Marriott Bonvoy Business™ American Express® Card
BEST FOR
Owners who choose to stay at Marriott Bonvoy hotels
- Earn 75,000 bonus Marriott Bonvoy points after you use your new Card to make $3,000 in purchases within the first 3 months.
- 6x points at participating Marriott Bonvoy hotels.
- 4x points at U.S. restaurants, at U.S. gas stations, on wireless telephone services purchased directly from U.S. service providers and on U.S. purchases for shipping. 2x points on all other eligible purchases.
- Receive 1 Free Night Award every year after your Card account anniversary. Plus, earn an additional Free Night Award after you spend $60K in purchases on your Card in a calendar year. Awards can be used for one night (redemption level at or under 35,000 Marriott Bonvoy points) at a participating hotel. Certain hotels have resort fees.
- Enjoy complimentary Marriott Bonvoy Silver Elite status with your Card. Plus, earn Gold Elite status after making $35,000 in eligible purchases on your Card in a calendar year.
- Terms apply.
Pros
- You’ll enjoy complimentary Marriott Bonvoy Silver Elite status
- Earn 6x points per $1 spent at participating Marriott Bonvoy hotels
Cons
- You’ll pay a $125 annual fee
- Points are worth less when redeemed for less expensive hotels
- Baggage insurance: Covers the loss of any checked or carry-on baggage in direct transit from a common carrier or terminal. Coverage is limited to $1,250.
- Purchase protection: Covers purchased items from theft or damage for the first 120 days from purchase. Coverage is limited to $10,000 per claim and $50,000 per year.
- Extended warranty protection: Offers up to an additional two years of warranty coverage on U.S. manufacturers’ warranties of five years or less.
- Complimentary Silver Elite status: Receive complimentary Marriott Bonvoy Silver Elite status and have access to exclusive benefits, such as 25% bonus points on purchases at participating hotels, priority late checkout, and access to an elite reservation line.
Marriott Bonvoy BusinessTM American Express® Card is an excellent travel credit card designed for business owners who primarily stay at Marriott Bonvoy hotels, including all of the previous Starwood Preferred Guest and Ritz-Carlton properties. This small business credit card offers travel perks like air and car transfers, free hotel night stays, and premium on-property internet access.
Who the Marriott Bonvoy BusinessTM American Express® Card Is Right For
- Owners who frequently stay at Marriott hotels: The Marriott Bonvoy BusinessTM American Express® Card is best for business owners who want to earn Marriott Bonvoy rewards. It offers 6x points at participating hotels, which include all of the previous Starwood Preferred Guest and Ritz-Carlton properties.
- Owners who often travel: The Marriott Bonvoy BusinessTM American Express® Card offers travel rewards that can be redeemed for free hotel night stays, flights, car rentals, and hotel and air packages.
How We Evaluate Travel Rewards Business Credit Cards
When grading travel rewards business credit cards like the Marriott Bonvoy BusinessTM American Express® Card, we place the greatest weight on ongoing rewards, introductory rewards, and additional features. We also consider the annual fee, introductory no-interest period, and ongoing annual percentage rates (APRs).
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Marriott Bonvoy BusinessTM American Express® Card Fees
- Introductory APR: None
- Ongoing APR: 15.74% to 24.74% variable, which adjusts with the prime rate
- Annual fee: $125
- Balance transfer fee: Transfers are not allowed
- Foreign transaction fee: None
- Cash advance fee: $5, or 3%, whichever is greater; cash advance APR is 25.24%
Marriott Bonvoy BusinessTM American Express® Card Rewards
- 6x points for every dollar of eligible purchases at participating Marriott Bonvoy hotels
- 4x points for every dollar of eligible purchases in select categories, such as restaurants, gas stations, wireless telephone services, and shipping
- 2x points on all other purchases
- One free night award every year after your card anniversary
Welcome offer: Earn 75,000 bonus Marriott Bonvoy points after you use your new Card to make $3,000 in purchases within the first 3 months.
