How to Get 4 Marriott Free Night Awards EVERY YEAR (with Credit Cards)
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- čas přidán 1. 06. 2024
- How would you like to get 4 Marriott FREE Night Awards for only $720? How about 3 Marriott Free Night Awards for only $315? In today's video, I'll show you not one, but two must-know strategies regarding Marriott Bonvoy credit cards.
These strategies are not very straightforward because the Bonvoy credit card portfolio spans over two different issuers, Chase Bank and American Express, and these issuers do NOT play nice with each other.
Marriott Credit Cards are great because the hotel chain is solid. Marriott is the world’s largest hotel chain with more than 8,000 properties worldwide, and it continues to grow, including the recent announcement of the MGM and Marriott partnership starting in October 2023.
And as hotel cards, they come with two things that we credit card enthusiasts love, sign-up bonuses, and free night awards.
The 5 cards we're going to use are the Chase Bonvoy Boundless, the Chase Ritz Carlton, the American Express Bonvoy, the American Express Bonvoy Brilliant, and the American Express Bonvoy Business cards.
Check out this video for more information on the BEST Marriott credit card strategies.
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Relevant Referral Links:
✨ Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant: cfrog.co/amx-bonvoy-brilliant
🔶 Amex Marriott Bonvoy Business: cfrog.co/amx-bonvoy-bus
🏨 Chase Marriott Bonvoy Credit Cards: cfrog.co/chase-marriott
Amex Bonvoy card information (AF: $95) - global.americanexpress.com/ca...
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✅ Referral Links: thecreditfrog.com
Chapters:
00:00 Intro
00:38 Marriott Credit Card Primer
06:58 Best Marriott Strategies
11:41 Outro
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Note: This description contains affiliate links, meaning that I may earn a commission if you click through these links and successfully apply, sign up, or buy the product or service mentioned.
Disclaimer: I am not a financial advisor, accountant, or lawyer, and as such, I do not provide financial, tax, or legal advice. This video, and any ideas presented in it, are opinions and are provided for entertainment purposes only. Please do your own research and consult your own financial, tax, or legal professional for specific advice.
#marriottbonvoy #americanexpress #creditcard
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No lie, this was one of my favorite videos I've seen about credit cards so far. I feel like you could make this into a really awesome series and I'd absolutely tune into all of em! Awesome stuff Stan!!
Thanks so much Spencer! That means a lot, and yeah some of these strategies can get in the weeds a little bit, but I think just getting the framework out there is super important so people can start making their own strategies. I definitely think I'm going to move towards this strategy myself as well so I guess in that sense it'll more of a long-term series, hah!
I think that's the real fun of the credit card game. What you gave here is a perfect roadmap for people to follow in order to maximize the value they can get from Marriott cards and up until I watched this, I wasn't sure when if ever I'd get a Marriott card... now I want em now! 😆 As for the series I was thinking you could do one on each hotel chain if you were so inclined. That could be cool too!@@TheCreditFrog
Stan, could you make a Part 2 were you get 4 Ritz Carlton Cards? 😂
@@krs1905 For you Keith, I will plan on it! It will take me 10 years though 🤪
@@TheCreditFrog Part-3 of your Marriott Series, the Player-2 strategy to get to 4 RC Cards in half the time and the referral bonuses to go with it.
But seriously, is there a faster and better way to do this with a player-2 mode?
Been in the game for a few years. This is the best Marriott strategy video I've watched. The rules are so confusing, and this really lays out a roadmap in an easy to understand way. Bravo!
Thanks so much Alfred! Yeah the rules can be super confusing so I’m glad that this video was able to help you out!
My jaw dropped after watching this video, then dropped again after seeing you only have 7k subscribers. You should have way more. Keep it up!
Thanks so much! Yes, I'm glad I was able to show this strategy off to the community! I appreciate your support and words of encouragement!!
Explained super eloquently and concise! Extremely easy to follow! Great video Stan!
