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Marriott Bonvoy Credit Cards: Five Cards from Two Issuers

Frank McBride • March 8, 2024

If you like Marriott Bonvoy, one of these should work for you.

Today, we resume our series on credit card families. Previous posts have looked at the following card families: Chase Freedom/Sapphire, Delta, United, American Airlines, and American Express. Now, for the first time, we examine a family of co-branded hotel credit cards.


This post will discuss five Marriott Bonvoy personal credit cards. Interestingly, three are offered by Chase and two are offered by American Express.


  • Chase Marriott Bonvoy Bold
  • Chase Marriott Bonvoy Boundless
  • Chase Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful
  • American Express Marriott Bonvoy Bevy
  • American Express Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant


The three Chase cards are the less expensive options while the cards issued by American Express could be considered intermediate or luxury. Among the five, a traveler interested in staying in Marriott Bonvoy properties should find a good option.


Chase Marriott Bonvoy Bold


This is a card with no annual fee and the current welcome bonus is 30,000 Marriott Bonvoy points after spending $1,000 in the first three months. These points tend to be worth about 6/10ths of a cent, so the welcome bonus is worth about $175.


This card will generate 14 points per dollar spent at Marriott Bonvoy properties (3X from the card, 10X for being in the Marriott Bonvoy loyalty program, and 1X for Silver Elite status). Aside from this spending bonus, this card will not generate much travel value. There is a 2X spending bonus for travel through July 10th, but otherwise, you receive one point per dollar.


The card gives you 15 Elite Night credits annually which, along with other activity, can help you achieve higher status in the loyalty program.


Chase Marriott Bonvoy Boundless


This card has an annual fee ($95) and requires $5,000 in spending within three months to earn the welcome bonus. The current bonus for this card, rather than a pile of Marriott Bonvoy points, is five free nights. These free nights are capped at rooms going for 50,000 points per night, so the maximum from this bonus would be 250,000 points for a value of up to $1500.


The spending bonus structure allows for the accumulation of points as follows:


  • 17X for Marriott Bonvoy stays (6X from the card, 10X for being in the loyalty program, and 1X for Silver Elite status)
  • 3X on the first $6000 spent on groceries/gas/dining each year; 2X after the first $6000
  • 2X on other purchases


This Marriott Bonvoy card confers Silver Elite status and annual credits that can speed advancement to Gold Elite status.


Upon renewing, cardholders are awarded one free night capped at a room going for 35,000 points a night (a $200+ value).


Chase Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful


This mid-tier card has an annual fee of $250 and currently offers an 85,000-point welcome bonus after spending $4,000 within three months of approval. This bonus is worth around $500.


Spending bonuses allow for a faster accumulation of points than the free and entry level Chase products.


  • 18.5X for Marriott Bonvoy stays (6X with card, 10X from the loyalty program, and 2.5X for Gold Elite Status)
  • 4X on the first $15,000 spent at supermarkets and restaurants each year; 2X after the first $15,000
  • 2X on other purchases


These cardholders automatically have Gold Status and receive credits that can speed advancement to Platinum Status. Gold Status includes a few benefits:


  • Late checkout when available
  • Upgrades when available (no suites)
  • 1,000 bonus points per paid stay


Cardholders are awarded a free night (capped at 50,000 points) for spending $15,000 on the card during the year.


American Express Marriott Bonvoy Bevy


This mid-level card has an annual fee of $250 like the Chase Bountiful product. It is currently offering a 155,000-point welcome bonus after spending $5,000 within six months of approval. This bonus is worth around $925.


Its spending bonuses allow for a faster accumulation of points than the less expensive Chase products.


  • 18.5X for Marriott Bonvoy stays (6X with card, 10X from the loyalty program, and 2.5X for Gold Elite Status)
  • 4X on the first $15,000 spent at supermarkets and restaurants each year; 2X after the first $15,000
  • 2X on other purchases


These cardholders automatically have Gold Status and receive credits that can speed advancement to Platinum Status. Gold Status includes a few benefits:


  • Late checkout when available
  • Upgrades when available (no suites)
  • 1,000 bonus points per paid stay


Cardholders are awarded a free night (capped at 50,000 points) for spending $15,000 on the card during the year.


American Express Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant


The luxury member of the Marriott Bonvoy family has an annual fee of $650 and currently offers a 185,000-point welcome bonus after spending $6,000 within six months of approval. This bonus is worth around $1,100.


