The Marriott Bonvoy Bevy American Express Card is running its highest-ever welcome bonus through May 13, 2026: 175,000 Marriott Bonvoy points after spending $5,000 in the first six months. At roughly 0.7 cents per point, that bonus is worth about $1,225 toward free hotel nights. If you’ve been considering the Bevy, now is the window.
Here’s what the card offers, how it compares to the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant running its own elevated offer, and who should act before the deadline.
The 175,000-Point Welcome Offer
The current offer requires $5,000 in eligible purchases within the first six months of card membership. That’s a spending pace of about $833 per month, which fits most households with moderate grocery and restaurant spend.
Offer expires: May 13, 2026. This is the best welcome bonus the Bevy card has offered since it launched in 2022.
At Marriott Bonvoy’s standard redemption scale, 175,000 points covers:
- Two to three nights at a Category 6 or 7 Marriott property (50,000-60,000 points per night)
- Four to five nights at a Category 4 or 5 property (35,000-40,000 points per night)
- Multiple free nights at mid-tier brands like Courtyard, Westin, or Sheraton
Rates verified April 2026 via americanexpress.com and marriott.com.
Card Earning Rates
The Bevy earns at three tiers (rates verified April 2026 via Amex):
- 6x Marriott Bonvoy points on eligible purchases at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy
- 4x Marriott Bonvoy points at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets (combined cap of $15,000 per calendar year across both categories, then 2x)
- 2x Marriott Bonvoy points on all other purchases
The 4x rate on restaurants and U.S. supermarkets is the card’s most practical everyday benefit. A household spending $12,000 per year on dining and groceries earns 48,000 points before the cap, worth roughly $336 toward hotel stays.
One important detail on the combined cap: the $15,000 limit applies to restaurant and supermarket spending together. If you spend $10,000 at restaurants and $8,000 at grocery stores, you earn 4x only on the first $15,000 combined; the remaining $3,000 earns 2x. Track spending if you’re heavy in both categories.
Key Card Benefits
Complimentary Gold Elite Status
The Bevy provides Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status for the duration of card membership. Gold Elite perks include a 25% bonus on points earned from paid stays, late checkout requests (subject to availability), and room upgrade requests. It’s not the strongest status tier, but it’s a meaningful upgrade from baseline Silver.
Free Night Award After $15,000 Annual Spend
If you put $15,000 or more on the card in a calendar year, you receive one Free Night Award redeemable at properties costing up to 50,000 points per night. At a 0.7 cent valuation, that’s roughly a $350 hotel night. For cardholders who actively use the card for everyday spending, this benefit can offset most of the $250 annual fee on its own.
15 Elite Night Credits Per Year
Each calendar year the card awards 15 Elite Night Credits toward Marriott Bonvoy status progression. Reaching Platinum Elite requires 50 elite nights; cardholders who stay 35+ nights at Marriott properties during the year can reach Platinum using the card’s credits to close the gap.
No Foreign Transaction Fees
Useful for international stays at Marriott-brand properties worldwide.
Bevy vs. Brilliant: Which Makes Sense Right Now?
The Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card is running a simultaneous elevated offer of 200,000 points after $6,000 in six months, also expiring May 13, 2026. Here’s how the two cards compare:
| Feature | Bevy | Brilliant |
|---|---|---|
| Annual fee | $250 | $650 |
| Welcome bonus | 175,000 pts / $5,000 spend | 200,000 pts / $6,000 spend |
| Bonus value at 0.7cpp | ~$1,225 | ~$1,400 |
| Marriott earn rate | 6x | 6x |
| Restaurant earn rate | 4x (combined w/ grocery, $15K/yr cap) | 3x |
| Status | Gold Elite | Platinum Elite |
| Annual dining credit | None | $300 ($25/month, enrollment required) |
| Free night certificate | Up to 50K pts (after $15K/year spend) | Up to 85K pts (each anniversary) |
| Lounge access | None | Priority Pass Select |
The Brilliant’s extra 25,000 points in the welcome bonus are worth about $175 at 0.7 cents per point. The Brilliant costs $400 more per year. Breaking even on that gap requires extracting at least $400 in additional annual value from Platinum Elite status, the Brilliant free night (85K vs. 50K cap), the $300 dining credit, and Priority Pass access.
