There are currently six Marriott credit cards available to new applicants and several cards that no longer accept new applications. Chase offers three of the Marriott credit cards you can currently apply for, while American Express offers the other three.
These cards are similar in some ways and different in other ways. If you’re thinking about applying for a Marriott credit card, you may be considering the Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful® Credit Card or the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card. Both are offered by Chase and earn points and rewards with Marriott’s loyalty program, Marriott Bonvoy.
Which should you choose? Let’s look at the similarities and differences between the Bountiful and Boundless cards to help you decide which option is better.
The information for the Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful Credit Card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Related: 3 reasons why the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless is worth the $95 annual fee
Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful vs. Marriott Bonvoy Boundless comparison
| Card | Bonvoy Bountiful | Bonvoy Boundless |
|---|---|---|
| Welcome bonus | Earn 85,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening. | Earn three free night awards (up to 50,000 points each) after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening. |
| Annual fee | $250 | $95 |
| Point valuation* | 0.85 cents per point | 0.85 cents per point |
| Rewards structure |
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| Other benefits |
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| Travel protections |
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*Point value is an estimated value calculated by TPG’s December 2024 valuations and not the card issuer.
Bonvoy Bountiful vs. Bonvoy Boundless welcome offer
New Bonvoy Bountiful cardholders can earn 85,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 on purchases within the first three months. Based on TPG’s December 2024 valuations, this bonus is worth $723.
Meanwhile, new Bonvoy Boundless cardholders can earn three free night awards (up to 50,000 points each) after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening. Based on TPG’s valuations, this bonus is worth up to $1,275 — meaning this bonus could cover your annual fee cost for 13 years.
Winner: Bonvoy Boundless. Its welcome offer provides over $500 more in value.
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Related: Are you eligible for a new Marriott Bonvoy card? This chart tells you yes or no
Bonvoy Bountiful vs. Bonvoy Boundless benefits
Both cards share many similar benefits.
- Elite night credits received each year: You’ll start each year with 15 elite night credits by holding either of these cards. Elite night credits are what you need to earn elite status with Marriott Bonvoy. For reference, you’ll need 50 elite nights per year to reach Platinum Elite status, where benefits like free breakfast and suite upgrades kick in.
- Fifth-night-free benefit: When redeeming points for hotel stays with Marriott Bonvoy, you’ll get a fifth night free. This means redeeming points for a hotel stay of four or five nights will cost the same. Please note that this benefit only applies to points redemptions and does not apply when paying cash or using free night awards.
- Credit card issuer and application rules: As both cards are issued by Chase, both are subject to Chase’s credit card application rules and restrictions. The most famous of these is the 5/24 rule, meaning you’ll likely be denied if you have opened five or more accounts in the last 24 months across all credit card issuers. Another rule is that you likely won’t be approved for more than two credit cards from Chase within 30 days.
- Access to Chase Offers.
- Travel protections: Both cards offer trip delay reimbursement, lost luggage reimbursement and baggage delay insurance.
- Purchase protection: Both cards offer purchase protection on items you paid for with your card, available up to 120 days from the purchase date but subject to limits on the number of claims and per-claim value limits.
- Complimentary year of DashPass from DoorDash when you enroll by Jan. 31, 2025.
With the Bonvoy Bountiful, cardholders receive:
- Automatic Gold Elite status
- Annual free night award worth up to 50,000 points when you spend at least $15,000 on purchases in a calendar year; certain hotels have resort fees
- 1,000 bonus points per stay at participating eligible Marriott Bonvoy properties
With the Bonvoy Boundless, cardholders receive:
- An annual free night award every year after your account anniversary, valid for a one-night hotel stay at a property with a redemption level of up to 35,000 points. Certain hotels have resort fees.
- Complimentary Silver Elite status with Marriott Bonvoy — providing perks like bonus points on stays, discounted member rates on hotel rooms and late checkout. Additionally, Boundless cardholders receive an additional elite night credit toward status for each $5,000 spent on the card and can achieve Gold Elite status after spending $35,000 on the card in a calendar year.
Winner: Tie. While both cards share similar benefits, the Bonvoy Bountiful has a higher Gold Elite status tier. The Boundless comes with an annual free night award every anniversary year that you don’t have to spend anything to achieve and a lower Silver Elite status tier with the ability to spend your way to Gold Elite status.
Related: Marriott elite status: What it is and how to earn it
Earning points on the Bonvoy Bountiful vs. Bonvoy Boundless
With the Bonvoy Bountiful, cardholders earn:
- 6 points per dollar spent on Marriott purchases
- 4 points per dollar spent on the first $15,000 per calendar year in combined purchases at grocery stores and on dining — including takeout and eligible delivery services (then 2 points per dollar)
- 2 points per dollar spent on all other purchases
These earning rates represent a 5.1%, 3.4% and 1.7% return on spending, respectively, based on TPG’s December 2024 valuations.
With the Bonvoy Boundless, cardholders earn:
- 6 points per dollar spent on Marriott purchases
- 3 points per dollar spent on the first $6,000 spent in combined purchases per calendar year on gas stations, grocery stores and dining (then 2 points per dollar)
- 2 points per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases
These earning rates represent a 5.1%, 2.6% or 1.7% return on spending, respectively.
Winner: Bonvoy Bountiful, as it earns more in dining and grocery store spending and comes with a higher spending cap.
Related: The best rewards credit cards for each bonus category
Redeeming and transferring points on the Bonvoy Bountiful vs. Bonvoy Boundless
Both cards earn Marriott Bonvoy points that can be redeemed for Marriott stays. TPG’s December 2024 valuations place these points at 0.85 cents apiece. Unfortunately, Marriott no longer publishes an award chart and utilizes dynamic pricing.
While the most obvious use of these points is for hotel stays with Marriott, there are other uses (though some are not very valuable), including transferring points to more than 35 airline partners to redeem them for flights.
In most cases, transferring Bonvoy points to airline partners is not a good value as the transfer ratio is not favorable.
TPG credit cards writer Chris Nelson likes to redeem his Marriott Bonvoy points on luxury properties in Eastern Europe. He routinely stays at the Ritz-Carlton Budapest for 35,000 Bonvoy points per night.
Winner: Tie as both cards have the same redemption and transfer options.
Related: The award traveler’s guide to Marriott Bonvoy
Should I get the Bonvoy Bountiful or the Bonvoy Boundless?
Both cards have annual fees and the same earnings rate on Marriott purchases. However, if you want a higher tier of elite status and higher earnings on groceries and dining, you should opt for the Bonvoy Bountiful. If those things aren’t incredibly important to you, the Bonvoy Boundless will provide much more value for its annual fee.
Related: How to use a Marriott Bonvoy 35,000-point certificate
How to switch from the Bonvoy Bountiful to the Bonvoy Boundless
If you want to change from one card to the other you can. This is known as a product change. To do so, simply call the number on the back of your card, speak to an agent and request a product change.
Related: 4 considerations before making a product change
Bottom line
Both Bountiful and Boundless cards, which Chase issues, earn Marriott points. While some of their earning categories are similar, there are more differences than similarities between these cards. Which is a better fit for you will come down to which Bonvoy benefits matter the most to you.
To learn more, see our full reviews of the Bonvoy Bountiful and the Bonvoy Boundless.
Apply here: Marriott Bonvoy Boundless
Learn more: Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful review
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