Included hotel breakfasts, suite upgrades, late checkouts … I’ll admit, I’m a total sucker for the type of perks that higher-tier hotel elite status can often bring.

Actually, I don’t think of myself as a sucker at all. I get real value and enjoyment from hotel elite status, especially at the higher tiers where perks like included breakfast, lounge access and a better shot at suite upgrades can make a meaningful difference in many hotel programs.

In some hotel programs, I have to work very hard all year long to earn the needed 50 to 60 nights to unlock top-tier perks at the higher levels, but with Marriott Bonvoy, I’ve found a much easier way to live some parts of that good life with upper-tier Marriott Bonvoy Platinum Elite status.

The secret: Simply having the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card gives you complimentary Marriott Platinum Elite status.

Not only does it unlock Marriott Platinum Elite status, which I value highly, but it also comes with an annual Free Night Award worth up to 85,000 points each year after your card renewal, which I regularly redeem for hundreds of dollars in value. (The award can be used for one night at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy. Certain hotels have resort fees.)

Then on top of all that, there are statement credits of up to $25/month you can earn each calendar year for eligible purchases at restaurants worldwide with the $300 Brilliant Dining Credit.

Suffice it to say, this card has earned its place in my wallet for years, and it isn’t going anywhere anytime soon.

In case you also want easy top-tier hotel status that makes your trips better and an annual free night award that can easily be worth hundreds of dollars (certain hotels have resort fees), let’s jump into the details of the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant — and why right now is a terrific time to apply since you can earn one of the highest welcome offers I’ve ever seen on this card.

Limited-time bonus of 200,000 Marriott Bonvoy points

I keep the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card year after year because the perks make it more than worth the annual fee. If you’re considering it for the first time, your timing really couldn’t be better.

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I can’t remember ever seeing the welcome bonus higher. Right now, the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant is offering 200,000 bonus points, which are worth $1,500 based on TPG’s April 2026 valuations.

You can earn 200,000 bonus Marriott Bonvoy points after spending $6,000 on purchases with the card in the first six months of card membership. This offer ends May 13.

The most common bonus for this card is around 100,000 bonus points, and the highest I’ve seen it go was to 185,000 bonus points, making this an excellent time to get the card.

In addition to the 200,000 bonus points, some of my other favorite Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant perks include:

• Marriott Platinum Elite status
• An annual Free Night Award worth up to 85,000 Marriott points that’s awarded after your card account anniversary. (Certain hotels have resort fees.) Tip: You can add up to 25,000 points on top to stay at participating properties priced at up to 110,000 Marriott points per night.
• An annual $300 Brilliant Dining Credit that’s awarded as up to $25 per month in statement credits for eligible restaurant purchases worldwide* (pro tip: I load coffee and fast food apps that code as dining from home each month to always get the most out of this perk)
• Earning 6 points per dollar spent on eligible charges at participating Marriott Bonvoy properties
• Earning 3 points per dollar spent at restaurants worldwide and on flights booked directly with airlines
• Earning 2 points per dollar spent everywhere else

*U.S. takeout and delivery purchases are also eligible for this credit.

And when it comes to earning points, it’s potentially even better than it initially sounds because if you have and use the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant card, it could add up to an impressive 21 points per dollar at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy. This works because the card provides 6 points per dollar, then there’s up to 10 points per dollar by being a Marriott Bonvoy member and then another 5 points per dollar for being a Marriott Platinum member (50% bonus).

Related: 6 places to maximize an 85,000-point Marriott award night certificate

The one aspect of the Bonvoy Brilliant that may not make it the perfect match for everyone is its $650 annual fee (see rates and fees). I personally get more than that in value out of it, thanks to using the status perks, the dining credit and the annual award night, but if that doesn’t work for you, there is also an excellent increased offer on the Marriott Bonvoy Bevy® American Express® Card, one of the highest offers I’ve ever seen for that card.

With the Bonvoy Bevy, you can earn 175,000 bonus Marriott Bonvoy points after spending $5,000 on purchases with the card in the first six months of card membership. This offer ends May 13.

The Bonvoy Bevy has a $250 annual fee (see rates and fees), but in addition to its welcome bonus — which is worth $1,313 based on TPG’s April 2026 valuations — the card offers:

• Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status
• A Free Night Award that’s valid at participating Marriott Bonvoy hotels, worth up to 50,000 points after spending $15,000 on eligible purchases on the card in a calendar year (certain hotels have resort fees)
• The ability to earn 6 points per dollar spent on eligible charges at participating Marriott Bonvoy properties
• The ability to earn 4 points per dollar spent at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on up to $15,000 in combined purchases every calendar year, then 2 points per dollar)
• The ability to earn 2 points per dollar spent on eligible purchases everywhere else

Related: Marriott 50,000-point free night certificate: 7 best hotels in the world to use your award redemption

To give some context to why TPG values the 175,000-point Bevy offer at $1,313 and the 200,000-point Brilliant offer at $1,500, here are a few real-world redemption examples.

