Chase and Marriott are out with a brand new, limited-time offer on the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card – and it's a doozy.
You can now earn five free night awards (up to 50,000 points each) after spending $5,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening. That's up from the standard bonus offer of 125,000 points, making now the perfect time to add this card to your wallet!
You could use this bonus to lock in a five nights at the Le Meridien Maldives for next year … and that's just one example. Plus, since Marriott added the ability to “top off” free nights with points, you can even kick in up to 15,000 extra Bonvoy points per night to cover pricier properties.
This is easily one of the best offers we've seen on this card – or any Marriott card, for that matter. And there's nothing in it for us if you apply: This is a publicly available offer you can get directly through Marriott and Chase.
Just remember: Credit cards are serious business. No matter how many free nights it gets you, it's not worth racking up thousands of dollars in credit card debt if you can't afford to pay off every dime immediately.
Read on for everything you need to know about the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card.
All information about the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card has been collected independently by Thrifty Traveler and has not been reviewed by the issuer.
Learn more about the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card. (for full disclosure, this is not an affiliate link).
Full Benefits of the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card
Welcome Offer Bonus
New card members can earn five free night awards (up to 50,000 points each) after spending $5,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.
Earn 6x Points on Marriott Stays
Bonvoy Boundless cardholders earn 6x points per dollar spent at hotels participating in the Marriott Bonvoy® Program.
Additionally, you'll earn 10% more points for Marriott Bonvoy stays by being a Sliver Elite status member (an automatic perk included with card membership). That means you'll earn 11x points on most stays (varies by hotel brand).
Put the two of these together, and you'll be earning 17x points per dollar spent on most stays with Marriott when paying with this card.
Earn 3x Points on Gas, Groceries & Dining
Bonvoy Boundless cardholders also earn 3x points per dollar spent on the first $6,000 in combined purchases each year at grocery stores, gas stations, and on dining purchases.
You'll earn 2x points per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
An Annual Free Night Certificate
Each year on your account anniversary, you'll earn a free night certificate, valid for a one-night hotel stay at a property with a redemption value of up to 35,000 points.
You'll also have the ability to apply up to 15,000 additional Marriott Bonvoy points to book a property that costs as much as 50,000 points per night.
Just keep in mind you won't get this free night certificate until your second year of card membership.
Automatic Marriott Bonvoy Silver Elite Status
Just for holding the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card, you will automatically receive Silver Elite Status each account anniversary year as a card member.
If you spend $35,000 on your card in a calendar year, you'll automatically be bumped up to Gold Elite Status for the remainder of that year and all of the following year, regardless of how many elite nights you've earned.
With Marriott's Silver Elite Status, you'll get a 10% boost on the points you earn for a paid stay and priority late checkout – which really just means they'll try their best.
Gold status, on the other hand, is where you can actually start expecting some additional perks. At this status level, you'll get a 25% bonus on points earned for your stay, an enhanced room upgrade (but again, don't count on it), a guaranteed 2 p.m. late checkout, and a welcome gift of up to 500 points upon check-in.
15 Elite Night Credits
You get 15 elite night credits each calendar year just for holding the card. Elite night credits are the metric Marriott uses to track your progress toward status. While you get automatic Silver Elite status just for holding the card, you'll need to rack up a certain number of elite nights to reach higher tiers of status.
Platinum status requires 50 nights and that's where the benefits really become worthwhile. So with the 15 that come with the card, you'd only need to stay 35 nights in a Marriott to earn Platinum status.
If you've got already got the *bonvoy business* in your wallet, your elite night credits will stack. Since you get 15 with the business card as well, you'd get 30 elite nights at the start of each year. This makes reaching Platinum status (or higher) much more attainable.
Elevate Your Status
In addition to the 15 elite night credits and automatic Silver Elite Status that come with the card, you can also earn an additional elite night for every $5,000 you spend with your card. These additional elite nights for purchases, combined with nights stayed can help you reach the next level of status even quicker.
$95 Annual Fee
The card charges a $95 annual fee – but this can be easily offset with the annual free night award alone.
The card does not charge foreign transaction fees when traveling abroad.
Are You Eligible to Open the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Card?
Since the Bonvoy Boundless Card is issued by Chase, it is subject to the Chase 5/24 Rule.
