Credit Cards » Credit Card Reviews » Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card: 2023 Review
Advertiser Disclosure

This website is an independent, advertising-supported comparison service. The product offers that appear on this site are from companies from which this website receives compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site (including, for example, the order in which they appear). This website does not include all card companies or all card offers available in the marketplace. This website may use other proprietary factors to impact card offer listings on the website such as consumer selection or the likelihood of the applicant’s credit approval.

This allows us to maintain a full-time, editorial staff and work with finance experts you know and trust. The compensation we receive from advertisers does not influence the recommendations or advice our editorial team provides in our articles or otherwise impacts any of the editorial content on The Smart Investor. While we work hard to provide accurate and up to date information that we think you will find relevant, The Smart Investor does not and cannot guarantee that any information provided is complete and makes no representations or warranties in connection thereto, nor to the accuracy or applicability thereof.

Learn more about how we review products and read our advertiser disclosure for how we make money. All products are presented without warranty.

Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card: 2023 Review

The rewards offered with this card are some of the best rewards for travel rewards cards as long as much of the spending is within the Marriott footprint.
Author: Lorraine Smithills
Lorraine Smithills

Writer, Contributor

Experience

Lorraine is a freelance finance writer with years of experience in the banking sector and after a successful career in one of the largest retail and commercial financial services providers. She has a passion for helping people with less financial confidence to get control of their money through budgeting, saving, and responsible credit practices.

Review & Fact Check: Baruch Mann (Silvermann)

Baruch Mann (Silvermann)

Financial Expert, The Smart Investor CEO

Experience

Baruch Mann (Silvermann) is a financial expert and founder of The Smart Investor. Above all, he is passionate about teaching people how to manage their money and helping millions on their journey to a better financial future.
Author: Lorraine Smithills
Lorraine Smithills

Writer, Contributor

Experience

Lorraine is a freelance finance writer with years of experience in the banking sector and after a successful career in one of the largest retail and commercial financial services providers. She has a passion for helping people with less financial confidence to get control of their money through budgeting, saving, and responsible credit practices.

Review & Fact Check: Baruch Mann (Silvermann)

Baruch Mann (Silvermann)

Financial Expert, The Smart Investor CEO

Experience

Baruch Mann (Silvermann) is a financial expert and founder of The Smart Investor. Above all, he is passionate about teaching people how to manage their money and helping millions on their journey to a better financial future.

We earn a commission from our partner links on this page. It doesn't affect the integrity of our unbiased, independent editorial staff. Transparency is a core value for us, read our advertiser disclosure and how we make money.

Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card

Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Card review 2019

Rewards Plan

1x – 17X up to 17X total Bonvoy points per $1 spent at over 7,000 hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy® with the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Card, 3X on the first $6,000 spent in combined purchases each year on grocery stores, gas stations, and dining and 2X Bonvoy points for every $1 spent on all other purchases

Sign up Bonus

5 Free Nights 5 Free Nights (each night valued up to 50,000 points) after qualifying purchases

Credit Rating

Good – Excellent

0% Intro

None

Annual Fee

$95

APR

20.99% – 27.99% Variable

Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card

Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Card review 2019

Rewards Plan

1x – 17X up to 17X total Bonvoy points per $1 spent at over 7,000 hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy® with the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Card, 3X on the first $6,000 spent in combined purchases each year on grocery stores, gas stations, and dining and 2X Bonvoy points for every $1 spent on all other purchases

Sign up Bonus

5 Free Nights 5 Free Nights (each night valued up to 50,000 points) after qualifying purchases

0% Intro

None

PROS

CONS

APR

20.99% - 27.99% Variable

Annual Fee

$95

Balance Transfer Fee

$5 or 5%

Credit Requirements

Good - Excellent

The Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card is a Visa hotel rewards card issued by Chase Bank. Marriott owns over a dozen different brands and has almost 7,000 hotels within its network. 

The card offers great rewards for those who are loyal to Marriott Hotel chains. Cardholders earn up to 17X total Bonvoy points per $1 spent at over 7,000 hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy® with the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Card, 3X on the first $6,000 spent in combined purchases each year on grocery stores, gas stations, and dining and 2X Bonvoy points for every $1 spent on all other purchases.

In addition, new applicants get a sign up bonus of 5 Free Nights (each night valued up to 50,000 points) after qualifying purchases, as well as many other benefits such as free nights, airline points transferring, free qifi , baggage insurance and more. 

However, this card has a $95 annual fee and a bit high APR of 20.99% - 27.99% Variable.

  • Sign-Up Bonus
  • Point Rewards
  • Transfer to Airline Points
  • No Foreign Transaction Fee
  • Baggage Insurance
  • Visa Concierge
  • Anniversary Bonus
  • Automatic Silver Status
  • 15 Elite Night Credits Each Calendar Year
  • Free Wi-Fi
  • Annual Fee
  • Balance Transfer Fee
  • 5th Night Free Conditions
  • Chase Restrictions
  • High APR
  • Confusing Rewards

How to Maximize Rewards?

