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To choose a Marriott Bonvoy credit card, consider which benefits matter the most to you. Depending on your circumstances, one card may be a better fit for you than another. Here are some things you may want to consider:
- Your spending habits and travel goals
- The annual fee
- The rewards structure
- The welcome bonus
- Other perks offered by the card
How To Apply for a Marriott Bonvoy Credit Card
To apply for a Marriott Bonvoy credit card, you can visit the Marriott, Chase or American Express website, depending on which card you want. You’ll need to fill out an online application form with your personal and financial information, such as:
- Your name
- Your address
- Your income
- Your Social Security number
- Your Marriott Bonvoy membership number (or you’ll be automatically assigned one)
After submitting your application, you will receive an instant decision or a message that your application is pending further review. If approved, you will receive your card in the mail within a few days to a few weeks. You can then activate your card online or by phone to earn points with Marriott Bonvoy.
Should I Upgrade My Marriott Credit Card?
Upgrading an existing Marriott card rather than applying for a new one has several advantages. You can continue your existing card history, which may help your credit score since it shows a higher average account age instead of starting over at zero. It can also be a convenient way to access greater benefits (by upgrading) or lower annual fees (by downgrading) without applying for and managing a second card.
Pro Tip
Upgrading your Marriott credit card may also be helpful if you don’t qualify as a new applicant. Several rules limit which cards you can get, but upgrading—as long as you stick with the same card issuer—can help you choose the card that fits you best.
Restrictions on New Card Sign-Ups and Bonuses
Do all of these cards sound good to you? Unfortunately, you can’t get them all. While Chase issues three personal cards and American Express issues two personal cards, the banks work together to limit which personal cards you can have at the same time.
For example, you won’t be approved for the Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card* or the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card* if you are a current cardholder of a Chase Marriott-branded credit card. You’ll also be denied if you earned a new cardholder bonus within the last 24 months on any of these three personal cards.
While you can apply for the Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card* or the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card*, you won’t be eligible for the welcome bonus if any of the following are true:
- You’re a current Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card* cardholder or were a cardholder within the last 30 days
- You are a current or previous cardmember of either Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card or Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card* and received a new cardmember bonus or upgrade bonus in the last 24 months
- You applied and were approved for Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card or Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card* within the last 90 days.
There are similar restrictions on the American Express credit cards. If you already have a Marriott credit card—or have had one recently—read the terms and conditions carefully before applying for a new card.
Chase’s 5/24 Rule
For the three Marriott credit cards issued by Chase, keep in mind the Chase 5/24 rule.
Chase has an unpublished rule that potential new cardholders won’t be approved for a new Chase card if they’ve opened five (or more) new personal cards in the past 24 months, regardless of the card issuer. Some small business cards may also count toward the unofficial five-card limit.