# Amex Bonvoy Brilliant Change



## godslaf (Jun 23, 2022)

I'd heard rumors about this before, but it's now happening. Seems that by late September, the $300 credit will be replaced with $25 monthly dining credits. It was so nice to be able to pay my maintenance fees and that help offset the cost of the card's annual fee. Curious for those who have the card, still planning to keep it once the change happens?


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## jabberwocky (Jun 23, 2022)

Huge downgrade. Only real benefit now is the 15 elite night credits and the certificate. I can’t justify the cost on this basis. The $300 hotel credit was much easier to use.

Coupled with the devaluation to Bonvoy it’s getting harder to stick with Marriott.


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## GetawaysRus (Jun 23, 2022)

I'm not happy with this change.

To keep or not to keep, that is the question. I can only see a few slivers of hope for keeping this card.

---------------------------------------

https://thepointsguy.com/news/marriott-bonvoy-brilliant-new-dining-credit/

Be sure to read this section of that blog post:
Fortunately, there’s a bit of good news here, as an American Express spokesperson provided TPG with the following statement:



> _“If a cardmember uses their $300 Marriott Bonvoy statement credit prior to September, they can still earn up to $25 per month in dining credits from October to December 2022.”_


This actually means that existing cardmembers can essentially double dip by using both the $300 Marriott credit _and_ the $25 in monthly dining credits until your next renewal date.

As an example, if your card renewed in March 2022, your $300 Marriott Bonvoy credit reset on that date. If you use all of that credit before Sept. 22, you’ll then enjoy five months of $25 dining credits — Oct. 2022 through Feb. 2023 — before another annual fee is due.

I looked back at my old emails, and I found that my account opening date was Aug. 24, 2018 (right after the SPG Luxury Card launched). This means that I should have just under a month this year to utilize the $300 Marriott benefit before it ends. Then, I’ll have nearly a year of $25 monthly dining credits before I need to incur another annual fee.

If you’re an existing cardmember, it may be worth digging up your approval email (or calling American Express) to verify exactly when this benefit will reset for you.

---------------------------------------

So yes, The Points Guy article is correct. My sign-up date was Aug 23, 2018 according to my records. This should allow me to pre-pay $300 of Marriott timeshare maintenance fees in late August (or perhaps early September?) and then also get the restaurant credit benefit once it begins. So I'm good at least until my August 2023 anniversary date.

The other things I'd weigh in deciding whether to keep this card:

the value I get from AmEx offers (especially in comparison to the standard AmEx Bonvoy card). This is very hard for me to gauge, however.
the value of the 50K free night certificate - this would have to be compared to the free night certificate from the standard AmEx Bonvoy card, which I believe is 35K
the Global Entry $100 credit - but I just used that this past month, so that won't help me until I'm due to renew in 5 more years
the 15 annual Bonvoy elite night credits - that doesn't help me either because I already have a Chase personal Marriott credit card


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## CalGalTraveler (Jun 23, 2022)

An odd change given this is a hotel card.

This is definitely a devaluation because paying the MF was easy.  Too many chances for breakage. What restaurant costs just $25 these days? You would have to remember to split the tab across multiple credit cards to maximize. What a pain.

The Amex offers for MF were an added bonus but hasn't that now gone away too?

Does the Gold Elite from the card add any value to Sheraton Vacation Club stays with Bonvoy points? We were thinking of downgrading the card after we received the latest 50k cert but we have one last Bonvoy point stay booked next winter with the last of our SPG points.  Would Gold Elite level provide any chance of an upgrade or perk at Sheraton Steamboat?

Thanks @GetawaysRus for the pointer. It may be worth keeping the card for one more year to double-dip then downgrade right after the next 50k cert is issued.


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## Moparman42 (Jun 23, 2022)

Wow, that sucks.    I have both bonvoy cards.  the regular one isn't worth much, as the free nights are such low points, but the brilliant card was mainly for the credit for maintenance fees.  I guess it's time to find a new card.   any thoughts on a good replacement?  Amex gold? chase or others?


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## Negma (Jun 23, 2022)

Amex piloted this "benefit" with one of their sign up offers over a year ago. We used it, but some credits took a while to show up and it was kind of a hassle to keep track of, so we will evaluate it when the change happens. I am not very happy about it. 
Our go to for travel has been the Chase Sapphire Reserve. Big benefit was as the first payer on car rental insurance. Someone backed into the car on our last day of vacation last year in Hawaii. Applied for the coverage online and Chase took care of all of it. Our insurance company was never involved. It was an $1100 bill.


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## CalGalTraveler (Jun 23, 2022)

+1 Negma. So in addition to remembering to use the monthly $25, AMEX sometimes doesn't always give you the credit. That happened to us at least once last year and had to follow up. They are not set up to execute this benefit flawlessly. What a pain.

I like the analogy of the Platinum being an expensive coupon book.

This card pays the same Marriott Bonvoy 6x  as the lower level cards so not worth the extra $.  IMHO we have been planning to downgrade this card for a while. Was waiting on our 50k cert. I'd rather collect Chase Rewards with our CSRs than Bonvoy. This new change seals the deal to downgrade. Just need to figure out when given the chance to double-dip.


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## godslaf (Jun 23, 2022)

GetawaysRus, thanks for the additional info! I also have to look back in my records for sign up - I'm thinking that the date of my annual fee and the date when I opened the card should be the same, but I'll double check. I'll take advantage of the double dip and then probably downgrade


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## sharr7 (Jun 23, 2022)

Yes thanks for the info - mine renews in Aug as well so probably keeping it one more year makes sense. Will also let me see if I actually get the full benefit of restaurant credit based on my normal usage. Maybe would consider keeping if I get the $300 in restaurant credit - in the end, $300 is $300 if I didn't have to go too far out of my way to utilize. 

re: how many restaurants are $25? - well how many MF are $300? haha. spend more and still get the full credit. The annoyance is having to spend 12 times spaced evenly throughout the year. Even the best of us at tracking may miss a month or get caught by a restaurant not coded correctly in AMEX or something. I remember the $20 credits last year or whenever generally were instantaneous and confirmed via email but perhaps some were delayed and some I thought should count didn't.


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## 10spro (Jun 23, 2022)

Does anyone know how to find out what the “eligible purchases” actually are?


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## Cornell (Jun 23, 2022)

I'll be dumping this card w/this change.


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## jabberwocky (Jun 23, 2022)

Does the dining credit only work for restaurants located within the US, or does it apply globally?  Is it only one credit per billing cycle?

I’m in the US frequently, but not every month.


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## daviator (Jun 23, 2022)

I don't have the Brilliant card but had thought about getting one (I have the Bonvoy Business Amex) but only because the $300 Marriott credit would pay for most of the annual fee.  Between the elimination of that credit and the fact that I shouldn't need extra elite night credits to maintain Titanium (and I should be getting Titanium automatically in the future through the revised MVC elite program) and basically all my reasons for opening this account have dried up.

