amex marriott bonvoy canada travel insurance

Your guide to Amex's travel insurance coverage

Update : Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here .

American Express premium credit cards offer some of the best perks in the credit card space. While lounge access and travel credits are typically the highlights of these cards, some of the lesser-known benefits, such as trip delay reimbursement and trip cancellation and interruption insurance, are becoming hot topics as the coronavirus pandemic continues to impact the travel industry.

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As a result, many TPG readers have sent in questions about Amex's travel insurance protections. As travel restrictions change, policies and best practices will likely change as well. But this guide will walk you through which Amex credit cards have these benefits, what's currently covered and how you can file a successful claim.

Related: Best credit cards for trip cancellation and interruption insurance

Amex cards offering trip delay, cancellation or interruption insurance

Here is an overview of the Amex cards that offer trip delay reimbursement, trip cancellation/interruption insurance or both:

The information for the Hilton Aspire Amex card and American Express Corporate Platinum Card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

Related: The best credit cards with travel insurance

What is covered by trip cancellation and interruption insurance?

You can find the full terms and conditions of what is generally covered on your respective card in your Guide to Benefits, which can be found through your online account. I'll use the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve as an example.

Here is a rundown of the "covered losses" provided by Amex's trip cancellation and interruption insurance:

• Accidental bodily injury or loss of life or sickness of either the eligible traveler, traveling companion or a family member of the eligible traveler or traveling companion
• Inclement weather, which prevents a reasonable and prudent person from traveling or continuing on a covered trip
• The eligible traveler or his or her spouse's change in military orders
• Terrorist action or hijacking
• Call to jury duty or subpoena by the courts, either of which cannot be postponed or waived
• The eligible traveler or traveling companion's dwelling made uninhabitable
• Quarantine imposed by a physician for health reasons

Related: Book carefully if you have multiple Amex cards that offer travel protections

Amex also provides an extensive list of things that are not covered by trip cancellation/interruption insurance:

• Pre-existing conditions
• The eligible traveler's suicide, attempted suicide or intentionally self-inflicted injury
• A declared or undeclared war
• Mental or emotional disorders, unless hospitalized
• The eligible traveler's participation in a sporting activity for which he or she receives a salary or prize money
• The eligible traveler's being intoxicated at the time of an accident. Intoxication is defined by the laws of the jurisdiction where such accident occurs
• The eligible traveler being under the influence of any narcotic or other controlled substance at the time of an accident, unless the narcotic or other controlled substance is taken and used as prescribed by a Physician
• The eligible traveler's commission or attempted commission of any illegal or criminal act, including but not limited to any felony
• The eligible traveler parachuting from an aircraft
• The eligible traveler engaging or participating in a motorized vehicular race or speed contest
• Dental treatment except as a result of accidental bodily injury to sound, natural teeth
• Any non-emergency treatment or surgery, routine physical examinations
• Hearing aids, eyeglasses or contact lenses
• One-way travel that does not have a return destination
• A counterfeit scheduled airline or train ticket; or a scheduled airline or train ticket which is charged to a fraudulently issued or fraudulently used eligible card.
• Any occurrence while the eligible traveler is incarcerated
• Loss due to intentional acts by the eligible traveler
• Financial insolvency of a travel agency, tour operator or travel supplier
• Any expenses that are not authorized and reimbursable by the eligible traveler's employer if the eligible traveler makes the purchases with a commercial card

If you do find yourself canceling or cutting a covered trip short, here are the basic guidelines provided by Amex on what types of expenses are covered for trip cancellation/interruption:

"If a Covered Loss causes an Eligible Traveler's Trip Interruption, we will reimburse you for the nonrefundable amount paid to a Travel Supplier with your Eligible Card for the following: 1. The forfeited, non-refundable, pre-paid land, air and sea transportation arrangements that were missed; and 2. Additional transportation expenses that the Eligible Traveler incurs less any available refunds, not to exceed the cost of an economy-class air ticket by the most direct route for the Eligible Traveler to rejoin his or her places of origin.

If a Covered Loss causes an Eligible Traveler to temporarily postpone transportation by Common Carrier for a Covered Trip and a new departure date is set, we will reimburse you for the following: 1. The additional expenses incurred to purchase tickets for the new departure (not to exceed the difference between the original fare and the economy fare for the rescheduled Covered Trip by the most direct route); and 2. The unused, non-refundable land, air, and sea arrangements paid to a Travel Supplier with your Eligible Card."

What is covered by trip delay insurance?

Trip delay coverage provides reimbursement for reasonable additional expenses incurred when your trip is delayed due to a covered hazard for more than six hours.

Coverage is limited to $500 per trip and cardmembers are only eligible for two claims each 12 consecutive month period.

Amex outlines what is not covered, which includes the following:

• Covered losses that are made public or known to the eligible traveler prior to the departure for the covered trip
• An eligible traveler's expenses paid prior to the covered trip

Filing a claim

When you have a delay or trip cancellation/interruption that you think qualifies for coverage, you can file a claim by calling Amex at 1-844-933-0648 within 60 days of the covered loss.

Trip delay reimbursement requires the following documentation:

• Proof of loss – You must furnish written proof of loss to Amex within 180 days after the date of your loss
• Receipts - Acceptable documentation includes the following:
• A statement from the common carrier that the covered trip was delayed
• Charge receipt
• Copies of common carrier ticket(s)
• Receipts for travel expenses

Trip cancellation/interruption insurance requires slightly different documentation.

• Proof of loss – You must furnish written proof of loss to Amex within 180 days after the date of your loss. Acceptable documentation includes:
• Court subpoenas, orders to report for active duty, physician orders, etc.
• Copies of your common carrier tickets and travel supplier receipt
• Your eligible card billing statement showing the charges for the covered trip
• Copy of travel supplier's cancelation policy

After Amex receives notice of your claim, instructions will be sent on how to send the proof. Typically, you have up to 180 days to file a claim after a delay or cancellation.

Proof of flight delay or cancellation

One of the documents required to file for trip delay reimbursement is a verification form that outlines the reason for the delay or cancellation by the carrier. You can typically get this at the airport when the delay or cancellation is announced, but keep in mind that it may require a supervisor. Each U.S. major airline also has a process for requesting this information after the fact.

Here is an overview of the process that major U.S. airlines require for you to receive a delay or cancellation verification form:

Amex cards that offer car rental insurance

Unfortunately, no American Express credit cards offer primary car rental coverage, although most offer secondary coverage. You can see the entire list of cards that offer secondary car rental protection on the American Express website . However, all American Express credit cards offer an optional "Premium Car Rental Protection policy" that can be added to rentals made using the card for a small fee.

Read our guide on when to use American Express' Premium Car Rental Protection for more details on this coverage option.

You can add Premium Car Rental Protection to any American Express card . TPG has a guide of the best American Express cards , but here are some of the best cards in terms of the return you could receive when renting a car. Note, the estimated return rate for these cards is based on TPG's latest valuations:

• Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card: $450 annual fee (see rates and fees); 4.2% return on car rentals booked directly from car rental companies; no foreign transaction fees (see rates and fees)
• The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express: $0 annual fee (see rates and fees); 4% return on general spending on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year and 1x thereafter; 2.7% foreign transaction fee (see rates and fees)
• The Amex EveryDay® Preferred Credit Card from American Express: $95 annual fee; 3% return on general spending in billing cycles where you make 30+ purchases; 2.7% foreign transaction fee

The information for the Amex EveryDay Preferred card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

Amex cards that offer baggage insurance

If you're a frequent traveler, you've likely run into this situation at some point (it's the worst). Over the years, airlines have been working on improving the baggage system by introducing live bag tracking. Regardless, it's still a smart idea to have some protections in place, like baggage insurance.

Related: Everything you need to know about Amex's baggage insurance plan

This is why you need to pay attention to the benefits each of your travel rewards cards offers. Nearly all of Amex's premium rewards cards offer baggage insurance. You can check out the full list of cards and details on American Express's website.

The types of losses it covers: You're covered for losses resulting from damaged, stolen or lost baggage, including both carry-on and checked bags.

When you're covered: To be eligible for coverage, you have to travel on a common carrier, which Amex defines as any air, land or water vehicle (other than a personal or rental vehicle) that is licensed to carry passengers for hire and available to the public. Your rental car, as well as taxis and ride-share services such as Uber and Lyft, would be excluded from this protection.

To receive coverage, you also need to pay for the entire fare with an eligible American Express card or by using Membership Rewards points to book tickets through Amex Travel . Trips booked with miles from other sources — even the cobranded Delta SkyMiles cards from Amex — are excluded. Your trip also isn't covered if you used a combination of miles and dollars unless the miles came from a Membership Rewards transfer. This is a welcome change. A few years ago, a TPG staffer found out the hard way that Amex's policy didn't cover frequent flyer mile awards.

Who's covered: This policy covers both primary and additional cardholders, as well as cardmembers' spouses or domestic partners and any dependent children under 23 years old. In addition, travelers must be permanent residents of one of the 50 states, Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

How much it covers: Most American Express credit cards will cover replacement costs for checked bags and their contents up to $500 per person, although so-called "high-risk items" are only covered for a maximum of $250. These items include jewelry, sporting equipment, photographic or electronic equipment, computers and audio/visual equipment. Carry-on bags are covered for up to $1,250, which is good to know since your belongings could be stolen from the overhead bins.

You'll enjoy additional coverage if you use The Platinum Card from American Express, The Business Platinum Card from American Express, the Platinum Card from American Express Exclusively for Mercedes-Benz and Morgan Stanley-branded Platinum Card (but not the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card).

The information for the Amex Platinum Mercedes-Benz and Morgan Stanley Platinum card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

Amex cards that offer medical assistance

One of the lesser known benefits of some of Amex's most premium cards is its Premium Global Assistance. This benefit can quite literally be a lifesaver if you or an immediate family member run into any unexpected issues or accident on your trip. For example, this service can help you arrange emergency medical referrals.

All Amex cards have access to Amex's Global Assist Hotline, but the Premium Global Assist Hotline and higher level of coverage are reserved exclusively for the Amex's premium cards:

• The Platinum Card from American Express
• The Business Platinum Card from American Express
• American Express Corporate Platinum Card
• Hilton Honors Aspire Card from American Express
• Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card
• Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card
• Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card
• American Express Centurion Card
• American Express Business Centurion Card

The information for the Amex Centurion and Amex Business Centurion cards has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

Bottom line

Having a card with trip insurance can save you hundreds of dollars when unexpected hiccups happen in your travel plans. Still, it can be confusing to know what is covered and the right documentation you need to file a claim.

Nothing is worse than getting through an entire claims process only to be denied or have to start over because you don't have the required documentation for the insurance provider. Before you start filing a claim, make sure you have the documents listed above. Keep in mind that a provider may ask for additional documentation related to the incident, so you may have to collect receipts and other forms to help your case.

If you're starting to travel again, it's also a good idea to consider booking refundable travel . Some airlines and hotels even waive cancelation fees and/or change fees for certain fares, which can make last-minute adjustments in the case of emergencies.

Additional reporting by Stella Shon and Madison Blancaflor.

For rates and fees of the Amex Platinum card, please click here. For rates and fees of the Amex Gold card, please click here. For rates and fees of the Amex Business Gold card, please click here. For rates and fees of the Amex Green card, please click here. For rates and fees of the Hilton Aspire card, please click here. For rates and fees of the Amex Blue Business Plus card, click here. For rates and fees of the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant card, click here. For rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles Reserve card, please click here. For rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles Reserve Business card, please click here. For rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles Platinum card, please click here. For rates and fees of the Amex Business Platinum card, click here.

• $120 annual fee
• 70,000 Marriott Bonvoy points when you charge $3,000 in the first 3 months with a referral link
• Earn 5 Marriott Bonvoy points per $1 spent at participating Marriott properties
• Earn 3 Marriott Bonvoy points per $1 spent at gas and travel purchases for the first 6 months (up to 15,000 points) – Offer ends May 6, 2024
• Earn 2 Marriott Bonvoy points for per $1 spent on all other purchases
• Annual free night certificate worth up to 35,000 points
• MESSAGE ME FOR A REFERRAL LINK

Welcome bonus and earn rate

The Marriott Bonvoy Amex Canada Card typically has a welcome bonus of 50,000 Marriott Bonvoy points. However, they have better offers where you can earn 55,000 – 80,000 points. What’s interesting is that if you sign up with a referral link sent by a friend or family member (or if you use mine), you’ll usually get another 5,000 points.

As for the earn rate, you’ll get 5 Marriott Bonvoy points for every dollar spent at participating Marriott Bonvoy properties. All other purchases on your card earn you 2 points per dollar spent. The earn rate is pretty respectable for a co-branded Marriott Bonvoy credit card.

To give you some perspective, I personally value one Marriott Bonvoy point at about .9 cents. That means the welcome bonus is worth much more than the $120 annual fee.

Benefits and perks

It’s time to go over the benefits and perks in this Marriott Bonvoy Amex Canada review. As you can imagine, most of the benefits are Marriott-related. That’s not a bad thing since Marriott International has more than 8,000 properties in 140+ countries. You’ll be able to use your points just about anywhere and you can look forward to the following benefits:

Free night certificate

On the anniversary of your cardmembership, you’ll get a free night certificate of up to 35,000 points at any participating Marriott property. The value of those points is easily worth more than the annual fee, so the card pays for itself. You can also top up your certificate with up to 15,000 points, so that gives you some added flexibility.

Elite status

With this card, you start at Marriott Bonvoy Silver Elite status, which gives you additional benefits such as 10% bonus points on stays and priority late checkout. In other words, if you pay for your stays with your Marriott Bonvoy American Express Card at participating properties, you get 5.5 points per $1 spent.

Gold status is given when you spend $30,000 on your card each year. If status is important to you, you may want to consider the American Express Platinum Card instead since you automatically get Gold status.

Elite night credits

At the start of every calendar year, you’ll also get 15 Elite Night credits, meaning you’ll only need ten additional nights to reach Gold Status (if you don’t spend $30,000 before then). This is handy for people who stay at Marriott hotels occasionally. 

Travel insurance

• Flight delay insurance – $500
• Baggage delay insurance – $500
• Car rental theft and damage insurance – 48 days/$85,000
• Hotel/motel burglary insurance – $500
• Travel accident insurance – $500,000

The main travel insurance you get is travel accident insurance of $500,000. That may sound good, but it’s something you never want to collect since it mainly covers loss of body parts or death. American Express does offer generous car rental theft and damage insurance since you’re covered for car rentals with an MSRP of $85,000 on trips up to 48 days. Your flight delay insurance kicks in after four hours, while baggage delays require 6 hours. Note that the $500 in coverage for both types of insurance is an aggregate amount.

Finally, the hotel/motel burglary insurance gives you $500 in coverage. Remember, you need to charge your travel expenses to your credit card for your travel insurance to apply. One strategy I recommend is to use your Marriott Bonvoy Amex Canada Card for your hotel stays since you’ll earn extra Marriott Bonvoy points and you’ll get hotel/motel burglary insurance.

Purchase insurance

• Purchase protection – 90 days
• Buyer’s assurance – Double, up to one additional year

Purchase protection is often overlooked, but it can save you since you’ll be reimbursed if your purchases are lost, damaged, or stolen within 90 days from when you make the purchase. There’s a limit of $1,000 for each claim, but that’s still a fair amount. Note that you do need to make the entire purchase with your Marriott Bonvoy Amex card for your purchase protection to be valid.