Spending bonuses for the Brilliant are as follows:


  • 21X for Marriott Bonvoy stays (6X with card, 10X from the loyalty program, and 5X for Platinum Elite Status)
  • 3X on restaurants and flights
  • 2X on other purchases


Those with the Brilliant card get automatic Platinum Elite status and also receive annual credits that can get them closer to the next Marriott Bonvoy status level. Platinum Elite status benefits include:


  • Guaranteed 4 pm late checkout
  • Upgrades when available, including suites
  • Bonus points per paid stay or breakfast


This card also offers a free night on each renewal anniversary but, unlike the “free night” offered with the Bountiful or Bevy cards, this free night does not require any minimum spend on the card. The free night can be for a room up to 85,000 points (a value of up to $500).


There are other benefits that make the Brilliant a broader travel card.


  • Up to $300 in dining credits ($25 per month)
  • Priority Pass membership for access to 1,200+ airport lounges
  • Global Entry or TSA PreCheck fee


My Conclusions


The no fee Chase Marriott Bonvoy card is branded as “Bold” but that may be a misnomer. The modest bonus will net the cardholder a free night at one of the hotel chain’s less expensive properties. However, on an ongoing basis, this card would only provide value for someone who stays at Marriott Bonvoy properties frequently as those are the only purchases with good spending bonuses. And, if you are going to spend a lot of time at Marriott Bonvoys, there could be value in choosing a card that offers more for frequent guests.


The Chase Marriott Bonvoy Boundless presents an interesting opportunity. Its annual fee is $95 but, of the five cards discussed here, it might have the most valuable welcome bonus. The catch is that the bonus comes in the form of free rooms as opposed to points. Points are flexible and can be used as long as you have a loyalty account in good standing. However, the free rooms come with expiration dates, so you need to book and complete stays within one year of receiving this bonus. While I was able to learn that the five free nights can expire, I could not determine with certainty if it is possible to apply the 50,000 per night cap to a room and use additional miles or cash to pay the difference. If Marriott allows this (as IHG and some others do) it would be easier to get full value out of the welcome bonus.


Except for Marriott Bonvoy purchases, the Boundless is not a good card for points accumulation. Although there are 2X and 3X categories, bear in mind that Marriott Bonvoy points are worth less than one cent each and, once you have them, it is difficult to use them for anything other than stays at Marriott Bonvoy properties.


Although I cannot see using this card for routine spending, it can pay for itself as one key benefit is a free room (with a value of up to $200) each year upon renewal. 


The Chase Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful and American Express Marriott Bonvoy Bevy are very similar cards. Both have $250 annual fees. The key difference is that the current bonus for the Bevy is significantly higher than the one for the Bountiful (155,000 points vs. 85,000). This math is pretty easy and thus the discussion of the Chase Bountiful ends here.


The Marriott Bonvoy Bevy offers a solid bonus. Like the less expensive cards, there is good reason to use it for Marriott Bonvoy purchases. The spending bonuses for supermarkets and restaurants are okay for people who really like Marriott Bonvoy, but those expenditures might be better made on other cards.


Although this card is more expensive than the Boundless offered by Chase, there is no free room upon renewal. Cardholders spending at least $15,000 per year can get a certificate for a “free” room but, unless someone is spending thousands of dollars at the chain’s hotels, spending on this card to get the free room is not very efficient.


The Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant card offered by American Express really intrigues me. Earlier this week, I posted on the topic of “couponing,” and I think some American Express products, such as the Platinum Card, are key offenders. With an annual fee of $650, I was prepared to be leery about this card.


Upon examination, I think this card could be quite useful and worth the high annual fee for many. First, there is a solid welcome bonus worth at least $1,100 which about covers two years of the annual fee. The card confers Platinum Elite status which includes guaranteed late checkout and possible upgrades to suites.


Like the less expensive cards, I do not see any compelling reason to use it for many purchases outside of Marriott Bonvoy stays on an ongoing basis. However, year after year, if the benefit structure does not change, this card could pay for itself.


  • It offers a $300 annual credit for dining. Even though this is broken up into $25 per month credits – a form of  “couponing” that I often deride – many people  go to a restaurant at least once a month. The key is that you must remember to use the card for occasional restaurant outings to take full advantage of this.
  • Cardholders are awarded a free room each year (capped at 85,000 points) with a value of up to $500. This is not dependent upon any level of spending.
  • Priority Pass membership for access to airport lounges when flying.


Travelers, especially those who like Marriott Bonvoy, could certainly come out ahead.