The $25/month restaurant credit would be easy to use, I've had no problem using the credits I get on another Amex card I have (I just make sure I order some food through Grubhub once a month) but it isn't sufficient by itself to motivate me to open another account and keep track of the benefits of another card.

I'll add my voice to those recommending Chase Sapphire Reserve, it's my go-to card and the lounge benefit alone pays for the card.  You get $28/person meal credits in many airport restaurants, which means that every time we fly somewhere we enjoy $56 in free food and beverage, sometimes double that if we connect somewhere and need to eat again.  The reward points are easy to use for travel and other stuff, and you earn bonus points if you book flights through Chase's web site, which is easy to do.  There are several other benefits I also find worthwhile.


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## tschwa2 (Jun 23, 2022)

Last year my fee hit Sept 14 with my statement due date on the 10th.   Do you think that will give me enough time for the statement credit?  I have no problem prepaying $300 on on Sept 5 and another $300 on Sept 16th but don't want to renew if I won't get a credit on either of those.


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## Henry M. (Jun 23, 2022)

Do you get $300 travel credit on the Chase Sapphire Rewards Card if you pay your maintenance fees with it? That is, will the maintenance fees be considered travel?

CSR seems quite a bit more expensive than the Brilliant card at $550 plus $75 for additional cards. Are there other semi automatic benefits that make it pay for itself like the Brilliant card did with the $300 credit for maintenance fees plus the 50k free night certificate?


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## jabberwocky (Jun 23, 2022)

daviator said:


> I don't have the Brilliant card but had thought about getting one (I have the Bonvoy Business Amex) but only because the $300 Marriott credit would pay for most of the annual fee.  Between the elimination of that credit and the fact that I shouldn't need extra elite night credits to maintain Titanium (and I should be getting Titanium automatically in the future through the revised MVC elite program) and basically all my reasons for opening this account have dried up.


Good insight.  As a 3* that should give me platinum status.  Personally, I don't see much difference between Titanium and Platinum other than some pretty useless upgrade certificates (vs. Hyatt where I have been auto-upgraded 11 out of 12 times this year as a Globalist).  I think I'll just cancel the card and then put the spend on one of my other cards.  I'll shift all of my business travel to Hyatt to maintain status there.  It really stinks given my extensive history with SPG, but Marriott is quickly becoming pretty useless to me now.


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## Negma (Jun 24, 2022)

Henry M. said:


> Do you get $300 travel credit on the Chase Sapphire Rewards Card if you pay your maintenance fees with it? That is, will the maintenance fees be considered travel?
> 
> CSR seems quite a bit more expensive than the Brilliant card at $550 plus $75 for additional cards. Are there other semi automatic benefits that make it pay for itself like the Brilliant card did with the $300 credit for maintenance fees plus the 50k free night certificate?


Yes. I just double checked. That is where we have usually received the $300, with MF. There are a lot of extra perks but you should look online because they may not be of interest to you and your spending.


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## daviator (Jun 24, 2022)

Henry M. said:


> Do you get $300 travel credit on the Chase Sapphire Rewards Card if you pay your maintenance fees with it? That is, will the maintenance fees be considered travel?
> 
> CSR seems quite a bit more expensive than the Brilliant card at $550 plus $75 for additional cards. Are there other semi automatic benefits that make it pay for itself like the Brilliant card did with the $300 credit for maintenance fees plus the 50k free night certificate?


Yes.  You get an annual $300 travel credit which they apply automatically, I usually have something that qualifies right away every year, so I get $300 back almost instantly.  I don't know if maintenance fees will trigger that credit but I imagine they would, it's quite broad.

You get free "DashPass" for Doordash which saves a lot of money if you ever use Doordash for food ordering.

You get free enrollment/renewal in TSA Pre or Global Entry.

You get free PriorityPass membership which (for me, at least) is worth hundreds per year in lounge access and food credits at airport restaurants.

And then there is the travel points you earn which can be used in all kinds of ways.  For me this card delivers genuine value.






						Chase Sapphire Reserve Credit Card | Chase.com
					

Find your ideal Chase Sapphire(registered trademark) Card



					creditcards.chase.com


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## CalGalTraveler (Jun 24, 2022)

The Sapphire Reserve also has $100,000 travel evacuation and travel cancellation insurance. You only need part of the trip on the card to qualify. I am not sure if the Bonvoy has all of that.


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## Henry M. (Jun 24, 2022)

Thanks for the details. The program seems to have a bit of value, but also a lot of nuances.

I see some things that are useful, like primary coverage for the CDW portion of a car rental and other travel insurance. However, it doesn't pay for itself as quickly as the current Bonvoy Brilliant does for me. A maintenance fee payment and the free night certificate does it for me, without a single other spend. I was hoping the CSR card would have something like that and the other perks would be the icing that made it special.

For my wife and I the CSR card would cost $625, if I understand the charges right. Of that, $300 would come back quickly. The travel rewards would be more flexile, since they are not just Marriott points, but I have gotten quite a lot of value out of Bonvoy points and would miss getting them from the Brilliant card. It might be better for me to get them through the regular Bonvoy card, though.An option for me would be to just downgrade the Bonvoy card or get the Marriott Visa.

Are airline tickets better priced buying them through Ultimate Rewards than the web fares the airlines offer online? I don't use other card's shopping programs if they are limited to certain establishments or dining options. Many of the benefits mention using Ultimate Rewards in order to get them. I don't know how easy it is to use Ultimate Rewards for going out to dinner (to get 10X points) or to buy travel. I have very good corporate discounts for rental cars. Can I use them if I book through Ultimate Rewards?  

The Priority Pass lounges I've visited have always been way overcrowded so I've turned around and not used them. I get access though some other program (maybe the Brilliant card?). I'd rather get an Admiral's Club membership with the American Airlines credit card since where I live AA usually has the best connections. I've never used Doordash and likely won't any time soon. I had never even heard of Gopuff. I probably won't use it either.


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## dioxide45 (Jun 24, 2022)

jabberwocky said:


> Does the dining credit only work for restaurants located within the US, or does it apply globally?  Is it only one credit per billing cycle?
> 
> I’m in the US frequently, but not every month.


The screen shot in post #1 says "worldwide".


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## remowidget (Jun 24, 2022)

jabberwocky said:


> Good insight.  As a 3* that should give me platinum status.  Personally, I don't see much difference between Titanium and Platinum other than some pretty useless upgrade certificates (vs. Hyatt where I have been auto-upgraded 11 out of 12 times this year as a Globalist).  I think I'll just cancel the card and then put the spend on one of my other cards.  I'll shift all of my business travel to Hyatt to maintain status there.  It really stinks given my extensive history with SPG, but Marriott is quickly becoming pretty useless to me now.


If I had travel spend, I would get the Amex Platinum. I'd love to have their lounge access. I think you get 5 points per $ travel spend booked through Amex on the Platinum. Those points can be transferred to Marriott & Hilton and other places. Also, they have a lot of smaller hotels that you can book for points. Occasionally, they give you bonus points for transferring to different partners like Marriott.