For readers who already have another Priority Pass card, don’t stay enough nights to benefit from Platinum over Gold, and won’t reliably use the $300 dining credit (which comes in $25/month increments with enrollment required), the Bevy is the more cost-effective card by a significant margin.
The Brilliant makes sense if: you stay 20+ nights per year at Marriott and would actively use the higher-tier status perks, or you’d reliably use the $300 dining credit to bring the effective annual fee below $350.
How Much Are 175,000 Marriott Bonvoy Points Worth?
Marriott Bonvoy points are generally valued at 0.6 to 0.8 cents each, depending on how you redeem them. At peak value (Category 7 luxury properties), points can reach 1 cent or more. At mid-tier hotels, 0.7 cents per point is a reasonable planning figure.
At 0.7cpp, the 175,000-point welcome bonus is worth approximately $1,225. That’s nearly five years of the $250 annual fee returned in points from a single welcome offer.
The most efficient Bonvoy redemptions are peak-demand hotels in markets where cash rates are high. A Westin or Sheraton in an expensive city often yields 1+ cpp at award rates, while resort properties during low season can drop to 0.4-0.5 cpp if cash rates are already low.
Who Should Apply
Apply if:
- You stay at Marriott-brand hotels at least two or three times per year and want status perks without the $650 Brilliant fee
- You want the 175K bonus before May 13 and can meet the $5,000 spend requirement
- You dine out or grocery shop enough to benefit from the 4x earn rate on those categories
Skip if:
- You rarely stay at Marriott properties (general travel cards with flexible currencies give more redemption flexibility)
- You already hold the Brilliant card (Amex family rules may disqualify you from a Bevy welcome bonus)
- You hold or recently received a bonus on a Chase Marriott card (Boundless, Bold, or Bountiful) in the past 24 months
Eligibility note: American Express shows a welcome bonus eligibility pop-up before you submit your application. Check it before applying to confirm you qualify for the 175K offer. If you’ve held the Brilliant or received any Marriott Amex bonus recently, Amex will flag it.
Bottom Line
The Marriott Bonvoy Bevy card is at its best-ever offer of 175,000 points through May 13, 2026. The $250 annual fee is reasonable for Marriott loyalists, the 4x dining and grocery rate is among the best earn rates in the co-branded hotel space, and Gold Elite status adds real value for frequent Marriott guests. Apply by May 13 or wait for the next elevated offer, which may not arrive for several months.
Apply for the Marriott Bonvoy Bevy Card
FAQ
Q: What is the Marriott Bonvoy Bevy card annual fee?
A: The annual fee is $250. It is not waived in the first year.
Q: When does the 175,000-point offer expire?
A: The offer expires May 13, 2026. After that date, the welcome bonus is expected to revert to a lower standard offer.
Q: Can I earn the Bevy welcome bonus if I already have the Brilliant card?
A: Amex family rules may disqualify Brilliant cardholders from receiving a Bevy welcome bonus. Check the eligibility pop-up on Amex’s application page before submitting. If you plan to get both cards, apply for the Bevy first.
Q: Is the 4x restaurant rate on the Bevy better than the Brilliant’s 3x?
A: Yes, the Bevy earns 4x at restaurants (and U.S. supermarkets combined, up to $15,000/year), while the Brilliant earns 3x at restaurants. For dining-focused cardholders, the Bevy’s higher earn rate partially offsets the Brilliant’s premium benefits.
Q: What hotels are eligible for 6x earning on the Bevy card?
A: Any hotel participating in the Marriott Bonvoy program earns 6x. This includes Marriott, Sheraton, Westin, W Hotels, St. Regis, Ritz-Carlton, Courtyard, Fairfield, Residence Inn, and other brands in the Marriott portfolio. Rates verified April 2026 via Amex and Marriott.