Buyer’s assurance is just a fancy way of saying extended warranty. Purchases made with your Marriott Bonvoy American Express Card get double the manufacturer’s warranty, up to one additional year. Just make sure you have a copy of the original receipt.

American Express experiences

By being an American Express cardholder, you get access to some additional benefits, including:

• Front of the line presales – Enjoy exclusive access to tickets before they go on sale to the general public to concerts, theatre products, restaurants and more.
• Reserved tickets – American Express has deals in place where cardholders can buy exclusive tickets to various entertainment events.
• Experiences – Enjoy specially curated entertainment and retail events such as advance screenings, private shopping, exclusive dining and more.
• Offers – Get retail offers where you’ll get a statement credit when you meet minimum spend requirements.

How to redeem your points

I’ve written a detailed Marriott Bonvoy review so you can check that out if you want the full details, but I’m going to quickly highlight a few things about the program.

Marriott Bonvoy used to categorize their hotels. However, in recent years, they’ve eliminated the categories and introduced dynamic pricing. In other words, the number of points required for each property can vary quite a bit. This can work against people, but since Marriott has so many properties, you can usually find something that’s of fair value.

What makes Marriott Bonvoy appealing is that they have over 8,000 hotels and almost all of them have reward redemption availability at any given time. That said, if certain dates are getting full or there’s a major convention in town, you may see less reward availability.

One major perk of Marriott Bonvoy is that when you book four nights on points, you get the fifth night free. This can help reduce the overall number of points you’re using, but the five nights must be consecutive and at the same hotel. It’s also worth mentioning that Marriott Bonvoy has some of the better benefits once you reach Platinum status (50 nights per year). That’s where you get free breakfast and lounge access.

Generally speaking, if you’re getting at least .9 cents per point in value, it’s a decent deal. To calculate your cost per point (CPP), use the following formula:

Cash value of redemption X 100 / Points required = CPP

When doing your calculation, don’t forget to select add all fees and taxes so you get an accurate number.

Marriott Bonvoy American Express eligibility

It’s now time to go over eligibility requirements in this Marriott Bonvoy Amex Canada review.

• You must be a Canadian resident
• You must be the age of majority in the province or territory where you live

What’s interesting is that American Express has no formal income requirement. In addition, American Express does not list what credit score you need to be approved. That said, it’s safe to assume that you’ll need at least a good credit score, so 700+, to be approved.

How the Marriott Bonvoy Amex Card compares

The Marriott Bonvoy Amex Card is hard to compare since it’s the only consumer co-branded Marriott Bonvoy card in Canada. That said, some American Express credit cards allow you to transfer your points to Marriott Bonvoy at a 1:1.2 ratio, so let’s look at some of those cards.

Marriott Bonvoy Amex vs. American Express Cobalt Card

Admittedly, it’s not a fair comparison, but I like to stack the Marriott Bonvoy Amex up against the American Express Cobalt Card . The welcome bonus is easier for the Marriott card, but the earning rate is where things get interesting. As you know, the Bonvoy Card gives you 5 points per dollar spent at Marriott Bonvoy properties at 2 points everywhere else. The Cobalt Card earns 5 points per $1 spent on eats and drinks, 2 points on travel and transportation, and 1 point on everything else.

Anyone who stays at Marriott properties frequently is likely better off with the Bonvoy Card since you get an increased earning rate, status qualifying nights, instant status, and an annual free night certificate. However, if you spend a lot on groceries, food, and travel in general, the Cobalt Card could be better since you can convert your points to Marriott Bonvoy or even Aeroplan , as needed.

Marriott Bonvoy Amex vs. American Express Gold Rewards Card

The American Express Gold Rewards Card is more of a multi-use travel credit card, so we’ll focus on the benefits. With this card, you get an annual $100 travel credit and a Priority Pass membership with 4 free annual airport lounge passes to Plaza Premium lounges. That easily offsets the annual fee of $250. Some would argue that holding this card and the Marriott Bonvoy card are worth it since the yearly benefits are worth more than what you pay in annual fees.

Marriott Bonvoy Amex vs. American Express Business Gold Rewards Card

It may seem odd to use a business credit card as a comparison, but it’s worth mentioning due to the welcome bonus. The American Express Business Gold Rewards Card has consistently had a welcome bonus of 75,000 American Express Membership Rewards points when spending $5,000 in the first three months. When factoring in the minimum spend and transfer ratio, that’s 96,000 Marriott Bonvoy points you could potentially get.

Final thoughts

My Marriott Bonvoy Amex Canada review is positive. This card will likely be great for people in the following situations:

• You want to save on hotels – Marriott has over 8,000 properties in 140+ countries. That means you’ll be able to use your Marriott Bonvoy points almost anywhere in the world.
• You want a free hotel night – You’re given a free night certificate worth up to 35,000 points (can be topped up with an additional 15,000 points) every year on your anniversary.
• You want to earn hotel status – With this card, you’re instantly given 15 status qualifying nights each year.

Those who prefer free hotel stays may favour this card from my list of the best travel credit cards in Canada. The welcome bonus and free annual night certificate more than pays for the annual fee, which is why the Marriott Bonvoy Card is one of the best American Express credit cards. It’s a must-have card for anyone who stays at Marriott properties regularly .

About Barry Choi

Barry Choi is a Toronto-based personal finance and travel expert who frequently makes media appearances. His blog Money We Have is one of Canada’s most trusted sources when it comes to money and travel. You can find him on Twitter: @barrychoi

17 Comments

Excellent article. I had no idea that my Amex Bonvoy card had NO TRAVEL INSURANCE. I guess I won’t be holding this card as long as I thought (thank God, the lowly President’s Choice mastercard still gives me 10 days travel insurance for free).

The card does come with an annual free night certificate worth up to 35K points which is a good reason to keep the card.

Hi Barry – just wondering if you know: if I was an SPG Amex cardholder several years ago, does this disqualify me from getting the bonus points on this new card?

Technically yes, but 99% of people who had the card years ago report that they’ve been able to get the sign up bonus. That being said, Amex is within their rights to deny you them.

Ah, I’ve heard this too! Well I’m glad to hear from a Canadian expert. I think I’ll give it a shot. Thanks so much Barry!

If you have a family, this card sucks because none of the rooms we fit in are included in the points redemption. Marriott will let me acquire points by booking suites and other rooms that sleep my 5 family members, but none of those rooms are available for us when we try to use points. USELESS!!!! TERRIBLE CARD if you can’t spend the points you’ve accumulated!!!!! And there’s no flexibility, no humans who can override their inflexible computer system. It’s terrible!!

You could just try lowering the # of people when making a reservation.

I have a family of five – I want a hotel room that sleeps five. Booking a room for four, while easy, wouldn’t actually provide us with five places to sleep.

I have a family of 5 and never pay for hotel rooms, I do it all on points. You can easily book larger rooms on points by just calling in and often you will not need to because once you are platinum or titanium they will almost always upgrade you for free.

Well that wouldn’t help us book the type of room we need so we all have beds to sleep in. I can book rooms to fit us when I pay for the rooms, but if I want to use the points I’ve collected, I cannot book the very same type of room that we always pay for. Case in point: a 2 bedroom suite that has 2 queens and a sofa bed in Bloomington. I can pay $174/night but it’s not available AT ALL using points or even points plus cash. It’s a useless “reward” system for my family as it is currently structured.

Have you tried calling to book, I have found many times that rates not available on the internet are available if you ask one of their reservations agents.

You could just stay at home, Jeff. You seem upset. Maybe a warm bath with some Epsom salt would relieve some of that anger. Or perhaps, just book a room for one, and do the remaining four family members the favour of a few nights without your negativity.

Ummm… why would you want a credit card that has an annual fee? If you keep the card you’ll probably use the rewards in the first couple of years, but after that you’ll be stuck with the fees.

Since the card charges foreign exchange fees, when staying at a Marriott outside Canada, it is better to use a no forex card, if you have one. Which in my mind defeats the purpose of this card if it is not used at Marriott properties.

Since you get 5 points per dollar spent and 1 point is worth about .9 cents, you’re getting 4.5 cents in points for a 2.5% fee. To me, that’s reasonable. That said, I wouldn’t use the card for any other foreign purchases.

Do the Marriott points earned through the Amex card get automatically applied to your Marriott account? If so, when will they show up?

Yes, your points are automatically transferred to your Marriott account when your monthly statement posts.

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Marriott Bonvoy Travel Insurance Review — Is It Worth It?

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What Is Marriott Bonvoy Travel Insurance?

Sample coverage for a paid international stay, sample coverage for an international points stay, sample coverage for a domestic points stay, sample coverage for a domestic paid stay, how to purchase marriott bonvoy travel insurance, comprehensive single-trip travel insurance policy, an annual multi-trip travel insurance policy, credit card travel insurance, everything else you need to know, final thoughts.

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We’ve all become more aware of the need for purchasing travel insurance over the past few years. Even if you haven’t actually purchased coverage, chances are you’ve checked out the cost of adding it to your flight, hotel, cruise, or your entire trip.

Perhaps you’ve also noticed the increased availability of travel insurance including more opportunities for purchasing Cancel for Any Reason Insurance and expanded coverage for COVID-19 events. We’ve also seen companies introduce new product offerings such as American Express adding its own version of Cancel for Any Reason Insurance .

Today we’re going to cover another option available for protecting your trip investment: Marriott Bonvoy Travel Insurance .

Available to customers booking a Marriott hotel stay, the insurance covers you and your traveling companions who will be staying with you.

While the option is certainly a convenient one, we’re here today to determine if purchasing Marriott Bonvoy Travel Insurance is actually worth it.

Stay with us to find out.

Marriott Bonvoy Travel Insurance is an insurance policy available to customers when booking a Marriott Bonvoy hotel stay.

The policy is underwritten by Allianz , a highly-rated and established travel insurance company. The company is known for partnering with a variety of travel providers, including online travel agencies (OTAs), cruise lines, tour operators, and airlines to provide trip insurance options. You may have seen Allianz coverage offered at checkout during one of your previous travel purchases. It’s a natural extension to add Marriott Bonvoy to the company’s list of partnerships.

Let’s look closer at the coverages being offered, how you can purchase a plan, and some of the alternatives to consider.

What’s Covered

The policy offered at checkout is a basic travel insurance plan providing coverage for trip cancellation, trip interruption, emergency medical/dental, and emergency transportation. The plan also offers personal belongings insurance plus concierge and trip assistance services.

Coverage limits will depend on your state of residence, where the hotel is located, and the cost of your stay. The types of coverage you receive will also depend on whether you’re using Marriott Bonvoy points to cover your stay or if it’s a paid stay.

Let’s look at a few policy examples and the types of coverage you can expect.

The sample policy above was offered at checkout for an international paid hotel stay. Here is a breakdown of the coverages offered.

Trip Cancellation

Non-refundable trip expenses — such as your hotel costs, transportation (including flights), and activities — are included, but coverage is limited to 100% of the amount of your purchase from Marriott Bonvoy. Allianz defines trip cost as “the price for travel expenses you are booking on our partner’s website at the time you purchase insurance.”

This means that if your hotel stay purchase is $2,000, you will have up to 100%, or $2,000, for trip cancellation coverage.

Covered events that can qualify for trip cancellation include your illness or that of other guests who would be staying in the same room.

Trip Interruption

If your trip is disrupted for a covered reason, you could receive up to 150% of the amount of your Marriott hotel stay purchase price for trip interruption insurance.

Examples of events that can be covered for trip interruption include severe weather, illness, or flight cancellations and delays.

Emergency Medical and Dental Coverage

Receive reimbursement for the cost of emergency medical treatment up to the policy limit of $50,000 . Emergency dental coverage is limited to a sub-limit of $500.

Emergency Transportation

If you should need emergency transportation due to a covered medical or dental emergency, you could receive reimbursement up to the policy limit of $50,000 .

Personal Belongings Insurance

You or your traveling companions could receive up to $250 for personal belongings that are lost, stolen, or damaged during your trip. Coverage limits vary by policy offering.

An example of a covered loss would be if your wallet or baggage was stolen.

Concierge Services

Enjoy travel assistance services before and during your trip. Services can include restaurant reservations, securing tickets to special events, arranging golf tee times, and more.

24-Hour Assistance

Receive 24/7 assistance anywhere in the world. Services include help getting emergency cash, arranging translation services, medical/dental/legal referrals, medical transport, and more.

Pre-existing Medical Condition Exclusion Waiver

The pre-existing medical waiver is included in the plan if you purchase the policy within 14 days of your first trip deposit. You must also be medically able to travel at the time you purchased the insurance and a U.S. resident at the time of policy purchase.

COVID-19 Coverage

COVID-19 is covered like other illnesses when you are diagnosed by a doctor or receive a positive test result from a third party. Coverage for COVID-19 is provided under trip cancellation, trip interruption, and emergency medical/transportation.

Bottom Line: Key travel insurance coverages such as trip cancellation and trip interruption are offered with Marriott Bonvoy Travel Insurance for paid international hotel stays. Limits for these coverages are tied to the purchase price of the entire hotel stay. You’ll also find medical/dental coverage and emergency medical transportation coverage and personal belongings insurance. 

When booking a Marriott stay with Marriott Bonvoy Rewards points, the type of policy you’re offered at checkout may differ . The good news is that there may be additional coverage and the premium will be much lower.

This policy is for a 3-night stay costing 112,000 Marriott Bonvoy Rewards points. The premium for this policy was $20. This appears to be a great value when you consider you’re receiving $50,000 of international emergency medical and associated transportation coverage.

While there is no trip cancellation coverage included, there is the addition of trip delay coverage and baggage insurance.

As you can see, available coverages and travel insurance premiums vary depending on the hotel location and whether it’s a paid stay or a reward stay. The premium for this stay, purchased with 41,000 Marriott Bonvoy points, was $10 .

You’ll notice that missed activity coverage is added to this domestic stay’s Marriott Bonvoy Travel Insurance plan. This coverage provides for reimbursement should a scheduled activity need to be canceled due to a covered reason.

You’ll also notice the absence of any medical coverage and the increased personal belongings coverage.

When we look at the Marriott Bonvoy Travel Insurance policy offered at checkout while booking a domestic paid stay, we find that emergency medical/dental, and associated transport is once again included. The coverage limits are also much lower than the policy offered for international bookings.

The total premium to purchase this policy with a $644 stay was $43 .

This is just an overview of the coverage offered by Marriott Bonvoy Travel Insurance. You’ll be able to access the actual policy documents with full coverage descriptions and terms/conditions before you actually purchase the policy.

Bottom Line: The policy plan, the premium, types of coverage, and limits of coverage you receive on offer at checkout will depend on several factors. These include the total cost of your hotel stay, your state of residence, whether the property is international or domestic, and whether it’s a paid stay or covered with Marriott Bonvoy Rewards points. 

When booking a Marriott Bonvoy stay either at Marriott.com  or via the Marriott Bonvoy iOS app , you’ll have the opportunity at checkout to purchase coverage. The coverage will be available via the Android app at a later date.

The cost of the insurance will be added to your hotel stay purchase. Your credit card statement will show 2 charges: 1 from Marriott and 1 from Allianz.

