Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant®

American Express Premium Hotel Card

Annual Fee $650

Earning Rate 6x hotels at Marriott Bonvoy • 3x restaurants worldwide • 3x flights booked directly with airlines • 2x everything else

Welcome Bonus 150,000 points + $250 statement credit after $6,000 spend in 6 months (offer ends 9/30/2026)

Card Material Metal card with premium finish • colors: Black

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Practical Recommendation

If you sleep at Marriott even a handful of nights a year, this card makes the math pretty easy. The free night certificate plus the $300 in monthly dining credits can wipe out most of the annual fee, and Platinum Elite status gets you upgrades, breakfast at many brands, and late checkout. The certificate got quietly better in March 2026: Marriott raised the top-up allowance from 15,000 to 25,000 points, so the 85,000-point certificate now reaches hotels priced up to 110,000 points a night.

Be honest about the dining credit, though—it's $25 a month, use-it-or-lose-it, and it is the difference between this card penciling out and not. If you want a free night certificate and nothing else, Chase's $95 Bonvoy Boundless gives you a 35,000-point cert (60,000 with the new top-up) for a tenth of the fee. Bottom line: Marriott regulars who will actually use the status and the monthly credit get clear value; everyone else is better off downmarket. One thing to watch: Marriott renewed its card deals with Amex and Chase in August 2026 and has said refreshed cards are coming, so terms here could move.

Credits

$300 Brilliant Dining Credit (up to $25 per month) – Up to $25 per calendar month in statement credits for eligible purchases at restaurants worldwide charged to the card. Automatic once you enroll the card benefit; credits do not roll over month to month, so plan a small meal or takeout if you're about to miss one. Shows up as a statement credit after the charge posts.
$100 Property Credit (Ritz-Carlton & St. Regis only) – Up to $100 in property credit per eligible stay for qualifying charges when you book a special "rate code" directly with Marriott at The Ritz-Carlton or St. Regis, two-night minimum, and pay with the card. Great if you already book these brands; otherwise, do not bend your travel plans just to use it.
Global Entry / TSA PreCheck® Credit – Statement credit for one application fee: Global Entry (up to $120, raised to match the higher government fee) or TSA PreCheck (up to $85), once every 4 years. It's one or the other, not both, and any authorized user on the account can make the charge. Easiest win if you (or a family member) still need it.

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You can edit the amounts in the number fields if you value a credit at less than the full value. For example, if you only use a $10/month Uber credit half the months, you might value it at $60 instead of $120.

Brilliant Dining Credit

What It Is:	Up to $300 per calendar year as $25 monthly statement credits for restaurant purchases worldwide.
How It Works:	Use the card at eligible restaurants; after the charge posts, Amex auto-applies up to $25 back that month. Unused amounts do not roll over. No portal or pre-registration hoops beyond enrolling the benefit once in your Amex account.
Gotchas:	Must hit it monthly; tips/fees count if charged by the restaurant but third-party processors can code oddly. Credits post after charges settle, so end-of-month swipes might credit in the next month.
Who Actually Benefits:	Anyone who eats out or orders takeout at least once a month.
Practical Value:	Near-guaranteed $300 if you set a reminder; worth $0 if you forget monthly.

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Property Credit (Ritz-Carlton & St. Regis only)

What It Is:	Up to $100 property credit per eligible stay when booking a special rate at The Ritz-Carlton or St. Regis with a two-night minimum.
How It Works:	Book direct with Marriott using the designated "$100 property credit" rate for this card, stay at least two nights, pay with the card; the credit applies to on-property charges like dining or spa (varies by hotel).
Gotchas:	Only at The Ritz-Carlton or St. Regis; must use the specific rate (often not the cheapest); two-night minimum; prepaid or certain promo rates usually do not qualify.
Who Actually Benefits:	Travelers who already book these brands and value on-property dining/spa.
Practical Value:	Nice add-on for luxury stays; do not chase it if it raises your room rate.