Thanks Eric! Glad you found it to be easy to follow! Sometimes these strategies get in the weeds so I really try hard to make the explanations as simple as possible.
Great video! I’ve been wanting the brilliant for awhile now because of the benefits and gold status but also wanted a Marriott daily spender card like the boundless. It’s great I can rack up point with the boundless on groceries and especially use at Costco since it’s visa. Thank you!
Of course, Aaron! Yeah, there are a lot of Marriott cards to choose from so it's nice to have options! While the Brilliant is best used for that Platinum status, I completely agree that the Boundless is much better as an everyday use card and has a lot of value for that $95 annual fee, including that 35k free night award!
Love this channel. Love this video. The Bonvoy Boundless 5 free night award sing up offer is back so it’s the perfect time to start this strategy.
Thank you so much! And yes, that's awesome! One of the best welcome offers out there on the Boundless. Great time to start it up like you said and take advantage of those 5 free nights!
Great video! I’ve got the Boundless and the Biz so I might eventually go for the Budget trifecta.
Thanks! Oh, that's awesome! That would be great to have 3 Marriott FNAs every year!
Not a Marriott Bonvoy fan myself but great presentation of the various strategies with their CCs. Thanks for the great video + content!
Thanks Jimmy James! Really means a lot that you stopped by to check out the Marriott content 👍!
FNCs are definitely one of the top benefits that you should strive for with Hotel Cards. I've been opening my eyes up to being a Hotel Card Free Agent (thinking about the Marriott BIZ for the 3 FNC welcome bonus going on right now). Love the strategies here & how you tailored them toward those preferring budget-friendly options and those striving for those high-end properties. The ability to add an additional 15k Bonvoy Points is honestly a super nice benefit to maximize the value from the FNC's (since they have a cap unlike Hilton 😉). Definitely good information to know about the restrictions with Chase vs AMEX issued Marriott Cards as well. (24 months is pretty crazy!) Great video as always Stan!
For sure Matt! Yeah, I think weighing your options with different options is a good move, kind of what Uncle Luke does. One of the issues though (kind of like spreading your spend around multiple point systems) is that it's harder to get the best status with one hotel ecosystem if you spread out all your stays, unless you stay at hotels regularly. I know for myself, I think I'll just barely make it to Titanium Elite status this year so I'm trying to funnel most of my stays through Marriott to get there. Marriott FNAs are for sure not as powerful as Hilton so I agree, that 15k boost is a pretty nice option. Appreciate you bro! Get that Marriot Bizzz
Love these videos. We appreciate how you go in-depth into these strategies!
Thanks LK! Glad you enjoyed this one!!
This is absolutely crazy! Honestly I never would’ve thought of these strategies, so I appreciate the information and clear explanations. The Marriott Loyalists in my life would definitely like this. Great video, Stan!!
Hey, thanks Josh! Yeah, I love these strategies, and it's really exciting to implement them personally as well. We gotta keep coming up with these strategies to get MAX value!!
Great video. A lot of loops to jump through with these Marriott cards.
Thanks John! Yeah, these Marriott cards have so many rules and are unnecessarily complicated!!
Hey Stan that was one of the best videos for explaining Amex and Chase cards. I have the Chase Boundless card going to upgrade to The Ritz card but didn’t quite know how to apply for the Billiant card now from your video I have a good ideal. Thanks for sharing and keep that
Great content coming
Thank you so much Clausell! Yes, definitely secure that Brilliant SUB before making the product change to the Ritz! There's always going to be limited time bonuses on the Brilliant so just wait for the right one, pull the trigger, and then you'll be good to get two 85k FNAs from Marriott 👍!
Very detailed video, thanks Stan!
Of course, Tito!
Thank you for this great information. And I agree - the 5th year $720 adjusted AF for luxury stays is totally worth it.
Safe travels!
Of course! Yea, for those of us who stay at Marriotts, just another nice strategy to get the most value from our Marriott credit cards!
Wow! Thanks Stan!! I have been passively planning this out, but gave up. Thanks for doing the heavy lifting!!!