_________________________


The Marriott Bonvoy credit cards might or might not fit into a productive travel rewards plan for you. But if staying at this chain’s hotels and properties are a potential part of your travel mix, one of the cards discussed in this post might be appropriate. When we design a custom Travel Rewards Optimizer plan for you, we take your travel goals, travel habits, spending patterns, and preferences into account. We want to ensure that the cards we recommend for you can quickly generate free travel and provide relevant benefits while keeping your annual card fees under control.

If you have not already, please check out the previous Travel Rewards Optimizer posts on credit card families.


We are ready to help you turn your routine credit card spending into the travel of your dreams.

The American Express Card Outside the US: Should You Leave Home Without It?

By Frank McBride • April 4, 2025
I have been traveling long enough to remember taking a small stack of American Express Travelers Cheques with me when leaving the United States. In an age with fewer ATM machines and less widespread acceptance of credit cards, travelers cheques were an insurance policy against the loss or theft of your money. Many heeded actor Karl Malden’s advice: “Don’t leave home without them.” Use of these instruments has declined as international travelers can now rely on ATMs and credit cards much more than in the past. As American Express is very much in the credit card business, we are now advised “Don’t leave home without it. ” But, American Express cards have a reputation for being less likely to be accepted than Visa and MasterCard cards, especially outside of the United States. Historically, American Express cards have charged higher fees to merchants that eat at their profit margins so understandably, merchants were less enthused about them. So, should you “ leave home without it ” and just take Visa and MasterCard products? If an American Express card is part of your program for accumulating points and miles, you should definitely take it along for several reasons. First, importantly, many Amex cards do not have foreign transaction fees. That should be a primary consideration for taking any credit card as these fees (often around 3%) can nullify any travel rewards benefits you would otherwise accrue. American Express has undertaken an aggressive campaign to get more merchants to accept their cards. In just the last decade, this effort has tripled the number of merchants outside of the US who will accept American Express cards. Worldwide, 119 million locations accept American Express compared to 130 million that accept Visa/MasterCard. While this 92% acceptance rate is driven by a 99% acceptance rate in the US, it is still the case that American Express cards can be used widely during international travel. When traveling, Ms. Optimizer and I take two American Express cards: Amex Gold: This card delivers a 4X Amex point bonus for restaurant dining so we definitely use it at restaurants that will accept it. While the Amex Gold also gives you a 4X bonus at supermarkets, this is limited to the US, so we buy groceries with other cards when traveling abroad. Amex Platinum: For us, this card is almost exclusively an air travel card that we use for airline purchases, flying benefits and airline credits. We travel with this card if we are likely to want access to a Delta Sky Club or a Centurion Lounge. We are only likely to make a purchase with the card if we need to purchase airline tickets or airline fees while traveling as these purchases yield a 5X point bonus. If you have the classic Amex Green card and its bonus structure works for you, it would be worthwhile to take it on international trips. This card also does not have foreign transaction fees and offers a 3X Amex point bonus on travel, transit, and restaurant purchases. Because acceptance of Amex cards can vary greatly , it is important to also have a Visa/MasterCard on hand (don’t forget to make sure they do not have foreign transaction fees). And, for that matter, it is a good idea to have some cash for establishments that do not accept any credit card. American Express cards might or might not fit into a productive travel rewards plan for you. When we design a custom Travel Rewards Optimizer plan for you, we take your travel goals, travel habits, spending patterns, and preferences into account. We want to ensure that the cards we recommend for you can quickly generate free travel and provide relevant benefits while keeping your annual card fees under control. We are ready to help you turn your routine credit card spending into the travel of your dreams.

