Card comparison

Chase Marriott Boundless vs Amex Marriott Brilliant

Two Marriott Bonvoy cards compared

Verified October 2026

TL;DR — quick verdict

The Chase Marriott Boundless ($95) undercuts the Amex Marriott Brilliant ($650) on annual fee. Pick the Chase Marriott Boundless for everyday Restaurants spending (3x); pick the Amex Marriott Brilliant for everyday hotels spending (6x).

At a Glance

Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card

Annual Fee
$95
Signup Bonus
150,000 points
Network
Visa
Points Currency
Marriott Bonvoy
Earning Rates
Travel 2x
Restaurants 3x
Other Purchases 1x

Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card

Annual Fee
$650
Signup Bonus
75,000 points
Network
American Express
Points Currency
Marriott Bonvoy
Earning Rates
Hotels 6x
Flights 3x
Restaurants 3x
Other Purchases 2x

Category Breakdown

How they compare across key categories

Annual Fee

Chase Marriott Boundless wins

Chase Marriott Boundless $95 vs Amex Marriott Brilliant $650

Welcome Bonus

Chase Marriott Boundless wins

Chase Marriott Boundless: 150,000 points after $3,000 in 3 months vs Amex Marriott Brilliant: 75,000 points after $3,000 in 3 months

Top Earning Rate

Amex Marriott Brilliant wins

Chase Marriott Boundless: 3x on Restaurants vs Amex Marriott Brilliant: 6x on hotels

Perks & Credits

Amex Marriott Brilliant wins

Chase Marriott Boundless: 2 listed benefits vs Amex Marriott Brilliant: 5 listed benefits

=

Transfer Partners

Tie

Chase Marriott Boundless: Marriott Bonvoy (earn directly) vs Amex Marriott Brilliant: Marriott Bonvoy (earn directly)

Perks & Benefits

Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit

  • Free Night Award ($0)
  • No Foreign Transaction Fees ($0)

Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express

  • Dining Credit ($300)
  • Free Night Award ($0)
  • Global Entry or TSA PreCheck Credit ($120)
  • Property Credit ($100)
  • 25 Elite Night Credits ($0)

Which Is Right for You?

Get the Chase Marriott Boundless if...

  • Lower $95 annual fee
  • Earns 3x on Restaurants
  • Earns 2x on Travel
  • Free Night Award ($0)

Get the Amex Marriott Brilliant if...

  • Premium benefits to offset the $650 fee
  • Earns 6x on hotels
  • Earns 3x on flights
  • Dining Credit ($300)

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Chase Marriott Boundless or Amex Marriott Brilliant better?

The Chase Marriott Boundless ($95) undercuts the Amex Marriott Brilliant ($650) on annual fee. Pick the Chase Marriott Boundless for everyday Restaurants spending (3x); pick the Amex Marriott Brilliant for everyday hotels spending (6x). Both earn transferable rewards, so many points collectors hold one from each ecosystem.

Which has the lower annual fee, the Chase Marriott Boundless or Amex Marriott Brilliant?

The Chase Marriott Boundless has the lower annual fee at $95, versus $650 for the Amex Marriott Brilliant.

Which card earns points faster?

The Chase Marriott Boundless earns up to 3x on Restaurants, while the Amex Marriott Brilliant earns up to 6x on hotels.

Can I have both the Chase Marriott Boundless and the Amex Marriott Brilliant?

Yes. They're issued independently, so you can hold both and earn Marriott Bonvoy and Marriott Bonvoy side by side.

Ready to use your points?

Search award flight availability across all partner airlines in one place.

Search award flights

Need More Points?

Earn bonus points with these credit card offers

Can't find availability at your current points balance? These credit cards earn points you can put towards your next flight.

The Platinum Card from American Express

Personal · Annual fee $895

US only

175,000 points

after $12,000 in 6 months

  • Airline incidentals credit ($200)
  • Uber credit ($200)
  • Lounge access
Learn more & apply

American Express Gold Card

Personal · Annual fee $325

US only

100,000 points

after $8,000 in 6 months

  • Dining credit ($120)
  • Resy credit ($100)
  • Dunkin credit ($84)
Learn more & apply

Chase Sapphire Reserve

Personal · Annual fee $795

100,000 points

after $6,000 in 3 months

  • Annual Travel Credit ($300)
  • Global Entry/TSA PreCheck Credit ($120)
  • The Edit Hotel Credit ($500)
Learn more & apply

Chase Ink Business Preferred®

Business · Annual fee $95

100,000 Ultimate Rewards points

after $8,000 in purchases in the first 3 months

  • 3x points on travel & shipping
  • 3x points on advertising
  • 3x points on internet/cable/phone
Learn more & apply

Chase Sapphire Preferred

Personal · Annual fee $95

75,000 points

after $5,000 in 3 months

  • Hotel credit ($50)
  • DoorDash DashPass
  • Peloton credit ($60)
Learn more & apply

Capital One Venture Rewards

Personal · Annual fee $95

75,000 points

after $4,000 in 3 months

  • Capital One Travel credit ($300)
Learn more & apply

Credit card approval subject to eligibility. Terms and conditions apply. American Express cards shown are available to US residents only.

Award seats open up without warning.

Pick a route and a date window and we check it every 6 hours, then email you the moment award space appears. Free — no card needed.