AmEx Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant question

[simpsontruckdriver]

I have not applied for this card, but one perk intrigues me: the $25/mo ($300/yr) restaurant credit. For a $650 Annual Fee credit card, that takes out 46% of the AF. As a truck driver, I spend over $60/week at restaurants (maybe once a week "junk", the rest as healthy as possible), so would have no problems with that. I asked AmEx via Twitter, they said the credit is not one single charge, I could eat $10 on one day and $15 on the next and still get $25 for that month. I understand the "rebates" start up to 120 days afterwards, which is no big deal. Question is, does this card have any other rebate-like programs, like shop here and get a percentage back? Or any worthwhile savings? I know the AmEx Delta SkyMiles Platinum gives me a $0 extended phone warranty, pretty good non-health travel insurance, free first checked luggage, $0 rental car damage waiver (which is usually $20/day from the rental agency), and rebates on food/adult drinks purchased on the jet. Essentially, looking for ways to diminish the $650/year annual fee.

TS

 

[Dean]

There are a ton of cards that will give you 3% back or 3x points including free cards. IMO it simply depends on what you have already and whether the other benefits of the card make it worthwhile. I'm not aware of a card that gives more just for dining long term but often there are short term specials. Personally I use the Chase Sapphire Reserve for this and have the Chase Bonvoy Boundless for Marriott purchases/maintenance fees. The bottom line to me would be everything else (Marriott, Airport lounges, etc). If you have to pay for the fuel or have significant grocery spends, rewards there might be a better determining factor. Good luck and let us know what you decide.

 

[DanCali]

I have not applied for this card, but one perk intrigues me: the $25/mo ($300/yr) restaurant credit. For a $650 Annual Fee credit card, that takes out 46% of the AF. As a truck driver, I spend over $60/week at restaurants (maybe once a week "junk", the rest as healthy as possible), so would have no problems with that. I asked AmEx via Twitter, they said the credit is not one single charge, I could eat $10 on one day and $15 on the next and still get $25 for that month. I understand the "rebates" start up to 120 days afterwards, which is no big deal. Question is, does this card have any other rebate-like programs, like shop here and get a percentage back? Or any worthwhile savings? I know the AmEx Delta SkyMiles Platinum gives me a $0 extended phone warranty, pretty good non-health travel insurance, free first checked luggage, $0 rental car damage waiver (which is usually $20/day from the rental agency), and rebates on food/adult drinks purchased on the jet. Essentially, looking for ways to diminish the $650/year annual fee.

TS

The dining credit is the big one, but lots of people are upset about it because it used to be a $300 credit for Marriott charges and also included maintenance fees for timeshares. And with the monthly cap at $25, many people now won't get the full $300/year.

The other big one for the Brilliant card is the annual anniversary free night certificate which, for this card, is valid for a free night of up to 85,000 points (and you can top off with an extra 15,000 points). That's a free night at a nice hotel like the JW Marrott or Ritz in some locations. Probably a $300+ value, but only if you'd use it.

If you like the idea of a "coupon-book-like" credit card, the current iteration of the Amex Platinum fits the bill. It has a $695 annual fee and offers rebates as the one you pointed to on a bunch of items. I've had that card for 20+ years but am not too happy with what it's evolved to over the years as the annual fee has doubled over time.

$240 Digital Entertainment Credit: Up to $20/month refund on Audible, Disney+, The Disney Bundle, ESPN+, Hulu, Peacock, SiriusXM®, and The New York Times. Basically, "free" Disney Bundle.
$200 Hotel Credit: $200 back in statement credits every year when using the Platinum Card for select prepaid hotel bookings through American Express Travel.
$200 Airline Fee Credit: Good for baggage, lounge access, inflight food and entertainment and other airline fees. Not for airline tickets. Only good for for 1 airline you pick at start of year.
$200 Uber Cash: $15 in Uber Cash every month ($35 in December) – Uber rides and also good for Uber Eats takeout and delivery. I use it on food, but not something I'd do otherwise.
$189 CLEAR Credit: Covers the annual fee + 1 household member after you get a United or Delta or similar discount. Not something I really needed, but now it's "free"
Walmart+ Monthly Membership Credit: Covers full cost of WalMart+ of about $13+tax a month. Not something I really needed but if it's "free", why not...
$100 Saks Credit: $50 every 6 months for online and in-store purchases. I don't really shop there, but since they give it, I'll find something at $49 to spend it on...
Also has TSA-pre or Global Entry fee refund every 4 years. Most other "premium" cards have this as well.