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## CalGalTraveler (Jun 24, 2022)

Henry M. said:


> Thanks for the details. The program seems to have a bit of value, but also a lot of nuances.
> 
> Are airline tickets better priced buying them through Ultimate Rewards than the web fares the airlines offer online? I don't use other card's shopping programs if they are limited to certain establishments or dining options. Many of the benefits mention using Ultimate Rewards in order to get them. I don't know how easy it is to use Ultimate Rewards for going out to dinner (to get 10X points) or to buy travel. I have very good corporate discounts for rental cars. Can I use them if I book through Ultimate Rewards?



Airline tickets are not better priced but if you are trying to use points on United or other airlines sometimes you can save if the cash price dips. For example, we recently purchased United Premium Economy seats for LHR. The points cost on the United site RT was 160,000 but because the cash priced had dipped and Chase rewards tied to 1.5 per cash price the points came out to about 90k RT. You can also apply points and cash if you don't have enough points. United is all or nothing.

The Chase rewards point ticket transfers to United as a cash purchase so when you pull the ticket into your United account, you are then eligible to apply points and cash for an upgrade to first class. in my case it was 20k miles + $425. You can transfer 20k miles from Chase to cover if needed. If you pay with United points you cannot upgrade. I also will receive United points and Elite credit for the purchase.

My only caveat is if you might want to change or cancel the ticket the Chase portal can be difficult to understand the terms and no one knows fees when you call.


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## Henry M. (Jun 24, 2022)

Thanks! This seems to provide extra flexibility without much of a downside.


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## jabberwocky (Jun 25, 2022)

remowidget said:


> If I had travel spend, I would get the Amex Platinum. I'd love to have their lounge access. I think you get 5 points per $ travel spend booked through Amex on the Platinum. Those points can be transferred to Marriott & Hilton and other places. Also, they have a lot of smaller hotels that you can book for points. Occasionally, they give you bonus points for transferring to different partners like Marriott.


I did have one, but I just switched my Canadian Amex Platinum to the Gold Amex. The earn rate is pretty much the same, but I don’t get lounge access.

With the Platinum you used to get the highest tier status after only five stays with the fairmont chain of hotels. That was cancelled after Accor took over fairmont. Then they cut the earn rate and cut other perks.

I did like having the Centurion lounge access in HKG and LAS; however, I haven’t been across the pacific since December 2019 (is used to fly there 5-6 times per year). All other North American travel I will have lounge access given airline status. I really can’t justify paying such a high fee for a couple of centurion lounge  visits per year  (I think they also are not allowing guests to join you in the lounge).


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## CalGalTraveler (Jun 25, 2022)

Beyond the double dip, does anyone think this card is worth keeping after next anniversary? (Especially since you can downgrade to a $95/year card and still earn the same 6x Bonvoy points and a 35k cert.)

After the $300 restaurant credit the net cost of the card is $150. The question is it worth it to pay $55 more and extra monthly hassle than the $95 card downgrade?

Does anyone think Gold Elite in Marriott Hotels is worth it? What have you gotten with it?

15k extra points (50k-35k) for certificate.

We already have Chase Reserve (2x) so do not use this card for travel. We will likely get the Hilton Aspire card next if they don't devalue.


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## midnightladybug (Jun 25, 2022)

Henry M. said:


> Do you get $300 travel credit on the Chase Sapphire Rewards Card if you pay your maintenance fees with it? That is, will the maintenance fees be considered travel?



I just got the Brilliant card in November.  Before that I paid my Marriott maintenance fees every year with the Chase Reserve and it does code as travel and triggers the $300 credit.


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## Henry M. (Jun 25, 2022)

I think I want to keep a Marriott card to get the Bonvoy points. I get more value out of those than most other rewards. I use the Costco Visa for the 4% cash back on gas and 3% on restaurants, Now the question for me is which Marriott card. 

i liked the $300 towards maintenance fees, but I guess I could make sure to pay for a restaurant to get $300 back from the Brillant card. I find the 50k point one night certificate is worth more than $150 to me, and worth the $55 extra over the standard card. It is mostly an inconvenience to make sure I spend the $25/month on restaurants with this card. 

i travel enough that I can take advantage of the Bonvoy points and I can usually get more than the approximately 2% return from most other cards when I use them at the hotels I like. If I didn't travel much, I'd probably go with the CSR card or some other cash back card.


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## DanCali (Jun 26, 2022)

Henry M. said:


> i liked the $300 towards maintenance fees, but I guess I could make sure to pay for a restaurant to get $300 back from the Brillant card.




I think most people would be ok paying for 1-3 nicer restaurants over the course of the year to get back the $300.

The problem is that the (up to) $300 credit is actually "up to $25/month" so you basically need to make sure you use it monthly at establishments coded as restaurants and charge at least $25 each month to get the full $300 benefit over the course of the year. If you don't use it like that for 4-5 months during the year, your benefit is now much lower. And that's their goal with this type of arrangement... With the $300 Marriott credit, I suspect most people who have the card got the full $300 back via a 1-2 night stay somewhere. Now it's like a $25 monthly coupon.


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## Henry M. (Jun 27, 2022)

I understand. I probably do spend $25/mo in restaurants. I got my $300 back with a single maintenance fee payment before, and now it will have to be split into 12 monthly spends. I don't like it, but it seems like the only alternative to keep getting Binvoy points for my purchases. The regular AmEx card would work too, but I prefer the 50K certificate over the one for 35K, and I don't want two cards.

Bonvoy points only matter if you travel enough to be staying in various hotels. If you don't, it is better to get other rewards. The points devalue over time, so only it is only worth getting them if you will use them relatively soon.


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## Negma (Jun 28, 2022)

Another +1 for getawaysruss. We will double dip on our recent purchase that brought two properties into the system. Paid it off with the Amex and it triggered the $300. now on to food. Additional side note, we are trying the pay over time since it is offered for 0 interest or fees until 8/30/22 ( at least that is our offer).


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## JudyS (Jul 2, 2022)

My renewal date is 9/15/22 and the new policy goes into effect 9/22. I could schedule one of my MFs for the time period between 9/15 and 9/22, but do you think things will clear in time to get my $300 credit?


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## rcv82 (Jul 2, 2022)

JudyS said:


> My renewal date is 9/15/22 and the new policy goes into effect 9/22. I could schedule one of my MFs for the time period between 9/15 and 9/22, but do you think things will clear in time to get my $300 credit?



I would try it. It has cleared pretty fast when I’ve used it. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## deniseh (Jul 13, 2022)

jabberwocky said:


> Does the dining credit only work for restaurants located within the US, or does it apply globally?  Is it only one credit per billing cycle?
> 
> I’m in the US frequently, but not every month.


 I was just on the phone with customer service and was told restaurants are "worldwide."