I priced out an international hotel stay that came to $1,192 , including taxes/fees. The premium for the associated insurance coverage was $80.90 .

When changing my booking for a stay that totaled $492 , the premium for the travel insurance came to $33.41 .

If you decide you do not want to purchase a policy while booking, you can still visit the Marriott Bonvoy Travel Insurance/Allianz site to purchase a plan before your trip.

Bottom Line: You can purchase Marriott Bonvoy Travel Insurance during checkout when booking a stay at a Marriott property online. The cost of the insurance is added to the total cost of your hotel stay. 

How Marriott Bonvoy Travel Insurance Compares

Although purchasing Marriott Bonvoy Travel Insurance at checkout may be a convenient option, there are other considerations.

Here are some viable alternatives to Marriott Bonvoy Travel Insurance:

Because of all the variables involved, single-trip travel insurance plan costs can vary widely. We used the travel insurance comparison site SquareMouth to price out a single-trip policy with similar coverages to the Marriott Bonvoy Travel Insurance plan offered with an international paid hotel stay:

Single-trip plans covering the hotel stay costing $1,200 ranged from $30 to $117 , depending on the company. Prices will vary based on your state of residence, the age of the travelers, and the desired coverage. However, it’s entirely possible to duplicate or find a better plan for the same or less cost than the Marriott Bonvoy Travel Insurance.

If you’re going to purchase a single-trip travel insurance policy, you may want to select more coverage than simply lodging costs. We used the lodging cost to receive quotes for comparison purposes only.

Purchasing a basic annual travel insurance policy covering all the trips you’ll take in a 12-month period can cost less than a few hundred dollars. You’ll also find that coverages can compare favorably with the Marriott Bonvoy Travel Insurance plan.

Pictured above is an annual AIG Travel Guard policy with a total premium of $259 . As you can see, coverage is similar to the Marriott Bonvoy plan, and in some cases, it’s better. And, the pricing is the same whether you’re age 40 or age 70.

Allianz offers its own annual multi-trip plan for $280 per traveler with similar coverage to the Marriott Bonvoy plan. If you take just a few trips each year, it can pay for you to have a multi-trip annual plan.

Coverage limits are stated per policy year, so you should purchase greater coverage in order to cover multiple expensive trips.

The travel insurance that comes with your credit card is not meant to replace a comprehensive travel insurance policy . Marriott Bonvoy Travel Insurance has coverage that is broader than what comes on your credit card, largely because the Marriott Bonvoy plan contains high-limit medical coverage which is not found on credit cards.

Additionally, the Marriott Bonvoy coverage is primary coverage . The travel insurance that comes on your credit card can be secondary, which means that you must first file a claim with any other insurance that applies before card coverage kicks in.

With that said, the travel insurance that comes with your credit card certainly has value . If you’re simply purchasing a flight, a hotel room, or even an inexpensive weekend getaway when a large investment is not at stake, credit card travel insurance may be enough.

You’ll find several common types of travel insurance on your credit cards, including the following:

• Trip cancellation, trip interruption , and trip delay insurance
• Car rental insurance
• Baggage insurance
• Roadside dispatch (for a fee)
• Travel accident insurance

Premium travel credit cards may offer this additional protection:

• Emergency evacuation
• Limited emergency medical/dental coverage
• Premium roadside assistance
• Cell phone protection

Here are some of the best credit cards for travel insurance:

Chase Sapphire Preferred ® Card

A fantastic travel card with a huge welcome offer, good benefits, and perks for a moderate annual fee.

The Chase Sapphire Preferred ® card is one of the best travel rewards cards on the market. Its bonus categories include travel, dining, online grocery purchases, and streaming services, which gives you the opportunity to earn lots of bonus points on these purchases.

Additionally, it offers flexible point redemption options, no foreign transaction fees, and excellent travel insurance coverage including primary car rental insurance . With benefits like these, it’s easy to see why this card is an excellent choice for any traveler.

• 5x points on all travel booked via the Chase Travel portal
• 5x points on select Peloton purchases over $150 (through March 31, 2025)
• 5x points on Lyft purchases (through March 31, 2025)
• 3x points on dining purchases, online grocery purchases, and select streaming services
• 2x points on all other travel worldwide
• $50 annual credit on hotel stays booked through the Chase Travel portal
• 6 months of complimentary Instacart+ (activate by July 31, 2024), plus up to $15 in statement credits each quarter through July 2024
• Excellent travel and car rental insurance
• 10% annual bonus points
• No foreign transaction fees
• 1:1 point transfer to leading airline and hotel loyalty programs like United MileagePlus and World of Hyatt
• $95 annual fee
• No elite benefits like airport lounge access or hotel elite status
• Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.
• Enjoy benefits such as 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases, $50 Annual Chase Travel Hotel Credit, plus more.
• Get 25% more value when you redeem for airfare, hotels, car rentals and cruises through Chase Travel℠. For example, 60,000 points are worth $750 toward travel.
• Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.
• Get complimentary access to DashPass which unlocks $0 delivery fees and lower service fees for a minimum of one year when you activate by December 31, 2024.
• Member FDIC

Financial Snapshot

• APR: 21.49%-28.49% Variable
• Foreign Transaction Fees: None

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Chase Ultimate Rewards

• The Chase Sapphire Preferred 80k or 100k Bonus Offer
• Benefits of the Chase Sapphire Preferred
• Chase Sapphire Preferred Credit Score Requirements
• Military Benefits of the Chase Sapphire Preferred
• Chase Freedom Unlimited vs Sapphire Preferred
• Chase Sapphire Preferred vs Reserve
• Amex Gold vs Chase Sapphire Preferred

Travel insurance that comes with the Chase Sapphire Preferred card includes the following:

• Primary car rental insurance
• Trip cancellation, trip interruption, and trip delay insurance
• Lost and delayed baggage
• Roadside dispatch
• Travel and emergency assistance services

Chase Sapphire Reserve ®

A top player in the high-end premium travel credit card space that earns 3x points on travel and dining while offering top luxury perks.

If you’re looking for an all-around excellent travel rewards card, the Chase Sapphire Reserve ®  is one of the best options out there.

The card combines elite travel benefits and perks like airport lounge access , with excellent point earning and redemption options.  Plus it offers top-notch travel insurance protections to keep you covered whether you’re at home or on the road.

Don’t forget the $300 annual travel credit which really helps to reduce the annual fee!

• 10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase TravelSM immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually
• 10x points on Lyft purchases March 31, 2025
• 10x points on Peloton equipment and accessory purchases over $250 through March 31, 2025
• 5x points on airfare booked through Chase Travel SM
• 3x points on all other travel and dining purchases; 1x point on all other purchases
• $300 annual travel credit
• Priority Pass airport lounge access
• TSA PreCheck, Global Entry, or NEXUS credit
• Access to Chase Luxury Hotel and Resort Collection
• Rental car elite status with National and Avis
• $550 annual fee
• Does not offer any sort of hotel elite status
• Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $900 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.
• $300 Annual Travel Credit as reimbursement for travel purchases charged to your card each account anniversary year.
• Earn 5x total points on flights and 10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Travel℠ immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually. Earn 3x points on other travel and dining & 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases
• Get 50% more value when you redeem your points for travel through Chase Travel℠. For example, 60,000 points are worth $900 toward travel.
• 1:1 point transfer to leading airline and hotel loyalty programs
• Access to 1,300+ airport lounges worldwide after an easy, one-time enrollment in Priority Pass™ Select and up to $100 application fee credit every four years for Global Entry, NEXUS, or TSA PreCheck ®
• Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more
• APR: 22.49%-29.49% Variable
• Chase Sapphire Reserve 100k Bonus Offer
• Chase Sapphire Reserve Benefits
• Chase Sapphire Reserve Airport Lounge Access
• Chase Sapphire Reserve Travel Insurance Benefits
• Chase Sapphire Reserve Military Benefits
• Amex Gold vs Chase Sapphire Reserve
• Amex Platinum vs Chase Sapphire Reserve

The Chase Sapphire Reserve card comes with all the same travel insurance benefits as the Chase Sapphire Preferred card. Additionally, the card offers emergency evacuation, limited emergency medical/dental coverage, and premium complimentary roadside assistance.

The Platinum Card ® from American Express

The Amex Platinum reigns supreme for luxury travel, offering the best airport lounge access plus generous statement credits, and complimentary elite status.

When it comes to cards that offer top-notch benefits, you’d be hard-pressed to find a better card out there than The Platinum Card ® from American Express.

Make no mistake — the Amex Platinum card  is a premium card with a premium price tag. With amazing benefits like best-in-class airport lounge access , hotel elite status, and tremendous value in annual statement credits, it can easily prove to be one of the most lucrative cards in your wallet year after year.

• The best airport lounge access out of any card (by far) — enjoy access to over 1,400 worldwide lounges, including the luxurious Amex Centurion Lounges, Priority Pass lounges, Plaza Premium Lounges, and many more!
• 5x points per dollar spent on flights purchased directly with the airline or with AmexTravel.com (up to $500,000 per year)
• 5x points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels booked with AmexTravel.com
• Annual and monthly statement credits upon enrollment ( airline credit, Uber Cash credit, Saks Fifth Avenue credit, streaming credit, prepaid hotel credit on eligible stays, Walmart+ credit, CLEAR credit, and Equinox credit )
• TSA PreCheck or Global Entry credit
• Access to American Express Fine Hotels and Resorts
• Access to Amex International Airline Program
• No foreign transaction fees ( rates and fees )
• $695 annual fee ( rates and fees )
• Airline credit does not cover airfare (only incidentals like checked bags)
• Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards ® Points after you spend $8,000 on purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Apply and select your preferred metal Card design: classic Platinum Card ® , Platinum x Kehinde Wiley, or Platinum x Julie Mehretu.
• Earn 5X Membership Rewards ® Points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year and earn 5X Membership Rewards ® Points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel.
• $200 Hotel Credit: Get up to $200 back in statement credits each year on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts ® or The Hotel Collection bookings with American Express Travel when you pay with your Platinum Card ® . The Hotel Collection requires a minimum two-night stay.
• $240 Digital Entertainment Credit: Get up to $20 back in statement credits each month on eligible purchases made with your Platinum Card ® on one or more of the following: Disney+, a Disney Bundle, ESPN+, Hulu, The New York Times, Peacock, and The Wall Street Journal. Enrollment required.
• $155 Walmart+ Credit: Cover the cost of a $12.95 monthly Walmart+ membership (subject to auto-renewal) with a statement credit after you pay for Walmart+ each month with your Platinum Card ® . Cost includes $12.95 plus applicable local sales tax. Plus Up Benefits are excluded.
• $200 Airline Fee Credit: Select one qualifying airline and then receive up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year when incidental fees are charged by the airline to your Platinum Card ® .
• $200 Uber Cash: Enjoy Uber VIP status and up to $200 in Uber savings on rides or eats orders in the US annually. Uber Cash and Uber VIP status is available to Basic Card Member only. Terms Apply.
• $300 Equinox Credit: Get up to $300 back in statement credits per calendar year on an Equinox membership, or an Equinox club membership (subject to auto-renewal) when you pay with your Platinum Card ® . Enrollment required. Visit https://platinum.equinox.com/ to enroll.
• $189 CLEAR ® Plus Credit: Breeze through security with CLEAR Plus at 100+ airports, stadiums, and entertainment venues nationwide and get up to $189 back per calendar year on your Membership (subject to auto-renewal) when you use your Platinum Card ® . Learn more.
• $100 Global Entry Credit: Receive either a $100 statement credit every 4 years for a Global Entry application fee or a statement credit up to $85 every 4.5 years for a TSA PreCheck ® (through a TSA official enrollment provider) application fee, when charged to your Platinum Card ® . Card Members approved for Global Entry will also receive access to TSA PreCheck at no additional cost.
• Shop Saks with Platinum: Get up to $100 in statement credits annually for purchases in Saks Fifth Avenue stores or at saks.com on your Platinum Card ® . That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
• $300 SoulCycle At-Home Bike Credit: Get a $300 statement credit for the purchase of a SoulCycle at-home bike with your Platinum Card ® . An Equinox+ subscription is required to purchase a SoulCycle at-home bike and access SoulCycle content. Must charge full price of bike in one transaction. Shipping available in the contiguous U.S. only. Enrollment Required.
• Unlock access to exclusive reservations and special dining experiences with Global Dining Access by Resy when you add your Platinum Card ® to your Resy profile.
• $695 annual fee.
• Terms Apply.
• APR: See Pay Over Time APR

American Express Membership Rewards

• Amex Platinum 150k Welcome Bonus Offer
• Benefits of The Amex Platinum
• How to Use 100,000 Amex Platinum Points
• Amex Platinum Card Requirements
• American Express Platinum Military Benefits
• Amex Platinum and Business Platinum Lounge Access
• Amex Platinum Benefits for Authorized Users
• Amex Platinum vs Delta Platinum
• Capital One Venture X vs Amex Platinum
• Amex Platinum vs Delta Reserve

The Amex Platinum card comes with similar types of travel insurance as the Chase Sapphire Reserve card, such as access to Premium Global Assist Hotline. An exception to this is that the Amex Platinum card offers secondary car rental insurance . You will have the option to purchase Premium Protection for 1 low price that covers the entire rental period.

The card also comes with cell phone protection . However, the card does not offer any limited medical or dental coverage.

Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card

The Capital One Venture X card is an excellent option for travelers looking for an all-in-one premium credit card.

The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card is the premium Capital One travel rewards card on the block.

Points and miles fans will be surprised to see that the Capital One Venture X card packs quite the punch when it comes to bookings made through Capital One, all while offering the lowest annual fee among premium credit cards.

Depending on your travel goals and preferences, the Capital One Venture X card could very well end up being your go-to card in your wallet.

• 10x miles per $1 on hotels and rental cars purchased through Capital One Travel
• 5x miles per $1 on flights purchased through Capital One Travel
• 2x miles per $1 on all other purchases
• $300 annual travel credit on bookings made through Capital One Travel
• Unlimited complimentary access for cardholder and 2 guests to 1,300+ lounges, including Capital One Lounges and the Partner Lounge Network
• 10,000 bonus miles awarded on your account anniversary each year
• Global Entry or TSA PreCheck credit
• Add authorized users for no additional annual fee ( rates & fees )
• No foreign transaction fees ( rates & fees )
• $395 annual fee ( rates & fees )
• Does not offer bonus categories for flights or hotel purchases made directly with the airline or hotel group, the preferred booking method for those looking to earn elite status
• Earn 75,000 bonus miles when you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel
• Receive a $300 annual credit for bookings through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options
• Get 10,000 bonus miles (equal to $100 towards travel) every year, starting on your first anniversary
• Earn unlimited 10X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel and 5X miles on flights booked through Capital One Travel
• Earn unlimited 2X miles on all other purchases
• Unlimited complimentary access for you and two guests to 1,300+ lounges, including Capital One Lounges and the Partner Lounge Network
• Use your Venture X miles to easily cover travel expenses, including flights, hotels, rental cars and more—you can even transfer your miles to your choice of 15+ travel loyalty programs
• Elevate every hotel stay from the Premier or Lifestyle Collections with a suite of cardholder benefits, like an experience credit, room upgrades, and more
• Receive up to a $100 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck ®
• APR: 19.99% - 29.99% (Variable)

Capital One Miles

• Benefits of the Capital One Venture X Card
• Best Ways to Use Venture X Points
• Capital One Venture X Credit Score and Approval Odds
• Capital One Venture X Lounge Access
• Capital One Venture X Travel Insurance Benefits
• Capital One Venture vs Venture X
• Capital One Venture X vs Chase Sapphire Reserve
• Best Credit Cards with Priority Access
• Best Credit Cards for Airport Lounge Access
• Best Capital One Credit Cards
• Best Luxury and Premium Credit Cards
• Best Metal Credit Cards
• Best High Limit Credit Cards
• Choice Privileges Loyalty Program Review

The Capital One Venture X card also comes with great travel insurance benefits , including auto rental collision damage waiver , trip cancellation and interruption insurance. Plus, the card offers cell phone protection .