No problem! Glad I could help you out there!!
Hilton fan here, but really enjoyed the video and great information. I like the Marriott business card, great strategy Stan.✌️
Thanks César. It means so much when I get a Hilton fan to watch this Marriott video 🤣. I appreciate the continued support brother!
This was a wild video Stan!! So many rules to know that otherwise would definitely go under the radar.
24 months locked out of SUB if you turncoat, WOW.
Was honestly a video that I didn’t know I needed because that’s exactly what I’ve been trying to do recently, which was just to accumulate more and more cards that have free night certificates, I think as soon as I am under 5/24, I will actually do this method for the budget traveler.
Thanks for this video Stan!
Of course Tony! Yeah, Marriott has so many rules regarding SUBs and it's definitely not that simple because there are cards on both the Chase and Amex sides of things. If you're not careful, you may miss out on a SUB, which is terrible with Marriott since they don't give you that first FNA until after the first year! Yeah, once you get set up in the system though, these cards just start churning out FNAs. The one nice thing about this strategy as well is that you can get other cards/SUBs alongside this one since the waiting period is so long due to those ridiculous SUB rules!!
LOVED this video breakdown Stan! I'm a new team Marriott member so this video helps me plan out the strategy I will have to do.
Thanks so much Chase!! Sounds good bro - I know we're on the same team so I'm glad I could help you out there.
this was a really good video, you did such a good job explaining things
Thank you so much! I’m glad you found it helpful!
😮OUTSTANDING explanation. Thank you for sharing.
You're welcome! Glad you enjoyed it!
Love these strategy videos! Just in time too since I’m been considering upgrading my Boundless to the Ritz. I didn’t know about the limitations between Chase and Amex so thanks for pointing that stuff out!
Of course Mason! Glad you found this strategy interesting! Yeah, the last thing I'd want is to have you PC into that Ritz and get locked out of the Brilliant SUB. But that's also what I love about these strategy videos, it gives you a framework to follow - which is super important with Marriott cards because of all of their stupid, confusing rules!!
I would upgrade my 2nd Boundless to a 2nd RC card
@@camvworld5674 Never really though of this! I guess you could just churn out RC cards every 2 years! Not sure if there’s any rules stopping this!
@@TheCreditFrog You're the man Stan
Great vid! Thanks!
Sure thing Brad Yo!
Very clear strategy video, I hope there will be an episode about Hilton Honer's strategy 😊
Thanks! Yes, I definitely will plan on doing one of those in the future as well!
Sick video, I’ll definitely be doing this for the luxury side, luckily for me I just completed my SUB on my Bonvoy Boundless for the 3 night certificates on year 1!
Ooh, you got that nice Boundless SUB, way to go! Looks like you're definitely on your way to an amazing Marriott Bonvoy FNA setup!!
@@TheCreditFrog yes! Got in right on time.
Great video! This has been by far the best Marriott Strategy video.
Question: To be clear, when I apply for the Brilliant and the Business in year 2, I would get the sib for both?
Off to watch another of your videos! Keep it up!
Thanks Beatriz! Glad you found value from this video. So yes, in year 2 (24 months after you got the Bonvoy Boundless welcome offer), you can get the Brilliant and Business cards and get the welcome offer for both!
You’re the man! Thanks for the tips
No prob! Glad you enjoyed it!
Truly fantastic video, Stan!
Thanks Joshua!
Best video I’ve seen on hotel strategy, thank you
You’re welcome! Glad you found it helpful 👍!
This is a fantastic video, thank you for the succinct rundown. Wish there were more opportunities for Hyatt cards, seems Marriott is clearly the best cards to accumulate. Would love to see a video breaking down the best way to use the 4 free nights once you have the setup.
Thanks so much! Yeah, Hyatt may be getting a pathway soon if they decide to have a luxury card. Having Marriott with both Chase and Amex is a blessing and a curse since the SUB rules don't play well, but there are more opportunities for FNAs!