Since this is a Marriott branded card, if you want to maximize your rewards, you will need to be prepared for spending on Marriott stays and packages.

You can also boost your rewards points balance by referring friends. Chase allows you to earn up to 200,000 bonus points each year (40,000 per friend) when they get approved for participating Chase cards using your referral link.

How’s the Card Customer Service Availability?

Chase does have a support section on its website, but if you want to speak to a representative, the phone line is only available 7 am to 11 pm ET Monday to Friday and 10 am to 7 pm ET on weekends.

How Much are 10,000 Miles/Points Worth?

This depends on your redemption method. If you use your points for Marriott purchases, you’ll get a redemption rate of $0.01 per point, so 10,000 points would be worth $100. However, if you transfer to an airline partner, you’re likely to only get $0.007 each, or $70 for 10,000 points.

How's the Marriott Hotel Network?

The Marriott Hotel chain is one of the largest in the world. The network includes over 7,000 properties across 131 countries. So, whether you travel domestically or head overseas, you should have no problems finding a Marriott Hotel location nearby.

When Should You Consider It?

Since this is a Marriott branded hotel, it is a good card if you are brand loyal to this hotel chain. You’ll not only get the highest reward rates for Marriott purchases, but also get the best redemption rates when you use your points for Marriott purchases.

In This Review..

Benefits

Let’s take a look at the benefits of the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless card and see if it’s the right one for your wallet or not.

Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Card has an initial sign-up bonus of 5 Free Nights (each night valued up to 50,000 points) after qualifying purchases.

Cardholders get up to 17X total Bonvoy points per $1 spent at over 7,000 hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy® with the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Card, 3X on the first $6,000 spent in combined purchases each year on grocery stores, gas stations, and dining and 2X Bonvoy points for every $1 spent on all other purchases.

Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Card points can be transferred to airline miles. Marriott is partners with over 40 airlines through which you can use your miles. 

The points are translated as 3 points for every 1 mile.

Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Card does not have foreign transaction fees.

Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Card gives cardholders up to $100 in daily needs, such as toiletries, if their bags are delayed in transit up to 5 days. If the bag is lost, then the Boundless card has up to $3,000 Insurance to replace the lost items.

Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Card also provides Visa concierge services through which they can secure dinner reservations, special gifts, and tickets to sporting events.

Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Card holders get one free night stay on the anniversary of the CC, which is about a 35,000 point reward. This expires after a year.

Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Card comes automatically with silver status Marriott rewards

This status comes with priority check out, 10% bonus on points, access to exclusive phone numbers to make reservations, and compensation if Marriott is unable to make reservations. The 10% bonus applies to stay at a Marriott, not all spending.

Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Card has 15 elite night credits each calendar year. An elite credit is basically a one-night stay at a Marriott Hotel. 

The more Elite credits you get in a year the closer you are to becoming a Gold, Titanium, or Platinum Marriott member. Each of these comes with their own rewards.

Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Card gives cardholders free Wi-Fi at many of the Marriott hotels within the Bonvoy network.

Drawbacks

Here are the most important cons you should consider before apply:

Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Card has a high $95 annual fee. Many other credit cards do not have annual fees.

This fee is easily offset with the annual free hotel stay. 

There is a  balance transfer fee required if you want to take advantage of the introductory 0% APR rate. The fee is incurred when you transfer debts from one or more credit cards to your Marriott card.

This fee is $5 or 5% of the transfer, whichever is greater. This fee is upfront and will be added to your debt load when transferred. This is is also higher than the industry average of 3%. 

The fifth night free program does not apply to regular reservations when you pay for the hotel, it only applies to points that are redeemed. 

So that means if you’re a big traveler you’re going to be able to get the 5th night free every time you stay at a Marriott.

Chase Bank has a well-known rule that does not allow customers to sign up for multiple cards and receive multiple sign-up bonuses within a 24-month period. 

That means some who want to apply for the large sign-up bonus may not be eligible if they have received another Chase card with a sign-up bonus previously.

The APR for the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Card is 20.99% – 27.99% Variable variable rate, which is high for a card that requires borrowers with excellent credit histories.

Marriott wants to reward loyal customers but they have a number of different rewards programs that can make it a little confusing for a consumer. 

They have rewards programs for the total amount of spending, how many nights you stay, and points for spending in different spending categories.

How To Apply For Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Card?

Visit the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card homepage and click “Continue.” 

Next is your personal information. Here, you include your names, mailing address, city, email address, etc. Then scroll down to answer some questions.

After this, take your time to read the E-sign Disclosure as well as the Pricing and Terms. 

Lastly read through the agreement, click the box to give your consent and then click “Submit.” 

Is the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Card Right for You?

Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Card is an excellent travel rewards card for those who are regular Marriott customers. Marriott offers a wide variety of different hotels ranging from ultra-luxurious to the everyday hotel. 

The rewards offered with this card are some of the best rewards for travel rewards cards as long as much of the spending is within the Marriott footprint. The great thing about the points on this card is that they can also be transferred to over 40 different airlines for miles. 

If you are not a road warrior and don’t spend a lot of time on the road or at Marriott Hotels, this is not the card for you. If you are a dedicated Marriott customer, this card will reward you more than many other cards in the general market.