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## Bird01 (Jul 25, 2022)

daviator said:


> I don't have the Brilliant card but had thought about getting one (I have the Bonvoy Business Amex) but only because the $300 Marriott credit would pay for most of the annual fee.  Between the elimination of that credit and the fact that I shouldn't need extra elite night credits to maintain Titanium (and I should be getting Titanium automatically in the future through the revised MVC elite program) and basically all my reasons for opening this account have dried up.
> 
> The $25/month restaurant credit would be easy to use, I've had no problem using the credits I get on another Amex card I have (I just make sure I order some food through Grubhub once a month) but it isn't sufficient by itself to motivate me to open another account and keep track of the benefits of another card.
> 
> I'll add my voice to those recommending Chase Sapphire Reserve, it's my go-to card and the lounge benefit alone pays for the card.  You get $28/person meal credits in many airport restaurants, which means that every time we fly somewhere we enjoy $56 in free food and beverage, sometimes double that if we connect somewhere and need to eat again.  The reward points are easy to use for travel and other stuff, and you earn bonus points if you book flights through Chase's web site, which is easy to do.  There are several other benefits I also find worthwhile.


How do you get the $28 per person meal credits? That's a surprise to me even though I have the Chase Sapphire Card.


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## rickandcindy23 (Jul 25, 2022)

Bird01 said:


> How do you get the $28 per person meal credits? That's a surprise to me even though I have the Chase Sapphire Card.


That's for the Priority Pass Lounges that are restaurants.  You have Priority Pass included with your Chase Sapphire Card.  It's a great benefit, but restaurants are few and far between where we travel.  The lounges can be pretty terrific, including the one at SJC, which has a menu of items you can order, kind of like a restaurant but doesn't count as a restaurant.  

Denver has a restaurant in its airport in concourse B, United is the primary airline there.  We fly mostly SW (concourse C) and the restaurant is way at the end of concourse B, but we use it occasionally, when we are running very early.  It's not as good as the one we used to use that is no longer a priority pass restaurant.  

SFO has a few different ones.  Pretty decent food, but it's overpriced.


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## Negma (Jul 25, 2022)

Here is a list of Priority restaurants. We have used a few times and it is very easy. The App has all the up to date places

RestaurantAirportTerminal / LocationStephaniesBOS – Boston, MATerminal B – Airside – opposite Gate B24Jerry Remy’s Sports Bar & GrillBOS – Boston, MATerminal C – Landside – before SecurityBar SymonCLE – Cleveland, OHConcourse C – Airside – between Gates C4 and C6American Tap RoomDCA – Washington, DCTerminal C – Airside – near Gates 35-45Bracket RoomDCA – Washington, DCTerminal B – Airside – opposite Gate 12Chef Geoff’sIAD – Dulles, VAConcourse C – Airside – near Gate C14Cadillac Mexican Kitchen & Tequila BarIAH – Houston, TXTerminal A – Airside – near Gate A17Landry’s SeafoodIAH – Houston, TXTerminal C – Airside – near Gate C42The Fan ZoneIND – Indianapolis, INConcourse B – Airside – near Gate B17Kafe KalikFLL – Fort Lauderdale, FLConcourse G – Airside – near Gate G6Bobby Van’s SteakhouseJFK – New York, NYTerminal 8 – Airside – opposite Gate 14Point The Way Cafe (currently unavailable)LAX – Los Angeles, CATerminal 6 – Airside – opposite Gate 11BRock & Brews (currently unavailable)LAX – Los Angeles, CATerminal 1 – Airside – between Gate 65A & 65BKentucky Ale TaproomLEX – Lexington, KYAirside – next to Concourse B entranceCorona Beach HouseMIA – Miami, FLConcourse D – Airside – between Gates D23 and D24Capers Cafe Le BarPDX – Portland, ORAirside – Concourse C immediately after Security on the left-hand sideWestward WhiskeyPDX – Portland, ORAirside – Concourse C near Gate C6Providence Provisions Kitchen & BarPVD – Providence, RIAirsideBambuzaSEA – Seattle, WAAirside – North SatelliteTrail Head BBQ BarSEA – Seattle, WAAirside – Central TerminalLark Creek GrillSFO – San Francisco, CATerminal 2 – Airside – after SecuritySan Francisco Giant’s ClubhouseSFO – San Francisco, CATerminal 3 – Airside – Concourse F, near Gate F13Yankee PierSFO – San Francisco, CATerminal 3 – Airside – Concourse F, near Gate F4Mustards Bar & GrillSFO – San Francisco, CAInternational Terminal near Gate G3The Pasta House and Schlafly BeerSTL – St Louis, MOTerminal 2 – Airside – Upper level, opposite Gate E6Johnny RocketsSYR – Syracuse, NYNorth Concourse B – Airside – Airside ConnectorThe Café by Mise en PlaceTPA – Tampa, FLConcourse F Airside – by Gate F85Barrio Brewery Co.TUS – Tuscon, AZLandside – 2nd Floor, opposite the ‘Arroyo Trading Post’


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## tschwa2 (Sep 12, 2022)

JudyS said:


> My renewal date is 9/15/22 and the new policy goes into effect 9/22. I could schedule one of my MFs for the time period between 9/15 and 9/22, but do you think things will clear in time to get my $300 credit?


My renewal date was 9/9.  I charged $300 in Vistana MF's today and will do so every other day for the next 10 days hoping for the credit.  Either way this will be my last year with this card.


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## Red elephant (Sep 12, 2022)

tschwa2 said:


> My renewal date was 9/9.  I charged $300 in Vistana MF's today and will do so every other day for the next 10 days hoping for the credit.  Either way this will be my last year with this card.


My renewal date was 9/2 and I paid $300 in maintenance fees. Already got the credit. Will cancel the card next year .


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## teddyo333 (Sep 22, 2022)

I just checked the benefits for my brilliant card and see that it now comes with platinum status just for holding the card.


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## godslaf (Sep 22, 2022)

Yep, along with other changes. 85k free night award and annual fee will now be $650






						Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant™ Credit Card | American Express
					

For each dollar of eligible purchases charged to your Card, you can earn 6X at participating Marriott Bonvoy™ hotels, 3X at U.S. restaurants and on flights booked directly with airlines and 2X on all other eligible purchases. Terms Apply.




					www.americanexpress.com


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## cubigbird (Sep 22, 2022)

teddyo333 said:


> I just checked the benefits for my brilliant card and see that it now comes with platinum status just for holding the card.


That’s another Bonvoy devaluation as Platinum will now be much more diluted.  I guess platinum is the new gold and titanium is the new platinum.


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## GetawaysRus (Sep 22, 2022)

I'm surprised by the number of changes. Usually the Internet travel bloggers are on top of these sorts of things because award credit cards are their purview. I did read advance hints that changes would be coming to this card, but this is far greater than those warnings. And it appears that the bloggers were caught flat-footed. I haven't seen any posts about these changes by the bloggers that I follow so far this morning.


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## CalGalTraveler (Sep 22, 2022)

My DH who has the card is now Platinum Elite. It says he gets access to lounges. Does that include free breakfast when there is not a lounge?

