American Express Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant

Is the annual fee worth it?

It earns about $421 a year on the illustrative household's spending, which is −$229 once the fee is paid. The best card with no fee, American Express Blue Business Plus, nets $1,058 on the same spending — so this card is $1,287 a year behind. On earning alone it does not catch up at any level of spending this looks at — its credits and perks have to make up the difference, or the fee is not paying for itself.

Priced on an illustrative household spending $2,205 a month on a card — the assumption, in full. Credits and perks are not priced: they are worth their face value only if you would have spent that money anyway.

Where a year's rewards come from

Priced on an illustrative household spending $2,205 a month on a card — the assumption, in full. Credits and perks are not priced: they are worth their face value only if you would have spent that money anyway.

Protections and travel benefits

From the issuer's own benefit summary as of 2026-09. These are read from summaries rather than the full guide to benefits, which has the exclusions — check it before relying on one.

• Priority Pass lounges
• Free night award
• Hotel elite status

What the issuer lists besides rewards

• Up to $300 in dining statement credits each year, $25 a month
• Automatic Marriott Bonvoy Platinum Elite status
• A free night award each anniversary, worth up to 85,000 points
• Priority Pass Select lounge membership

Similar cards

• American Express Hilton Honors Aspire — annual fee $550 a year
• American Express Hilton Honors Surpass — annual fee $150 a year
• Chase IHG One Rewards Premier — annual fee $99 a year
• Chase Bonvoy Boundless — annual fee $95 a year
• Every hotel card, ranked
• When an annual fee pays for itself
• The best two- and three-card combinations