Marriott Bonvoy Boundless vs. Marriott Bonvoy Business cards: Which mid-tier Bonvoy card is the best? --[Reported by Umva mag]

Editor’s note: This is a recurring post, regularly updated with new information and offers. Now is a great time to consider adding a Marriott Bonvoy credit card to your wallet. The Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card and the Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card are quite similar, so picking between the two can be difficult. Still, …

Sep 24, 2024 - 19:40

Marriott Bonvoy Boundless vs. Marriott Bonvoy Business cards: Which mid-tier Bonvoy card is the best? --[Reported by Umva mag]

Editor’s note: This is a recurring post, regularly updated with new information and offers.

Now is a great time to consider adding a Marriott Bonvoy credit card to your wallet.

The Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card and the Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card are quite similar, so picking between the two can be difficult. Still, there are a few significant differences to be aware of.

Here’s how to decide whether to apply for the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless or the Marriott Bonvoy Business.

Bonvoy Boundless vs. Bonvoy Business comparison

Card	Bonvoy Boundless	Bonvoy Business
Welcome offer	Earn 125,000 bonus points after spending $5,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.	Earn five free night awards after spending $8,000 in eligible purchases within the first six months of cardmembership. Each free night award has a redemption level of up to 50,000 Marriott Bonvoy points at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy. Resort fees and terms apply. Offer ends Oct. 16.
Annual fee	$95	$125 (see rates and fees)
Earning rate	6 points per dollar on purchases at participating Marriott Bonvoy hotels 3 points per dollar on the first $6,000 spent in combined purchases each year on gas stations, grocery stores and dining (then 2 points per dollar) 2 points per dollar on all other purchases	6 points per dollar on eligible purchases at hotels participating in the Marriott Bonvoy program 4 points per dollar at restaurants worldwide, U.S. gas stations, U.S. shipping providers and U.S. wireless phone services purchased directly from service providers 2 points per dollar on all other eligible purchases
Free night award	1 free award night (up to 35,000 points) every year after your account anniversary	1 free award night (up to 35,000 points) every year after your account anniversary, plus the opportunity to earn another free night award after spending $60,000 in purchases in a calendar year (terms apply)
Elite Status	Complimentary Silver Elite status; earn Gold by spending $35,000 on purchases in a calendar year	Complimentary Gold Elite status (enrollment is required; terms apply)
Other benefits	15 elite night credits a year Earn one elite night credit toward elite status for every $5,000 spent Complimentary premium Wi-Fi at Marriott Bonvoy properties Travel protections Purchase protections No foreign transaction fees	15 elite night credits every year 7% discount on eligible bookings made directly with Marriott at participating properties. Complimentary premium Wi-Fi at Marriott Bonvoy properties Travel protections Shopping protections No foreign transaction fees (see rates and fees) Enrollment is required for select benefits; terms apply

Bonvoy Boundless vs. Bonvoy Business welcome offer

The Bonvoy Boundless is currently offering applicants 125,000 bonus points after spending $5,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.

According to TPG’s September 2024 valuations, Marriott Bonvoy points are worth 0.85 cents each, making this welcome offer worth $1,063.

New Bonvoy Business cardmembers can receive five free night awards after spending $8,000 in eligible purchases within the first six months of cardmembership. Each free night award has a redemption level of up to 50,000 Marriott Bonvoy points at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy. Resort fees and terms apply. Offer ends Oct. 16.

This is worth up to $2,125, according to TPG’s valuations.

The Bonvoy Business’s welcome offer is excellent for lower and mid-tier properties. You can add up to 15,000 points from your Bonvoy account to each free night award, allowing you to redeem each for up to 65,000 points.

Regarding eligibility, the Bonvoy Boundless is subject to Chase’s 5/24 rule, meaning your application will most likely be rejected if you’ve opened five or more cards within the last 24 months.

Additionally, American Express restricts you from earning a welcome bonus on a card to once per lifetime, so if you’ve already earned a bonus on the Bonvoy Business in the past, you won’t be eligible for another one.

Finally, Marriott cards have some nuanced eligibility requirements, so review this guide before applying to ensure you can get a welcome bonus.

Winner: Bonvoy Business. The Bonvoy Business’s welcome offer is worth substantially more if you’re able to maximize the free night awards.

Bonvoy Boundless vs. Bonvoy Business benefits

Both mid-tier cards offer similar benefits, and you can expect to find most benefits geared toward staying at Bonvoy portfolio properties.

The Bonvoy Boundless is a mid-tier credit card that offers useful benefits with just a $95 annual fee. The card offers complimentary Silver Elite status with the option to earn Gold Elite status after spending $35,000 on purchases in a calendar year. You’ll start each year with 15 elite night credits, and you can earn an additional elite night credit for every $5,000 spent.

Silver Elite status includes minimal perks like 10% bonus points on hotel stays and late checkout (subject to availability). However, cardmembers will also enjoy complimentary premium Wi-Fi at Bonvoy properties, and you’ll receive a free night valued at up to 35,000 points every year after you renew your card.

In addition, the Boundless card offers a plethora of travel protections (baggage delay, lost luggage reimbursement and trip delay reimbursement), purchase protection and no foreign transaction fees.