The previous information is an overview of travel insurance benefits and is highly abbreviated. We’ve also not included any terms and conditions or limits on coverages. You’ll want to access the card’s Guide to Benefits for the actual coverage descriptions, limits, and terms/conditions.

To learn more about the best credit cards for travel insurance and protection , including both personal and business credit cards, our article goes into great detail.

Bottom Line: Before you purchase Marriott Bonvoy Travel Insurance, you’ll want to check your credit cards for possible coverage. However, credit cards do not include any major medical coverage, so if you need this coverage, purchasing Marriott Bonvoy Travel Insurance or additional travel insurance would be necessary. 

Marriott Bonvoy plans cover friends, family, and anyone staying in your room. Allianz states that your traveling companions also do not need to be listed on the reservation to be covered. The maximum number of covered persons is limited to the number of published maximum occupants of the room.

If the price of your lodging should increase after you purchase Marriott Bonvoy Travel Insurance, you can purchase additional coverage by logging in to the Allianz site. An example would be if you added an additional hotel night to your reservation.

You will have 15 days after the receipt of your policy (longer in some states) to review the policy. Within this period, and if you have not yet started your trip, you may request a full refund if you are unsatisfied with the policy.

Marriott Bonvoy Travel Insurance plans are available to U.S. residents only .

The policy begins once Allianz has received your order and payment. The beginning date will also be listed on the policy documents.

You can file a claim online , by calling 800-334-7525, or by emailing [email protected] .

Although convenient to purchase, the Marriott Bonvoy Travel Insurance may be a bit pricey for international paid hotel stays . You could already have some of the same coverage on your credit card or be able to purchase a single-trip travel insurance policy for less. Also, if you have additional trips planned, a multi-trip annual plan may make more economic sense.

With multiple international reservations, you would also need to purchase coverage on each reservation. In this case, a travel insurance policy could be a better option to cover your entire trip.

One sweet spot for Marriott Bonvoy Travel Insurance is the value proposition for stays paid for with Marriott Bonvoy points . For a range of $7 to $20 in our sample findings, there appears to be a good value in relation to the coverage offered. On stays purchased with points, it can make sense to consider the options you’re presented with at checkout.

With international paid stays, it’s not the worst idea to quickly grab $50,000 worth of emergency medical coverage at checkout. Having peace of mind if your health insurance doesn’t cover you if you’re traveling abroad can  add value.

For Capital One products listed on this page, some of the above benefits are provided by Visa ® or Mastercard ® and may vary by product. See the respective Guide to Benefits for details, as terms and exclusions apply.

For the baggage insurance plan benefit of The Platinum Card ® from American Express, eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company.

For the car rental loss and damage insurance benefit of The Platinum Card ® from American Express, eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company. Car Rental Loss or Damage Coverage is offered through American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc.

For the cell phone protection benefit of The Platinum Card ® from American Express, eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company.

For the premium global assist hotline benefit of The Platinum Card ® from American Express, eligibility and benefit level varies by Card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. If approved and coordinated by premium global assist hotline, emergency medical transportation assistance may be provided at no cost. In any other circumstance, card members may be responsible for the costs charged by third-party service providers.

For the trip cancellation and interruption insurance benefit of The Platinum Card ® from American Express, eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company.

For the trip delay insurance benefit of The Platinum Card ® from American Express, eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company.

For rates and fees of The Platinum Card ® from American Express, click here .

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the marriott bonvoy travel insurance worth it.

It can be. Marriott Bonvoy Travel Insurance is a convenient option when booking a hotel stay at a Marriott property. If you do not have medical coverage that will cover you while abroad, purchasing the coverage at checkout may be worth securing $50,000 in immediate coverage.

For hotel stays paid for with Marriott Bonvoy Rewards points, you may find good value in relation to the coverage offered.

If you don’t need medical coverage, you may even be able to rely on a refundable hotel booking and travel insurance coverage on your credit card.

Does Marriott Bonvoy Travel Insurance cover COVID-19?

Marriott Bonvoy Travel Insurance covers COVID-19 like any other illness. With proper documentation, you’ll have coverage for COVID-19 illnesses under trip cancellation, trip interruption, and emergency medical coverage with Marriott Bonvoy Travel Insurance.

What does Marriott Travel Insurance cover?

Marriott Bonvoy Travel Insurance coverage varies by the type of policy offered at checkout.

A typical policy for international paid stays comes with trip cancellation insurance for up to 100% of the cost of your hotel stay and trip interruption insurance for up to 150% of the cost of your hotel stay.

The policy also covers emergency medical/dental and associated transportation, up to $50,000 for each coverage, and personal belongings insurance of up to $250.

Where can I purchase Marriott Bonvoy Travel Insurance?

You can purchase Marriott Bonvoy Travel Insurance when checking out while booking a Marriott hotel stay. The option is available online and via the iOS app when paying for your reservation. Android functionality will be available at a later date.

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About Christine Krzyszton

Christine ran her own business developing and managing insurance and financial services. This stoked a passion for points and miles and she now has over 2 dozen credit cards and creates in-depth, detailed content for UP.

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UP's Bonus Valuation

This bonus value is an estimated valuation calculated by UP after analyzing redemption options, transfer partners, award availability and how much UP would pay to buy these points.

Marriott Bonvoy TM American Express ® Card

Flytrippers award won.

Summary of Flytrippers' review

Why get this card.

• Great welcome bonus of ≈ $519
• Annual certificate for free luxury night worth ≈ $315 every subsequent year
• Marriott points that are more lucrative and can provide outsized value
• Flexibility of points with no time limit to be used
• Automatic Marriott Silver Elite status (and shortcut to Gold and higher)
• Good base earn rate
• No-fee additional cards

WHO SHOULD GET THIS CARD

• All Canadian travelers, without exception
• Go to our editorial card review page
• Go to our card summary page
• Keep scrolling here for all the details
• Watch our video review
• Apply now via Amex secure link
• See all the best credit cards in Canada

Scroll for all details or check out our review (VIDEO or TEXT)

Detailed review of the Marriott Bonvoy American Express Card

Card details.

Welcome bonus structure (2 separate bonuses)

65,000 points Bonus after spending $3,000 (in a maximum of 3 months) * 15,000 points Bonus of 3 pts/$ more on travel and gas (maximum of $5000 and 6 months) *NOT  INCLUDED IN OUR FLYTRIPPERS VALUATION

65,000 points Total with the main part of the bonus *80,000 points Total with the 2 parts of the bonus *NOT  INCLUDED IN OUR FLYTRIPPERS VALUATION

Earn on the minimum spending requirement

6,000   points Minimum earn on the minimum spending requirement of $3,000 (at base earn rate of 2 pts/$)

Total rewards by unlocking the welcome bonus

71,000 points Main part of welcome bonus + earn on the minimum spending requirement to unlock it *86,000 points  Welcome bonus + earn on the minimum spending requirement to unlock it *NOT  INCLUDED IN OUR FLYTRIPPERS VALUATION

‣ Apply for the Marriott Bonvoy ™  American Express ®  Card

Value of the welcome bonus offer (at our Flytrippers Valuation of ≈ 0.9¢/pt )

≈ $585 Bonus after min. spend (65,000 pts) ≈ $54 Earn on min. spend (6,000 pts) –$120 Card fee (deducted from Valuation)

≈ $519  Total net value by unlocking the welcome bonus alone

‣ Learn more about our Flytrippers Valuation of welcome bonuses

Effective return rate

≈ 17.3%  Return on the minimum spending requirement ( ≈ $519  on $ 3,000  in 3 months)

‣Learn more about effective return rates (coming soon)

Rewards acquisition summary

≈ $639  Rewards you get for  $120

Value of redemption options (welcome bonus)

For each available redemption option, here is the value of the 71,000 Marriott Bonvoy points  you get by unlocking the welcome bonus:

≈ $639 Hotel nights at the 30+ Marriott brands ≈ $568 Nights in private lodging with Homes & Villas by Marriott Bonvoy ≈ $568 Unique experiences with Marriott Bonvoy Moments ≈ $426 Specific flights booked via transfers to airline programs ≈ $355 Flights and car rentals through Marriott ≈ $284 Gift cards ≈ $213 Merchandise

‣ Learn more about the best redemptions of Marriott Bonvoy points (detailed guide coming soon)

Value of redemption options (per point)

For each available redemption option, here is the value  per Marriott Bonvoy point to help you understand:

≈ 0.9¢ Hotel nights at the 30+ Marriott brands ≈ 0.8¢ Nights in private lodging rentals with Homes & Villas by Marriott Bonvoy ≈ 0.8¢ Unique experiences with Marriott Bonvoy Moments ≈ 0.6¢ Specific flights booked via transfers to airline programs ≈ 0.5¢ Flights and car rentals through Marriott ≈ 0.4¢ Gift cards ≈ 0.3¢ Merchandise

‣Learn more about the basics of the values per point (coming soon)

Redemptions for Marriott hotel nights

The more valuable type of reward redemption, with a variable value: the amount of points required is unrelated to the cash price of the hotel. The value depends on how many points are required (varies and isn’t fixed by a chart) and the cash price. This is the best use for 99% of travelers. You can use the points for any standard room in the 8,000+ Marriott hotels.

Redeem your  71,000 Marriott points for a completely free hotel night:

≈ 6,000 pts In a few destinations (if you book 5 consecutive nights) ≈ 7,500 pts In a few destinations (if you don’t book 5 consecutive nights) ≈ 10,000 pts In a few dozen countries (if you book 5 consecutive nights) ≈ 12,500 pts In a few dozen countries (if you don’t book 5 consecutive nights) ≈ 14,000 pts In hundreds of destinations (if you book 5 consecutive nights) ≈ 17,500 pts In hundreds of destinations (if you don’t book 5 consecutive nights) ≈ 30,000 pts In thousands of destinations anywhere ≈ 50,000 pts In hotels that can be very expensive in cash anywhere

‣ Learn more about the best uses of Marriott Bonvoy points  (detailed guide coming soon)

Redemptions for anything other than travel

Should  always be avoided , as with  all  rewards!

‣Learn more about why you should always redeem your rewards for travel (coming soon)

Expiry Marriott points don’t expire as long as you use your card at least once every 2 years, so essentially they never expire (there are ways to avoid expiration without having the card too but you should absolutely never close it).

‣ Learn more about Marriott Bonvoy points expiry (coming soon)

Pooling Marriott points can be pooled with travel companions easily online.

‣ Learn more about pooling Marriott Bonvoy points (coming soon)

Logistics Marriott points can be used directly on the Marriott website or app.

‣ Learn more about how to get started with Marriott Bonvoy rewards (coming soon)

Rewards program summary Rewards: Marriott Bonvoy Points Source: Hotel rewards Type: More valuable Flytrippers Valuation: ≈ 0.9¢/pt Minimum value: N/A Maximum value: Unlimited Transferable: Yes (40+ partners)

‣ Learn more about rewards programs basics (coming soon)

5 points per $ ( ≈ 4.5% ):

• Marriott hotels

2 points per $ ( ≈ 1.8% ):

• Everywhere else

‣Learn more about credit card earn rates (coming soon)

Earning with additional cards

Fee for additional cards: $0 Quantity allowed: 9 Minimum age: 13 years old

‣Learn more about additional cards (coming soon)

Annual free night certificate On every anniversary of your account, you’ll get a certificate that’s worth 35,000 points (≈ $315) for a completely free night at thousands of hotels, including many high-end ones, so never cancel this card!!!

‣ Learn more about the Marriott free night certificate

Marriott Silver Elite Status As a cardholder, you get free Silver Elite status for VIP benefits at hotels.

‣ Learn more about the Marriott Bonvoy elite status

Shortcut to higher elite status (15 Elite night credits) Your number of nights required to reach the higher elite statuses is reduced by 15 nights (Gold Elite status also offered depending on $30,000 but it’s highly unrecommended).

Amex Offers program Access to discounts, credits, and special offers throughout the year.

‣ Learn more about the Amex Offers program

American Express Experiences program Access to exclusive virtual and in-person experiences and pre-sale tickets to lots of events.

‣Learn more about the American Express Experiences program (coming soon)

Insurance included

Flight delay insurance Baggage delay insurance Rental car insurance Lost or stolen luggage insurance Hotel burglary insurance Travel accident insurance Purchase insurance Extended warranty

‣Learn more about the Marriott Bonvoy American Express Card’s insurance coverage (coming soon)

Insurance not included

Medical travel insurance Travel cancelation insurance Trip interruption insurance Mobile device insurance

‣Learn more about the different types of insurance coverage (coming soon)

Card eligibility Minimum income: $0 Age: Majority in your province Estimated credit score: Good or Excellent Credit bureau: TransUnion

‣ Learn more about credit card eligibility requirements (coming soon)

Welcome bonus eligibility You must not have had the Marriott Bonvoy ® American Express ® Card before

‣ Learn more about credit card welcome bonus eligibility rules (coming soon)

Offer end date Offer ends May 6th, 2024

‣ Subscribe to Flytrippers’ free travel rewards newsletter to get all card updates

Card details Issuer: American Express Network: American Express Card Type: Credit card Product Type: Personal card

‣Learn more about credit card types (coming soon)

Fees and rates Card fee: $120 Fee for additional card: $0 FX fee: 2.5% Purchases annual interest rate: 20.99% Funds advances annual interest rate: 21.99% Balance transfer fee: N/A

‣ Learn more about why Flytrippers recommends ignoring fees and rates (coming soon)

• Travel to new heights with the Marriott Bonvoy® American Express®* Card

• Earn up to 80,000 Points:

• New Marriott Bonvoy® American Express®* Cardmembers, earn 65,000 Welcome Bonus points after you spend $3,000 on your Card in your first 3 months of Cardmembership

• Plus, earn an additional 3 points for a total of 5 points on every $1 spent on eligible travel and gas purchases in your first 6 months (up to 15,000 points)

• Offer ends May 6, 2024

• Earn 5 points for every dollar in eligible Card purchases at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy®

• Earn 2 points for every $1 in all other Card purchases

• Receive an Annual Free Night Award for up to 35,000 points at eligible hotels and resorts worldwide every year after your first anniversary

• No annual fee on Additional Cards

• Redeem points for free nights with no blackout dates at over 7,000 of the world’s most desired hotels

• Automatic Marriott Bonvoy Silver Elite status membership

• Receive 15 Elite Night Credits each calendar year with your Marriott Bonvoy® American Express®* Card. These can be used towards attaining the next level of Elite status in the Marriott Bonvoy program

• Enjoy an automatic upgrade to Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status when you reach $30,000 in purchases on the Card each year or when you combine 10 qualifying paid nights within one calendar year with the 15 Elite Night Credits from your card

•American Express is not responsible for maintaining or monitoring the accuracy of information on this website. For full details and current product information, click the Apply Now link. If you apply and get approved for an American Express Card, the partner may receive compensation from American Express, which can be in the form of monetary payment.