Southwest’s “New” Credit Card Offer: Familiar and Underwhelming

By Frank McBride • April 3, 2025
I have been following Southwest Airlines’ credit card offers with great interest as this airline is in transition. Like the other main domestic carriers, it will soon have assigned seating and will charge for checking bags. However, from what I can tell, the new products do not necessarily correspond with where Southwest will be a few months from now. Southwest’s previous offer for personal credit cards, which ended March 31, was intriguing because it offered an easy way to get a coveted Companion Pass which allows two to fly for the price of one (whether paying with cash or miles). The catch was that this Companion Pass would only be good through February of next year. Typically, Companion Passes are good for the remainder of the year in which they are earned and then the entire following year. With the new month, Southwest has unveiled a new offer for personal cards which is almost identical to the offer I reviewed a little more than a year ago . This personal credit card offer includes three options: Southwest RapidRewards Plus Southwest RapidRewards Premier Southwest RapidRewards Priority Common Offer Elements for All Three Cards Apparently, Southwest and Chase want to make this easy. The current welcome bonus is 50,000 Southwest Rapid Rewards points for all three cards. These points are worth approximately $650. You only need to spend $1,000 within three months to earn the sign-up bonus. The spending bonus structures for the three cards are almost identical. 2X or 3X for Southwest purchases (2X for the Plus card and 3X for the Premier and Priority cards 2X bonus on purchases with Rapid Rewards car rental partners (most major brands) 2X bonus on purchases with Rapid Rewards hotel partners (Hyatt, Marriott, MGM, Choice, Best Western) 2X on local transit, commuting 2X on internet, cable, phone, streaming 1X all other All cards also offer a 25% discount for in-flight purchases and 10,000 Companion Pass qualifying points each year. The differences in the three cards revolve around annual fees, annual Rapid Rewards point bonuses, and benefits. RapidRewards Plus This card has a $69 annual fee, and cardholders get 3,000 Southwest points (worth about $40) each year upon renewal. You also get two “Early Bird” check-ins per year so that you can board earlier (Southwest currently uses open seating). RapidRewards Premier The Premier card’s annual fee is $99 and the annual anniversary bonus is 6,000 points (worth about $80). These cardholders also get two “Early Bird” check-ins each year. Those spending heavily on this card can get 1,500 tier qualifying points toward “A-list” status for every $5000 spent annually. RapidRewards Priority This highest end card in the family has a $149 annual fee and the annual bonus is 7,500 points (worth about $100). The benefits of this card include four upgraded boardings per year when available. These upgraded boardings guarantee that you will be one of the first 15 people to get on the plane, so you have the best choice of seats and overhead space. You also receive a $75 Southwest travel credit. As with the Premier card, those spending heavily on this card can get 1,500 tier qualifying points toward “A-list” status for every $5000 spent annually. My Conclusions When I reviewed these cards last year, I concluded that, on an ongoing basis, a cardholder could at least break even by flying at least one round trip per year on Southwest. At the same time, I did not see the potential for getting outsized value that you can get with some other co-branded airline cards. While the offers have not changed, I see them as less attractive than a year ago for several reasons. The value of a Southwest point has declined and is now around 1.3 cents per point. A few years ago, Ms. Optimizer and I could regularly get about 1.7 cents per point when redeeming these points. When Southwest moves to assigned seating in a few months, the Early Bird Check In and upgraded boarding benefit will become irrelevant so cardholders will not be able to use these benefits for the full year of card membership. Although there is a 2X bonus for purchases with Rapid Rewards hotel and car rental partners, this might not be the best option for points and miles accumulation. Many cards already offer 2X or 3X bonuses for car rental or hotels and co-branded hotel cards tend to offer much better bonuses when staying at their properties. Once Southwest drops its two free checked bags policy, I understand they may offer free checked bags for Southwest cardholders, and they might position this as a new benefit. Of course, it won’t be and, if the benefit is for only one free bag, it is actually a benefit reduction. The upcoming changes will make Southwest less distinct from competitors. Already, other domestic carriers are trying to poach Southwest flyers with status matches. It is difficult for me to see where Southwest will fit in the market six months from now. For now, I can see several types of travelers who might benefit from this (not so) new credit card offer: Passengers who are currently well served by the flights offered by Southwest, find them to be a good value, and use them with some regularity. Passengers who want to add Southwest to a mix of options by easily picking up some points. The $69 annual fee (Plus card) and $1000 in spending to reach the bonus threshold is a quick and uncomplicated way to cover a couple of round-trip flights. Of course, the ongoing value of this card drops after the first year. Passengers who can combine one of these personal cards with a Southwest business card and use the two sign-up bonuses (50,000 + 80,000) to get most of the way to the 135,000 points needed for a Companion Pass. _________________________ The Southwest Airlines credit cards might or might not fit into a productive travel rewards plan for you. But if flying with Southwest is a potential part of your travel mix, one of the cards discussed in this post might be appropriate. When we design a custom Travel Rewards Optimizer plan for you, we take your travel goals, travel habits, spending patterns, and preferences into account. We want to ensure that the cards we recommend for you can quickly generate free travel and provide relevant benefits while keeping your annual card fees under control. We are ready to help you turn your routine credit card spending into the travel of your dreams.