Great video! I have another 16 months before I can add a new boundless to replace the one i upgraded to the ritz card. Already have brilliant and business. Very well worthwhile to hold these 😊
Hey, thanks man! Yeah, I'm in a similar situation as well since I got the Bonvoy Business card about 5 months ago so I have 19 months until I can finish that luxury strategy with the Chase Boundless. I also have both Brilliant and Business and they've made Titanium elite status within reach with the combined elite night credits so I plan on keeping them as long as I'm a frequent traveler for sure! You'll finish this strategy before I will - awesome 👍!!
Amazing video thanks so much for this! With the upgraded Boundless offer to 5 free nights, excited to start this strategy. Quick question: is the 24 month rule after you get approved or after you receive your SUB?
The Boundless welcome offer is great! Definitely grab it while it's hot! The 24 month rule applies to after you receive the welcome offer so you'll have to keep that date written down once you complete it!
Solid in depth video on these cards, thank you
Of course! Glad you found it helpful.
Dude you’re a freakin GENIUS when it comes to Marriott credit cards. Thanks a million.
Of course, Reggie! I'm so happy you found this strategy to be helpful!
Great vid. I have the Ritz Carlton and AX Marriott Business cards. With upcoming stays in Qatar, Oman, and Hawaii, I will keep Platinum status.
Thanks! Sounds like you have some fun trips coming up, and with that international travel, the Platinum status is sure to come in handy! Hope you get some great upgrades!
Thanks for the amazing video. You have no idea how hard is to find videos on these complicated Bonvoy cards rules in CZcams.. I think Im still bit confused. LOL
It was so good to know to make sure I get Brilliant first before upgrading Boundless to Ritz. You probably saved bunch points for me!
Of course, Kevin! Glad you enjoyed the video! Yeah, the Marriott strategy is particularly complicated because of Chase and American Express. Glad I could save you a few points on your Marriott credit card journey!
@@TheCreditFrog Hey Stan, Im literally studying this video again for my bonvoy setup. Love this video to go back to.
Question. Is there any downside to get Brilliant first before I do the whole Chase Boundless to Ritz set up?
I currently have Bonvoy Business (applied 24 month ago) and looking to get Brilliant (mainly for Platinum status), and wait on Boundless to Ritz bit later.
@@kevinManhattan Hey Kevin! Awesome, haha! So the only downside is you'll have to wait 24 months to get the Boundless credit card SUB. It really comes down to what you want more, the Brilliant and the Platinum status, or the Chase Ritz Carlton card with it's benefits and 85k FNA. There's no right or wrong answer, just what you prefer. If you go Brilliant, you'll have to wait about 24 months for Boundless, then to PC to the Ritz. If you go Boundless first, then you can PC to the Ritz in 12 months, and then wait another 12 months to qualify for the SUB on the Brilliant. The Brilliant SUB is pretty solid right now, so if I were in your position, I would personally go for the Brilliant because two 85k FNAs is a pretty sweet deal!
Great video. Wish I would have seen this before I upgraded to the Ritz and ran out of Amex cards to get
Thanks Valente! It’s all good man, just enjoy that Ritz Card and you’ll just have to wait until your 24 month timer winds down to start back up with those Amex Marriott cards!
Best strategy video ever on CZcams and Reddit!
Thanks! I'm glad you found a lot of value with this Marriott strategy!
Great video! I like 3 programs, Marriott, Hilton and Hyatt. My favorite is Hyatt followed by Hilton.
Thanks! Yeah, Marriott is not for everybody and the Hyatt rewards program is top notch, with Hilton Aspire being the best luxury hotel credit card. The nice thing is that there are a lot of options so you can pick the right option for you!
@@TheCreditFrog Yeah Marriott used to be my favorite until I stayed at a Hyatt.
I have the Marriott Business and I just got my free night award a couple of week ago! For only $95, I'm gonna get that much more value from the FNC! Now I know other ways to get even more FNCs! Great video Stan!