The Chase 5/24 rule is a hard-and-fast restriction rolled out years ago to limit card applicants from opening credit cards for the sole purpose of earning bonus rewards. If you've heard of the phrase “churning,” that's exactly what this rule is designed to crack down on.
Here's what it boils down to:
- If you have opened five or more credit cards in the past 24 months from any bank credit card issuers (not just Chase cards), you will not be approved for Chase credit cards, regardless of your credit score or history with Chase.
- The rule does not count credit inquiries, but rather new cards you have applied for and been approved.
Additionally, per the offer terms and conditions, you will not be eligible for the card if you currently have any of the following cards – or have had them in the last 30 days:
- Marriott Bonvoy® American Express® Card
You also won't be eligible for the card if you applied and were approved for any of the following cards within the last 90 days or received a new cardmember bonus or upgrade bonus for any of the following cards within the last 24 months:
- *bonvoy brilliant*
- Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card
- Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express® Card
Here is a graphic that lays out the eligibility requirements for each of the Marriott Cards, including the Bonvoy Boundless:
Related reading: A Master Guide to Marriott Credit Card Eligibility
Why This Bonus Is Great
On the surface, this is a great offer. But just how good it is comes down to your plans for using the points.
For example, you could use it to book five nights in an overwater villa at the Le Méridien Maldives – a property we stayed at before and loved.
Spending a few nights in the Maldives all from a single credit card welcome bonus is about as good as it gets.
But if the beach isn't your style, maybe you'll feel more at home in the heart of the Sacred Valley of the Incas at Tambo del Inka, a Luxury Collection Resort & Spa. This hotel offers dramatic views of the Andes Mountains and is situated along the Incan Path, providing the perfect gateway to the royal city of Machu Picchu.
As of publication, there are many nights bookable next winter (summer in South America) for just 45,000 Marriott Bonvoy points per night. This means that you'd be able to use the current welcome offer on the Bonvoy Boundless to book five nights at this mountain oasis. Not bad for a hotel that often goes for $500 or more per night
Thrifty Tip: Tambo del Inka, a Luxury Collection Resort & Spa property, has a private train station for anyone starting the journey between Urubamba and Machu Picchu.
Bottom Line
Chase and Marriott are out with a brand new, limited-time offer on the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card.
New card members can now earn five free night awards (up to 50,000 points per night) after spending $5,000 in the first three months of card membership. Be sure to act fast if this card is on your radar.
Learn More about the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card (for full disclosure, this is not an affiliate link).
Reading about folks receiving 1099’s from Chase who earned the five free nights reward. It seems like as of 2023, if you earn this reward, you’ll also get a 1099 in the mail next year. Bummer as it devalues a really great deal.
I just cancelled my Amex Bonvoy to get the bonus for this card, so I’ll have to wait 30 days to qualify for the bonus. You say the offer is good until March 27, but I don’t see that specified anywhere. Where did you get that information?
Chase shared that information with us when the offer first launched, though it could certainly change.
I took advantage of this offer back in September of last year, and now researching to determine how to best utilize the 5 free nights certificates prior to its expiration. My question is can I get a referral code to forward onto my family and friends to take advantage of this offer and I can get some points while at it??? I generated one through the Chase app, but that code only offers 3 free nights.
Any insight would be appreciated!
Hi Johnny. Unfortunately this specific offer isn’t available through personal referral links.
This would be great if I enjoyed staying at a Fairfield Inn 20 minutes from the beach … or in a small town in Nebraska. Not so much if I want to go to a nice hotel near something cool. The ‘top off’ points is possible, but confusing and using 15,000 to top off really devalues the free night. Also, many hotels don’t have 3 consecutive nights available to book, much less 5. Usually, Marriott will use trickery like every few days not having the same room category available to book, so booking 3 – 5 consecutive nights at a decent property can be tough. For example, I’ve used a lot of my points to stay at Disney’s Swan and Dolphin hotels. Usually the redemption is between 65 – 85k for those properties. Fort Lauderdale Beach Courtyard Marriott is between 65 – 85k. Really top tier properties like the beach resorts, big Italian cities, etc. are closer to 100k – 125k per night. Essentially, you need to have kids playing in a hockey tournament in a small town or city where a Fairfield or Courtyard is available to really get benefit out of this. I miss the days of the 150k points offer, when interest rates were so high, the credit card companies were freaking out. I still kick myself for not taking advantage of that one. Also, it’s kind of a kick in the pants to offer Silver status as most people getting a Marriott branded credit card are likely already Silver. I am a lifetime Gold member and I find that I rarely get any benefits at all of a late check out, free snack or room upgrade, even when I ask. I can’t imagine how useless a Silver status might be. Now that hotels.com totally ruined their rewards program, it’s very likely I’ll be Platinum with Marriott again soon though. I really am still so sad about losing hotels.com 1 night free for every 10.
