All information about the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express card has been collected independently by Miles to Memories.
Bonvoy Brilliant Amex
I’ve had an up and down relationship with the Marriott Bonvoy loyalty program, and we’re hot and heavy right now. For years after coming together with SPG, I avoided the new program. But I finally opted in, and it’s been a fun ride since. We’re far into that journey now – between the two of us, my wife and I currently hold seven Bonvoy Amex cards. The Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant Amex is back in the news thanks to its best-ever 185k point signup bonus. So I figured the time’s right to revalidate the Brilliant’s benefits in our situation. Anyone considering paying the stout $650 should do so, as well.
Note: As with similar valuation articles, I’m not taking into account the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant Amex’s welcome offer. Rather, I’m specifically focusing on the card’s ongoing benefits for individuals who decide to pay the annual fee. New cardholders eligible for the welcome offer should add their customized value to year one as they deem appropriate.
Learn more about this card and the current welcome offer
Brilliant Dining Credit
I’ll start with an easy one first. The Brilliant offers a $300 dining credit each year, more specifically $25 each month. While cardholders must remember to use at least $25 monthly to obtain maximum value, the credit is fairly low maintenance otherwise. It’s useful at restaurants worldwide. I’ve never had a problem with the credit triggering, nor do I have issues entirely using it each month on our normal dining out. I easily value the dining credit at 100%.
Annual Benefit Value: $300
Marriott Bonvoy Platinum Elite Status
Of all the Platinum elite status benefits, we really only value one – the (convoluted) breakfast benefit. Our family has used this about 15 times this past year, mostly at Autograph Collection properties. I don’t have individual receipts, but it’s safe to say each totaled $30 minimum. But in reality, we wouldn’t have opted to buy those hotel breakfasts at full price. We probably would have paid about half that. So I’m valuing the benefit at 50%. While our number of stayed Marriott nights may vary year to year, it doesn’t change substantially, and I’m confident I’m lowballing the dollar totals from last year.
Annual Benefit Value: $225
Free Night Award
Brilliant cardholders receive a free night award redeemable at any property up to 85k nightly after their card renewal month. We like to splurge on Ritz-Carlton stays every so often and use this FNY type there. We’ve found great value from these certs but don’t try to over-optimize; we’ll accept a $500 “free” night even though we could get way more perceived value out of it. And, again, we generally wouldn’t pay that much out of pocket for that night at the Ritz-Carlton. I’d probably pay half that for said experience.
Annual Benefit Value: $250
Everything Else
Here’s where many of you may disagree, if you haven’t already. I value all other benefits exactly the same – zero.
The Brilliant comes with elevated earning categories, but they are easily matched or outdone by other cards. The extra 5x earning as a Platinum elite on paid stays means nothing since we only stay on award nights. Ditto for the $100 property credit, as we don’t pay for Ritz-Carlton or St. Regis stays, and even if we did, we wouldn’t pay the required “special” rate. We aren’t interested in Global Entry or TSA PreCheck, but even if we were, we have plenty of other cards offering it. The 25 elite night credits are great, but we aren’t chasing status or benefits beyond “normal” Platinum. Priority Pass is a nice touch, but have that with other cards, including the Chase Sapphire Reserve.
There’s no way we would spend $60k for an annual choice benefit. The 25 elite night credits are nice but doesn’t put either of us over the top for Titanium status.
Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant Amex – Conclusion
Taking everything into account, we obtain a $775 value from the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant Amex’s benefits. If anything, I’m being conservative with that valuation, as we probably go easily above the breakfast and Free Night Award benefits. Still, a $125 win over the Brilliant’s $650 annual fee makes holding this card a reasonable decision. And outside factors play a substantial role in our long-term Brilliant decisions. In general, an individual can hold up to five Amex credit cards. As we’ve held most all Amex products, we heavily consider the availability of no lifetime language card offers. If it’s a relatively quiet NLL world, we’re more likely to hold onto at least one Brilliant for the foreseeable future.
How do you value the benefits of the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant Amex in your situation?
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As a lifetime Plat I am dumping this card. To me its a weak offering. Its a coupon book with the 25.00 credits. They hope you forget to use it one or more times.
Indeed, robertw, avoiding this card is a completely reasonable move for many out there.
Overall agree w analysis. For me card didn’t work after AF increase and change to dining credit but main reason for that is I’m lifetime Titanium so offering Platinum w card had no value for me.
Agree works, especially if use it to ensure Platinum status (similar to Hilton Aspire for Diamond)
What I like about the card too is it works toward lifetime platinum status. I have 7 years as a platinum and around 450 nights, so I’ll be pretty close to lifetime plat after a few more years of this card.
I routinely get at least $800 value from the free night with a stay in New York each year. It’s a no brainer to keep this card for me.
Nate,
That’s not something I’m overly focused on, but definitely a valid angle for many!
If someone has a reasonable number of nights at properties outside the US, the Platinum’s breakfast credit can be quite valuable.
Great point, Lee!
Curious to know if you’d still be staying as frequently at Autograph hotels if you didn’t have Bonvoy Plat status or if you’d seek out alternatives. If it’s the latter I’m not sure I’d value the breakfast benefit at even $15 if the alternative hotels had breakfast as either standard or as a benefit of your newfound IHG Diamond status.
The short answer is yes, Kevin. Here’s just one example why.
The CSR no longer has dining benefit with the priority pass.
Updated, Un. This article was submitted previous to that change.
Good article.
If you have an Amex gold card, you shouldn’t value the benefit of restaurants at full value. You get 4x Amex points there and this card only earns 2 Marriot. So it’s maybe a 3 percent discount and you have to remember it every month, and prepay it a year in advance for the fee.
But yes, if you stay at enough nice Marriots the free breakfast, and free night and restaurants pays for the card.
Tom,
To be clear, I value the Brilliant Dining Credit, not the negligible difference between 4x Membership Rewards and 2x Marriott points earned while using it. But if we’re splitting hairs here, certain Marriott redemptions can approach two cents per point or more.