We have a stay this winter at Sheraton Steamboat Villas to ski via the last of our Bonvoy points (great value because the required points doubled since we booked). Fingers crossed they upgrade our room. Does this resort have a lounge or possibility of free breakfast?


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## rickandcindy23 (Sep 22, 2022)

I would love to see some numbers on the Marriott Brilliant Amex credit card to compare it to the value we get from the Sapphire Reserve card.  I am really considering cancelling that card before my next payment is due for the annual fee.  

If I paid all of our MF's on the Marriott Brilliant, I wouldn't be able to use all of those hotel nights.  *What else can I do with those points? *

The Chase card, I get 3X on MF's, so a $20,000 spend gets 60,000 points.  When I use those 60,000 points through the Ultimate Rewards Portal, *I get $900 in airfare*.  That is what it's worth, no iffy reward values.  

6X points for Vistana/ Marriott MF's, $20K spend gets 120,000 points, and they are hotel points.


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## tschwa2 (Sep 22, 2022)

rickandcindy23 said:


> I would love to see some numbers on the Marriott Brilliant Amex credit card to compare it to the value we get from the Sapphire Reserve card.  I am really considering cancelling that card before my next payment is due for the annual fee.
> 
> If I paid all of our MF's on the Marriott Brilliant, I wouldn't be able to use all of those hotel nights.  *What else can I do with those points? *
> 
> ...


which would get you about 2 nights in a hotel so not sure if it is worth much more than the $900 in airfare.


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## CalGalTraveler (Sep 22, 2022)

What I like about the Chase Reserve card is that you can also pay out your benefit at 1.5x cash. We found the best deal and booked several excursions and local hotels in Europe outside of the Chase portal and then paid ourselves back at 1.5x to offset the cost. Cash provide options. Bonvoy can only be used at a rapidly devaluing rate at hotels.

I hope Chase continues this benefit.

We also book United airfare using Chase points. Counts as a cash booking on United so we can get priority upgrades. When you book with United points you are not eligible for upgrades unless you are a top elite their award prices compared to Chase 1.5x cash have been supersized so cash is a better buy.


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## GetawaysRus (Sep 22, 2022)

The bloggers are waking up. Here's one with some analysisof the Marriott creditcard lineup:









						Marriott releases its new card lineup: Is it a Bevy of Bountiful Brilliance?
					

Marriott cards has released two new cards and spruced up a third. The Bonvoy Bevy and Bountiful are here. But are they worth seeking out?




					frequentmiler.com


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## tschwa2 (Sep 22, 2022)

godslaf said:


> Yep, along with other changes. 85k free night award and annual fee will now be $650
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I guess I am lucky mine renewed on the Sep 13. I did pay MF's so I got my $300 and now will use the $25 per months credit hopefully most months and am now platinum and got the extra 10 nights. I did just get the 50k night but I rarely use above 62,000ish so the 85,000 would have been a waste, all with the lower fee and I have a year to decide if I will continue.


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## GetawaysRus (Sep 22, 2022)

My card renewed in late August, but my guess is that we may not get the automatic Plat and the extra 10 nights credit until our next anniversary date?

The game has gotten more complex. My suspicion is that the impetus for these changes is coming from Marriott and not from the banks themselves. Marriott seems to view its customers as suckers.

Next I'll want a Marriott Burst your Bubble card.


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## tschwa2 (Sep 22, 2022)

GetawaysRus said:


> My card renewed in late August, but my guess is that we may not get the automatic Plat and the extra 10 nights credit until our next anniversary date?
> 
> The game has gotten more complex. My suspicion is that the impetus for these changes is coming from Marriott and not from the banks themselves. Marriott seems to view its customers as suckers.
> 
> Next I'll want a Marriott Burst your Bubble card.


if you get a chance log onto marriott.com and see.  It should have posted this morning.


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## GetawaysRus (Sep 22, 2022)

Mea culpa. Yes, you're right. 10 additional elite nights did post.

Another blog post from a credit card cheerleader:









						Major Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant Card Changes: Platinum Status & More!
					

The Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant Card now offers Platinum Elite status for being a cardmember, and much more. Here are all the changes.




					onemileatatime.com


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## eyedude (Sep 22, 2022)

I canceled my card last weekend.  The rep made no mention of the upcoming changes but I do not think I would have changed my mind.  I just used an 85K certificate on a room worth 70K points.  I really had to search for a place to use my certificate before it expired at the end of the year.  I do not really have a need for an 85K certificate.  I would prefer two 40K certificates...much more usable in my world.  I am already titanium so the 25 nights and platinum are of no help.


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## rickandcindy23 (Sep 22, 2022)

The Platinum is a slight benefit.  It only helps me because Rick has always had the status because he has had the SPG Amex for many years, and about all he does is add timeshare stays to his member #.  That has been exceptional for keeping that status, but it really is a throwaway status, if you don't stay in hotels with free breakfasts.  We stayed at the Vancouver Marriott and had access to the lounge for snacks and free breakfast every morning.  It was amazing, but it's a rarity for us to stay in a hotel with breakfast included.  

The 85K certificate is something we can use on Maui for a night in Wailea before our flight back.  I need two hotel nights for that stay.  I will look for Westin or Marriott for a few nights as well.  I may just book that when my card renews.  That makes it worth every cent of the $650, if I can get into the Wailea, but I can tell you that my luck hasn't been good for anything but the Courtyard Marriott lately.  I look often.  You might as well be in Orlando, staying in that hotel. It's a comfortable bed, however.  And it's right across from Costco for dinner!  Joking, but they do have the good ice cream.


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## CalGalTraveler (Sep 22, 2022)

So the real question is whether it is worth $350 a year for an 85k hotel room?  Similar to the 50k cert this is an orphan with our 35k nights which make great airport positioning stays and sometimes works in Vegas off-season or mid-week. I know it buys an extra night on Maui but still $350/night for a hotel room is rich for a one night positioning stay.

Platinum Elite is nice - we'll see if we get any upgrades or other perks but I am not holding my breath based on reviews.

Once we get the 85k cert after our anniversary in June we will likely downgrade to the $95 card and get another Hilton Aspire card unless it gets devalued. Of course we've been trying to downgrade this for 2 years but they keep adding goodies - last year was the restaurant credit which was nice. Maybe they will add more to convince us to remain another year?


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## grrrah (Sep 22, 2022)

godslaf said:


> Yep, along with other changes. 85k free night award and annual fee will now be $650
> 
> 
> 
> ...


yikes. that feeincrease 

I've carried both the $95 card and the Brilliant, and was planning to cancel the $95 as soon as I got the night certificate, but now I'm likely to cancel this one instead.  My anniversary/fee will be billed in October, so I should probably decide soon.

Yeah, it seems is it worth $350 for an 85k night certificate... probably not for me.  I would pay it for 85K points, but not likely for a night cert.