The Marriott Bonvoy® American Express® Card is the $95 amex card correct? So I can’t apply for Chase even if it’s been 3 years since I got a sign on bonus if I have this card still? I will have to cancel and wait 30 days?
Hi Andrew, you are correct. If you have the $95 Marriott Bonvoy Amex Card, you’d need to cancel it and wait 30 days before applying for this offer.
if you have the amex business bonvoy card 6 years ago, can you apply and get this bonus?
You should be eligible. More information here:
https://thriftytraveler.com/guides/credit-card/which-marriott-card-am-i-eligible-for/
I applied through the Bonvoy site link, which is still showing 3 free nights for 3k spend. Same showing on Chase. Feel deceived. If they are now offering 5 nights / 5k, why are they not transparent / upfront about it, hiding it as if were a secret menu item?
I was approved last week when the only offer showing on the Bonvoy site was 3 free nights.
Waiting for the card, but just received the 5 free nights offer in the mail. Coincidence, but feel teased. Called Chase customer support but no help. Any suggestions for appealing?
Don’t want to risk canceling and reapplying with new over.
My referral link only shows the 3 free night option, is it possible to refer someone with this 5 night option?
Ok i too got my 5 nights in activity tab. no annoucement or email!
question – they said “You can even kick in up to 15,000 extra Bonvoy points to cover pricier properties.” but i dont see this option?
Update: Received my 5 nights in Activity tab of my account on 7/25, ~1 month after completing spend requirement.
Nikole, I completed spend and received points about 7 days ago, but don’t have 5 free nights yet.
Please update if you do or don’t. Good luck!
Have you received it as of today? It usually takes about 2 weeks
Same. @Mike @Nikole I too have not gotten my 5 free nights yet! help
When did you complete the spend?
Also hoping to understand where these free nights show up. I’ve hit the $5k and the points have processed but not sure where to find the free nights.
When did you complete the spend?
Opened the card ~5/21, pushed through a $5k payment on 6/26
Update: Received my 5 nights in Activity tab of my account on 7/25, ~1 month after completing spend requirement.
Where did everyone’s free nights show up? I completed the requirements $5k/3mo but never have received anything about my 5 free 50k pt nights?
When did you complete the spend?
I don’t know if theres a glitch but I’m able to book free nights for over 50,000 points.
The offer is no longer showing. Is there another way to redeem this? If not, When did it expire?
Can anyone who received the alternative 5 free nights offer verify that this offer will get the 15 elite nights credit? The offer detail doesn’t mention the 15 elite nights at all. Thanks!
My DP: I did get the 15 nights credited immediately to my bonvoy account after applying a few days ago. I’m actually not sure if I got the 5 nights SUB though since there’s no bonus tracker in the app. I applied through the link and it showed 5 free 50k nights. Might have to call chase unless anyone else knows how to see if you applied through the offer. I had to call recon to get the app approved so that’s why I’m not sure.
With regular points, if one has to cancel a reservation, the points go immedately back into your account. What happens if you book with the “free nights” award, and then cancel? Do you get that free night award back or not?
Yes
Is this something they offer periodically?
I received this offer June of 2022. It appears that they may give this offer yearly… but I cannot say for certain.
This is a good card. It’s harder than one may think to find rooms for 50k points. Airport hotels and off the beaten path are easy to find. Check destinations you may use these certificates at before you apply. I still have yet to be able to use any of my awards.
Also, you’re supposed to be able to book these online, but they don’t show as a method of payment on my account.
Try the app. My free nights were not showing on the website, but did on the app.
Applied today and got approved instantly. Can’t wait to use those free nights, then close the account later lol
Thanks – any idea how long this offer will be available for?