5 nights at the Walt Disney World Dolphin from 187,200 points (plus resort fee and taxes)

You can stay within walking distance of (or a short boat ride away from) Epcot and Disney’s Hollywood Studios at the Walt Disney World Dolphin in Florida during Memorial Day week in May. Rates at this time start at 187,200 Marriott points for a five-night stay. The cash price for those same dates currently starts at $1,483 all-in, but with points, you can book it for under $100 per day, as all you’ll pay out of pocket is the $50 daily resort fee and taxes.

TPG tip: When staying on Marriott Bonvoy points for five or more nights, the fifth night is free, which makes a five-night stay a great way to stretch your points.

5 nights in Hawaii from 192,000 points (plus destination fee and taxes)

If Hawaii is your vacation goal, a stay of five nights at The Laylow Waikiki, Autograph Collection, a highly regarded midcentury modern property in Honolulu, starts at 192,000 Marriott points (plus taxes and the $50 daily destination fee) in early October. The cash rate for those same nights is around $2,800, showing how you can get even more value from these welcome offers.

1 night at The St. Regis New York from 99,200 points (plus destination fee and taxes)

If you want to live the classic luxury life for a night or two while visiting the Big Apple, you could check out The St. Regis New York, where stays come with high-end service, including from your personal butler. Looking at Marriott’s flexible date calendar, I see nights starting around 99,200 Marriott points (plus the $50 daily destination fee and taxes), which is a great deal considering paid rates for those same stays start at $1,292.

How the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant card makes my trips better — and why I never want to give it up

Thanks to the Marriott Platinum Elite status I automatically receive as a Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card holder, I enjoy complimentary breakfast for up to two guests per room at select Marriott brands I visit. This has saved me hundreds of dollars at properties like the JW Marriott Orlando Bonnet Creek Resort & Spa; the W Aspen in Colorado; The Westin Grand Cayman Seven Mile Beach Resort & Spa in the Cayman Islands; and Moana Surfrider, A Westin Resort & Spa, Waikiki Beach in Honolulu, just to name a few.

I’ve also been able to pop into the hotel lounges at Marriott properties (with qualifying rates at select hotels with participating lounges, subject to availability) for extras like complimentary snacks, breakfast and beverages during stays at the Marriott Marquis Houston, The Westin Anaheim Resort near Disneyland and the Warner Center Marriott Woodland Hills outside of Los Angeles, again thanks to Marriott Platinum Elite status I have from my Bonvoy Brilliant card.

At the Walt Disney World Swan Reserve in Central Florida, I’ve been upgraded to a true two-room suite a few times — again, thanks to having Marriott Platinum Elite status. Each of these real-world benefits makes my trips more enjoyable — and makes keeping the card more than worth it for me.

Last but absolutely not least, the annual Free Night Award, worth up to 85,000 points at participating properties (certain hotels have resort fees), awarded each year after your Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant Card anniversary, is something I often get hundreds of dollars in value from year after year.

For example, this year, I’ve used that certificate (plus 2,000 points) to book a room at The London Edition on a night that is currently selling for $825, which more than offsets the card’s annual fee with that one benefit.

In previous years, my family has used these awards for the Walt Disney World Swan Reserve and even across the pond at the fun, well-located W Edinburgh.

Bottom line

If you regularly stay with Marriott, carrying a cobranded Marriott credit card can make your stays more enjoyable and rewarding, especially when the card comes with elite status.

For me, the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant has been a keeper for my wallet for a long time and will likely stay that way for years to come because of the value I get from the annual award certificate, the dining credits and the elite status benefits.

Regardless of whether you decide the Brilliant or the Bevy is a better match for you, now is a great time to apply for either, as they’re offering impressive welcome bonuses you can get tremendous value out of.

Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card: Earn 200,000 bonus Marriott Bonvoy points after spending $6,000 on purchases with the card in the first six months of card membership. This offer ends May 13.

Marriott Bonvoy Bevy American Express Card: Earn 175,000 bonus Marriott Bonvoy points after spending $5,000 on purchases with the card in the first six months of card membership. This offer ends May 13.

For rates and fees of the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card, click here.

For rates and fees of the Marriott Bonvoy Bevy American Express Card, click here.