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Global Entry / TSA PreCheck® Credit

What It Is:	Reimburses one application fee: up to $120 for Global Entry (which includes TSA PreCheck) or up to $85 for TSA PreCheck alone, once every 4 years.
How It Works:	Pay the application fee with the card; Amex posts a statement credit automatically (generally within 8 weeks). You can use it for yourself or someone else, and an authorized user's charge counts.
Gotchas:	One credit per time window; application/renewal must be charged to this card; program approvals are handled by the government and can take time.
Who Actually Benefits:	Anyone who flies even a few times a year and wants shorter lines.
Practical Value:	Effectively free Trusted Traveler membership; easy win.

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Annual Fee: $650

Your Credits: $0

YOUR Annual Fee: $650

This is effectively what you are paying for this card. It is now up to you if the perks, protections, and earning rates are worth this fee to you over other cards.

Perks

Earning rates (detail) – 6x on hotels at Marriott Bonvoy, 3x on restaurants worldwide, 3x on flights booked directly with airlines, 2x on everything else. Simple categories with solid hotel earn if you stay at Marriott.
Marriott Bonvoy Platinum Elite status – Automatic as long as you hold the card. Think room upgrades, late checkout, and breakfast/lounge at many brands; strongest if you actually stay at Marriott.
Free Night Award (up to 85,000 points) – Get one each year after your renewal month. As of March 2026 you can top it off with up to 25,000 of your own points (up from 15,000), which pushes the certificate's reach to hotels priced up to 110,000 points a night. Resort and destination fees are still charged separately.
25 Elite Night Credits each calendar year – A head start toward higher status. Common strategy: pair with the Marriott Bonvoy Business Amex for another 15, giving you 40 nights. Titanium still needs 75, so cards alone will not get you there.
$60,000 spend bonus (Earned Choice Award) – Hit $60,000 in a calendar year and pick one of three: five Nightly Upgrade Awards, another 85,000-point Free Night Award, or a 50,000-point deposit. Choose by February 1 or you get the upgrade awards by default. Note the old $1,000 Marriott mattress discount was dropped from this menu starting in 2026.
Priority Pass Select lounges – Enrollment required. Unlimited visits for the cardmember plus two guests free; lounges only, no Priority Pass restaurants. As of May 19, 2026, fees for guests beyond your free two may be charged straight to your card instead of collected at the desk—worth knowing before you walk in with a group.
No foreign transaction fees – Use the card abroad without extra percentage fees on purchases.

Protections

Trip Delay Insurance – If a round-trip is purchased entirely with the card and you are delayed more than 6 hours, you can be reimbursed for essentials like meals and lodging up to $500 per trip, max 2 claims per 12 months. Saves you from an airport camp-out.
Trip Cancellation & Interruption Insurance – Reimburses non-refundable prepaid travel up to $10,000 per trip and $20,000 per 12 months, no deductible, if you cancel or cut a trip short for a covered reason. Helpful for illness or severe weather.
Car Rental Loss & Damage Insurance – Secondary coverage for theft or damage when you pay with the card and decline the counter's collision waiver, plus up to $5,000 in medical expenses per person. No liability coverage, and it does not work in Australia, Italy, or New Zealand. Amex sells a separate primary policy if you want the real thing.
Baggage Insurance Plan – Up to $2,000 for checked bags and $3,000 combined for checked plus carry-on per trip, in excess of what the airline pays. Electronics, jewelry, and watches share a $500 sub-limit. Note this covers loss, theft, and damage—not delay.
Purchase Protection – Eligible new purchases covered against theft or accidental damage for 90 days, up to $10,000 per purchase and $50,000 per year. Useful for electronics and gadgets.
Extended Warranty – Extends eligible U.S. manufacturer warranties by up to one additional year (on warranties of 5 years or less), up to $10,000 per item. Can save you from buying store add-ons.
Return Protection – If the store won't take an eligible item back within 90 days, Amex may refund up to $300 per item and $1,000 per year. Increasingly rare on Amex cards.
Cell Phone Protection – Pay your wireless bill with the card and get up to $800 per claim, 2 claims per 12 months, $50 deductible, for damage or theft. It does not cover a phone you simply lost.