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## pchung6 (Sep 22, 2022)

Just expect Marriott to cut benefits again next year and devaluation of points value once again. The last I heard is Platinum status will soon be useless, Marriott will cut the lounge access and free breakfast for Platinum member from next year. I’m cutting my Brilliant card soon next month.


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## Henry M. (Sep 24, 2022)

I called to downgrade back to the original Marriott Amex (the $95/yr one). I get value out of Bonvoy points, and the free night essentially covers the fee so this card still is worth it to me. I travel enough to use hotels that give me more than the 1 to 2% return I can get with other cards.

I am Platinum for life already. I liked the $300 credit for Marriott spend, but I don't necessarily eat at restaurants every month. I also don't usually stay at hotels that require 85K points/night so much of that certificate will be wasted. The 50K certificate was better for me. Bottom line, the new card and fee are a devaluation of benefits for me. They even devalue my Platinum status by making it available to a lot more people, causing more competition for the upgrade perks it includes.

While talking to the agent she mentioned checking out all the different AmEx cards available. The agent realized you can no longer apply for the $95 card. It has been replaced by the Marriott Bevy card that costs $250. She was able to downgrade my card to the $95 one, but you can no longer get that level of card with a new application.


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## CalGalTraveler (Sep 24, 2022)

Henry M. said:


> While talking to the agent she mentioned checking out all the different AmEx cards available. The agent realized you can no longer apply for the $95 card. It has been replaced by the Marriott Bevy card that costs $250. She was able to downgrade my card to the $95 one, but you can no longer get that level of card with a new application.



Your reasons for downgrading sound logical. Did the agent say we now cannot downgrade to the $95 card? We don't want the new Bevy (junk card).


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## Henry M. (Sep 24, 2022)

The agent is able to downgrade to the $95 card (was it called Boundless?). It is just not available for new accounts. I used to have that card and the Brilliant card at the same time, but eventually gave it up for just the Brilliant. I went back to it again today. I keep my "Member since" date and credit limit.

Note that the new fee is not in effect for renewals this year. It is only for renewals in 2023 and later. However, for me, the $300 got cut significantly since the $25/moth restaurant spend is already in effect, instead of the $300 Marriott spend that I used to pay maintenance fees. Thus, I didn't want to continue the $450 fee anyhow.


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## rickandcindy23 (Sep 24, 2022)

Boundless is a good name for a card that gets less.  Stupid name for a card because it has a negative tone to it.  Rick has that one, and I make fun of the 35K certificate that he gets, but it does give us a hotel room worth the fee each year while on the road.  That makes it worthy of the fee. 

I have been looking at hotels on Maui for the last two nights of our stay, and the cost is over 85,000 points for almost every one of them.  Hmmm....I may not keep that card.


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## luv_maui (Sep 24, 2022)

With the 85,000 pt night certificate, I’m now on the fence, since we would easily get $350 of value out of the  certificate, and auto platinum (for whatever it’s worth since there will be too many platinums) plus the increased from. 15 to 25 night credit, the question becomes if staining titanium is reasonably feasible now with a 40 night head start (personal 25+ business 15).

we have 6 months to figure this out, before next annual fee


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## GetawaysRus (Sep 24, 2022)

The issue I'm having with the 85K certificate is that the cert could become an orphan. How often do my bride and I spend just one night at a high category hotel? It's rare. And if we ended up with a several night stay, the cost would be high in either Bonvoy points or dollars for the remainder of the stay. But still, it's possible.

So here's another idea that would net a second 85K certificate by product changing from a Chase Boundless (and possibly the Chase Bold card?) to the Chase Ritz-Carlton card. Two 85K certs would give us a lot more flexibility in planning. To do this, I think you'd already need to be holding the AmEx Brilliant card and a Chase Marriott credit card that could be upgraded.









						Yes, the Ritz card is now the best value Marriott card
					

In Tim’s post on Thursday, he covered the changes to the lineup of Marriott credit cards. Buried deep within that detailed post, some readers may have missed the golden nugget: the no-longer-available-to-new-applicants (but likely still-available-via-product-change) Ritz-Carlton Visa Infinite...




					frequentmiler.com
				




Changing to the Ritz card isn't a slam dunk, however. It has a $450 annual fee compared to the $95 fee on the Boundless. Ouch - these fees hurt. The Ritz card does have a $300 credit for airline incidentals, but I'm not so sure how easy that would be to take advantage of. That is, if you play the credit card rewards game, your flight costs may be covered by your reward miles and points, which would leave you with little in the way of airline incidental fees.

Here's another link that discusses that $300 airline credit on the Ritz card. If you could take full advantage of the $300 annual credit, then you'd get an 85K cert for only $55 more than the 35K cert you'd get from the Boundless card.









						Chase Ritz-Carlton Visa airline fee credits: What works?
					

The Chase Ritz-Carlton Rewards Visa Infinite card is no longer available to new applicants, but it is available to those with Chase Marriott consumer cards via a product change.  Unlike the Marriott cards, though, the Ritz card costs a whopping $450 per year.  Fortunately, it also offers $300...




					frequentmiler.com
				




The rewards travel game gets complicated sometimes....


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## jabberwocky (Sep 24, 2022)

I’m thinking I will be cancelling my Brilliant card and moving over to the Amex Hilton Surpass card.

With Vistana coming into Abound, I’ll have Platinum status anyways (actually close to Titanium) and I’m getting close to true lifetime platinum status (based on nights plus Platinum status). For me it might make more sense to have diamond status with Hilton - then I can simply choose the hotel based on cost and convenience rather than worrying about accruing status nights. Too many plats in Marriott has kinda ruined it and I don’t see value in Brilliant card at that price point.


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## Negma (Sep 25, 2022)

We are keeping it for now. Don’t forget that at 75 nights you also get another annual night award choice, we took the 40k room night. The extra 10 (for a total of 25) nights might make it easier to always get to 75 nights( so far we have always been way over it). But we will reevaluate next year.


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## teddyo333 (Sep 25, 2022)

We've decided to keep our cards as well. My wife and I both have the brilliant card as well as the Ritz card. This give us four 85k certificates per year and since Marriott allows us to top them off by 15K they are actually worth 100K per certificate. This will definitely give us value over the annual fee increases that have been put in place.


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## grrrah (Sep 26, 2022)

Henry M. said:


> The agent is able to downgrade to the $95 card (was it called Boundless?). It is just not available for new accounts. I used to have that card and the Brilliant card at the same time, but eventually gave it up for just the Brilliant. I went back to it again today. I keep my "Member since" date and credit limit.
> 
> Note that the new fee is not in effect for renewals this year. It is only for renewals in 2023 and later. However, for me, the $300 got cut significantly since the $25/moth restaurant spend is already in effect, instead of the $300 Marriott spend that I used to pay maintenance fees. Thus, I didn't want to continue the $450 fee anyhow.


Boundless is the $95 Marriott Chase Visa.  It is just called the Bonvoy Amex.  I have both currently and have enjoyed the 35k and 50k certificates plus the benefits of the Brilliant, but am likely to cancel the Brilliant soon.