Start earning rewards today

And make sure to download our free checklist for when you get a new card—it includes very important mistakes to avoid (it will open in a separate tab, or you can click here ).

via Amex secure application

*Beta version of card page. Sign up to get updated guide soon.*

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Financial institutions are not responsible for updating or ensuring the accuracy of the information on Flytrippers’ website. All the information was independently collected by Flytrippers and not provided by financial institutions.

All offers described on the Flytrippers website are subject to the financial institutions’ latest terms and conditions, which can be found on their official website. No efforts are spared to ensure this page is up to date but offers from financial institutions change quickly. It is your responsibility to ensure the accuracy of these offers on their website. Flytrippers will not accept any responsibility for the accuracy of the offers or the result of your actions.

Flytrippers’ website does not contain all available credit card offers or all available credit card products on the market. In addition, Flytrippers never shares an offer if it is not considered advantageous for some travelers, at its sole discretion.

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Apply now for the Marriott Bonvoy ™ American Express ® Card and get a welcome bonus worth ≈ $ 519 !

Marriott Bonvoy ® American Express ® * Card   🇨🇦

• Earn 5x the points on eligible Marriott purchases*
• Earn 2x the points on all other Card purchases*
• Enjoy an Annual Free Night Award after your Card anniversary each year*

Travel to new heights with the Marriott Bonvoy® American Express®* Card

Earn up to 80,000 Points :

• New Marriott Bonvoy® American Express®* Cardmembers, earn 65,000 Welcome Bonus points after you spend $3,000 on your Card in your first 3 months of Cardmembership
• Plus, earn an additional 3 points for a total of 5 points on every $1 spent on eligible travel and gas purchases in your first 6 months (up to 15,000 points)
• Offer ends May 6, 2024
• Earn 5 points for every dollar in eligible Card purchases at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy ®
• Earn 2 points for every $1 in all other Card purchases
• Receive an Annual Free Night Award for up to 35,000 points at eligible hotels and resorts worldwide every year after your first anniversary
• No annual fee on Additional Cards
• Redeem points for free nights with no blackout dates at over 7,000 of the world’s most desired hotels
• Automatic Marriott Bonvoy Silver Elite status membership
• Receive 15 Elite Night Credits each calendar year with your Marriott Bonvoy® American Express®* Card. These can be used towards attaining the next level of Elite status in the Marriott Bonvoy program
• Enjoy an automatic upgrade to Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status when you reach $30,000 in purchases on the Card each year or when you combine 10 qualifying paid nights within one calendar year with the 15 Elite Night Credits from your card

Card Awards

Fees & conditions.

Per dollar of purchases

Travel Insurance

There may be a daily maximum amount depending on the type of fees paid

Other Insurance

The Marriott Bonvoy® American Express®* Card is the best credit card for free hotel nights .

With this exceptional limited-time welcome offer, you can earn up to 80,000 Marriott Bonvoy points :

• 65,000 Welcome Bonus points after you spend $3,000 on your Card in your first 3 months of Cardmembership
• Plus, earn an additional 3 points for a total of 5 points on every $1 spent on eligible travel and gas purchases in your first 6 months (up to 15,000 points )

It’s the best time of year to get the Marriott Bonvoy® American Express®* Card. Don’t wait, this offer ends on May 6, 2024 !

It’s a Card we recommend keeping because each year at renewal, you get an Annual Free Night Award (for up to 35,000 points at hotels worldwide) and 15 Elite Night Credits per year, counting towards your Marriott Bonvoy Elite status.

With this Card, you earn 5 points per dollar on all purchases at Marriott Bonvoy properties and 2 points per dollar on all other purchases .

Finally, this Card comes with comprehensive insurance : baggage delay, lost or stolen baggage, $500,000 travel accident, flight delay, hotel or motel burglary, rental car theft and damage, Purchase Security, Purchase Protection.

Like all American Express Canada Cards, there is no minimum income requirement .

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• Where are American Express Cards accepted in Canada and Quebec?
• Limited-Time Offer: Earn Up To 90,000 Marriott Bonvoy Points With These American Express Offers!

Frequently Asked Questions

Where can i use the marriott bonvoy® american express®* card in quebec or canada.

You can use your Marriott Bonvoy® American Express®* Card at grocery stores like Metro, Super C, Safeway, Whole Foods, your local Couche-tard or 7Eleven convenience store, your favorite gas station like Esso, Shell, Petro-Canada or any travel provider!

How do I earn Marriott Bonvoy points with this card?

5 points per dollar at Marriott Bonvoy hotels, and 2 points per dollar for other purchases.

What are the card's annual benefits?

Receive one free night award every year, worth up to 35,000 points.

Is there a charge for additional cards?

No, there is no annual fee for additional cards.

How does Elite status work with this card?

With the card, you automatically obtain Silver Elite status, with the possibility of upgrading to Gold Elite status under specific conditions.

Alternative Cards

• 3X points on gas, dining and travel
• Card Details

Travel to new heights with the Marriott Bonvoy® Business American Express®* Card

Earn up to 90,000 welcome bonus Marriott Bonvoy® points

• Earn 75,000 Welcome Bonus Marriott Bonvoy® points after you spend $6,000 on your Card in your first three months of Cardmembership.
• Plus, earn an additional 2 points for a total of 5 points on every $1 spent on eligible gas, dining and travel purchases in your first 6 months (up to 15,000 points).

Earn Marriott Bonvoy points that you can redeem in a variety of ways.

• Earn 5 points for every $1 in Card purchases at participating Marriott Bonvoy hotels.
• Earn 3 points for every $1 spent on eligible gas, dining and travel after your welcome offer ends, or the cap is reached.
• Redeem points for free nights with no blackout dates at over 7,000 of some of the world’s most extraordinary hotels and resorts around the globe. Use your points for flights on some of the world’s leading airlines

Make the most out of a full suite of business management tools that give you more control over your business – anytime and anywhere.

• Leverage your cash flow with the option of carrying a balance or paying in full each month
• Control employee expenses plus track and accumulate points on your account with Supplementary Cards, so you have an opportunity to maximize the points you earn.

Experience the exclusive benefits of the Marriott Bonvoy ® Business American Express ®* Card.

• Receive an Annual Free Night Award automatically each year after your anniversary
• Receive 15 Elite Night Credits each calendar year with your Marriott Bonvoy Business American Express Card. These can be used towards attaining the next level of Elite status in the Marriott Bonvoy program
• Upgrade to Gold Elite status after you charge $30,000 in net purchases to your Card each year, or when you combine 10 qualifying paid nights within one calendar year with the 15 Elite Night Credits from your card.

American Express is not responsible for maintaining or monitoring the accuracy of information on this website. For full details and current product information, click the Apply Now link. If you apply and get approved for an American Express Card, (I/we) may receive compensation from American Express, which can be in the form of monetary payment

• Primary card $150
• Additional card $50
• Individual $0
• Household $0
• Purchase Rates 20.99 %
• Cash Advance Rates 21.99 %
• Balance Transfer Rates —
• Best Small Business Credit Cards - April 2024
• Gas 3 Marriott Bonvoy points
• Dining and Food delivery 3 Marriott Bonvoy points
• Travel 3 Marriott Bonvoy points
• Year 1 $1,157
• Year 2+ $347
• Marriott Bonvoy
• Annual Credit
• VIP Lounges
• Travel credit
• 5X points on groceries and dining
• Use your points as a statement credit on any purchase
• Transfer your points to airline and hotel partners
• In your first year as a new Cobalt Cardmember, you can earn 1,250 Membership Rewards® points for each monthly billing period in which you spend $750 in net purchases on your Card. This could add up to 15,000 points in a year. That’s up to $150 towards a weekend getaway or concert tickets
• Earn 5x the points on eligible eats and drinks in Canada, including groceries and food delivery. Spend cap applies.
• Earn 3x the points on eligible streaming subscriptions in Canada
• Earn 2X the points on eligible ride shares, transit & gas in Canada
• Earn 1 additional point on eligible hotel and car rental bookings via American Express Travel Online
• Earn 1X point for every $1 in Card purchases everywhere else
• Enjoy access to hotel bookings, a room upgrade (when available), 12pm check-in and late check-out (when available), and up to $100 USD hotel credit to use on amenities when charged to the room for a stay of 2 or more consecutive nights through The Hotel Collection from American Express Travel
• Transfer points 1:1 to several frequent flyer and other loyalty programs
• Cobalt Cardmembers receive regular Perks such as bonus reward offers and access to great events
• Access Front Of The Line ® Presale & Reserved Tickets to some of your favourite concerts and theatre performances and special offers and events curated for Cardmembers with American Express® Experiences
• Primary card $155.88
• Additional card $0
• Purchase Rates 21.99 %
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• American Express: How to use Membership Rewards points on any purchase?
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• Groceries 5 Membership Rewards Points
• Dining and Food delivery 5 Membership Rewards Points
• Convenience Stores 5 Membership Rewards Points
• Year 1 $1,054
• Year 2+ $799
• Aeroplan Asia Miles British Airways Executive Club Etihad Guest Flying Blue Hilton Honors Marriott Bonvoy Membership Rewards American Express
• $100 Annual Credit
• Access to VIP Lounges
• Earn up to 60,000 Membership Rewards ® points:
• New American Express ® Gold Rewards Cardmembers, earn 5,000 Membership Rewards ® points for each monthly billing period in which you spend $1,000 in net purchases on your Card
• This could add up to 60,000 points in a year. That’s up to $600 towards your next vacation
• Earn 2 points for every $1 in Card purchases for eligible travel purchases, including flights, hotels, car rentals, cruises, and more
• Earn 2 points for every $1 in Card purchases at eligible gas stations, grocery stores and drugstores in Canada, and 1 point for every $1 in Card purchases everywhere else
• The Card is now available in your choice of Gold or Rose Gold metal options
• Receive a $50 CAD statement credit when a NEXUS application or renewal fee is charged to your American Express Gold Rewards Card
• You have access to an annual $100 CAD Travel Credit , compliments of your American Express Gold Rewards Card. Use the credit once annually towards any single travel booking of $100 or more charged to your Gold Rewards Card through American Express Travel Online
• As a Gold Rewards Cardmember, you can receive complimentary membership in Priority Pass TM – one of the world’s largest independent airport lounge programs. Escape the chaos of airports and relax in an oasis of calm and simply enjoy the fact that the travel experience has begun before your plane has even left the ground. Enrollment is required and entry fees apply
• Enjoy four (4) complimentary visits per Calendar year to Plaza Premium Lounges across Canada. Entry fees apply once complimentary visits have been used
• Charge any eligible purchase to your credit Card then log in to redeem your earned points for a statement credit
• 1 Free Additional Gold Rewards Card (a $50 value) to help you earn points faster
• Subject to approval. The preferred rate for purchases is 21.99% and funds advances is 21.99%. If you have Missed Payments, the applicable rates for your account will be 25.99% and/or 28.99%. See the information box included with the application for the definition of Missed Payment and which rates apply to charges on your account and other details

American Express is not responsible for maintaining or controlling the accuracy of the information published on this website. For full and up-to-date product information, click on the Apply now link. Terms and conditions apply.

• Primary card $250
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• Nexus card and Global Entry program guide
• Groceries 2 Membership Rewards Points
• Gas 2 Membership Rewards Points
• Drugstores 2 Membership Rewards Points
• Year 1 $1,439
• Year 2+ $589

We're Here to Help

Does marriott offer travel insurance, information on marriott's collaboration with allianz travel insurance jan 1, 2024 • knowledge, information, click below image to view video.

Travel Insurance

• Trip Interruption Protection Provides reimbursement for the unused, non-refundable portions of your trip if it is interrupted due to a covered illness, injury, and more. This can also reimburse additional transportation expenses needed for your early return home or additional Hotel Nights if you and your party need to quarantine.
• Trip Cancellation Protection Provides reimbursement for prepaid, non-refundable Hotel Reservations, plane tickets and change fees, activity costs, and other travel expenses if you need to cancel your trip due to a covered illness, injury, and more.
• Emergency Medical and Dental Provides reimbursement for expenses related to covered emergency medical or dental care that are incurred on your trip, like if you break your ankle or throw out your back.
• Baggage and Personal Belongings Protection Provides reimbursement if your personal items are lost, stolen or damaged at any time during your trip. Reimbursable items may include suitcases, cell phones, purses and wallets, and more.
• 24-Hour Assistance Help is just a phone call away. A team of multilingual problem solvers is available to help you with medical and other travel-related emergencies. Services can include providing destination information, arranging roadside assistance, and making transportation arrangements.
• Concierge Services Enjoy having your very own personal assistance that is only a phone call away. An award-winning team of travel experts is available to help with experience enhancements like finding tickets to shows, making Hotel Reservations, and booking tee times.
• Benefits and coverage may vary based on ticket or trip type, route or other factors.
• A list of benefits, and the applicable terms, conditions, and exclusions is available for review via weblink prior to purchase and through the confirmation email.

What are some of the covered reasons for trip cancellation?

• Covered illness, injury, death
• Legal proceeding
• Pregnancy after booking
• Loss of accommodation
• Destination uninhabitable
• Legal separation/divorce
• Home uninhabitable
• Traffic accident
• Military duty
• Birth of family member
• Canceled tour
• Mandatory evacuation
• Employment transfer

Frequently Asked Questions

How do i purchase travel insurance, what if i have a pre-existing medical condition.

• Travel insurance is purchased within 14 days of booking your Stay.
• You are a U.S. resident when the insurance is purchased
• You are medically able to travel when the insurance was purchased

How do I contact Allianz Global Assistance for 24/7 help?

• Within the United States, Canada, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, call toll free at 1 (888) 897-2661
• Outside the United States, you may incur charges when calling from a mobile phone. To avoid incurring charges from your carrier, you may call collect from a landline telephone by dialing 0170 and giving the international operator the number 1 (804) 281-5700 to be connected to Allianz Global Assistance

How can I file a claim?

Have more questions, allianz global assistance contact information, would you like to provide feedback about this article.

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• Credit Cards

Canada’s 9 Best Hotel Credit Cards

Whether you’re looking for free hotel nights or free room upgrades, every traveller needs a place to stay when they’re embarking on a trip.

Below we’ve outlined some of the best hotel credit cards in Canada.

Best Hotel Credit Cards

Best hotel credit card for free nights.

• Earn 70,000 Bonvoy points upon spending $3,000 in the first three months
• Plus, earn an extra 3 Bonvoy points per dollar spent on eligible travel and gas purchases in the first six months, up to 15,000 points
• Also, receive an annual Free Night Award worth 35,000 Bonvoy points  starting in your second year with the card
• Also, receive 15 elite-qualifying nights every year and automatic Marriott Bonvoy Silver Elite status
• Bonus Bonvoy points for referring family and friends
• Annual fee: $120

The Marriott Bonvoy American Express Card is the foremost co-branded hotel credit card in Canada.