Also has the following that I don't use at all...
$300 Equinox Membership Credit
$300 SoulCycle At-Home Bike Credit

 

[simpsontruckdriver]

I think I am going to wait until after I get the bonus with my Delta SkyMiles Platinum AmEx before attempting the Bonvoy Brilliant. I read "The Points Guy"s review, they essentially said the yearly benefits outweigh the high annual fee (for now), in other words the free nights + dining benefits are worth over $700/year. They even suggested what I plan on doing, which is using the SkyMiles card for flights, Bonvoy Brilliant (if denied I have a Wyndham Earner card) for hotel, and the CapitalOne Venture for rental cars (they give higher Hertz status).

In terms of driving, the company pays the truck fuel, maintenance, taxes and fees, etc. If the truck needs fluids or minor repairs, I pay and they'll reimburse. When the truck has to go in the shop for over a day, I'll get a hotel and they'll reimburse (no Wyndham Grand, Ritz Carlton, Hyatt, Hilton, Intercontinental, etc - more like Days Inn, Holiday Inn Express, Fairfield By Marriott, etc).

TS

 

[MOXJO7282]

The free night of 85k without adding any points is worth at least $500, if not $700. I know I'm using it for a night on Maui in April and its saving me $700+. Plus its pretty easy to use the $240 digital sub credit, as well as the airline benefits. The total for us is $300 food, $700 hotel credit, $240, digital, $200 airline.

 

[MOXJO7282]

And another bonus I'm just reading that is harder for most to get but I will achieve, is for every $60k spent you get another 85k cert. My MFs are $75k so I should get a second high value hotel cert to use in April. Nice.

 

[paxlin]

The free night of 85k without adding any points is worth at least $500, if not $700. I know I'm using it for a night on Maui in April and its saving me $700+. Plus its pretty easy to use the $240 digital sub credit, as well as the airline benefits. The total for us is $300 food, $700 hotel credit, $240, digital, $200 airline.

You only get the dining rebate and free hotel night for the Marriott Brilliant. $240 digital and $200 airline as spelled out by DanCali is for the AE Platinum card. But for Marriott Brilliant card you do get Platinum status for Marriott stays. Those who are enrolled with enough points probably already have Marriott Platinum status. But for those who do not get the status from their MVC ownership, that is another way to get the Platinum status.

 

[Swice]

You do get rebate on TSA/Global Entry... but obviously that's once every five years. Thankfully, I was grandfathered in and my annual fee stayed at 450 for one more year! I did find the priority pass airport lounge benefit very useful this past year. There was a 24-hour period where I went to four different lounges and that "saved" me money on airport food and gave me a more comfortable place to wait. But I just retired and doubt I'll be flying nearly as much. So I will re-examine next year at this time.

 

[rickandcindy23]

The dining credit is the big one, but lots of people are upset about it because it used to be a $300 credit for Marriott charges and also included maintenance fees for timeshares. And with the monthly cap at $25, many people now won't get the full $300/year.

The other big one for the Brilliant card is the annual anniversary free night certificate which, for this card, is valid for a free night of up to 85,000 points (and you can top off with an extra 15,000 points). That's a free night at a nice hotel like the JW Marrott or Ritz in some locations. Probably a $300+ value, but only if you'd use it.

If you like the idea of a "coupon-book-like" credit card, the current iteration of the Amex Platinum fits the bill. It has a $695 annual fee and offers rebates as the one you pointed to on a bunch of items. I've had that card for 20+ years but am not too happy with what it's evolved to over the years as the annual fee has doubled over time.

$240 Digital Entertainment Credit: Up to $20/month refund on Audible, Disney+, The Disney Bundle, ESPN+, Hulu, Peacock, SiriusXM®, and The New York Times. Basically, "free" Disney Bundle.
$200 Hotel Credit: $200 back in statement credits every year when using the Platinum Card for select prepaid hotel bookings through American Express Travel.
$200 Airline Fee Credit: Good for baggage, lounge access, inflight food and entertainment and other airline fees. Not for airline tickets. Only good for for 1 airline you pick at start of year.
$200 Uber Cash: $15 in Uber Cash every month ($35 in December) – Uber rides and also good for Uber Eats takeout and delivery. I use it on food, but not something I'd do otherwise.
$189 CLEAR Credit: Covers the annual fee + 1 household member after you get a United or Delta or similar discount. Not something I really needed, but now it's "free"
Walmart+ Monthly Membership Credit: Covers full cost of WalMart+ of about $13+tax a month. Not something I really needed but if it's "free", why not...
$100 Saks Credit: $50 every 6 months for online and in-store purchases. I don't really shop there, but since they give it, I'll find something at $49 to spend it on...
Also has TSA-pre or Global Entry fee refund every 4 years. Most other "premium" cards have this as well.

Also has the following that I don't use at all...
$300 Equinox Membership Credit
$300 SoulCycle At-Home Bike Credit

Such good information. I have considered this card but always leave the application page after reviewing the benefits. I think the card is expensive, but the lounge benefit was always my favorite and why I look at it each and every time I see The Points Guy tout the card for frequent travelers. You don't talk about the lounges except as an airline fee credit.