You’ll be able to redeem your rewards for free hotel nights stays at more than 6,700 participating Marriott Bonvoy hotels. However, some hotels and resorts may have mandatory service charges. You can also redeem your points for flights or car rentals by transferring your points across hundreds of travel partners. You can transfer your points to other frequent flyer programs for three points to one mile. Additionally, you can share your points with any other Marriot Bonvoy member.
Marriott Bonvoy BusinessTM American Express® Card Features
Complimentary Silver Elite Status
You will receive a complimentary Marriott Bonvoy Silver Elite status. Marriott Bonvoy Silver Elite status members receive exclusive hotel benefits, such as 25% bonus points on purchases at participating hotels, priority late checkout, and access to a dedicated elite reservation line.
Roadside Assistance
Cardholders can access the 24-hour roadside assistance hotline, which can send out a tow truck operator or a locksmith in case of an emergency. Towing, winching, jump starts, flat tire change, delivery of gas up to two gallons, and lockout services are available for an additional fee.
Purchase Protection
Damaged or stolen items that were purchased with your Marriott card are covered with purchase protection up to $1,000 per incident, with a maximum of $50,000 per year. Items are eligible if they were damaged or stolen within 120 days of the purchase date―90 days for New York residents. Items not included are tickets, consumables, motorized vehicles, permanent fixtures, items for resale, rented items, and antiques.
Extended Warranty Protection
The Marriott Bonvoy BusinessTM American Express® Card provides extended warranty for items with original manufacturer’s warranties of up to five years. You will receive up to two additional years of warranty if the item was charged entirely on your American Express business credit card. Purchased items with unconditional satisfaction guarantees, perishable items, motorized vehicles, damaged items, and permanent fixtures are not covered.
Travel Accident Insurance
You’ll receive travel accident insurance up to $100,000 when you use your card to pay for the entire trip fare. The insurance provides coverage if you die or lose a limb, sight, speech, or hearing within 100 days after the date of the injury. Self-inflicted injuries, certain ailments, physical or mental infirmity, and injuries received during or as a result of commuting are not included in the coverage.
Baggage Insurance Plan
American Express provides coverage between $250 to $1,250 for the loss of any baggage in direct transit from a common carrier or terminal. This baggage insurance specifically covers carry-on bags, checked bags, and high-risk items. Cash, credit cards, tickets, animals, living plants, prosthetics, and properties shipped as freight are excluded from the coverage.
Car Rental Loss & Damage Insurance
The Marriott Bonvoy BusinessTM American Express® Card offers car rental coverage up to $50,000 per car rental agreement. To be eligible, the car rental fee must have been entirely charged on your American Express credit card. This insurance only covers rental vehicles for the first 30 days of an agreement. Instances that are not included in the coverage are manufacturing defects, intentional damage by an authorized driver, wear and tear, theft of or damage to tires, and damage due to freezing.
Global Assist Hotline
The Marriott Bonvoy BusinessTM American Express® Card provides a 24-hour global assistance hotline when traveling more than 100 miles away from home. This hotline is free and gives access to medical, legal, financial, and emergency services. However, cardholders are responsible for any additional charges by third-party service providers.
Marriott Bonvoy BusinessTM American Express® Card Alternatives
Chase Ink Business Preferred®
Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card
BEST FOR
Maximizing travel rewards at a lower annual fee
- New Offer! Earn 100k bonus points after you spend $15,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $1,250 toward travel when redeemed through Chase Ultimate Rewards®
- Earn 3 points per $1 on the first $150,000 spent on travel and select business categories each account anniversary year
- Earn 1 point per $1 on all other purchases - with no limit to the amount you can earn
- Points are worth 25% more when you redeem for travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards
- Redeem points for travel, cash back, gift cards and more - your points don't expire as long as your account is open
- No foreign transaction fees
- Employee cards at no additional cost
- $95 Annual Fee
Note: The information related to the Chase Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card has been collected by fitsmallbusiness.com and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer of this card.
Pros
- Opportunity to boost the value of reward points
- Offers cellphone protection and trip cancellation insurance
Cons
- Does not offer an interest-free financing period
- Charges an annual fee
- Auto rental collision damage waiver: Coverage is primary—meaning it replaces any coverage your personal insurance might offer—when renting for business purposes. It provides reimbursement up to the actual cash value of the vehicle for theft and collision damage for most cars in the U.S. and abroad.
