Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant vs Marriott Bonvoy Bevy: Which Is Better in 2026?

Marriott Bonvoy Bevy Breakdown

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The Bevy earns 6X points at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy, 4X at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on up to $15,000 in combined purchases per calendar year, then 2X), and 2X on other eligible purchases.

• Complimentary Marriott Bonvoy® Gold Elite status and 15 Elite Night Credits each calendar year.
• 1,000 bonus points per paid eligible stay booked directly with Marriott.
• One Free Night Award after you spend $15,000 on eligible purchases in a calendar year, for a night with a redemption level at or under 50,000 points. Certain hotels have resort fees.
• No foreign transaction fees from American Express.

^{Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Enrollment may be required for select American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more. Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions, and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by Amex Assurance Company.}

Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant vs Bevy: Which Is Better?

Cost and Value

The Brilliant's annual fee is much higher than the Bevy's (see the card details above for current amounts). You can recover much of that gap with the up to $300 dining credit and the annual Free Night Award, but only if you use both.

Earning

At Marriott hotels, both cards earn 6X. Off property, the Bevy earns more at restaurants and U.S. supermarkets (4X up to the $15,000 combined cap), while the Brilliant earns 3X at restaurants and on flights booked directly with airlines. Both earn 2X on everything else.

Elite Status

The Brilliant comes with Platinum Elite status, which can include room upgrades when available. The Bevy comes with Gold Elite status. Our guide to Marriott Bonvoy elite status explains what each tier offers.

Free Night Awards

The Brilliant's Free Night Award arrives every year after renewal, with no spending required, and covers redemptions up to 85,000 points. The Bevy's Free Night Award requires $15,000 in calendar-year spending and covers redemptions up to 50,000 points.

Redemption

Points from both cards go into the same Marriott Bonvoy account. You can redeem them for free nights at over 10,000 participating hotels, use them for flights or car rentals through Air+Car, or transfer them to more than 38 airline partners.

Compare Cards With Kudos

Kudos lets you compare hotel cards side by side in the card explorer and test drive a card against your real spending before you apply.

The free Kudos browser extension can also autofill your best card at checkout.

With Kudos Premium, the Benefits Tracker shows the credits and perks on each of your cards, including how much of a monthly dining credit you've used and what's left, with progress bars and step-by-step redemption instructions. Its annual fee vs. value comparison helps you decide whether a hotel card is still worth keeping.

^{Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Enrollment may be required for select American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more. Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions, and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by Amex Assurance Company.}

Who Should Choose the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant?

The Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card fits travelers who stay at Marriott properties several times a year, eat out regularly enough to use the $25 monthly dining credit, and will redeem the annual Free Night Award.

Priority Pass access adds value if you fly often. Read our Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant review for more detail.

Who Should Choose the Marriott Bonvoy Bevy?

The Marriott Bonvoy Bevy® American Express® Card fits Marriott guests who want Gold Elite status and strong earning on dining and groceries, without paying for a premium card. If you put $15,000 or more on the card each year, you'll also earn a Free Night Award.

Our Marriott Bonvoy Bevy review covers the card in more depth.

Alternatives to Consider

If you aren't tied to Marriott, a flexible travel card may give you more options.

• The American Express® Gold Card earns 4X Membership Rewards® points at restaurants worldwide (on up to $50,000 per calendar year, then 1X) and at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 per calendar year, then 1X).
• The Chase Sapphire Reserve® earns 8x on Chase Travel℠ purchases, 4x on flights and hotels booked directly, and 3x on dining, with a $300 annual travel credit. Its points can be transferred to Chase's airline and hotel partners.

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^{Points are not earned until after the first $300 is spent annually on travel purchases. The first $300 goes toward the $300 Annual Travel Credit.}

^{Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Enrollment may be required for select American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more. Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions, and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by Amex Assurance Company.}

Tips for Application Success

Before You Apply

• Check your credit. Premium hotel cards are generally designed for applicants with good to excellent credit.
• Plan your spending. Confirm the current Welcome Offer, spend requirement, and timeframe on the Amex page, and make sure you can meet it with normal purchases.
• Count your nights. Estimate how many Marriott nights you book each year to see whether Platinum or Gold Elite status matters more to you.

Application Strategy

• Know the eligibility rules. Amex may not grant a Welcome Offer if you have or have had the card, and Marriott Bonvoy cards from both Amex and Chase have rules that can limit offers if you hold or recently held another Marriott card.
• Have your Marriott Bonvoy number ready. Points from co-branded cards post to your Marriott Bonvoy account.
• Time your application. Apply before a large planned purchase to help meet the spending requirement.

Our Methodology

Kudos evaluates nearly 3,000 credit cards across the U.S. market, far more than the roughly 150 cards commonly featured on sites that focus only on products tied to affiliate commissions. The goal is a complete, unbiased view of the market so you can make confident, data-driven decisions.

Our editorial team verifies card terms against issuer sources. You can also explore the full dataset yourself in the Kudos card explorer, which includes thousands of cards, more than 95% of which do not pay us commissions.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I Hold Both the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant and Bevy Cards?

You can generally hold both, but Welcome Offer eligibility may be limited based on your history with other Marriott Bonvoy cards from Amex and Chase. Check the offer terms on the application page before you apply.

Which Card Has the Better Free Night Award?

The Brilliant's Free Night Award arrives every year after your card renewal month and covers redemptions up to 85,000 points. The Bevy's requires $15,000 in eligible purchases in a calendar year and covers redemptions up to 50,000 points. Certain hotels have resort fees.

Do Both Cards Come With Automatic Elite Status?

Yes. The Brilliant includes complimentary Platinum Elite status, and the Bevy includes complimentary Gold Elite status.

Does Either Card Include Lounge Access?

The Brilliant lets you enroll in Priority Pass™ with unlimited visits to over 1,300 airport lounges. The Bevy doesn't include airport lounge access.

^{Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Enrollment may be required for select American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more. Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions, and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by Amex Assurance Company.}