With a signup bonus of 55,000+ Bonvoy points, you could spend 5 nights at limited service hotels or one night at a mid-tier brand. The bonus is granted after spending $3,000 in the first three months.

If you prefer quantity over quality, or your travel style consists of more offbeat destinations, you could instead redeem the points towards 10+ nights at some basic properties.

For the equivalent of less than $15 a night, you’d be hard pressed to find a hostel that cheap, even in the most underdeveloped tourist destinations.

Also, starting in your second year with the card, you’ll get an annual Free Night Award worth up to 35,000 Bonvoy points. That’s normally good for a room at most mid-tier hotels, and you should have no trouble finding one worth more than $120.

All things considered, the Marriott Bonvoy American Express Card is a great one to keep, as it really pays for itself year after year.

When you do make cash bookings at Marriott properties, be sure to use this card to earn 5 points per dollar spent. Otherwise, the card earns 2 points per dollar spent, a strong base rate for a card that effectively pays you to have it through the annual Free Night Award.

Best Hotel Credit Card for Business Owners

• Earn 75,000 Bonvoy points upon spending $6,000 in the first three months
• Plus, earn an extra 2 points per dollar spent on eligible gas, dining, and travel purchases in the first six months, up to 15,000 points
• Always earn 5x Bonvoy points on purchases at Marriott properties
• Qualify for the card as a sole proprietor
• Annual fee: $150

Much like its personal variant, the Marriott Bonvoy Business American Express Card provides all of the same perks, just targeted at the business market. It has a similar welcome bonus and an annual Free Night Award worth up to 35,000 Bonvoy points.

The cards have three key differences: the business card has a higher annual fee at $150, a higher minimum spend of $5,000 in the first three months to unlock the full bonus, and it earns 3 points per dollar spent on gas, dining, and travel expenses. These are very good earn rates across the board, and all on spending categories that many businesses will be able to expense.

It’s worth noting that 3 points per dollar spent on the American Express Business Edge Card (on gas and dining) would be worth 3.6 Bonvoy points after transferring them to Marriott Bonvoy at a 1:1.2 ratio. Still, the Amex Bonvoy Business card has a leg up, thanks to its higher base earn rate on uncategorized spending, plus the Free Night Award which can easily offset the annual fee.

Best Hotel Credit Card for Daily Spending

• Earn a total of 15,000 MR points upon spending $750 in each of the first 12 months
• Earn 5x MR points on groceries, restaurants, bars, and food delivery
• Earn 3x MR points on eligible streaming services
• Earn 2x MR points on gas, transit, and travel purchases
• Transfer MR points to Aeroplan, Avios, Flying Blue, or Marriott Bonvoy
• Enjoy the exclusive benefits of being an American Express cardholder
• Bonus MR points for referring family and friends
• Monthly fee: $12.99

The American Express Cobalt Card earns Membership Rewards , a flexible points currency which can be transferred to the Marriott Bonvoy program .

MR points convert to Bonvoy points at a rate of 1:1.2. That means that when you spend at grocery stores or restaurants for a high-powered 5x points, you’re effectively earning 6x Bonvoy points on those purchases!

There have also been transfer bonuses in the past, offering bonuses of up to 30%, equivalent to a 1:1.56 transfer rate. If you choose to convert your points at this rate, you could be earning up to   7.8x Bonvoy points . That’s an incredible rate that you won’t find anywhere else for everyday purchases.

You can also transfer MR points to Hilton Honors at a rate of 1:1. Rooms at Hilton hotels tend to cost more points than those in the Marriott portfolio, but this transfer might still be handy if you’ve run out of other ways to earn Hilton points.

Best Hotel Credit Card for Elite Status

• Earn 70 ,000 MR points upon spending $10,000 in the first three months
• Plus, earn  30,000 MR points  upon making a purchase in months 14–17 as a cardholder
• Also, earn 2x MR points on all dining and travel purchases
• Also, receive an annual $200 travel credit
• Also, receive an annual  $200 dining credit
• Transfer MR points to Aeroplan and other frequent flyer programs for premium flights
• Unlimited airport lounge access for you and one guest at Priority Pass, Plaza Premium, Centurion, and other lounges
• Credits and rebates for daily expenses throughout the year with Amex Offers
• Annual fee: $799

Oddly enough, the best credit card in Canada for hotel elite status isn’t actually a hotel co-branded card. Indeed, the two Marriott Bonvoy cards only grant entry-level Silver Elite status to cardholders.

Instead, the American Express Platinum Card is the cream of the crop. It gives automatic Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status, Hilton Honors Gold status, and Radisson Rewards Gold status as an instant benefit upon signing up.

However, it’s worth noting that these fast-tracked status matches won’t accelerate your progress towards the next level up. If you’re gunning for Marriott Bonvoy Platinum Elite, for example, you’d still have to earn 50 nights the old-fashioned way, even if you earned Gold Elite automatically through the Platinum Card.

Still, for occasional hotel stays or if you’re not especially loyal to one particular brand, mid-tier status from the Platinum Card can be quite useful. Depending on the hotel chain, you’ll see perks like late checkout, complimentary room upgrades, welcome gifts, and even free breakfast in the case of Hilton Gold status.

As an added perk of the Platinum Card, you’ll also get access to the American Express Fine Hotels & Resorts program , which provides additional benefits at many luxury hotels around the world.

These benefits include early check-in or late checkout, room upgrades, daily breakfast for two, etc., so they’re virtually on par with, if not better than, holding mid-tier elite status – even if you’re staying at an independent hotel!

Best Credit Card for Independent Hotel Redemptions

• Earn  20,000 Scene+ points  upon spending $1,000 in the first three months
• Earn an  additional 20,000 Scene+ points  upon spending $7,500 in the first year
• Earn 6x Scene+ points at Sobeys, IGA, Safeway, FreshCo, and more
• Plus, earn 1x 5x Scene+ points on groceries, dining, and entertainment
• Also, earn 1x 3x Scene+ points on gas, transit, and select streaming services
• Redeem points for statement credit for any travel expense
• No foreign transaction fees

The Scotiabank Gold American Express Card is an incredible card for daily spending, with sky-high earn rates on groceries, dining, and entertainment, as well as strong rates on gas and transit. It’s ideal for people who earn a lot of points by spending on non-travel purchases, and use those points to book hotels.

The best feature of Scene+ points is how easy they are to redeem. You don’t have to book through the bank’s travel portal, or wait on hold with the call centre for hours. You can simply cash them out yourself against any travel expense on the card, at a fixed rate of 1 cent per point.

Scene+ points are a great choice for independent hotels that don’t participate in a loyalty program. You could also use them for flights, but there are many other ways to book flights on points at excellent value, so the Scotiabank cards are comparatively a better choice for hotels.

Best Credit Card for Paying for Independent Hotels

• Earn 20,000 TD Rewards Points upon making your first purchase †
• Earn  80 ,000 TD Rewards Points upon spending $5,000 within 180 days of account opening †
• Plus, earn up to 10,000 TD Rewards Points back on your birthday †
• Plus, earn 8x TD Rewards Points † on eligible travel purchases when you book through Expedia ® for TD †
• Get an annual TD Travel Credit † of $100 when you book through Expedia ® for TD †
• Use your rewards for any travel bookings available on Expedia ® for TD †
• Minimum income: $60,000 personal or $100,000 household
• Annual fee: $139, rebated for the first year †
• Application must be approved by June 3, 2024 to receive this offer

The TD First Class Travel Visa Infinite Card earns 4% back on travel bookings via Expedia for TD. This is by far the highest travel earn rate on any credit card.

The card fully embraces its role as a travel card, doubling down on the points redemption side as well. To obtain the full maximum value of your rewards, you have to use them on the Expedia for TD travel portal. This makes the TD First Class a “buy travel to earn more travel” card, a unique position amongst its peers.

It’s hard to cover all of your hotel stays with points and vouchers, and no matter how hard you try, most travellers will have to pay some cash out of pocket. In those cases, this is a great card for maximizing your rewards on those bookings. You can then use those points on Expedia’s wide-ranging platform to start scoring some free nights.

Best No Fee Hotel Credit Card

• Earn 2,500 Scene+ points upon spending $250 in the first three months†
• Earn an additional 5,000 Scene+ points upon spending $1,000 in the first three months†
• Also, earn  3x Scene+ points on Empire grocery stores such as Sobeys, IGA, Safeway, Foodland, and FreshCo
• Plus, earn 2x Scene+ points on dining, groceries, gas, transit, and streaming purchases
• Annual fee: $0

If you’d like to use points for hotel stays, but don’t want to pay annual fees for a credit card, consider the Scotiabank American Express Card .

Like its more premium Gold counterpart, this no-fee red card earns flexible Scene+ points, which can be used for any hotel redemption. You can book via Scene+ Travel or use your points as statement credit for any travel expense.

As for earning points, the card is a workhorse as far as no-fee cards go. You’ll earn 3 points per dollar spent at Empire grocery stores (including Sobeys brands), 2 points per dollar spent on other lifestyle categories, and 1 point per dollar spent everywhere else.

Best Credit Card for Foreign Hotels

• Earn 30,000 Scene+ points upon spending $1,000 in the first three months
• Earn an additional 10,000 Scene+ points upon spending $40,000 in the first year
• Earn 1x 2x Scene+ points on groceries, dining, entertainment, and transit
• Plus, earn 3x Scene+ points on grocery purchases at Sobeys, IGA, Safeway, and FreshCo
• Visa Airport Companion membership with six free lounge visits per year
• Annual fee: $150 (waived in the first year)

The Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite Card is one of the only credit cards in Canada that doesn’t charge foreign transaction fees. This makes it an excellent choice for your day-to-day spending abroad.

That includes any travel arrangements you need to pay for. Most hotels around the world charge in the local currency, so you’d be dinged a surcharge on the exchange when settling your hotel bill with a different Canadian credit card.

Plus, this card earns Scene+ points on all purchases, including those denominated in foreign currencies, which you can use to offset the cost of your trip.

Best Credit Card for Hotel Burglary Insurance

• Earn 25,000 CIBC Aventura Points upon spending $3,000 in the first four months†
• Plus, earn 25,000 CIBC Aventura Points upon spending $6,000 in the first four months†
• And, earn an anniversary bonus of  30,000   CIBC Aventura Points when you renew the card for a second year†
• Plus, earn 3x CIBC Aventura Points on all purchases through the CIBC Rewards Centre†
• Plus, earn 2x CIBC Aventura Points on eligible gas, groceries, dining, entertainment, transit, and EV charging purchases†
• Plus, receive an annual $200 travel credit †
• DragonPass membership with six free lounge visits per year†
• NEXUS application credit†
• Minimum income: $200,000 personal or household
• Annual fee: $499

A handful of travel credit cards offer protection in the event that your hotel room is burglarized. As long as there are signs of forced entry, the value of your damaged and stolen possessions (with some exceptions) is insured up to a specified maximum.

When comparing hotel burglary policies, it all comes down to which cards cover you for the highest losses. Also, for coverage to kick in, you have to pay for the hotel room in full with the credit card or its rewards program, so ideally you’d want to use a card whose rewards you’d use for a hotel stay.

A few top-tier credit cards offer coverage up to losses of $2,500, but the CIBC Aventura Visa Infinite Privilege Card stands above the rest for two reasons.

First, the card gives you a $200 annual travel credit. This reduces your annual fee to a net cost of $299, half the price of the premium Aeroplan cards that offer the same hotel insurance. Also, you can use the travel credit by booking a hotel through CIBC Rewards, and the card’s hotel insurance would subsequently cover your stay.

Second, Aventura points are low in the pecking order when it comes to flight rewards. It’s easy enough to get your airfare covered by other programs, but hotel points are harder to come by. Since it’s a bit tricky to find outsized value with CIBC Rewards, you may as well focus on hotels with them – a fixed-value program for a fixed-value booking.

The RBC Avion Visa Infinite generously offers the same coverage of up to $2,500 but with a much lower annual fee of only $120, and a lower income requirement. However, your credit card insurance won’t cover bookings made with Hotels.com gift cards, a popular way to use Avion points for hotels.

Since Avion points are more valuable for discounted gift cards or business class flights, it’s better not to rely on their credit cards for hotel insurance unless you’re paying the cash rate.

Hotel Credit Cards: What You Need to Know

When choosing a hotel credit card, you should familiarize yourself with what benefits a hotel credit card can offer, what features to look out for, and how hotel credit cards can fit into an optimized overall credit card strategy.

Why get a hotel credit card?

Hotel rewards are important because you’ll always need a place to stay. Whether you’re venturing overseas for a few weeks or spending a weekend closer to home, whether you travel by plane, train, boat, car, or on foot, a good night’s rest will set you up to enjoy your trip.

When you stay at a major hotel brand, it’s often a good idea to book with points by using their loyalty program. You’ll get free cancellations, no resort fees, and in many programs the Fifth Night Free on any award booking.

Also, if you’ve earned or are aiming for elite status with a hotel program, you’ll only be able to use your elite benefits and earn elite qualifying nights by booking with points or cash directly with the hotel program. Bookings made through third-party booking platforms won’t qualify.

As a side benefit, some hotel rewards can be transferred to an enormous variety of frequent flyer programs. This can open some doors to book sweet-spot flight rewards using points that are harder to earn through the major Canadian credit cards.

What should you look for in a hotel credit card?

The Canadian market for co-branded hotel credit cards is slim, with only Marriott Bonvoy  offering bank partnerships here. For Hilton Honors , World of Hyatt, or IHG Rewards, you’d have to turn to US credit cards.

Whichever hotel cards you consider, the following benefits are quite common:

• Large signup bonuses
• Significant bonus points on spending at any of the chain’s subsidiary hotel brands
• Annual free night certificates
• Annual credits for use at any property
• Property credits for each stay at specific brands
• Automatic elite status qualification
• Elite qualifying night credits (annual or with spending)

If you aren’t loyal to a single brand, or if your lodging style is a bit more freewheeling, the advantages of elite status aren’t quite as strong. In that case, you might be better off collecting any bank’s travel rewards program, or even cash back, and using those rewards to book your accommodations.

After all, there are a huge variety of types of places to stay. When you’re looking at an Airbnb or boutique hotel, a hostel, or an all-inclusive resort, a flexible rewards program is often the only way to book.

Alternatively, other premium travel credit cards (not co-branded with a hotel) often have hotel benefits of their own. You can book hotels through third-party services , like American Express Fine Hotels & Resorts or the Visa Infinite Luxury Hotel Collection, and receive many of the same perks as members with elite status.

What’s the optimal strategy for hotel credit cards?

If you’re a dedicated traveller who wants to see as much of the world as possible by maximizing your credit cards, hotel credit cards will play a significant role in your strategy.

On the whole, it’s relatively easier for Canadians to earn points that will cover your flights at a good value, compared to hotels and other places to stay.

Therefore, the objective of your hotel credit card strategy is to give you as many free hotel nights using points as possible, while elevating the quality of all your hotel nights (whether free or paid) through elite status benefits.

The Marriott Bonvoy American Express Card and Marriott Bonvoy Business American Express Card are the two most prominent hotel co-branded credit cards in Canada.

By getting both cards, you’ll instantly unlock enough points for a couple of free nights via the welcome bonus, and then you can rely on the cards’ anniversary Free Night Awards every year to outweigh their respective $120 and $150 annual fees.

