Is the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Card Worth Its Annual Fee?

Although the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card has an annual fee, the card more than makes up for it if you use all the benefits, including the solid welcome offer and the anniversary free night award.

Here’s everything you need to know about the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card to help you decide if the card makes sense for you.

How much is the annual fee?

The Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card has a $95 annual fee. This fee isn't waived the first year and will most likely appear on your first billing statement.

What is the current welcome offer?

Here's the current sign-up offer for new cardholders: Earn 3 Free Night Awards (each night valued up to 50,000 points) after spending $3,000 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening with the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card!

NerdWallet values Marriott points at 0.9 cent each.

Note: Before applying, it’s important to know that the bonus offer isn't available to some customers who have had previous approvals or bonuses for related Marriott products. If in doubt, check the Chase "Offer Details" and read the fine print to ensure you qualify.

» Learn more: Your guide to the Marriott Bonvoy award chart

The most high-value perks of the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card

Free award night

The free award night is a high-value benefit offered to Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card customers. You receive a free award night at participating properties, good for nights valued up to 35,000 points each. The free night will post to your account up to eight weeks after your account anniversary.

So what is this worth? Marriott rooms run on dynamic pricing, but if you shop around, you can get a lot of value out of this free night. You could get a free night at plenty of properties both domestically and internationally:

• JW Marriott Las Vegas Resort and Spa, which can cost around $165 a night.

• The St. Anthony, a Luxury Collection Hotel, San Antonio, which can run over $300 per night.

» Learn more: 5 great uses of Marriott's 35,000-point free night certificate

15 elite night credits

You’ll receive 15 elite night credits that post to your account within 60 days of account opening. Your 15 elite night credits put you only 10 nights away from qualifying for Gold status.

If you’re someone who easily spends 10 nights per year in a Marriott, this upfront credit of 15 elite nights can save you the thousands of dollars you would've spent on earning those 15 nights.

If you don’t think you’ll stay 10 nights in the year, then this perk will have no value to you.

» Learn more: Marriott Bonvoy elite levels: The complete guide

Silver Elite status

Silver Elite status is an automatic benefit that Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card customers receive. Whether you stay zero nights or nine nights per year, you’ll always have Silver status if you hold this card (and you’ll be eligible for Gold status after staying those additional 10 nights).

Silver Elite status perks include:

• 10% earning bonus on stays.

• Priority late checkout.

• Free Wi-Fi.

• Access to exclusive member rates, "cash + points" redemptions, PointSavers and more.

» Learn more: What makes Marriott unique?

Earn Gold Elite status

Travelers who can spend a substantial amount on the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card can earn Gold Elite status by charging $35,000 or more in purchases in a year. This status is valid through the end of the following calendar year.

As mentioned above, you can also earn Gold Elite status by logging 10 qualifying nights, which will get you to this tier threshold when combined with your card’s 15 elite nights.

» Learn more: Why I love Marriott Bonvoy

No foreign transaction fees

Another feature of the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card is that it doesn't have foreign transaction fees. This perk is fairly common among travel credit cards, but it has the potential to save you 1% to 3% on purchases made during international trips.

If you travel internationally and stay at Marriott properties, being able to pay with this card could earn a lot of bonus points without paying a foreign transaction fee.

Earn up to 17 points per $1 when using the card

Marriott makes earning rewards with spending on the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card pretty easy. Cardmembers earn an outstanding 17x points at participating Marriott Bonvoy hotels. For example, a $500 Marriott hotel charge on your card would net 8,500 points.

Since NerdWallet values Marriott points at 0.9 cent each, those points would be worth $60.

You'll also earn 3x points on the first $6,000 spent in combined annual purchases on grocery stores, gas stations and dining and 2x points on all other purchases.

» Learn more: Your complete guide to earning Marriott Bonvoy points

Who isn't eligible to apply for this card?

You aren't eligible for the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card if:

• You already have a Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card (formerly known as the Marriott Rewards Premier Plus).

• You are a current Marriott Bonvoy Premier or Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card cardmember.

• You were a cardholder of one of the above cards who received a new cardmember bonus in the past 24 months, regardless of whether your card is still open.

» Learn more: The pros and cons of the Marriott Bonvoy program

Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card benefits vs. the annual fee

It is pretty easy to justify the $95 for this card: Even if all you do is use your free night certificate at a decent Marriott hotel, you’re probably going to break even with the annual fee.

You can further justify the annual fee in years two and beyond — all it takes is a single Marriott stay for a work or vacation trip to reap the benefits because of the 17x points earning rate and the automatic Silver Elite status. The card also becomes a great option for those who plan to stay 10 or more nights at a Marriott in a given year and can start to take advantage of Gold Elite status.

So is the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card worth the annual fee? If you have any travel plans that include a Marriott, the answer is yes.