Costa Rica Case Study: Points and Miles Free Up Budget for Coffee, Chocolate and . . . Agua de Sopa

By Frank McBride • April 2, 2025
When I travel, I like to report how the points and miles game fits into our plans. After all, if I am going to dispense advice about turning credit card spending into free travel, I need to lead by example and "show my work." In January, Ms. Optimizer and I took a trip to Costa Rica to learn more about this fascinating country, its regions and climates, and its famously diverse flora and fauna. Although we usually plan our own trips, we took this one as part of a group with the Road Scholar organization (which creates and runs a broad range of excellent tours in Costa Rica and throughout the world). Because the tour was mostly inclusive while in Costa Rica, we did not leverage points and miles as much as we would have if we planned the trip ourselves. Nonetheless, miles and points still played a role in making our trip less expensive and more comfortable. We used 78,000 Delta SkyMiles for two round trip tickets to San Jose. These tickets had a fair market value of $1054 so our redemption came to 1.4 cents per SkyMile which is fairly good for Delta. We have one Amex Delta Gold card which got us a 15% discount when redeeming SkyMiles as well as free checked bags. Our Amex Platinum cards gave us access to airport lounges at our home airport and the San Jose airport. We also visited the spacious Centurion lounge in Atlanta during layovers both on our way to Costa Rica and when returning home. We used the airline fee credit that comes with the Amex Platinum card to purchase better seats for our Delta flights. We used Uber several times in San Jose and the cost of some of those trips was offset by the monthly Uber credit that comes with our Amex Platinum card. Overall, using miles and points saved us about $1200 leaving us with more money for the excellent Costa Rican coffee, chocolate, museum admissions, souvenirs, and a refreshing beverage called Agua de Sopa (which literally translates to “toad water”). Costa Rica is justifiably well known for ecotourism, but we also enjoyed the few days we spent in its capital, San Jose. A couple of recommendations if spending time in San Jose . . . It is easy to see several key museums and sights as they are located along a 600 meter/yard section of Avenida Central. These include the National Museum of Costa Rica, the Jade Museum, the Pre-Columbian Gold Museum, and the National Theater. While the museums do not require timed entry tickets, the National Theater does for its guided tours (Spanish and English). The San Jose Central Market (also on Avenida Central and about 500 meters from the National Theater) is a fascinating maze of stores selling produce, meats and fish, crafts, and souvenirs. There are also several eateries for quick and inexpensive meals. The key mistake I made on this trip was NOT buying typical Costa Rican crafts and souvenirs here. We learned there was less selection and things cost more elsewhere. For this trip to Costa Rica, like other trips we have taken in recent years, the well-planned use of miles and points played a significant role in our travel by not only saving us money, but also by enhancing our travel with more comfort and convenience. Whether you are interested in seeing sloths and toucans, admiring the craftsmanship of pre-Columbian goldsmiths, sipping great coffee right where it was grown or any other type of travel adventure , we are prepared to design a custom Travel Rewards Optimizer plan for you that will quickly generate free and reduced cost travel while keeping your annual credit card fees under control. We are ready to help you turn your routine credit card spending into the travel of your dreams.