I'm trying to read the details of the Bevy card and we may qualify for the introductory offer (125k bonvoy points), but its vague enough that it isn't clear.  The Chase Boundless it sounds like we are inneligble because of the $95 Amex bonvoy card within 24 months.


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## grrrah (Sep 29, 2022)

So the $95 Bonvoy card has been discontinued for new applications, but if you have it you still get to keep it, and they are allowing people to downgrade based on the posts above.

There is also a new $250/yr Amex Bonvoy Bevy card with a nice 125k bonvoy points welcome offer, and 50k certificate after 15k spend annually.

I just checked eligibility then applied for the Bevy with the 125k bonvoy point welcome offer for the Bevy card, and will cancel the Brilliant.  I believe any of the Marriott Chase cards will make you ineligible.  I will likely wait until I spend enough to get the 50k certificate (and of course the 125k welcome) then cancel this one as well, and live with the $95/yr Bonvoy. Hope I can get the 50K cert before the 2nd annual fee is due


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## regatta333 (Sep 30, 2022)

If you read the fine print on the $25 monthly restaurant credit, which is supposed to be worldwide,

 In addition, in most cases, you may not receive the statement credit if your transaction is made with an electronic wallet, through a third party, or if the merchant uses a mobile or wireless card reader to process it. 

This pretty much eliminates any dining credits for restaurants in Europe.  I used the card to charge a meal several days ago at a restaurant in Spain.  No credit so far, which is why I went back to read the fine print.  Seems to me they want to make it as difficult as possible to redeem this credit.  In any event, I will be cancelling this card when it is up for renewal in January.


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## Henry M. (Sep 30, 2022)

That pretty much negates any benefit of the card for me! Glad my downgraded card is arriving today. The number didn't change at all. It is just a plastic card instead of a metal one and I assume a new CVV code.


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## regatta333 (Sep 30, 2022)

I did get the dining credit for the restaurant in Spain.  Just posted to my account, despite what it said in the fine print.


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## CalGalTraveler (Sep 30, 2022)

Whoa. Is the dining credit supposed to start in September or October?


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## rickandcindy23 (Sep 30, 2022)

I guess I could just use it at every restaurant, but of course I haven't started doing that quite yet.  I have to get into that habit.  Old habits die hard.


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## regatta333 (Sep 30, 2022)

Started Sept 22, which was the effective date of the card benefit changes.


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## CalGalTraveler (Sep 30, 2022)

Isn't that tricky of them? Will use it today to up our Starbucks account so we don't miss the September credit.


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## rickandcindy23 (Sep 30, 2022)

I should stop in at a restaurant and buy a gift card or something on the first of every month.  I have to see what deals are out there with $10 off your next visit within certain dates.  I noticed there are a few already doing that for Christmas gifts. 

This change is going to require more thinking than I usually do.  Rick knows that we get 3X on Chase Sapphire Reserve for restaurants, and he automatically pulls that card out of his wallet.


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## fizzlmasta (Sep 30, 2022)

I received the dining credit for this month already. Had to go back to transactions to find it. It posted on 23rd for a spend on 20th. I thought it will probably take restaurant charge after 22nd.
Also this was just a Pizza Hut delivery. So I guess fast food counts.


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## CalGalTraveler (Sep 30, 2022)

Since today is the last day of September and sometimes charges for evening restaurants don't hit until the next day, I reloaded $25 to our Starbucks online account.  Thanks to this thread, I almost missed it. I presume they are counting on breakage.

I am not going to like having to remember to do this every month vs. paying one $300 MF. This is a devaluation and we will downgrade or dump the card next year after we receive our 85k cert.

We have a 1% account at a credit union in which we need to jump through hoops every month. Was worth it when you couldn't get anything for a bank account. Now with 3 - 4% CDs not worth the effort.


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## regatta333 (Sep 30, 2022)

Check the fine print:

The Dining Credit benefit is not valid for the purchase of gift cards or merchandise, or for purchases at non-restaurant merchants including nightclubs, convenience stores, grocery stores, or supermarkets.


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## dioxide45 (Sep 30, 2022)

regatta333 said:


> Check the fine print:
> 
> The Dining Credit benefit is not valid for the purchase of gift cards or merchandise, or for purchases at non-restaurant merchants including nightclubs, convenience stores, grocery stores, or supermarkets.


In many cases, the card issuer won't know that a gift card purchased at a restaurant is a gift card. They just see it as a regular restaurant charge. They may be trying to ward off issues of people buying gift cards at places like Walmart and Lowes for restaurants.


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## grrrah (Sep 30, 2022)

Yup, they specifically mentioned when I applied for the Bevy that gift cards etc. don't count towards rewards, but I guess it depends on how the restaurant will show the purchase to AMEX if its as a regular purchase vs. giftcards.



rickandcindy23 said:


> I guess I could just use it at every restaurant, but of course I haven't started doing that quite yet.  I have to get into that habit.  Old habits die hard.


That's exactly what they want you to do instead of bulk charges during, and to stop using their competitor's cards at restaurants.


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## rickandcindy23 (Sep 30, 2022)

grrrah said:


> Yup, they specifically mentioned when I applied for the Bevy that gift cards etc. don't count towards rewards, but I guess it depends on how the restaurant will show the purchase to AMEX if its as a regular purchase vs. giftcards.
> 
> 
> That's exactly what they want you to do instead of bulk charges during, and to stop using their competitor's cards at restaurants.


And I am happy to buy at the restaurants we frequent.


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## CalGalTraveler (Sep 30, 2022)

Unless they changed the coding, we've had restaurant credits for Starbuck reloads in the past.


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## godslaf (Oct 1, 2022)

Can confirm: On 9/28, bought a $10 gift card at a restaurant and today 10/1, received a credit for 7.10 (had already spent $17.90 at another restaurant earlier this week, received that credit also).


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## jabberwocky (Oct 1, 2022)

Can anyone remind me whether the Annual fee is charged on the first day of your renewal period or at the end?  

My card anniversary date is Dec 26. Given the new fee doesn’t kick in until January 1st it might make sense to keep the card for a year with the new benefits. But if the fee gets charged on the first closing date after the anniversary I’d have to pay the higher fee.


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## daviator (Oct 1, 2022)

jabberwocky said:


> Can anyone remind me whether the Annual fee is charged on the first day of your renewal period or at the end?
> 
> My card anniversary date is Dec 26. Given the new fee doesn’t kick in until January 1st it might make sense to keep the card for a year with the new benefits. But if the fee gets charged on the first closing date after the anniversary I’d have to pay the higher fee.


The annual fee comes at the beginning of the renewal period.


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## fizzlmasta (Oct 5, 2022)

What would be the multiple for points for hotel spend or MF with this new bump to Platinum status.


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## dioxide45 (Oct 5, 2022)

fizzlmasta said:


> What would be the multiple for points for hotel spend or MF with this new bump to Platinum status.