Either of these two cards also gives you 15 elite qualifying nights towards your Marriott Bonvoy elite status . Stay 35 more nights, and you’ll reach the 50 elite qualifying nights required for Platinum Elite status, which is where your elite benefits (like free breakfast, suite upgrades, and lounge access) really start to kick in.

The American Express Platinum Card is another straightforward way to boost your hotel experiences, offering mid-tier Gold status with Marriott, Hilton, and Radisson, as well as access to the Fine Hotels & Resorts program to unlock elite-equivalent benefits at a wider range of luxury hotels around the world.

To further maximize points with the major hotel chains, you’d likely need to explore US credit cards, which offer a much wider range of more powerful credit cards among Marriott, Hilton, Hyatt, IHG, and several other global hotel chains.

Meanwhile, if you prefer to stay at other forms of accommodation, like non-chain independent hotels, hostels, or Airbnbs, then your credit card strategy may be more scattered across the various Big 5 banks’ points programs.

These points currencies can all be used to offset against the cash expenses associated with these other types of lodging options, or in RBC and TD’s cases, redeemed at a good value for your accommodation of choice through the Hotels.com and Expedia portals respectively.

No matter your preferred travel style, your accommodations are likely the second-largest travel expense after your flights, so a solid hotel credit card strategy that works for you should be a top priority alongside maximizing points for flight rewards.

Frequently Asked Questions

Below are some questions we frequently hear from readers about the best hotel credit cards in Canada.

Will hotel status from my credit card give me elite qualifying nights?

No. Elite nights give you elite status, but elite status doesn’t give you elite nights.

For example, if you earned Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status by holding an American Express Platinum Card, you’d still need a full 50 elite qualifying nights to reach Platinum Elite, the next level up. Being Gold Elite doesn’t get you halfway there unless you’ve earned the qualifying nights to back it up.

When will I receive my 15 elite qualifying nights from the Marriott Bonvoy credit cards?

The 15 elite qualifying nights are typically deposited into your Marriott Bonvoy account within a few days after the credit card application is approved, and then on January 1 every year that you remain a cardholder.

Can I combine the 15 elite qualifying nights from the personal and business Marriott Bonvoy credit cards for a total of 30?

For the Canadian-issued Marriott Bonvoy credit cards, the answer is no: you can only earn a maximum of 15 elite qualifying nights per year, even if you hold both the personal and business versions of the Marriott Bonvoy credit card.

The only way to earn 30 elite qualifying nights from credit cards is by getting US credit cards. If you hold US-issued personal and business Marriott Bonvoy credit cards, then you’ll earn a total of 30 elite qualifying nights, or a total of 40 elite qualifying nights if your personal card is the Bonvoy Brilliant Card .

When will I receive my Free Night Award from the Marriott Bonvoy credit cards?

The Free Night Award is typically deposited into your Marriott Bonvoy account within eight weeks after the statement containing your renewal annual fee has been posted.

Can I pool points from different individuals’ Marriott Bonvoy credit cards into one account?

Yes, you can pool points between different Marriott Bonvoy accounts, although each account is limited to sending 100,000 points per calendar year and receiving 500,000 points per calendar year.

Points transfer can only be done over the phone. The sender should call Member Support and provide the recipient’s Marriott Bonvoy account number in order to initiate the process.

Is it hard to find places in Canada that accept American Express card?

Not any harder than finding places that accept credit card at all, in my opinion. The only big misses are Loblaws-owned brands and Costco, and I’ve never really had trouble outside of those two.

Can I have receive 30 elite qualifying nights by holding both a personal Marriott Bonvoy Chase card in the US as well as a personal Marriott Bonvoy AmEx card in Canada?

Which card do I get to accumulate Hyatt points?

The US-issued Chase Ultimate Rewards or Hyatt cards are the only option.

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Travel Insurance For Canada: What You Need To Know Before You Go

Updated: Apr 30, 2024, 1:13pm

Table of Contents

Do you need travel insurance for canada, what type of travel insurance do you need, what does travel insurance for canada cover, what does travel insurance exclude, best travel insurance for canada, frequently asked questions (faqs).

From hiking trails in Ontario to traversing the slopes of the famous ski resort town of Whistler, there is no shortage of places to visit in Canada.

The vast North American country is a popular destination for travel-loving Aussies. In addition to a growing share of business travelers, more than 350,000 Australian tourists typically visit Canada each year.

While visitor numbers faded during the Covid-19 pandemic, the multitude of Australians heading to the Great White North has picked up in the last two years, particularly to experience the country’s stunning landscape.

Fast Cover Travel Insurance

On Fast Cover’s Secure Website

Medical cover

Unlimited, 24/7 Emergency Assistance

Cancellations

Unlimited, (Trip Disruption $50,000)

Key Features

25-Day Cooling Off Period, Australian Based Call Centre, 4.6 Star Product Review Rating

Cover-More Travel Insurance

On Cover-more’s secure website

Unlimited, with a $2000 limit to dental

Yes, amount chosen by customer

Southern Cross Travel Insurance

Medical Cover

Including medical treatment, doctors’ visits, prescribed medication, specialist treatment & medical transport costs

$2,500 with option to increase to unlimited

Travel insurance for Canada isn’t compulsory, but it’s highly recommended to cover for any lost or stolen baggage, the possibility of your trip getting cancelled due to an emergency, illness such as Covid-19 or bereavement, and to cover medical expenses.

The Australian Government’s Smartraveller website recommends that travellers purchase travel insurance before any overseas trip.

As in any foreign country, medical care in Canada can be expensive for visitors, with a visit to a doctor potentially setting you back by hundreds of dollars.

The Australian government won’t cover these costs, and there is no reciprocal healthcare agreement between Australia and Canada, so you aren’t covered by Australian Medicare either.

In addition, given the large geography of the country covering a variety of destinations from beaches to mountains to national parks, it is wise to hold insurance cover for a multitude of events and a variety of potential risks including natural disasters, crime or other types of emergencies.

International travel cover for Canada is generally available in the following ways:

Basic travel insurance

This type of policy is broadly focused on cover for unlimited overseas emergency medical expenses, but also includes insurance for luggage, personal liability and other essential benefits. It is usually the cheapest option available and is suitable for those traveling on a budget or for single trips.

Comprehensive travel insurance

This type of insurance typically includes higher amounts of cover for the essentials benefits such as medical expenses, luggage, personal liability, and so on. In addition, it includes cover for travel delays, rental vehicle excess, loss of passports and credit cards, hijacking, disability, accidental death, and more, depending on your policy.

Some insurers offer variations of the comprehensive policy that are suitable for multiple trips within a 12-month period.

Optional add-on policies

Given the growing number of Australians heading to Canada for cruises, road trips or to the ski slopes, some insurers have come up with add-on policies specifically tailored for a variety of adventure sports and transport options available. These include cruise packs, winter sports packs and even higher cover for rental vehicles.

Related: How Much Does Travel Insurance Cost?

Most international travel insurance policies will cover medical and hospital expenses, ambulance transportation, repatriation flights, as well as personal liability if you injure someone, or damage property while you’re in the country.

Policies will also cover, within limits, lost or delayed luggage and possessions, the costs of trip delays, interruptions or cancellations, and lost or stolen travel documents.

Comprehensive policies usually offer a broader cover to include personal accident cover in case of an injury during your trip that leads to permanent disability or death, and insurance excess payment if your rental car meets with an accident.

If you are planning to take advantage of Canada’s vast offering of adventure sports and activities, make sure these are covered by your policy—or that there is an option to add it on.

Most comprehensive policies will include popular sporting and leisure activities such as hiking, surfing, kayaking, and so on. However, more extreme activities such as skydiving, scuba diving, snow skiing or snowboarding will generally require an additional adventure sports cover at extra cost.

Most travel insurance policies to Canada will not provide cover in the following cases:

• Illegal activities: Insurers will reject any claims arising if you knowingly act illegally or dangerously.
• If you are under the influence: Insurance cover is specifically void if you cause a disturbance through drunken behaviour or under the influence of drugs.
• Unattended luggage: Insurers will ignore any claim for loss if your luggage is stolen while it was left unattended in public.
• Pre-existing medical conditions: Insurers can avoid claims for any major medical conditions, if they have not been made aware of these before taking out a policy.
• Extreme sports: International travel insurance policies generally don’t provide automatic coverage for things like extreme sports, snowboarding or surfing. An optional add-on cover is required for these activities.

Most travel insurers in Australia offer insurance policies for travel to Canada. What policy suits you best will depend on your requirements including duration, age, and the type of cover.

It will also be determined by your specific needs, such as whether you are taking part in snow sports or other adventure activities.

An easy way to compare travel insurance policies is to use an online comparison tool, or read through our leading picks of travel insurance policies for Australians . However, always consider whether or not they include the extras you will require for your trip, and any pre-existing medical conditions you would require cover for.

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Do I need travel insurance to travel to Canada?

Travel insurance for Canada isn’t mandatory, but is highly recommended.

The Australian Government urges travellers to purchase travel insurance before any overseas trip, especially for medical cover.

Medical costs can be extremely expensive in a foreign country, especially if you have to visit a doctor, dentist or hospital in an emergency, so travel insurance is very handy.

Does my visa card have travel insurance?

Not every credit card comes with travel insurance. Complimentary travel insurance is typically offered on premium credit or rewards cards that have higher annual fees. In addition, this may not cover all circumstances or emergencies. By comparison, a travel insurance policy will offer more comprehensive coverage that includes emergency medical expenses.

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Prashant Mehra is a freelance journalist based in Sydney. He has more than 20 years of international experience covering financial news, including with Reuters and the Australian Associated Press (AAP). He writes about business, markets, the economy and investing.

Your complete guide to Marriott elite breakfast benefits

MSN has partnered with The Points Guy for our coverage of credit card products. MSN and The Points Guy may receive a commission from card issuers.

Editor’s note: We’ve updated this post with current examples and information.

With over 30 hotel brands, Marriott is the largest hotel chain. Marriott Bonvoy’s elite status comes with many perks, including complimentary breakfast for Platinum, Titanium and Ambassador Elite members. Though the breakfast benefit rules are far from simple,  Marriott properties must provide this benefit to select elite members at eligible brands.

Unfortunately, things don’t always go as they’re supposed to, as Anthony at The Bulkhead Seat experienced at the recently-opened St. Regis Chicago. Thankfully, the property has since confirmed that it will honor this published perk, with a publicist sharing the following with TPG:

“The issue has been resolved and the property is offering eligible members the breakfast benefit.”

This experience has demonstrated just how important it is to know the published benefits ahead of your stay, so today, we’ll explore the breakfast allowances at each Marriott Bonvoy brand. Unfortunately, this can vary across Marriott’s brands — and in some cases, even at different properties within a single brand.

Overview of breakfast Marriott Bonvoy breakfast benefits

Let’s start with a quick table that summarizes what’s offered at each Marriott brand.

There’s a range of complimentary breakfast benefits that vary across Marriott brands. Factors such as the property’s location and if there’s a club lounge can influence the specific benefit offered. While most hotels within these brands will provide some form of breakfast, there may be exceptions. Also, Homes & Villas by Marriott International and Vistana properties generally do not offer breakfast options.

Let’s dig into the nuances so you know what to expect for your next stay.

Related: How much are Marriott Bonvoy points worth 1 year after removing award charts?

Complimentary breakfast as a welcome amenity

Marriott Platinum, Titanium and Ambassador Elite members can choose a welcome amenity upon check-in at most participating hotels. For some brands, this welcome amenity includes a breakfast option. However, things get more complicated if there’s a lounge where you’re staying — which we’ll cover in the next section.

The chart below details which brands include breakfast in the options and the compensation you’re entitled to if the hotel doesn’t provide this benefit.

Occasionally, you may find that hotels default to points instead of breakfast. Make sure to inquire about the welcome gift if it isn’t addressed at check in.

Related: Which hotel has the best free breakfast? TPG ate 10 meals to find the winner

Guaranteed lounge access

The other way to receive complimentary breakfast as a Platinum, Titanium or Ambassador Elite member is through access to a hotel’s lounge. Take note of which brands (and properties) have lounges you can access.

The following brands guarantee lounge access to Platinum, Titanium and Ambassador Elite members:

• JW Marriott.
• Marriott Hotels.
• Delta Hotels.
• Le Meridien.
• Autograph Collection.
• Renaissance.
• Courtyard (only outside the U.S./Canada).

Here’s the full scoop on lounge access. Note that many resorts are excluded from the lounge access benefit.

This list is much shorter, as not all brands consistently have lounges across their properties. You’ll also notice the compensation isn’t as generous here. However, even though Sheraton, Westin, and Le Meridien properties don’t offer an alternative perk here when the lounge is closed, breakfast is offered in the restaurant as a welcome amenity option, guaranteeing guests are covered even if the lounge is not open during their stay.

Unfortunately, you can’t get access to Ritz-Carlton clubs through Marriott status.

*As noted in the above chart, there’s a list of specific properties in the U.S. that do not provide breakfast if the lounge is closed, instead offering 1,000 points. You can find this information in Section 4.3.c.iv.A. in the Marriott Bonvoy terms and conditions , but here’s the current list:

• The Algonquin Hotel Times Square, Autograph Collection .
• Boston Marriott Copley Place.
• Boston Marriott Long Wharf.
• Chicago Marriott Downtown Magnificent Mile.
• JW Marriott Essex House New York City.
• JW Marriott New Orleans.
• JW Marriott San Francisco Union Square.
• JW Marriott Washington, D.C .
• The Lexington Hotel, Autograph Collection.
• Monterey Marriott.
• New York Marriott Marquis .
• Philadelphia Marriott Downtown.
• Renaissance Boston Waterfront Hotel.
• Renaissance Chicago Downtown Hotel.
• Renaissance Los Angeles Airport Hotel.
• Renaissance New York Midtown Hotel.
• Renaissance New York Times Square Hotel.
• Renaissance Washington, D.C. Downtown Hotel.
• Marriott Marquis San Diego Marina.

Given that most of these are in larger cities, this may not be the biggest drawback, as there are likely better, local options nearby. However, it is worth noting if you visit one of these properties.

Related: The 11 hotel breakfasts we’d order for every meal if we could

Marriott brands with no breakfast benefit

Unfortunately, some of Marriott’s most iconic brands are missing entirely from this list. The following brands don’t offer any form of free daily breakfast, but we’ve included the welcome gift choice:

• The Ritz-Carlton (1,000 points per stay).
• Ritz-Carlton Reserve (1,000 points per stay).
• Edition (1,000 points per stay).
• Marriott Vacation Club (1,000 points per stay).
• Marriott Grand Residence Club (1,000 points per stay).
• Sheraton Vacation Club (1,000 points per stay).
• Westin Vacation Club (1,000 points per stay).
• Design Hotels (1,000 points per stay).
• Marriott Homes & Villas (1,000 points per stay).
• Gaylord Hotels (1,000 points or $10 food and beverage credit per stay).

Marriott brands with breakfast for all

Finally, several brands offer complimentary breakfast for all travelers, regardless of elite status. These properties include:

• SpringHill Suites.
• Fairfield by Marriott.
• Residence Inn.
• TownePlace Suites.