Last Call for a Southwest Credit Card Offer that May Be of Value for Some

By Frank McBride • March 31, 2025
Southwest Airlines is undergoing some significant changes, and these changes will certainly have an impact on the value that the points and miles community can get from participation in its Rapid Rewards program in the future. In the past, I have held Southwest credit cards (both personal and business) and, for one year, obtained a coveted Companion Pass. I liked the Southwest vibe when on their flights but always dreaded the prospect of being stuck in the “B” (or even “C”) boarding groups. The ability to check two bags for free came in handy for the Optimi-son when he was in college. Going forward, it seems that Southwest will be less distinct. They are moving to assigned seating like other airlines and passengers will pay to check bags (unless they are elite flyers or hold Southwest credit cards). The current Southwest credit card offer reflects an airline in transition. Although Southwest will shift to assigned seating, the current cards offer “EarlyBird Check-In” or “Upgraded Boarding” which gives passengers a better chance of getting a desirable seat. Of course, as Southwest shifts to assigned seating, these benefits will become irrelevant. There are three versions of the personal card in this offer and, from what I can see, the key differences are how many bonus points you are awarded on your cardmember anniversary (from 3,000 to 7,500) and the annual fee (from $69 to $149). The sign-up bonus is 30,000 Southwest points if you spend $4,000 within the first three months for all three cards. Among some popular points and miles websites, the consensus value of a Southwest point is about 1.3 cents so this offer might have a value of about $400. The other key component of this offer is that it comes with Southwest’s popular Companion Pass if you spend $4,000 which allows you to add a companion to your itinerary for just the cost of taxes and fees. Usually, you must accumulate 135,000 Southwest Rapid Rewards points to get a Companion Pass so this is a great shortcut. Although you must designate one travel partner for the Companion Pass, you are allowed to change this partner (but you can have only one designated travel companion at a time). The last day of this offer is March 31st. The catch is that the Companion Pass that comes with this offer is only good through the end of February, 2026 so you have 11 months to put enough spending on the card to get the Pass ($4,000), make your flight reservations, and complete the travel. A key consideration is how much value you can get by using the Companion Pass to travel with one designated person. At the very least, using the Companion Pass with the 30,000-point bonus will effectively double the value of the point bonus to $800. From my perspective, this offer could be of value for someone who has access to a decent stash of Southwest points (or a realistic opportunity to get them very soon) and can quickly take advantage of the short timeline for using the Companion Pass. Possible scenarios where this soon-to-expire offer might be of value include: You already have some Southwest miles, and you want to use them for travel with a partner in the next 11 months. You want to travel with Southwest in the next 11 months and you have a significant number of Chase Ultimate Rewards (UR) points that can be transferred to your Southwest account. You can combine the bonus you might get with this offer with a bonus you get from a Southwest Rapid Rewards business credit card. The current bonus offer for the business card is 80,000 miles if you spend $5,000 in the first three months. Like many credit card offers, this offer is not for everyone but has a place for some travelers. If you have a travel partner in mind and would like to fly to destinations served by Southwest in the next 11 months, this could be a useful deal. At the same time, you might not be able to fully utilize the Companion Pass or feel constrained to fly Southwest in the near term to get value from the Pass. Furthermore, as Southwest transitions and starts to look more like other major domestic airlines, some benefits of these cards will disappear and the benefits that might replace them (if any) are unknown. Going forward, I do not know how Southwest credit cards will fit into the Travel Rewards Optimizer plans we create for our clients. As this offer is (very) short-lived, I believe we will soon learn what credit card offers Southwest is rolling out to replace these cards. I will keep you posted. We are ready to help you turn your routine credit card spending into the travel of your dreams.

The Wells Fargo Autograph Journey Card: A Potential Source of Flexible Points for Some Travelers