Do you use the Amex lounges with the card?

 

[rickandcindy23]

The free night of 85k without adding any points is worth at least $500, if not $700. I know I'm using it for a night on Maui in April and its saving me $700+. Plus its pretty easy to use the $240 digital sub credit, as well as the airline benefits. The total for us is $300 food, $700 hotel credit, $240, digital, $200 airline.

I couldn't find a night for our Maui trip with that credit. I am disappointed because we are Titanium and have the card. I tried a bunch of different hotels on Maui, and the only one I can get is the Courtyard by the airport. I need two nights. So I entered an ongoing request for a week through II. It would be cheaper!

Too bad they don't just give you 85,000 points. I could use those for nights on the road for driving trips.

 

[rickandcindy23]

Platinum Amex Global lounge:

American Express Global Lounge Collection®‡​

You deserve choices. With the American Express Global Lounge Collection® get access to plenty, including more than 1,400 lounges in over 500 airports across 650 cities around the world. Whether you’re looking for a place to rest and recharge or somewhere to catch up on work, enjoy our growing network of lounges across 140 countries and counting as of 9/2021.

 

[Dean]

You do get rebate on TSA/Global Entry... but obviously that's once every five years. Thankfully, I was grandfathered in and my annual fee stayed at 450 for one more year! I did find the priority pass airport lounge benefit very useful this past year. There was a 24-hour period where I went to four different lounges and that "saved" me money on airport food and gave me a more comfortable place to wait. But I just retired and doubt I'll be flying nearly as much. So I will re-examine next year at this time.

I too have found the lounge benefit helpful but more so the restaurant spend credit where applicable which AmEx removed from this card a few years ago. Fortunately the CSR still has the option including Corona Beach House in Miami, one of my more common connecting airports. I've also used it for Aruba a number of times. Note they generally don't allow kids under 12.

 

[CalGalTraveler]

The free night of 85k without adding any points is worth at least $500, if not $700. I know I'm using it for a night on Maui in April and its saving me $700+. Plus its pretty easy to use the $240 digital sub credit, as well as the airline benefits. The total for us is $300 food, $700 hotel credit, $240, digital, $200 airline.

AFAIK the Brilliant doesn't have an airline credit. Is this new?

I thought the cert on this was for 50k has something changed?

What is the $240 digital?

FWIW...We are downgrading our Brilliant card after we receive the anniversary cert for this year unless there are some new perks. (I was going to downgrade it this year but they added the meal credits to double dip which made it worthwhile). This card earns no more on MVC purchases than the less expensive $95 personal card (6x) The personal card still gets a free hotel room for 35k.

 

[rickandcindy23]

AFAIK the Brilliant doesn't have an airline credit. Is this new?

I thought the cert on this was for 50k has something changed?

What is the $240 digital?

FWIW...We are downgrading our Brilliant card after we receive the anniversary cert for this year unless there are some new perks I was going to do it this year but they added the meal credits to double dip which made it worthwhile). This card earns no more on MVC purchases than the less expensive $95 personal card (6x) The personal card still gets a free hotel room for 35k.

The lack of hotel availability on Maui is discouraging. They have nights, but only if I rent the nights.

 

[DanCali]

Such good information. I have considered this card but always leave the application page after reviewing the benefits. I think the card is expensive, but the lounge benefit was always my favorite and why I look at it each and every time I see The Points Guy tout the card for frequent travelers. You don't talk about the lounges except as an airline fee credit.

Do you use the Amex lounges with the card?

I didn't include lounges because it's not a "cash back benefit" but the Amex lunges are indeed a great perk if you fly through airports that have them. They are like Intl First Class lounges - great complete meals and complementary drinks/spirits. I use them whenever I can, even for 15-20 minutes.

They are kind of a victim of their own success because they are very crowded and therefore had to diminish the benefit over time. When this first started it was:

- use the Amex lounge whenever you want, for as long as you want, and bring in up to 2 complementary guests or "your entire family"

but over the years they took away:

- no more "entire family", just up to 2 free guests.
- no more using it when you arrive at an airport, just upon departure. As a business traveler at the time, I hated this, because I would literally have a full meal and relax a bit after a long flight.
- no more as long as you want, it's only up to 3 hours when you depart (I believe this doesn't apply between connecting legs, so you're good on an 8-hour layover).
- As of 2023, no more free guests. Only the cardholder can enter, and guests have to pay extra. If you spend over $75,000/year with the card, then the 2-guest benefit is restored for a year.