Thanks Manny! Congrats on the new FNA! Yeah, you could either continue with Brilliant, or wait it out for the Boundless depending on your strategy or what type of stays you value most! Appreciate it man!
awesome stan. just stumbled across this videos of yours despite watching most of your videos. I think I made a mistake of applying for the Amex Marriott Biz card as my first card in the Marriott family, what are the next cards you would recommend to complete the combo
Hi Joe! Yeah, it's ok if you went Marriott Biz first. If you want to keep getting welcome offers on the Marriott family. I would apply for the Marriott Brilliant card when an elevated offer comes along. After you get the welcome offer on that card, you have to wait 2 years before you can get any welcome offer on a Chase Marriott card.
Alternatively, you could wait 2 years from when you got the welcome offer on the Marriott Business card and apply for the Chase card at that point, but you'll be locked out of a Bonvoy Brilliant welcome offer for 2 years after that.
Ok, yeah this seems to be the only viable option. I think I will go with Marriott Brilliant first before going for the chase cards since I actually value the 25+15 elite night awards. Thanks! and keep up the good work!
@@TheCreditFrog
Nice Breakdown & strategy. I have the Amex Marriott cards, so definitely need to look into the Chase Marriott cards and hope the Ritz is still an option in 1-2yrs when 5/24 allows. 🤯🤯
Thanks! Yeah, if you've covered the Amex side, then the Chase Boundless would probably be the next best move. There've been data points that co-branded credit cards may not have the same Chase 5/24 limitations, but of course, this is a YMMV scenario. If you can withstand the hard pull, then it may be worthwhile to apply, but yeah probably best to wait until your under 5/24 to maximize your chances of approval!
High level stuff, Stan!!!!
Thanks, Uncle Luke!! Marriott is not discussed as much, but they have some solid options for the right traveler!
@@TheCreditFrog they have some incredible properties
New subscriber here. Really awesome analysis 👍👍
Of course! Glad you enjoyed the video and thank you so much for the support!
THANK YOU Stanley for such a detailed Marriott video. I can’t tell you how confused I’ve been with the SUB rules etc. you broke it down perfectly 👌🏻 question: do you know of one can have multiple of the Brilliant ($650)? I currently have 1 but was thinking of downgrading it to the discontinued $95 Amex version and then applying for another Brilliant ($650 without a SUB) 🤔
Of course, Yamah!! I'm not entirely sure if you can have multiple Brilliant cards. My first inclination is to say yes because you can have multiple Aspires with no issues. I think you certainly can get the $95 Amex version and hold that card and the Brilliant together. You can then upgrade that card after 1 year to the Brilliant - theoretically that should work. If any questions though, I think Amex CS could be help, but sometimes they don't know either hah!
Some great info here Stan. Not a Marriott Loyalist, but I do love their cards and wouldn’t mind trying this strat out 😂
Thanks JP! Yeah, Marriott is kind of a hit or miss, but everyone loves FNAs, and TBH, the Chase Bonvoy Boundless card is a great deal, especially when there's a limited-time SUB available, so even if you want to get the card and stop there, you can make a choice about going further with these strategies or not. Or downgrade to the Bonvoy Bold - so many nice options when you start with Boundless!
@@TheCreditFrog that’s true, having a NAF downgrade is always clutch.
Super informative video, thanks! When getting the Brilliant card, should I wait for 24 months after my approval for the Boundless card, or 24 months after receiving the SUB for the Boundless? Also, one small correction: from what I've read online, it seems like the Ritz Carlton card only gives Priority Pass membership to every authorized user, not the TSA Precheck/Global Entry credit.
Thanks Khoa! Yeah, so with the Brilliant card, I would get it 24 months after you received the SUB to be on the safe side. That’s my interpretation of the terms. And yea, you’re right that the AU only gets a Priority Pass membership!
What is that I smell??? Evergreen Content!!! Great Job Stan this will be a very useful reference for people who want to have a solid plan for maximizing return on their Marriott cards.