By Frank McBride • February 20, 2025
After almost a decade of pursuing travel rewards, it has become clear to me that the best return on routine spending is through credit cards that offer flexible points. Because these flexible points can be transferred to many domestic and international airlines, cardholders can choose the most valuable redemption for a particular itinerary and date. Points can also be transferred to hotel chains although it can be harder to get solid redemptions. Last April, I was excited about the launch of the Wells Fargo Autograph Journey credit card as it added to the list of existing flexible points programs offered by Chase, American Express, Capital One, Citi, and Bilt. The Autograph Journey card stood out for offering excellent spending bonuses, especially for hotel and airline purchases. At the same time, a chief concern was that the Wells Fargo Autograph Journey card had a limited number of transfer partners (five airlines and one hotel group) compared to the other flexible points cards. My hope was that the Autograph Journey would add more transfer partners after launch to increase its potential usefulness. Wells Fargo suggested that they were seeking more partners and planned to add them soon. After almost one year, Wells Fargo has added Virgin Atlantic Flying Club/Virgin Red as a transfer partner, but unfortunately, that is all. While it is disappointing that the Wells Fargo transfer partner list is not as versatile as those offered by rival card issuers, there is still a place for this card in the wallet of some travelers. While we do not recommend it to many clients, there is a solid rationale for some to sign up for this card. What We Like About This Card Overall The Autograph Journey card offers a 60,000-point bonus for making $4,000 in purchases in the first three months. The cash value of this bonus is $600. However, with point transfers to the right airline partners or for certain itineraries, the value can be much higher. The annual fee for the card is $95. Spending Bonus Structure The Autograph Journey is clearly oriented toward travel spending as travel categories will net you the best spending bonuses. The card is especially strong for its hotel and airline spending bonuses. 5X spending bonus for hotels – Aside from bonuses on co-branded hotel cards, this is the highest generic spending bonus for hotels of which we are aware. 4X spending bonus for flights – This is also an excellent bonus rate even compared to what is offered on many co-branded airline cards. While the best generic flight bonus is the 5X bonus with an American Express Platinum card, that card has an annual fee of $695. 3X spending bonus for dining – This is solid and competitive with other travel cards. 3X spending bonus for “other travel” – Again, this is solid and competitive. 1X for all other purchases Importantly, none of these bonuses requires that you spend through a Wells Fargo (or any other) portal. Other Benefits This card offers some travel-related benefits. A $50 per year credit for a $50 minimum airline purchase $1 million in travel accident insurance Trip cancellation/interruption protection Lost baggage reimbursement Cellular telephone protection Potential Transfer of Points to Airlines and Hotels While it is easy to get $600 in cash value out of this $95 card from its welcome bonus, there is greater potential value in transferring the points to airline partners. Airline partners include: Air France (Flying Blue) Avianca LifeMiles British Airways Executive Club Aer Lingus AerClub Iberia Plus Virgin Atlantic Flying Club/Virgin Red These points can also be transferred to Choice Privileges, a hotel program that includes brands like Radisson, Clarion, and Rodeway Inn. Who Might Benefit? There are several types of travelers who might find this card useful. Flyers who already participate in the loyalty programs of the six airline transfer partners. Those interested in travel to the United Kingdom or Europe as well as those who want to use Avianca (which is based in Bogota, Colombia and serves Latin America). Travelers who are not brand loyal to airlines and hotel groups and can benefit from the 3-4X category bonuses. Travelers who frequently stay in hotels that are not part of any major chain or hotel group. Travelers who want cash rewards and can benefit from the travel category bonuses. Points and miles enthusiasts who are blocked from getting signup bonuses from other cards (Ex: beyond he Chase 5/24 limit). At some point in the future, Ms. Optimizer or I might apply for the Wells Fargo Autograph Journey. It would make sense for us because, in recent years, we have been travelling to places that are not well served by the hotel groups we tend to use. The Autograph Journey would generate a 5X bonus for any non-chain hotels we book which is better than the 3X bonus we get for hotels from a Citi Premier or a Chase Sapphire Reserve card. For us, the Wells Fargo points would be put to good use by being transferred to Air France. The $50 airline credit would effectively reduce our annual cost for this card to $45 annually. Conclusions Overall, it is great to see another option for those interested in flexible point travel cards. Competition is good for those of us in the points and miles community because it gives us options and it will keep the banks who issue proprietary points from becoming complacent. While it is disappointing that Wells Fargo has not expanded the list of transfer partners for the Autograph Journey card very much, the card can still be useful for some points and miles enthusiasts. Going forward, I will continue to watch for developments in this card, especially regarding transfer partners, and will keep you apprised. The Wells Fargo Autograph Journey card might or might not fit into an optimized travel rewards plan for you. Our job at Travel Rewards Optimizer is to keep track of changes and opportunities in the world of points and miles so we can provide our clients with guidance to get the most value out of their travel rewards programs. When we design a custom Travel Rewards Optimizer plan for you, we take your travel goals, travel habits, spending patterns, and preferences into account. We want to ensure that the cards we recommend for you can quickly generate free travel and provide relevant benefits while keeping your annual card fees under control. We are ready to help you turn your routine credit card spending into the travel of your dreams.

NYC Case Study: Points and Miles Free Up Travel Budget for Museums, Bagels, and Pastrami

By Frank McBride • February 12, 2025
When Ms. Optimizer and I take trips, I like to report on how the travel rewards game fit into our plans and how we benefited from it. After all, if I am going to dispense advice about turning credit card spending into free travel, I need to lead by example and show actual results. At the end of last year, we took a trip to New York City to visit family, see some museums, and take in the tree at Rockefeller Center and other holiday decorations in Manhattan. Our hotel was close to Grand Central Terminal, where we could catch a commuter train to Connecticut to visit family and friends. The hotel was also located a short walk from the Museum of Modern Art and close to the bus lines that ran to the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Guggenheim Museum. Naturally, points and miles played a key role in this trip, both for reducing costs and for increasing comfort. We were able to utilize World of Hyatt points and Delta miles to lower our costs as follows: For our flights to and from JFK, we used 30,400 Delta miles for two round trips. With a value of $436 for the tickets, this worked out to a redemption of 1.4 cents per mile which is solid for a Delta redemption. For our hotel, we used 145,000 World of Hyatt points for a five-night stay at the Grayson Hotel in Midtown Manhattan. With a total cash rate of $3608 for those nights, we got a return of 2.5 cents per point, another solid redemption. Overall, the miles and points we utilized for this one trip saved us over $4,000. Additionally, the use of travel rewards credit cards yielded additional benefits that enhanced our trip. Because we have one Amex Delta Gold card, we got a 15 percent discount when redeeming miles for the round-trip tickets to JFK. This card also allowed us to check bags for free. Through the Amex Platinum Card, we were able to use the Delta lounge at our departure airport as well as for our return trip from JFK. Our Chase Hyatt card includes “Discoverist” status which allowed us to check in early upon arrival. We used Uber so we were able to take advantage of a monthly Uber credit that comes with the Amex Platinum card. For this trip to the Big Apple, like other trips we have taken in recent years, the well-planned use of miles and points played a significant role in our travel by not only saving us thousands of dollars, but also by enhancing our experiences with more comfort and convenience. Whether you are interested in checking out some of the greatest museums in the world, hunting down the perfect bagel or pastrami sandwich, shopping til you drop, or any other type of travel adventure , we are prepared to design a custom Travel Rewards Optimizer plan for you that will quickly generate free and reduced cost travel while keeping your annual card fees under control. We are ready to help you turn your routine credit card spending into the travel of your dreams.