Related: 5 ways to get your hotel breakfast for free

Flow chart for your next stay

Confused? You’re not alone, as there are many layers of complexity to a seemingly simple benefit. To help, here’s a set of questions to help you figure out what to expect with breakfast on your next stay:

Are you staying at a SpringHill, Fairfield, Residence Inn, TownePlace Suites or Element?

• Yes: Stop here; every guest at these properties has breakfast included.
• No: Continue reading.

Are you staying at a Ritz-Carlton, Ritz-Carlton Reserve, Edition, Marriott/Sheraton/Westin Vacation Club, Marriott Grand Residence Club or Design property?

• Yes: Stop here; there’s no breakfast benefit available to you at these properties.

Do you have no status, Silver status or Gold status in the Marriott Bonvoy program?

• Yes: Stop here; you don’t have any formal breakfast benefit at any of the remaining brands.

Are you staying at a Gaylord property?

• Yes : You can select a $10 food and beverage credit per stay as your welcome amenity, but there’s no other breakfast benefit.

Are you staying at a Courtyard, Four Points, Aloft, Protea, AC or Moxy property?

• Yes: You can select a complimentary breakfast or a daily food and beverage credit as your welcome amenity.

Are you staying at a St. Regis, Luxury Collection, W, Sheraton, Le Meridien, Westin or Tribute Portfolio property?

• Yes: You can select complimentary breakfast as your welcome amenity.
• No : Continue reading.

Are you staying at a resort property under the JW Marriott, Marriott, Delta, Autograph Collection or Renaissance brands?

Are you staying at a non-resort property under one of these brands with an open club lounge?

• Yes: You’ll enjoy access to the lounge for your stay.
• No: When a lounge at one of these properties is closed (or if there’s no lounge at all), you should receive breakfast in the on-property restaurant for you plus one additional registered guest. Alternatively, you can select 750 bonus points per night.

Just remember that there are 19 specific locations in the U.S. (listed above) that don’t offer complimentary breakfast when the lounge is closed; instead, you’ll receive 1,000 points.

Get closer to Marriott elite status

If you’re looking for a way to potentially receive breakfast on your next Marriott stay through Platinum Elite status, you’re in luck. As a primary cardholder of the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card, you’ll automatically receive Platinum Elite status. The card also comes with a 95,000-point bonus after you use your new card to make $5,000 in eligible purchases within the first three months of cardmembership, and you’ll enjoy an array of added perks in exchange for a $650 annual fee (see rates and fees).

Related:  Free nights and easy status: Here’s why I have 4 Marriott Bonvoy credit cards

Bottom line

The lack of consistency in Marriott’s elite breakfast offerings undoubtedly leads to confusion. While breakfast is only one of many factors that goes into a good hotel experience, some may gravitate toward brands that consistently offer breakfast to Platinum, Titanium and Ambassador Elite members.

However, even that isn’t a guarantee, so be sure to read up on what’s provided ahead of your next Marriott stay. That way, you’ll know what to expect — and can firmly insist on it if a property tries to skirt the published policies.

For rates and fees of the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant card, click here.

Additional reporting by Kyle Olsen.

SPONSORED:  With states reopening, enjoying a meal from a restaurant no longer just means curbside pickup.

And when you do spend on dining, you should use a credit card that will maximize your rewards and potentially even score special discounts. Thanks to temporary card bonuses and changes due to coronavirus, you may even be able to score a meal at your favorite restaurant for free. 

These are the best credit cards for dining out, taking out, and ordering in to maximize every meal purchase.

Editorial Disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airlines or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.

Marriott Bonvoy unveils exclusive ‘Resort Escapes’ offer

Marriott Bonvoy, the award-winning loyalty program by Marriott International is excited to announce the ‘Resort Escapes’ promotion offering travellers rewarding benefits ahead of the holiday season. Whether you’re seeking the serene embrace of a mountain retreat or the captivating allure of a beachside escape, our selection of 45 hotels spans over 20 breathtaking destinations throughout South Asia, offering travellers the best deals and a host of unforgettable experiences.

With Marriott International’s diverse portfolio nestled amidst nature’s most captivating landscapes, the offer aims to invite travellers to embark on a journey of discovery and relaxation with the best limited time deals.

Encompassing over 20 captivating locations, from Dehradun to Goa and Jaisalmer to Shillong, each destination promises unparalleled experiences and deep rejuvenation. Through this campaign, Marriott Bonvoy is poised to offer compelling deals that cater to various categories and needs of travellers be it- a solo lover of wanderlust to families and friends catching up on the good times, or couples in search of a romantic getaway.

The deal entails:

• Daily hotel credit up to INR 2,000 per stay at select Marriott properties.
• Daily buffet breakfast
• A bucket of beer or a bottle of wine
• 20% discount on spa treatments
• Curated experiences at the hotel/ resort
• 50% savings for kids under 12 years of age
• *Earn 1000 bonus points per stay for Marriott Bonvoy® HDFC Bank credit card holders

The resort campaign is catering to families and couples who are increasingly seeking properties that offer a multitude of amenities within their premises. With the changing seasons, these demographics are naturally inclined towards resort destinations. Whether it’s the summer break or school vacations, resorts provide an ideal escape for families, while couples seek out destinations year-round.

Four Points by Sheraton Sonmarg Resort, launches in the heart of the Himalayas

Asia Pacific Gen-Zs and Millennials seek to unlock value with one loyalty program

Marriott International celebrates milestone on journey towards Net-Zero

Marriott International accelerates growth across Europe with nearly 100 hotel…

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Marriott Bonvoy Bevy American Express Review: Ho-Hum for a High Price

The welcome bonus is generous, but for the pricey annual fee, you don't get much else, perk-wise.

• New cardholder bonus offer
• Bonus categories
• No foreign transaction fees
• Has annual fee
• Spending caps on bonus rewards
• No annual free night certificate

20.99%-29.99% Variable APR

Rewards rate

Bonus offer

Earn 155,000 Marriott Bonvoy bonus points after you use your new Card to make $5,000 in purchases within the first 6 months of Card Membership. Terms Apply.

Ongoing APR

APR: 20.99%-29.99% Variable APR

Cash Advance APR: 29.99%, Variable

Penalty APR: 29.99%, Variable

Balance transfer fee

Foreign transaction fee

• Earn 155,000 Marriott Bonvoy bonus points after you use your new Card to make $5,000 in purchases within the first 6 months of Card Membership.
• Earn 6X Marriott Bonvoy® points for each dollar of eligible purchases at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy.
• Earn 4X points at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on up to $15,000 in combined purchases at restaurants and U.S. supermarkets per calendar year, then 2X points).
• Earn 2X points on all other eligible purchases.
• Marriott Bonvoy 1K Bonus Points Per Stay: Earn 1,000 Marriott Bonvoy® bonus points per paid eligible stay booked directly with Marriott for properties participating in Marriott Bonvoy.
• With complimentary Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elites status, earn up to 2.5X points from Marriott Bonvoy® on eligible hotel purchases with the 25% Bonus Points on stays benefit, available for Qualifying Rates.
• Marriott Bonvoy Bevy Free Night Award: Earn 1 Free Night Award after spending $15,000 on eligible purchases on your Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ Card in a calendar year. Award can be used for one night (redemption level at or under 50,000 Marriott Bonvoy® points) at a hotel participating in Marriott Bonvoy®. Certain hotels have resort fees.
• 15 Elite Night Credits: Each calendar year with your Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express Card® you can receive 15 Elite Night Credits toward the next level of Marriott Bonvoy® Elite status. Limitations apply per Marriott Bonvoy member account. Benefit is not exclusive to Cards offered by American Express. Terms apply.
• Plan It® is a payment option that lets you split up purchases of $100 or more into equal monthly installments with a fixed fee. Plus, you'll still earn rewards the way you usually do.
• $250 Annual Fee.

Terms apply.

Compare to Other Cards

Detailed review: Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express® Card

Marriott Bonvoy is growing its credit card collection with the Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express® Card , a $250 -annual-fee card that offers a sizable welcome offer, but not much else that makes it stand apart from other members of the Bonvoy card family.

Cardholders can benefit from perks like automatic Gold Elite status, along with travel protections that include trip delay insurance and coverage for lost or damaged luggage. But ultimately, you don’t get double the value compared to the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card , with a $95 annual fee, which is slightly less than half the price. Terms apply.

Marriott launched another co-branded card at the same time as this one: the Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful™ Card , issued by Chase. The Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express® Card is on the American Express payment network, while the Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful™ Card is a Visa, but otherwise the cards’ features are identical.

» MORE: Marriott Bonvoy Program: The Complete Guide

Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express® Card : Basics

Card type: Hotel .

Annual fee: $250 .

Welcome offer: Earn 155,000 Marriott Bonvoy bonus points after you use your new Card to make $5,000 in purchases within the first 6 months of Card Membership. Terms Apply.

Ongoing rewards:

6X points per $1 spent at participating Marriott Bonvoy hotels.

4X points per $1 spent at U.S. supermarkets, at restaurants worldwide and on delivery and takeout in the U.S., on up to $15,000 in combined spending (then 2 points per $1).

2X points per $1 spent on all other eligible purchases.

Rewards earned by using the credit card are in addition to points you earn as a member of the Marriott Bonvoy program.

NerdWallet values Marriott points at 0.8 cent each. This is a baseline value, drawn from real-world data, not a maximized value. In other words, you should aim for award redemptions that offer 0.8 cent or more in value from your Marriott points.

Redemption options:

At Marriott Bonvoy hotels. If your dates are flexible, you might be able to find PointSavers rates, or discounted award nights, for some properties. You can also combine points with cash to redeem for some stays. When you redeem four nights' worth of points, you get the fifth night for free.

For flights or car rentals.

For travel by transferring points to multiple airline partners, usually at a 3-to-1 ratio (for every 3 Bonvoy points, you'll get 1 airline mile).

For gift cards or merchandise.

For experiences through Marriott Bonvoy Moments.

Foreign transaction fees: None.

Other benefits:

Earn 1,000 points per paid eligible stay booked directly with Marriott Bonvoy at participating properties.

Free Night Award (valued up to 50,000 points) after spending $15,000 in a calendar year.

Automatic Gold Elite status, plus 15 Elite Night credits each year toward Platinum Elite status.

How the Marriott Bonvoy cards compare

Marriott Bonvoy offers a suite of co-branded cards that come with varying perks at an array of price points.

» MORE: NerdWallet’s best Marriott Bonvoy credit cards

Benefits and perks

Generous welcome bonus.

The main draw of the Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express® Card is what you get as a new cardholder: Earn 155,000 Marriott Bonvoy bonus points after you use your new Card to make $5,000 in purchases within the first 6 months of Card Membership. Terms Apply.

Elevated earnings on dining and groceries

The Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express® Card earns more than other Marriott Bonvoy card options on some everyday spending categories like dining at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. You’ll earn 4X points per $1 spent in combined spending up to $15,000 per calendar year. After that cap is reached, you’ll earn 2X points per $1 spent in those categories. Terms apply.

Travel protections

In an age of flight delays and lost luggage, it’s always nice when you already have the coverage you need. The Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express® Card comes not just with rental car damage insurance, but also reimbursements if your trip is substantially delayed and you incur unexpected costs, along with reimbursements for lost, damaged or stolen luggage.

Automatic Gold Elite status

With the Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express® Card , you’ll automatically attain Gold Elite status. That gets you room upgrades when available, 2 p.m. checkout and 25% more bonus points on eligible hotel purchases (which includes not just room booking, but also spa and room service charges).

You also get 15 Elite Night credits, which get you part of the way toward Platinum Elite, the next status tier. You’d need to stay in a Marriott Bonvoy hotel 35 more times in a year to reach Platinum. Elite night credits also count toward lifetime status with Marriott. Terms apply.

» MORE: The Complete Guide to Marriott Bonvoy Elite Status

Drawbacks and considerations

High annual fee.

WIth some ultra-premium travel cards inching toward annual fees north of $600, $250 seems like a relative bargain. But it’s still pricey when many other travel cards offer impressive benefits for less than $100 a year. For the price, you don’t get much more luxury than you would with a less expensive card, like the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card .

“Free” night award isn’t free

To earn the free night award for hotel rooms worth up to 50,000 points, you have to spend a whopping $15,000 in a calendar year, making just paying for the hotel stay a significantly better deal unless you plan to use this card pretty much exclusively.

Two other Marriott Bonvoy cards offer free night awards without the annual spending requirement, so using this perk would actually offset annual fees in those cases. With the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card , you get a free night’s stay worth up to 35,000 points every year for a $95 annual fee. The high-end Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card grants cardholders a free night worth up to 85,000 points. Terms apply.

Ongoing rewards are just OK

A base earnings rate of 6X points per $1 spent at Marriott Bonvoy properties is the same as you’d get with most other cards in the Bonvoy family, so to truly compare, you’ll have to look at what else each card offers for the price. The Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card provides good value, while the expensive Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card offers lots of extras.

Yes, you also earn 1,000 bonus points whenever you book a stay through Marriott Bonvoy directly, but that’s only a $8 value.

Limited worldwide acceptance

There’s no foreign transaction fee, which is always a plus for a card that will vacation with you. But note that American Express acceptance worldwide still lags behind Visa and Mastercard. If this is your go-to card, bring a backup second card when you travel internationally.

Earn the same 6 points per $1 spent at participating Marriott Bonvoy hotels, and enjoy a Free Night Award without having to spend $15,000 on the card, all for a more modest annual fee.

How to decide if it's right for you

Loyal Marriott Bonvoy guests who seek a large welcome offer will enjoy what the Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express® Card offers. However, you may find more value with a lower-cost Bonvoy card. And if you’re willing to pay top dollar for more benefits, the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card has more to offer.

To view rates and fees of the Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express® Card , see this page .

Information related to the Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful™ Card has been collected by NerdWallet and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer of this card.

• The best credit cards of 2024
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Methodology

NerdWallet reviews credit cards with an eye toward both the quantitative and qualitative features of a card. Quantitative features are those that boil down to dollars and cents, such as fees, interest rates, rewards (including earning rates and redemption values) and the cash value of benefits and perks. Qualitative factors are those that affect how easy or difficult it is for a typical cardholder to get good value from the card. They include such things as the ease of application, simplicity of the rewards structure, the likelihood of using certain features, and whether a card is well-suited to everyday use or is best reserved for specific purchases. Our star ratings serve as a general gauge of how each card compares with others in its class, but star ratings are intended to be just one consideration when a consumer is choosing a credit card. Learn how NerdWallet rates credit cards.

Frequently asked questions

The annual fee is $250 .

With the Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express® Card , you earn 6X points per $1 spent at participating Marriott Bonvoy hotels. The card also gives you Gold Elite status, so you’ll earn 25% more points on eligible hotel purchases.

The Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express® Card is an American Express card. Chase issues a similar card, the Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful™ Card , which is part of the Visa payment network.

NerdWallet values Marriott points at 0.8 cent each. That means 100,000 points would be worth $700.

With Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status, you get 25% points on eligible hotel purchases, along with room upgrades and 2 p.m. checkout (subject to availability).

About the author

Sara Rathner

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Marriott Bonvoy™ Credit Cards

AMEX delicious. Month Out

From 1 to 31 May 2024, enjoy 20% off your total dining bill at Dolly.

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• Redeem from 1 to 31 May 2024
• Valid for dinner on Tuesdays to Saturdays
• Valid Through : April 29, 2024 - May 31, 2024

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