The Marriott Bonvoy American Express Card costs $120 a year and gives you a free hotel night every year, worth up to 35,000 Marriott Bonvoy points. It earns 5 points per $1 at Marriott hotels and 2 points per $1 on everything else. New cardholders can also earn a welcome bonus of up to 70,000 points, enough for two more nights at 35,000-point hotels. There’s also a business version for $150 that earns 3 points per $1 on gas, dining and travel. Here’s what each card gives you, what the insurance covers and doesn’t, and how to work out whether the free night pays for the fee.
Amex Bonvoy cards at a glance
| Marriott Bonvoy Amex | Marriott Bonvoy Business Amex | |
|---|---|---|
| Annual fee | $120 | $150 |
| Welcome bonus (when we checked) | Up to 70,000 points | Up to 80,000 points |
| Extra cards | No annual fee | $50 a year each |
| At Marriott hotels | 5 points per $1 | 5 points per $1 |
| Gas, dining and travel | 2 points per $1 | 3 points per $1 |
| Everything else | 2 points per $1 | 2 points per $1 |
| Yearly free night | Up to 35,000 points | Up to 35,000 points |
| Elite Night Credits | 15 a year | 15 a year |
| Gold Elite status | After $30,000 a year, or 10 paid nights | After $30,000 a year, or 10 paid nights |
| Interest | 21.99% on purchases and cash advances | 21.99% on purchases and cash advances |
The welcome bonus
New cardholders can earn a welcome bonus on top of everything above. This is the offer on Amex’s card pages when we last checked:
| Personal card | Business card | |
|---|---|---|
| First 3 months | 60,000 points after $3,000 in purchases | 70,000 points after $5,000 in purchases |
| Month 13 | 10,000 points after $500 in purchases that month | 10,000 points after $1,000 in purchases that month |
| Total | 70,000 points | 80,000 points |
| What that covers | Two nights at hotels that cost 35,000 points a night | Two 35,000-point nights, with 10,000 points left |
This is where most of the card’s first-year value comes from. If a 35,000-point night would cost you $250 in cash, the personal card’s 70,000 points cover two nights worth about $500, more than four years of the $120 fee. Try your own hotel price in the calculator below.
- Only for new cardholders. Amex says current or former cardholders of the same card aren’t eligible for the bonus, even if they’re approved.
- The month-13 bonus means keeping the card into its second year, so you’ll pay a second annual fee. That’s also when your first yearly free night arrives.
- Returns count against you. Amex may take points back if returns drop your purchases below the spending target.
- Offers change. Amex sometimes runs bigger limited-time offers, so check the card page before you apply.
The yearly free night
Each year after your card anniversary, Amex says you’ll receive an Annual Free Night Award, usually 8 to 10 weeks after your annual reset date. The rules from Amex’s footnotes:
- It covers a standard room for one or two people at a participating hotel that costs up to 35,000 points a night.
- The 35,000-point limit includes the room rate and taxes, but not resort fees, which you’d pay yourself.
- You have to book and stay within 1 year of getting the award.
- Your card account must be in good standing.
The award is the main reason to keep the card. If you’d use it at a hotel that costs more than $120 a night in cash, it covers the fee by itself, and the points you earn are extra. If you wouldn’t stay at a Marriott hotel within the year, it’s worth nothing.
How much are your points worth?
Marriott Bonvoy points don’t have a fixed value. What they’re worth depends on the hotel you book. The calculator below uses the cash price of a hotel night worth 35,000 points to value both the free night and the points you earn. For every other way to use points, see our Marriott Bonvoy points value guide.
Amex Bonvoy card calculatorEnter what you spend in a year and what a hotel night would cost you. See what each Bonvoy card is worth after its fee.
Your yearly spending
Personal card
a year after the $120 fee
Business card
a year after the $150 fee
Free night alone
Marriott Bonvoy status and Elite Night Credits
- Silver Elite comes with the personal card.
- 15 Elite Night Credits are added each calendar year, which count toward the next status level. You must be the main cardholder and have an active Marriott Bonvoy account.
- Gold Elite for at least a year if you spend $30,000 on the card before your annual reset date, or if you stay 10 qualifying paid nights in a calendar year (10 nights plus the 15 credits).
Marriott sets what each status level includes. See our Marriott Bonvoy status levels guide for what Silver, Gold and Platinum get you.
Transferring points to airlines
You can move Marriott Bonvoy points to many airline programs. Amex’s footnotes say most airline partners convert at 3 points to 1 mile, and transferring 60,000 points at once adds 5,000 bonus miles. That’s 25,000 miles for 60,000 points. Ratios, minimums and maximums vary by airline, so check Marriott’s terms first. Our Marriott points to Aeroplan guide has a converter.
For flights, though, a card that earns airline points directly usually gets you there faster. Compare options in our best travel credit cards and on our rewards programs page.