It’s Official: The American Aadvantage Miles Credit Card “Double Play” IS Going Away

By Frank McBride • December 6, 2024
An interesting opportunity for those who fly American Airlines is that they can apply for credit cards from two banks that earn American miles and offer significant welcome bonuses. First, there are several cards offered by Citibank that range from a no annual fee card to a deluxe card that includes access to American Airlines’ Admirals Clubs. These are the most familiar and account for the largest share of American Airlines’ co-branded card business. However, there are also cards offered by Barclays Bank with some having similar features to the Citibank products. In a September post , I warned that after a decade of this co-existence between Citi and Barclays, Citi and American Airlines were having talks about forging an exclusive co-branding relationship. Based on a recent announcement, it is indeed the case that, starting in 2026, Citi will be the only issuer of co-branded American Airlines credit cards. The two-card arrangement has been great for people who want American miles, and I sometimes recommended the two cards for Travel Rewards Optimizer clients who need a “crash program” for getting some quick miles. The Barclays card is unique in that a new cardholder only needs to make one purchase (in any amount) and pay the $99 annual fee to get a 60,000-mile sign-up bonus (SUB). Most credit card sign-up bonuses usually require spending several thousand dollars at a minimum. While this unique loophole in the points and miles game will be missed, it is still available (at least for now). Anyone who is potentially interested in the Barclays card should apply for it soon. Going forward, I do not know if these Barclay American Airlines cards will be closed or converted to Citi products. Although the American Airlines credit card “double play” is going away, the exclusive relationship between Citi and American Airlines might offer a new opportunity for those wishing to accumulate American miles and fly this airline. A joint press release from the organizations stated that “the agreement creates an innovative alignment between the Citi ThankYou and AAdvantage card programs.” The Citi ThankYou card program has cards that generate proprietary ThankYou points that can be used as cash, turned into gift cards, or transferred to airline partners. A key weakness of this program is that, while is has many airline partners, it does not currently partner with a major domestic airline (American Express partners with Delta; Chase with United and Southwest). This “innovative alignment” mentioned in the joint press release suggests that Citi’s ThankYou program might add American Airlines as a transfer partner. Simply adding a major airline as a transfer partner alone goes a long way in making the ThankYou program cards more attractive. But, even better, some of the ThankYou cards, such as the Citi Strata Premier, allow you to accumulate ThankYou points at an accelerated rate. More details will emerge and we will keep you posted. This development with Citi and American Airlines is another example of how the points and miles landscape changes constantly. Opportunities appear and disappear every week. Let us create a comprehensive Travel Rewards Optimizer plan for you so that you can get the most impact from your credit card usage. We are ready to help you turn your routine credit card spending into the travel of your dreams.

Is the American Aadvantage Miles Credit Card “Double Play” Going Away?

By Frank McBride • September 21, 2024
Citibank and American Airlines discuss an exclusive co-branding arrangement

NO! You Don’t Need to Carry Two Dozen Credit Cards for an Optimal Travel Rewards Program

By Frank McBride • September 6, 2024
Card issuers might want you to do this but, it is completely unnecessary for travel rewards

“Refreshed” American Express Gold Card Offers Benefits Some Will Find Worthwhile

By Frank McBride • July 29, 2024
A new credit will offset the annual fee hike for some cardholders
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