Marriott Bonvoy Bold Credit Card Review: Best Ever Welcome Offer & No Annual Fee!

If you’ve been thinking about dipping your toes into the Marriott Bonvoy ecosystem, now might be the perfect time—because the Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card is currently offering its best-ever welcome bonus! This is a no-annual-fee card provides solid benefits, making it a great way to start earning Marriott points without any upfront costs. Is now the time to get it or is there a card that better fits your needs?

Why the Marriott Bonvoy Bold is a Great Starter Card

The Marriott Bonvoy Bold is an excellent option if you’re new to hotel rewards and want to start building up a stash of Bonvoy points without committing to an annual fee. With a generous welcome bonus, strong earning rates, and useful travel benefits, it’s a solid way to get into the Marriott program.

Current Best-Ever Offer

Right now, the Marriott Bonvoy Bold has its highest welcome bonus ever, which means you can earn more points than usual when you sign up. If you’re considering this card, now is the best time to apply.

The current welcome offer is a 50k free night certificate and 60,000 points after completing $2,000 in spend in the first 3 months. The free night certificate can be topped off with up to 15,000 points, making it useable at hotels priced at 65,000 points per night or less.

Earning Rates & Benefits

The Marriott Bonvoy Bold earns points at the following rates:

• 3X points per $1 spent at Marriott Bonvoy
• 2X points per $1 spent on grocery stores, rideshare, cable/phone services, select streaming, internet and food delivery
• 1X point per $1 spent on everything else

Other key benefits:

• 15 Elite Night Credits each year, helping you fast-track to Silver Elite status
• No foreign transaction fees—great for international travelers
• Travel protections, including baggage delay insurance
• Pay Yourself Back- Pay for up to $750 in airline and Marriott hotel charges per year, at a rate of 0.8 cents per point.
  • Using pay yourself back may be a better value than reward nights at some Marriott properties

Should You Get This or Another Marriott Card?

While the Bonvoy Bold is a great starter card, it’s important to know that getting this card can impact your ability to receive welcome bonuses on other Marriott cards due to Chase and Amex’s Marriott card family rules.

If you think you might want a higher-tier Marriott card later, like the Boundless (which has an annual fee but earns more points) or the Ritz-Carlton Card (which offers premium perks but is only available via product change), you should consider your strategy carefully.

Upgrading to the Boundless or Ritz-Carlton Card

One advantage of the Marriott Bonvoy Bold is that you can later upgrade it to the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless or even the Marriott Bonvoy Ritz-Carlton Card (if offered). These cards come with:

• Free Night Awards (Boundless: up to 35K points per night; Ritz: up to 85K points per night)
• Higher earning rates at Marriott properties
• Premium travel perks, including Priority Pass lounge access (Ritz card only)

Final Thoughts: Who Should Get the Marriott Bonvoy Bold?

Get this card if:
✅ You want a no-fee entry point into Marriott Bonvoy
✅ You’re just starting out with hotel rewards and want to earn points on everyday spending
✅ You want Elite Night Credits without paying an annual fee
✅ You don’t need free night certificates or premium perks right now

Consider a different card if:
❌ You want faster point accumulation (Boundless earns more)
❌ You want free night certificates each year
❌ You plan to apply for a different Marriott card soon (since getting this may make you ineligible for some welcome offers)

With the best-ever offer currently available, the Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card is an attractive choice for anyone looking to start their Marriott points journey. Just be sure to consider your long-term Marriott card strategy before applying!