Meanwhile, the Bonvoy Business is a mid-tier business credit card with practical benefits and an annual fee of $125. The biggest difference with the Boundless is the automatic Gold Elite status on the card, which offers 25% bonus points per stay, priority late checkout, room upgrades and a welcome gift.

Similarly to the Bonvoy Boundless, the card also provides 15 elite night credits every year, complimentary premium Wi-Fi at Bonvoy properties and a 35,000-point free night award every year at your account anniversary.

However, the Bonvoy Business card also offers the opportunity to earn a second free night award after spending $60,000 in purchases in a calendar year, and you’ll receive a 7% discount on eligible reservations made directly with Marriott through an eligible channel at participating Marriott Bonvoy properties.

The card also offers a plethora of travel protections, including baggage protection* and a secondary auto rental collision damage waiver.**

Winner: Bonvoy Business. The Bonvoy Business comes with a wide range of protections and insurances, Gold Elite status and a 7% discount on reservations booked directly through Marriott.

*Eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for details. Policies are underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company.

**Eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Not all vehicle types or rentals are covered, and geographic restrictions apply. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for details. Policies are underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company. Coverage is offered through American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc.

Earning points with the Bonvoy Boundless vs. Bonvoy Business

The two cards share earning rates of 6 points per dollar on purchases at participating Marriott Bonvoy hotels and 2 points per dollar on all purchases outside of other bonus categories.

Where the cards begin to diverge is that the Bonvoy Boundless earns 3 points per dollar on the first $6,000 in combined purchases at gas stations, grocery stores and dining (then 2 points per dollar).

The Bonvoy Business, however, earns 4 points per dollar at restaurants worldwide, U.S. gas stations, U.S. shipping providers and wireless phone service purchases from U.S. service providers. In addition, there’s no spending cap on these bonus categories, boosting it higher than the Boundless card.

Winner: Bonvoy Business. Both cards earn the same rate on Marriott and non-bonused purchases, but the Bonvoy Business comes out ahead with its higher earnings on dining and gas station purchases, in addition to no spending cap.

Redeeming points with the Bonvoy Boundless vs. Bonvoy Business

Both Bonvoy credit cards earn Marriott points through credit card spending, which are automatically deposited into your Bonvoy account. You can redeem your points for hotel stays or Marriott Bonvoy Moments and merchandise through Marriott shopping.

You can also transfer points to over 35 different airline programs, but I’ll get into that later.

JW MARRIOTT SAVANNAH PLANT RIVERSIDE DISTRICT/FACEBOOK

Points needed for a stay vary based on the hotel, room type, occupancy and cash rate. However, a valuable perk of the Marriott Bonvoy program is the ability to receive the fifth night free when making a reservation of five nights or more.

TPG credit cards writer Chris Nelson prefers to redeem his Bonvoy points for mid-tier properties to maximize their value. He finds outsize value at category 4 and 5 properties overseas.

Winner: Tie. Both cards earn Bonvoy points and offer the same redemption options.

Transferring points with the Bonvoy Boundless vs. Bonvoy Business

In addition to booking Marriott stays you can transfer your Bonvoy points to any of Marriott’s 39 airline partners. Most transfers follow a 3:1 ratio; every 3 Marriott points convert to 1 airline mile.

However, Marriott gives 5,000 bonus airline miles for every 60,000 Marriott points you transfer to most airline partners, with four exceptions: American Airlines AAdvantage, Avianca LifeMiles, Delta SkyMiles and Korean Air SkyPass. United MileagePlus members will receive 10,000 bonus United miles for every 60,000 Marriott points transferred.

You’ll almost always get a lower value for your points by transferring them to airlines, so we recommend avoiding this option except to top off your airline balances.

etihad plane — NICOLAS ECONOMOU/NURPHOTO/GETTY IMAGES

Additionally, you can transfer points easily between Marriott Bonvoy accounts, whether between two accounts belonging to the same person or transferring points to a friend or family member.

Transferring points is an excellent way to pool points for an upcoming trip with friends or family. A benefit of pooling is transferring the points to a person’s account with the highest elite status to take advantage of potential elite benefits such as room upgrades, free breakfast or a welcome gift.

However, we must note that this is not the best way to utilize Bonvoy points.

Winner: Tie. Both cards earn Bonvoy points and offer the same transfer options.

Should I get the Bonvoy Boundless or Bonvoy Business?

If you’re new to the Bonvoy program or only stay at Marriott properties a few times a year, you’ll likely prefer the Bonvoy Boundless with its lower annual fee. If, however, you stay at Bonvoy properties regularly, you’ll probably want the more elevated benefits the Bonvoy Business offers.

Bottom line

No matter which you choose, both the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless and Marriott Bonvoy Business are excellent options with great introductory offers. Once you confirm your eligibility for the card you prefer — based on issuer-based application restrictions and qualifications for a business vs. personal card — you’ll better understand which card is the right fit for you.

Keep in mind that you could theoretically open both cards for those extra elite night credits and more annual free night certificates. In fact, there are compelling reasons to get multiple Marriott cards — though even one can make your upcoming Marriott stays more comfortable and rewarding.

To learn more, check out our full reviews of the Bonvoy Boundless and Bonvoy Business.

Apply here: Marriott Bonvoy Boundless
Apply here: Marriott Bonvoy Business

For rates and fees of the Marriott Bonvoy Business, click here.

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