Compare The Alternatives

If you're looking for a hotel card – Marriott is definitely a good option, but there are some good alternatives:

World of Hyatt

Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Card review 2019

hilton card

World of Hyatt Credit Card
Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card
Hilton Honors American Express Card
Annual Fee
$95
$95
$0
Rewards
1X – 4X 4 bonus points per $1 spent for Hyatt stays and experiences including restaurants and spas, 2x for flights purchased directly from the airline, local transit, commuting, restaurants, fitness club, gym memberships and 1 bonus point per $1 spent on all other purchases
1x – 17X up to 17X total Bonvoy points per $1 spent at over 7,000 hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy® with the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Card, 3X on the first $6,000 spent in combined purchases each year on grocery stores, gas stations, and dining and 2X Bonvoy points for every $1 spent on all other purchases
3X – 7X 7X Hilton Honors Bonus Points for each dollar of eligible purchases charged directly with hotels and resorts within the Hilton portfolio, 5x points at U.S. restaurants (including takeout and delivery) U.S.supermarkets, U.S. gas stations and 3x points for each dollar on other eligible purchases
Welcome bonus
30,000 points 30,000 points after you spend $3,000 on purchases within the first 3 months of account opening
5 Free Nights 5 Free Nights (each night valued up to 50,000 points) after qualifying purchases
80,000 points 80,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points and a Free Night Reward after you spend $1,000 in purchases on the Card in the first 3 months of Card Membership
Foreign Transaction Fee
$0
0%.
$0. See Rates and Fees.
Purchase APR
20.99%–27.99% Variable
20.99% – 27.99% Variable
20.99%-29.99% Variable

FAQ

Although the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless does offer several travel based perks, car rental insurance is not one of them. Even if you pay for your entire car rental with your card, you will not get any secondary or optional coverage.

Unlike many hotel reward programs, it is possible to transfer your points to more than 40 partner programs. This includes American Airlines, Southwest, Delta Air Lines and Southwest. Marriott also has a partnership with United called RewardsPlus which will provide a 10% bonus.

However, you should bear in mind that you will not get the best redemption rate, as it is typically 0.7 cents per point.

Chase does not publish its official initial credit limits for new cardholders. However, according to current and previous customers, you could expect a credit limit of $2,000 or more depending on your creditworthiness and income.

To maintain your points balance, you need to keep your account active. If there is no activity on your account for 24 consecutive months, your points will expire. If the inactivity continues for five years, your account will be closed.

Review Travel Credit Cards

Lorraine Smithills

Lorraine Smithills

Lorraine is a freelance finance writer with years of experience in the banking sector and after a successful career in one of the largest retail and commercial financial services providers. She has a passion for helping people with less financial confidence to get control of their money through budgeting, saving, and responsible credit practices.
Best Cards Per Category
Best Cards Per CS
Top Offers From Our Partners

hilton card

Rewards Plan:
3X – 7X 7X Hilton Honors Bonus Points for each dollar of eligible purchases charged directly with hotels and resorts within the Hilton portfolio, 5x points at U.S. restaurants (including takeout and delivery) U.S.supermarkets, U.S. gas stations and 3x points for each dollar on other eligible purchases
Welcome Bonus: 80,000 points 80,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points and a Free Night Reward after you spend $1,000 in purchases on the Card in the first 3 months of Card Membership

World of Hyatt

Rewards Plan:
1X – 4X 4 bonus points per $1 spent for Hyatt stays and experiences including restaurants and spas, 2x for flights purchased directly from the airline, local transit, commuting, restaurants, fitness club, gym memberships and 1 bonus point per $1 spent on all other purchases
Welcome Bonus: 30,000 points 30,000 points after you spend $3,000 on purchases within the first 3 months of account opening

Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Card review 2019

Rewards Plan:
1x – 17X up to 17X total Bonvoy points per $1 spent at over 7,000 hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy® with the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Card, 3X on the first $6,000 spent in combined purchases each year on grocery stores, gas stations, and dining and 2X Bonvoy points for every $1 spent on all other purchases
Welcome Bonus: 5 Free Nights 5 Free Nights (each night valued up to 50,000 points) after qualifying purchases

Advertiser Disclosure

The product offers that appear on this site are from companies from which this website receives compensation. 

Table of Contents

Editorial Note: Opinions expressed here are author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post.

Credit Card Reviews Methodology

In order to determine the best possible credit cards, we look at things like fees, interest rates and rewards. We do this with companies that are associated with us as partners as well as other offerings. From there, we make a decision about what the best card is related to different categories and needs. We focus on interest rate cost & fees, especially the cost of carrying a balance, rewards – cards accumulate rewards in different currencies—points, miles, cash back—and their values vary widely usability – cards that accept a wide range of credit profiles and offer simple solutions for things like checking your credit score or contacting. We also consider customer reviews.

We look at cards related to good or excellent credit ratings that will then provide a range of different benefits and improvements for someone who has these scores. We also look at low fees when it comes to those who have lower credit scores.