As one of Marriott’s premium cards, Bonvoy Brilliant American Express card comes equipped with some fantastic benefits – these include up to $300 worth of credits each calendar year and $25 in dining statement credits each month.
Credit can be activated by both primary and authorized card members; here’s everything you need to know about this benefit.
How it works
Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant stands as an elite premium hotel credit card with its array of luxurious hotel perks and benefits, which have long justified its $450 annual fee. Starting September 22, it will now also offer a new monthly $25 dining credit instead of its former $300 Marriott credit.
When making eligible purchases at restaurants worldwide with your credit card, a dining credit will be applied against your annual fee and can help to offset it in part. Statement credits typically appear up to eight weeks post purchase; credits are available both to primary cardmember and all authorized users and do not rollover; they expire monthly so if not used by that time they are gone forever.
Although the credit is nice, it should not be the main driver behind choosing this card over others that offer more points on Marriott spend, like American Express Gold Card which offers 6x points for stays and 3x on dining outside the US. Although earning overall may be relatively disappointing at just 2x points on all purchases.
Some travelers find this reason enough to add this card back into their wallets, with additional benefits making this an excellent option for many travelers, including complimentary Platinum Elite status and up to 85,000 point award nights per year – plus, when booked through special rates at Ritz-Carlton or St Regis hotels you’ll also receive a $100 property credit!
Eligible restaurants
Are you searching for the perfect card that provides both dining credit and Marriott points? Consider adding the Bonvoy Brilliant premium hotel card to your wallet; it comes equipped with an impressive $300 annual dining credit, distributed monthly in amounts up to $25 at eligible restaurants worldwide – this has replaced what was formerly offered as an annual credit.
Credit is available to all cardholders on an account, and can be utilized at your leisure throughout the year. Your monthly statement will automatically reflect this credit; and you can track its usage through “My Credits” tab on the Marriott app. Unfortunately, any unused credits won’t carry over into future months so it is crucial that you monitor and plan accordingly each month.
Bankrate has calculated that these points are worth around 0.7 cents each, so using your card at restaurants would yield approximately 2.1 cents back per dollar spent with this credit card compared with 4 percent cash back with another card like Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card which does not charge annual fees.
The Bonvoy Brilliant card provides complimentary Platinum Elite status, an annual Free Night Award worth up to 85,000 points, and Priority Pass Select membership that gives access to over 1,200 airport lounges worldwide. Known for its luxury hotel perks and lifestyle and travel benefits, this card is an excellent option for travelers of all stripes; but recent changes making it harder for existing cardholders to maximize its value may make this option less appealing; therefore it is up to each cardholder to decide whether this reduction in Marriott credit justifies paying its $650 annual fee (see rates & fees).
How to use it
The $300 credit is a nice perk to this card, but wouldn’t convince me to choose it over other Marriott cards offering similar perks. Luckily, this card also comes with additional perks which help offset its $650 annual fee (see rates and fees for more info).
Bonvoy Brilliant Card benefits also include two 85K Free Night Awards each year, elevated Platinum Elite status and an application fee credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck applications. By taking note of these additional perks before making your decision to apply or retain this card, it may help cover its annual fee more easily.
Concerning the Bonvoy Brilliant card’s dining credit, it should be noted that unlike some Amex cards that provide monthly or bi-annual statement credits for purchases made on those cards, using your card at eligible restaurants will automatically generate this benefit without enrollment required. Furthermore, this credit does not expire and can be utilized by both primary and authorized users alike!
Regarding how best to maximize this credit, my advice would be to try using it up by the end of every month – this can be achieved by setting it as the default payment method in food delivery apps, so that it prompts you to use it each time you order food from them. Furthermore, spending some of your dining credit at restaurants that allow you to earn Marriott points can maximize its value while earning as many Marriott points with each purchase as possible.
My best method for using up my dining credit has been setting it as my default payment method in Chick-fil-A and Starbucks apps and cards, since this ensures my dining credit will automatically apply towards takeout orders at these restaurants – this way, it ensures I will use it all within each month!
Limits
The Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant card comes with an annual fee of $450 and provides members with many valuable perks, including up to $300 of dining credit each year that can be redeemed worldwide at restaurants worldwide. It is important to remember that any unclaimed credits do not rollover into future months.
Dining credits can be an incredible benefit to travelers who appreciate fine cuisine around the globe, yet must remember that their use can only be at participating restaurants – they cannot be applied toward gift cards, merchandise or non-restaurant merchants (such as convenience stores or grocery stores). Furthermore, this credit cannot be combined with any Amex Offers.
Bonvoy Brilliant card members also benefit from other attractive perks that make the card worthwhile, including 6X points on Marriott hotel stays and 3X on flights booked directly with airlines as well as 2X on all other purchases – and an annual free night award that can be redeemed against hotels costing 85,000 points or less.
Credit card benefits such as Platinum Elite status can help make up for its high annual fee, such as receiving $100 TSA PreCheck credit every four years or Global Entry application fee reimbursement up to $100. Furthermore, Amex Offers gives members access to discounted offers from many popular brands – these benefits alone may make the Bonvoy Brilliant worth its $650 annual fee but it’s important to consider all factors when assessing whether this credit card is right for you.
