
American Express · Amex
Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant
Annual Fee
$650
After credits: $50
Sign-Up Bonus
$1295
Spend $6,000 in 6mo
Base Rate
2x
on everything
Best For
Marriott Loyalists
Sign-Up Bonus
Bonus: 185,000 points
Requirement: Spend $6,000 in 6 months
Estimated value: $1,295
Reward Categories
Marriott Bonvoy hotels
Restaurants worldwide
Flights & other travel
Point value: 0.007¢ each
Key Benefits
Up to $25/month at restaurants — enroll in Amex benefits
Automatically issued each year after card renewal
Automatic — includes lounge access, breakfast, room upgrades
Register at prioritypass.com with your card
Apply at ttp.cbp.dhs.gov, pay with this card for credit
Pros & Cons
Pros
- + $300 dining credit offsets most of the premium
- + Free night worth up to 85k points (~$400+)
- + Automatic Platinum Elite status with suite upgrades
- + Unlimited Priority Pass lounge access
- + 6x at Marriott — best earn rate on the card
Cons
- - $650 annual fee is high
- - Marriott points worth only ~0.8¢
- - Need to use credits to justify cost
- - Amex not accepted everywhere
Transfer Partners
Transfer points to 5 airline and hotel partners for potentially higher value.
Recommended credit score: 720+
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