Your Bonvoy status does not change the number of points you earn from Credit Card spend multipliers.


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## CalGalTraveler (Oct 5, 2022)

Thanks all for letting me know the credit started in September. I was able to load $25 onto our Starbucks account on my phone on Sept 30 and the Brilliant credit came through today. Didn't need to leave the house.

The mid-Sept change to the dining credit is strange. I bet there was a lot of breakage for Sept. where people didn't realize the credit started (like me).


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## fizzlmasta (Oct 5, 2022)

dioxide45 said:


> Your Bonvoy status does not change the number of points you earn from Credit Card spend multipliers.


Isn’t there a platinum vs good etc bonus point difference? I thought there was something to it. Like 6x but then 10 from bonvoy and bonus for elite status etc.


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## fizzlmasta (Oct 5, 2022)

dioxide45 said:


> Your Bonvoy status does not change the number of points you earn from Credit Card spend multipliers.


This is what I was looking for 

“All Marriott Bonvoy loyalty program members earn an additional 10X points on Marriott purchases on top of their credit card rewards rates, but with Platinum Elite status, you can add an additional 50 percent to that member rate and get 15X points on top of your card’s rate. That boosts your total rewards rate on Marriott purchases to 21X points with the Bonvoy Brilliant, versus 16X points total with the Boundless card.”


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## tschwa2 (Oct 5, 2022)

fizzlmasta said:


> This is what I was looking for
> 
> “All Marriott Bonvoy loyalty program members earn an additional 10X points on Marriott purchases on top of their credit card rewards rates, but with Platinum Elite status, you can add an additional 50 percent to that member rate and get 15X points on top of your card’s rate. That boosts your total rewards rate on Marriott purchases to 21X points with the Bonvoy Brilliant, versus 16X points total with the Boundless card.”


But  I don't think you get the 10X for paying MF's You only get the 6x's for the credit card. It is coded as a Marriott charge but you aren't booking through Marriott.com.  It would be like spending at the restaurant (when the restaurant is operated by Marriott and not a 3rd party) but not as a part of your stay that is being charged to your room.   If you were spending at marriott.com on the stays you would get the multiplier plus the 10X's plus the 6X's credit card. Chase or Amex is giving you the 6x's points for using the card with Vistana or Marriott.  You are not getting the 10X's or the 10x's from Marriott for paying your MF's for the stay.  You get the elite nights only and if you don't pay using the Bonvoy branded card you get no bonvoy points for MF's.

The elite multiplier would be in effect booking a paid stay through marriott.com.


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## fizzlmasta (Oct 5, 2022)

tschwa2 said:


> But  I don't think you get the 10X for paying MF's You only get the 6x's for the credit card. It is coded as a Marriott charge but you aren't booking through Marriott.com.  It would be like spending at the restaurant (when the restaurant is operated by Marriott and not a 3rd party) but not as a part of your stay that is being charged to your room.   If you were spending at marriott.com on the stays you would get the multiplier plus the 10X's plus the 6X's credit card. Chase or Amex is giving you the 6x's points for using the card with Vistana or Marriott.  You are not getting the 10X's or the 10x's from Marriott for paying your MF's for the stay.  You get the elite nights only and if you don't pay using the Bonvoy branded card you get no bonvoy points for MF's.


Ok. That makes sense. Thank you for explaining. I was just a bit confused


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## pchung6 (Oct 6, 2022)

I was able to “kind of” used the credit on Sep 30. Combined with the 50% off code for Uber Eats, I spent $21 on some fancy boba drinks delivered to my house. Unfortunately, only $21 was posted on Sep 30. The $4 tips didn’t post until Oct 2nd,, so $4 was counted on Oct dining quota.


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## skibummer (Oct 7, 2022)

tschwa2 said:


> But  I don't think you get the 10X for paying MF's You only get the 6x's for the credit card. It is coded as a Marriott charge but you aren't booking through Marriott.com.  It would be like spending at the restaurant (when the restaurant is operated by Marriott and not a 3rd party) but not as a part of your stay that is being charged to your room.   If you were spending at marriott.com on the stays you would get the multiplier plus the 10X's plus the 6X's credit card. Chase or Amex is giving you the 6x's points for using the card with Vistana or Marriott.  You are not getting the 10X's or the 10x's from Marriott for paying your MF's for the stay.  You get the elite nights only and if you don't pay using the Bonvoy branded card you get no bonvoy points for MF's.
> 
> The elite multiplier would be in effect booking a paid stay through marriott.com.


 You are correct. Paying MFs get the 6X points, only charges while staying as a registered guest earn the 10X. If you aren’t staying at a hotel and just go to one and use the restaurant on property you will get 6X, not 10X. If you are a guest and bill to room you will get 10X on the restaurant charges and the hotel charges.


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## skibummer (Oct 7, 2022)

daviator said:


> The annual fee comes at the beginning of the renewal period.


You can cancel the card and receive a full refund/credit of the annual fee if you cancel within 30 days of the statement date with the annual fee charged. If you go past 30 days you get no refund. Amex use to prorate the annual fee, but stopped that several years ago. Example: If your annual fee shows up on your Dec 17 statement you have 30 days from Dec 17 to cancel the card and get a full refund of the annual fee. You still can use the benefits of the card in Jan of the next year and they don’t claw those back. That’s why it’s always good to open an Amex card in Dec as it gives you a double dip option on the first annual fee and on the last year you have the card. Great for Amex Platinum with some of the bigger credits like the $200 FH&R and the $200 airline incidental credit. Best use I have found for the Amex Platinum airline incidental credit is buying two $100 United Travel Bank credits (good for 5 years). Those don’t get coded as gift cards. Also works for the $250 Amex Hilton Aspire airline incidental credit.


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## dioxide45 (Oct 7, 2022)

fizzlmasta said:


> This is what I was looking for
> 
> “All Marriott Bonvoy loyalty program members earn an additional 10X points on Marriott purchases on top of their credit card rewards rates, but with Platinum Elite status, you can add an additional 50 percent to that member rate and get 15X points on top of your card’s rate. That boosts your total rewards rate on Marriott purchases to 21X points with the Bonvoy Brilliant, versus 16X points total with the Boundless card.”


What you are referring to there are additional points from Bonvoy, not from the credit card multiplier.


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## regatta333 (Oct 7, 2022)

If you do not renew, do you still get the free night?


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## rickandcindy23 (Oct 7, 2022)

regatta333 said:


> Check the fine print:
> 
> The Dining Credit benefit is not valid for the purchase of gift cards or merchandise, or for purchases at non-restaurant merchants including nightclubs, convenience stores, grocery stores, or supermarkets.


It worked for our neighborhood Longhorn Steakhouse.  I already got the credit.


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## dioxide45 (Oct 7, 2022)

regatta333 said:


> If you do not renew, do you still get the free night?


Why would they continue to give you the free night if you no longer have the card?


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## CalGalTraveler (Oct 7, 2022)

The anniversary night is for your prior year.

If you downgrade they will prorate.


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