You can get up to 3 additional companion cards for $175, which allow lounge access for each cardholder and that's probably the best way to go. But it turns the annual fee into $870 and the main reason to do it if the reduction of the lounge benefit. Also, they give companion cards only to kids over 13, so those with smaller kids will have to pay a fee for the child to enter (I think it's "only" $30 for kids)

 

[MOXJO7282]

I couldn't find a night for our Maui trip with that credit. I am disappointed because we are Titanium and have the card. I tried a bunch of different hotels on Maui, and the only one I can get is the Courtyard by the airport. I need two nights. So I entered an ongoing request for a week through II. It would be cheaper!

Too bad they don't just give you 85,000 points. I could use those for nights on the road for driving trips.

With the 85k cert? What date? That seems unlikely as all but a few require that much. The Sheraton is still only 70k, and many of the ones in Wailea are less. I'm using mine in April so very happy about that.

 

[MOXJO7282]

AFAIK the Brilliant doesn't have an airline credit. Is this new?

I thought the cert on this was for 50k has something changed?

What is the $240 digital?

FWIW...We are downgrading our Brilliant card after we receive the anniversary cert for this year unless there are some new perks. (I was going to downgrade it this year but they added the meal credits to double dip which made it worthwhile). This card earns no more on MVC purchases than the less expensive $95 personal card (6x) The personal card still gets a free hotel room for 35k.

$240 Digital Entertainment Credit: Up to $20/month refund on Audible, Disney+, The Disney Bundle, ESPN+, Hulu, Peacock, SiriusXM®, and The New York Times. Basically, "free" Disney Bundle.

I'm using mine for NY Times sub

 

[CalGalTraveler]

$240 Digital Entertainment Credit: Up to $20/month refund on Audible, Disney+, The Disney Bundle, ESPN+, Hulu, Peacock, SiriusXM®, and The New York Times. Basically, "free" Disney Bundle.

I'm using mine for NY Times sub

You are talking about the AMEX Plat not the Bonvoy Brilliant, correct?

 

[MOXJO7282]

You are talking about the AMEX Plat not the Bonvoy Brilliant, correct?

My card says brilliant and no where does it say platinum on card or account so not really sure if I'm platinum also? I thought platinum was business, which I definitely don't have.

 

[DanCali]

The most annoying things about these "monthly credits" like the up to $20/month is entertainment or $15/month Uber credit (Platinum) or up to $25/month in dining (Brilliant card) are that (i) you may not use them every month, or (ii) you may be giving up a better deal by paying monthly instead of annually. For example, Disney+ monthly (no ads) is $11 but annually is $110. So the annual price saves you 22, but if you want the Amex credit, you can't use it because it's capped at $20/month. I have the same issue with SiriusXM - usually the annual or semi-annual deals are a lot better than the monthly rates.

 

[DanCali]

My card says brilliant and no where does it say platinum on card or account so not really sure if I'm platinum also? I thought platinum was business, which I definitely don't have.

I don't think the Brilliant card has the $240 digital entertainment credit. That's the Platinum Amex.

 

[CalGalTraveler]

???? I don't see a digital credit listed here for the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant. However I do see the new 85k cert. This cert is better than the 50k but it is an orphan unless I sign up for another Brilliant. Still not sure of the value. Might be good to add a night onto Maui for lower airfares but if suitable rooms are unavailable or have high resort fees then this card is dead to me.

Marriott Bonvoy American Express Brilliant Card

Earn points, free nights, and elite status at over 8,000 hotels with the Marriott Bonvoy American Express Brilliant Card. Get 6x Points at Marriott Properties, 3x Points at U.S. Restaurants, 2x on Purchases & More.

www.marriott.com

 

[Superchief]

The lack of hotel availability on Maui is discouraging. They have nights, but only if I rent the nights.

Did you check for award point stay availability without logging in? In their great IT wisdom, I've found that you can't see what's available for points when you search while logged in. It only shows the $ cost per night unless you select 'view rates' for a specific property.

 

[rickandcindy23]

Did you check for award point stay availability without logging in? In their great IT wisdom, I've found that you can't see what's available for points when you search while logged in. It only shows the $ cost per night unless you select 'view rates' for a specific property.

I just did that and see much more! I do see the Residence Inn on Maui showing as available with free breakfast buffet in the morning. It's 56,000 points or $698 for that single night. The Wailea is 106,000 points per night. I would have to pay the difference. I might do that. Not sure if they have any benefits with our Titanium Bonvoy status.

Thank you for that bit of helpful advice. I so appreciate it. I am looking at late March.

 

[DanCali]

I just did that and see much more! I do see the Residence Inn on Maui showing as available with free breakfast buffet in the morning. It's 56,000 points or $698 for that single night. The Wailea is 106,000 points per night. I would have to pay the difference. I might do that. Not sure if they have any benefits with our Titanium Bonvoy status.

Thank you for that bit of helpful advice. I so appreciate it. I am looking at late March.

You can only top off with 15,000 extra points. So, unfortunately, the 85,000-point certificate won't get you the 106,000-point room.