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    Is Amex Marriott Brilliant worth it beyond staying at Marriott?

    I know they have $25 monthly dining credits that’s not tied to specific restaurants, so that brings down the annual cost to $350. It’s also promoted with a high value free night award, but I didn’t find any Ritz that’s at 85K points.

    Are the room upgrades real and happen every time?

    It seems that all the benefits are tied to the hotel loyalists. Is this card beneficial at all beyond staying at Marriott?

    Is Amex Marriott Brilliant worth it beyond staying at Marriott?
    byu/aykalam123 inCreditCards



    Posted by aykalam123

    7 Comments

    1. TomatoMoney9715 on

      It’s good as a general travel card as well because of the travel protections and Priority Pass. But there are other cards that do the same thing if you’re not necessarily a Marriott fan.

    3. virginiarph on

      I’m looking into it, and personally, as a non-hotel loyalist and churner, I find the card to be quite disappointing.

      The eAF is $350, and nothing concrete to i offset it. i have the other “benefits” on multiple other cards.

      Moreover, you don’t even receive the 85k FNC certificate until two months after you’ve paid the second annual fee! This means you’re locked in for a minimum of two years if you want to get the certificate.

      However, there are some ways to potentially offset the cost of the annual fee with downgrade shenanigans for the second year

      edit: to add i think even with the current bonus it’s still worth it…. i just think there are STILL better cards out there

    4. swadeyeight on

      It’s not a great card for use outside of Marriott. But I don’t think there’s a hotel card that I’d want to put a bunch of spend on.

      Easy math with this card. $650 AF minus $300 restaurant credit. $350 effective AF. 85k FNA should be worth $350 unless you’re trying to stay in some mid-tier property with it. AF covered. The Platinum status is gravy. If that works in your personal calculus, it’s a good card. If you don’t have a lounge access card or a pre-check card those are additional benefits, most going for this card already will.

      The above doesn’t even mention that you get 200,000 points just to start.

    5. Dangerous-Amphibian2 on

      For me I find that the breakfast has been pretty valuable with a kid and if there is a lounge even better, though it is rare. Using the certificate for a $350 room is pretty easy. The only thing that makes it really worth more than the annual fee is the platinum status though. So unless one is traveling and getting some value you there I don’t see the point really. 

    6. intelligentx5 on

      I had this and the aspire. I kept the aspire. The brilliant just wasn’t worth it after a year. Especially after devaluation

    7. CostcoCuisine on

      Go Marriott.com and search for United States or whatever country you want.

      For the US I found 44 RC’s.

      For June I found at the first four 85K dates.

      I stopped looking after that.  There are also a number of other luxury brands that are very upscale stays.

      Keep in mind you can top off a ANC with up to 25k points.

      You also get as benefits:

      Early check-in 
      Late checkout 
      Lounge access
      Free breakfast at most properties- RC being one of the exceptions 
      Priority Pass airport lounge access

      Here is an excellent guide to the breakfast amenity.

      https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/marriott-marriott-bonvoy/1905264-faq-marriott-s-breakfast-offering-explained-brand-bonvoy-elite-level.html

      We love the card-we get free breakfast and lounge access that along with the $300 of annual dining credit makes this card a solid moneymaker when you figure in the 85K ANC.

      And you get treated better because of the Platinum status.

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