Massive 185,000 points bonus, but who qualifies and who doesn’t?

Figuring out whether you qualify for a Marriott credit card welcome bonus can often be more complex than finding the meaning and purpose of life :). After Marriott acquired Starwood, we saw the launch and relaunch of many co-branded credit cards.  Chase and Amex ended up sharing Marriott’s co-branded credit card portfolio. Currently, the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express card is offering a welcome bonus of 185,000 points.

When I wrote about this welcome bonus last week, readers chimed in and it was obvious there was a lot of confusion about who qualifies and who doesn’t. So I thought it would only be prudent to write a post diving into the details.

185,000 points bonus on the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express card

With this welcome bonus, you’ll earn 185,000 Marriott Bonvoy points after you spend $6,000 in the first 6 months of card membership. Instead of looking at whether you qualify, a better approach would be to check which factors would disqualify you from being eligible for this welcome bonus.

Click here for the 185,000 points welcome bonus

As per the terms and conditions, Amex lists multiple factors. Here’s a gist. If your answer to any of these statements below is YES, then you may not qualify for the 185,000 points bonus.

Prior History with this card and its previous versions

• You currently have the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card or have had the card in the past
• In the past, you had the Starwood Preferred Guest American Express Luxury Card or other versions of it

The remainder of rules and restrictions primarily apply to your history with Chase credit cards.

Prior History with other co-branded Marriott credit cards: 30 day rule

If your answer to the statement below is YES, then you may not qualify for this 185,000 points bonus:

• You currently have the Ritz Carlton credit card or the Ritz Carlton Rewards Credit Card by Chase or have acquired either cards in the last 30 days

Prior History with other co-branded Marriott credit cards: 90 day rule

If your answer to the statement below is YES, then you may not qualify for this 185,000 points bonus:

• You have acquired the Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful Credit card from Chase in the last 90 days
• You’ve acquired the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit card from Chase in the last 90 days
• You’ve acquired the Marriott Bonvoy Bold Credit Card from Chase in the last 90 days

Prior History with other co-branded Marriott credit cards: 24 months rule

If your answer to the statement below is YES, then you may not qualify for this 185,000 points bonus:

• You received and accepted a new card member welcome bonus or an upgrade offer for the Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful credit card in the last 24 months
• You received and accepted a new card member welcome bonus or an upgrade offer for the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless credit card or the Marriott Bonvoy Bold Credit card in the last 24 months

The Pundit’s Mantra

I hope this article was useful in helping you figure out the complexities when it comes to Marriott’s co-branded credit cards. In my case, I currently have the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless credit card but I was approved for it in 2021. So I should be good to go when it comes to qualifying for this 185,000 points bonus.

Apply now for the 185,000 points welcome bonus

Which is your favorite co-branded Marriott credit card? Tell us in the comments section.

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