American Express is offering new applicants for the Marriott Bonvoy Bevy American Express Card 175,000 bonus points after $5,000 in purchases within the first six months, a limited-time promotion that runs through May 13, 2026. The mid-tier Marriott hotel card carries a $250 annual fee, and the larger bonus has put it back on the radar for travelers who want hotel points, Gold Elite status and 15 elite night credits from a single application.
What the offer includes
The sign-up bonus is the headline, but the card also includes 6 points per dollar at participating Marriott hotels, 4 points per dollar at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets on up to $15,000 in combined annual purchases, and 2 points per dollar on other eligible spending. Cardholders also earn 1,000 bonus points per paid eligible stay booked directly with Marriott, according to American Express terms.
A second perk can matter for travelers chasing elite status. The Bevy delivers automatic Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status and 15 elite night credits each calendar year, which can help bridge the gap to higher tiers without a heavy stay requirement.
Why the 175,000-point bonus stands out
Marriott Bonvoy no longer uses a fixed category chart. Since 2022, the program has relied on dynamic award pricing, meaning the points needed for a stay can move with the cash rate, demand and hotel pricing, according to Marriott Bonvoy program rules.
That shift makes a large bonus more flexible but also harder to value precisely. Using a conservative estimate of 0.70 cents per point, a 175,000-point bonus is worth about $1,225 in hotel redemptions. Some points analysts value Bonvoy closer to 0.8 cents per point, which would make the same bonus worth about $1,400.
In practice, the best use depends on the property. A traveler might stretch the bonus into a week at a modest hotel or use it for a few nights at a luxury resort, but the real savings should be measured against the full room rate including taxes and fees.
How the free night award changes the math
The card’s annual Free Night Award adds another layer. After $15,000 in eligible purchases in a calendar year, cardholders can earn a certificate good for one night at a hotel costing up to 50,000 points, and Marriott now allows users to top off that award with up to 25,000 of their own points.
That means the certificate can reach properties priced at up to 75,000 points, giving the card more reach than many hotel certificates that stop at a single fixed ceiling. For travelers who can hit the spending threshold, the top-off feature can open the door to better locations or busier dates that would otherwise cost more points than the certificate covers.
Eligibility rules may narrow the audience
American Express says applicants may not qualify for the welcome offer if they currently hold, or have previously held, this card or the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card, among other factors. The issuer also warns that previous American Express account history, credit activity and card opening patterns can affect eligibility.
The terms also exclude many recent Chase-issued Marriott cardholders, including people who opened certain Marriott cards within the last 30 or 90 days or received a new-card bonus or upgrade offer within the last 24 months. American Express says it will notify applicants before processing if they are not eligible, giving them the option to withdraw the application.
Points transfer options widen the use cases
Marriott Bonvoy points are not limited to hotels. The program lets members transfer points to 39 airline loyalty programs, typically at a 3:1 ratio, with a 5,000-mile bonus for every 60,000 Bonvoy points transferred to most airlines, according to Marriott’s transfer rules.
There are exceptions. United MileagePlus members receive a 10,000-mile bonus for every 60,000 points transferred, while some programs such as Delta SkyMiles and American Airlines AAdvantage do not receive the standard bonus. Marriott also offers gift card redemptions, but the math is weaker there, at about $200 in value for 60,000 points, making hotel stays or airline transfers the stronger options.
What readers should watch next
For travelers planning a Marriott stay in the next year, the offer is notable because it combines a large sign-up bonus with usable mid-tier benefits and a path to a free night award. The first-year value can be compelling if a cardholder can use the points at a hotel that would otherwise require a significant cash outlay.
For the broader travel industry, the promotion reflects continued competition among hotel credit cards as loyalty programs lean harder on dynamic pricing and flexible rewards. What to watch next is whether the offer stays elevated beyond the current deadline, and whether competing hotel cards respond with larger bonuses as summer travel demand builds toward the May 13, 2026 cutoff.
