boundless welcome offer
For a limited time, new applicants for the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless can earn five free nights (each night valued at up to 50,000 points, for a total potential value of up to 250,000 points) after spending $5,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening. Certain hotels have resort fees.
TPG’s June 2025 valuations peg Marriott Bonvoy points at 0.7 cents each, making this bonus worth up to $1,750 if you fully max out each night at 50,000 points (for a total of 250,000 points).
This matches the highest welcome bonus we’ve seen on this card, which is typically offered once in the first half of the year. If you’ve been considering adding this card to your wallet, now is the best time to apply.
It’s also important to note the eligibility requirements for this card:
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- To be approved, you’ll need to be under the Chase 5/24 rule since this card is issued by Chase.
- Additionally, Marriott cobranded cards are known for having strict and somewhat confusing eligibility requirements, and unfortunately, the Boundless is subject to these rules.
Before submitting an application, be sure to check the eligibility requirements. These eligibility requirements typically require you to not have received a welcome bonus on another Marriott or former Starwood Preferred Guest credit card for a certain period of time. Additionally, if you currently hold a Marriott cobranded card, you may not be eligible for the welcome bonus now.
Related: A complete guide to the Marriott Bonvoy hotel loyalty program
Marriott Bonvoy Boundless benefits
The Bonvoy Boundless comes with a $95 annual fee, but it should be easy to get several hundred dollars in value out of the card’s perks every year. Here are the major ones to consider:
Anniversary free night award
Each year, on account renewal, you’ll receive a free night certificate worth up to 35,000 points. You can also top off your certificate with up to 15,000 additional points, making it potentially worth 50,000 points.
TPG’s June 2025 valuations peg the value of 35,000 Marriott points at $245, nearly three times the $95 annual fee. But it’s possible to get even more value if you’re selective about redeeming your reward night.
TPG senior hotels reporter Tanner Saunders says, “I’ve found that my Boundless card practically pays for itself since the annual free night award quickly covers the $95 annual fee. Add that to the fact the card helps you earn so many points on every dollar spent, and I’ve been able to use the points I earned with the help of the card for some great stays, including two nights in a one-bedroom suite at a hotel in Atlanta where rates were sky-high when I went to see Taylor Swift.”
Elite status
With the Bonvoy Boundless, you’ll earn automatic Silver Elite status, which comes with 10% bonus points on stays and priority late checkout.
The card also offers a path to Gold Elite status: spending $35,000 on purchases each calendar year. However, if you want a card that provides complimentary Gold Elite status with Marriott, consider The Platinum Card® from American Express or The Business Platinum Card® from American Express (enrollment is required; terms apply).
Although you can unlock Gold Elite status through spending, you’re probably better off earning higher status organically via the card’s complimentary 15 elite night credits as well as some stays booked directly with Marriott. So, with Boundless’ 15 nights, you’d only need to stay 35 nights (instead of 50) to earn Platinum Elite status.
If you have the Bonvoy Boundless and a Marriott business card like the Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card, you can get 30 elite night credits each year just from credit cards, leaving only 20 nights to go to reach Platinum Elite.
Another pathway toward higher status is earning one elite night credit for every $5,000 you spend on purchases with the card.
Other perks
The above benefits represent a few hundred dollars in value each year and easily make up for the $95 annual fee. But the card also offers a few additional perks:
- Baggage delay insurance: If a passenger carrier delays your baggage for over six hours, Chase may reimburse you for essential purchases up to $100 a day for five days.
- Lost luggage reimbursement: If a passenger carrier damages or loses your checked or carry-on luggage, Chase may reimburse you up to $3,000 per covered traveler.
- No foreign transaction fees: This perk makes the Bonvoy Boundless ideal for making purchases and booking hotel stays around the world.
- Purchase protection: Chase covers most new purchases for 120 days against damage or theft, up to $500 per claim (capped at $50,000 per account).