What the insurance covers (and doesn’t)
These limits are from Amex’s insurance summary for the personal card. Some coverage only applies if you charge all or part of the cost to the card.
| Coverage | Limit |
|---|---|
| Flight delay (4+ hours) and baggage delay (6+ hours) | $500 per occurrence, all insured people combined |
| Lost or stolen baggage | $500 per occurrence |
| Hotel burglary | $500 per occurrence |
| Car rental theft and damage | Cars up to $85,000, rentals up to 48 days |
| Travel accident | $500,000 |
| Purchase protection | Theft or damage within 90 days, up to $1,000 |
| Extended warranty | Doubles the warranty, up to 1 extra year |
| Emergency medical | Not included |
| Trip cancellation or interruption | Not included |
If you travel outside Canada, you’ll need separate medical coverage. Cards that include it are in our travel card shortlist.
Paying in other currencies on your trips?
Try the FX fee calculator →The business card
The Marriott Bonvoy Business American Express Card costs $150 a year and works much like the personal card. The difference is what it earns outside Marriott:
- 3 points per $1 at gas stations, restaurants, coffee shops and bars in Canada, and on travel services and bookings such as air, water, rail and road transport. Local and commuter transit doesn’t count.
- 5 points per $1 at Marriott hotels and 2 points per $1 on everything else.
- The same yearly free night (up to 35,000 points), 15 Elite Night Credits and Gold Elite path.
- Extra cards for employees cost $50 a year each.
If you spend more than $3,000 a year on gas, dining and travel through your business, the extra point per dollar covers the $30 difference in fees if a point is worth 1¢ to you. If points are worth less, you’d need to spend more there.
Who should get an Amex Bonvoy card
| You are… | Best pick | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Staying at a Marriott hotel once a year or more | Marriott Bonvoy Amex | The free night can cover the fee |
| A business owner who travels and eats out | Marriott Bonvoy Business Amex | 3x on gas, dining and travel |
| Spending $30,000+ a year on one card | Either card | Gold Elite status |
| Mostly flying, not staying at hotels | An airline card | Earns miles directly |
| Spending a lot abroad | A no-foreign-fee card | Avoids conversion charges |
Eligibility
Amex says you need to be a Canadian resident with a Canadian credit file and to have reached the age of majority in your province or territory. It doesn’t list an income minimum on the card page. You can check whether you’re approved with no impact on your credit score before you apply.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Amex Bonvoy card worth it in Canada?
It’s worth it if you’ll stay at a Marriott hotel at least once a year. The free night is worth up to 35,000 points, so if you’d use it at a hotel that costs more than $120 a night, it covers the fee on its own.
What is the Amex Bonvoy welcome bonus?
When we last checked, new personal cardholders could earn 70,000 Marriott Bonvoy points: 60,000 after $3,000 in purchases in the first 3 months and 10,000 after $500 in purchases in month 13. The business card offered 80,000. Offers change, so check Amex’s page before you apply.
What is the annual fee for the Marriott Bonvoy Amex card?
$120 a year for the personal card, with no fee for extra cards. The business card is $150 a year, plus $50 for each extra card.
What does the Amex Bonvoy free night cover?
One standard room night at a participating hotel that costs up to 35,000 points, including taxes but not resort fees. You must book and stay within 1 year of getting it.
Does the Amex Bonvoy card have travel insurance?
Yes, but it’s limited. It includes flight and baggage delay, lost baggage, hotel burglary, car rental and travel accident coverage. It doesn’t include emergency medical or trip cancellation.
How do I get Marriott Gold Elite status with the Amex card?
Spend $30,000 on the card before your annual reset date, or stay 10 qualifying paid nights in a calendar year and combine them with the card’s 15 Elite Night Credits.
Can I transfer Marriott Bonvoy points to airlines?
Yes. Most airline partners convert at 3 points to 1 mile, and transferring 60,000 points at once adds 5,000 bonus miles. Ratios vary by airline.
What’s the difference between the personal and business Amex Bonvoy cards?
The business card costs $150 instead of $120 and earns 3 points per $1 on gas, dining and travel instead of 2. Both earn 5 points per $1 at Marriott and include a yearly free night.
Related reading
- Marriott Bonvoy points value: what your points are worth, with a calculator
- Best travel credit cards: eight picks for trips, compared
- All credit card reviews: reviews and best-card shortlists
- Rewards programs: what your points are worth
- Annual fee calculator: when a fee pays for itself
- Porter credit card review: free checked bags on Porter
- Brim credit card review: 1.5% foreign fee and 1¢ points
How we checked: Fees, earn rates, the free night rules, status benefits and airline transfer terms come from American Express Canada’s personal and business Marriott Bonvoy card pages and their footnotes. Insurance limits come from Amex’s insurance summary for the personal card. Marriott sets the Bonvoy program rules and can change them. Welcome bonuses are as shown on Amex’s pages when we checked; they change often. The calculator values points using the hotel price you enter and shows the welcome bonus separately from the yearly value. This review is general information, not financial advice. Sources: Marriott Bonvoy American Express Card; Marriott Bonvoy Business American Express Card; Marriott Bonvoy Amex insurance summary (PDF); Marriott Bonvoy Amex certificate of insurance (PDF); Marriott Bonvoy program terms. Last checked October 2026.