- Cellphone protection: You and the employees named on the phone bill you pay for with your card are covered for up to $600 in theft or damages per claim. You are limited to three claims per 12-month period, with a $100 deductible per claim.
- Trip cancellation and delay insurance: If your trip is canceled, you can be compensated up to $15,000 for prepaid expenses such as airfare or hotels. If your trip is delayed for 12 hours or more, you can be reimbursed up to $500 for your hotel room, meals, and transportation.
Hilton Honors American Express Card
The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card
BEST FOR
Maximizing rewards on Hilton-related purchases
- Welcome Offer: Earn 130,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points with the Hilton Honors American Express Business Card after you spend $3,000 in eligible purchases on the Card in the first 3 months of Card Membership.
- Earn Hilton Honors Bonus Points for each dollar of eligible purchases on your Card: 12X at hotels and resorts in the Hilton portfolio, 6X on Select Business & Travel Purchases, 3X on all other eligible purchases. Terms & Limitations Apply.
- Enjoy complimentary Gold Status with your Hilton Honors Business Card.
- Earn a Weekend Night Reward from Hilton Honors after you spend $15,000 in purchases on your Card in a calendar year.
- Earn another Weekend Night Reward from Hilton Honors after you spend an additional $45,000 in purchases on your Card in the same calendar year.
- Relax with 10 free airport lounge visits each year once enrolled in complimentary Priority Pass™ Select membership, which offers access to over 1,000 lounges in over 120 countries.
- Terms apply.
Pros
- 10 free Priority Pass airport lounge visits per year
- Receive complimentary Hilton Gold Status
Cons
- Redemption options other than hotel stays are poor
- Hilton points are only worth 50% of other hotel loyalty programs
- Complimentary Gold Status: You will receive complimentary Hilton Honors Gold Status, which gets you additional benefits like complimentary breakfast and rollover nights.
- Free weekend night reward: Earn a free weekend night reward after you spend $15,000 in one year; earn a second weekend night reward after you spend $60,000 in one year.
- Purchase protection: Covers your purchases for 120 days from purchase date if they’re damaged or stolen; coverage is limited to $1,000 per item and $50,000 per year.
- Extended warranty protection: Offers up to an additional two years of coverage on manufacturers’ warranties of five years or less.
Capital One® Spark® Miles for Business
Capital One® Spark® Miles for Business
BEST FOR
Unlimited 2x miles with every swipe
- Introductory reward worth $500 in travel after you spend $4,500 within the first three months
- 2x miles per $1 spent
- 5x miles on hotel and rental car bookings through the issuer
- Issue employee cards for free
Pros
- No foreign transaction fees
- TSA Pre✓® or Global Entry application fee credit
Cons
- You’ll pay an annual fee after the first year
- Doesn’t offer interest-free financing
- Airport security screening reimbursement: Either a $100 statement credit for Global Entry or an $85 statement credit for TSA Pre✓® once every four years.
- Purchase assurance: Most purchases made entirely with your card are covered if damaged or stolen within 90 days from the date of purchase. Coverage is limited to $10,000 per claim and $50,000 per cardholder account per 12 month period.
- Extended warranty coverage: Doubles the original warranty time period and duplicates the coverage of the original manufacturer’s warranty up to a maximum of 12 months on most items you purchase.
- Travel medical emergency assitance: Provide referrals to medical services if you have a medical emergency while traveling. You’re covered if you’re 100 or more miles away from home and from the day you leave until midnight of the 60th day of your trip, or the day you return to your city of residence, whichever is sooner.
Bottom Line
The Marriott Bonvoy BusinessTM American Express® Card is best for business owners who travel frequently and primarily stay at Marriott hotels. If this card is not right for your business, review top credit cards to find another card that may be a better fit.
Ben Luthi
One thing to consider is that SPG and Marriott have merged, so there are a lot of changes coming up that could affect the value you get from the card. I’d look more into that before applying.