- Trip delay reimbursement: If you are delayed by more than 12 hours or required to stay overnight when traveling on a common carrier, Chase may reimburse you for select, otherwise unreimbursed expenses, up to $500 per covered traveler.
Earning points on the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless
The Marriott Bonvoy Boundless card earns points at the following rates:
- 6 points per dollar spent on eligible purchases at hotels participating in the Marriott Bonvoy program (you’ll earn up to 17 points per dollar spent on eligible Marriott stays: 10 points from being a Bonvoy member, 6 points from this card and 10% bonus points from the Silver Elite status the card provides, which equates to a total 11.9% return on spending based on TPG’s June 2025 valuations)
- 3 points per dollar on the first $6,000 spent in combined purchases each year on dining and at gas stations and grocery stores
- 2 points per dollar spent on all other purchases
The bonus points you earn thanks to the complimentary elite status that comes with this card can be valuable — especially if you’re committed to earning Marriott Bonvoy points.
However, other cards — like the Chase Sapphire Reserve® (see rates and fees) — can give you a better return on your Marriott hotel stays.
Redeeming points on the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless
Of course, the most obvious way to redeem Marriott Bonvoy points is for hotel stays. There are a few strategies for maximizing your Marriott redemptions, but this is the most straightforward.
Marriott Bonvoy utilizes dynamic pricing for its award nights, which means the number of points needed to redeem fluctuates given demand and availability.
Using Marriott’s award calendar search function can help you find the best deal when redeeming your points. For instance, a night at the Renaissance Atlanta Midtown Hotel could run you as low as 33,000 points in the first week of June but up to 43,000 points per night later in the month.
Redemption rates at Marriott properties also fluctuate depending on which brand you stay with. For example, a night at the business traveler-focused Courtyard Paris Gare de Lyon in June could cost 65,000-68,000 points, while the luxurious The St. Regis Bora Bora Resort costs 128,000-140,000 points per night for the same dates.
Another important factor to note is that you’ll want to take advantage of the fifth night free on award stays (known as “Stay for 5, Pay for 4”) whenever possible. For every five consecutive nights you stay at a Marriott property using points, you’ll receive the night that’s worth the lowest number of points for free. This is a strong way to make your points stretch further on longer stays.
TPG credit cards writer Chris Nelson used this fifth-night-free perk on a stay at the Aloft Bali Seminyak hotel, where he redeemed just 50,500 points for five nights.
Related: Maximize your hotel points by getting a fourth or fifth night free on award stays
Transferring points on the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless
Marriott lets you transfer points to nearly 40 airline partners, including some with hard-to-earn currencies like Frontier Airlines and Korean Air. Most transfers are at a 3:1 ratio, with a 5,000-mile bonus for every 60,000 points transferred.
While this can be useful for topping off an account or booking an award flight, it’s usually not the best use of Bonvoy points — especially since most transfers take a few days, and award space may disappear before your transfer completes.
TPG credit cards writer Danyal Ahmed uses his Bonvoy points to top off his American Airlines AAdvantage account when in need of some extra miles for high-value redemptions, such as on Qatar Airways’ award-winning Qsuite.
Related: Marriott Bonvoy program: How to redeem points for hotel stays, airfare and more
Which cards compete with the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless?
If you want more Marriott Bonvoy perks or more flexible rewards, you may find one of these cards to be a better match:
For additional options, check out our full list of the best Marriott Bonvoy credit cards and best hotel credit cards.
Related: 3 reasons why the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless is worth the $95 annual fee
Bottom line
The Marriott Bonvoy Boundless offers solid value for its $95 annual fee, with perks usually found on more expensive cards — like an annual free night worth $200-$300.
It’s a good fit for Marriott fans who want to avoid high fees, but be mindful of the strict bonus rules and Chase’s 5/24 limits.
If you’ve already completed the Chase Trifecta and qualify for the bonus, this card can be a smart addition to your wallet.
Apply here: Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card
For rates and fees of the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant Amex, click here.
For rates and fees of the Marriott Bonvoy Bevy Amex, click here.
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