Haha, hey thanks Chad! Yeah, I hope that this will be a helpful framework for people wanting any type of Marriott card and want to maximize the value for their own situation!
Hey Stan! Firstly I love the channel, this video and the Hilton video are truly in depth credit card content and guides that most or not any other channel I have encountered present and I and many others are truly interested in. I wanted to also ask, Since we can upgrade the Boundless card to the Ritz-Carlton card after year zero, and we are eligible for the Brilliant sign up bonus if we have not had the Ritz-Carlton in the last 30 days wouldn't it make sense to upgrade the Boundless in year 1 and then simply wait for year 2 to get the Brilliant so we can get our first 85k night sooner? I thought of this as I want to follow this strategy but only keeping the 2 premium cards for the 85k point nights.
Thanks!
Hey Waldo! Appreciate the kind words, my friend! Those strategy videos are some of my favorites for sure, and I think they've been very helpful for a lot of people! So the issue with the Brilliant card is that if you want to get the welcome offer on that card, you have to get it before you product change to the Ritz card. You also can't get the welcome offer for 2 years after getting the Boundless. So really, you're forced to get the Boundless first, and then wait 24 months, then get the Brilliant, and once that welcome offer is secured, you can then PC into the Ritz card no problem. It's kind of annoying, but right now that's the way to maximize your welcome offer points. If the welcome offer isn't an issue, then you could get Boundless, then after 1 year, PC to RC and get the Brilliant.
Great video! Question: had the boundless card for a few years. Just got approved for Brilliant. Can I go ahead and product change boundless to Ritz now or should I wait until I hit the SUB on the Brilliant? Thanks!
Thanks! Yeah, I think that theoretically, doing the PC to the Ritz Carlton should be ok now, but if it were me I would wait until the SUB posts in my account just to be sure!
Dang I thought I considered myself a Marriott a loyalist, but I never knew the strategy! this is great info stan!
My thought process/ up coming strategy at the time was to upgrade my boundless into the ritz this upcoming February.
Then downgrade my CSP into a CFU .
And only use ritz for traveling/ needing insurance on stuff since it has the same insurances that the CSR has.
And put most of my spending into the CFU and CFF - along with the curve / Bilt combo
This 2024 I don’t plan on traveling that much but the ritz sounds great with the effective annual fee of 150 and the free night credit of 85k
Nice Fanta! I think that is still a solid strategy. The only thing I would mention is that once you get the Ritz card, you lock yourself out from the Brilliant card SUB, which is usually very, very good. Of course, that $650 annual fee on the Brilliant is not for everyone so you have to feel out what's best for you, but if that's not your jam, the Ritz card is probably the best Marriott card in the lineup, rivaled only by the Boundless card that you already have.
Great video! Is there any reason for not getting the Amex Brilliant first? My husband will be staying at a Fairfield Inn at least 32 nights this year and I know he'd love the Platinum status the Brilliant offers.
I think the only downside is that you'd have to wait 24 months after getting the Brilliant welcome offer to start getting Chase Marriott welcome offers at a minimum. But other than that, if it's worth it to him then go for it!
If you wanted to follow this strategy, probably best to get the Bonvoy Business right after so you can start the 24-month timer for Chase welcome offers. Once you get the Marriott Brilliant card, the RC card is open to PC without any welcome offer issues on the Amex side.
Thank you for the quick response! One more question! The Boundless looks like it awards 17x points per Marriott stay while the Amex Brilliant only awards 6X. Am I reading that right?@@TheCreditFrog
Hey Stan, thank you for the vid and breakdown. Weird that Marriott still keeps their credit cards with two issuers in the U.S. and just doesn't consolidate. Any chance you can do one about Hilton cards and how to maximize those?
Hey Gribran! Of course! Yes, I plan on making a Hilton stategy video in the future for sure 👍!
Great video of Stan. At the 6:41 mark you state that authorized users on the Ritz-Carlton card get their own TSA PreCheck / Global Entry. Is that correct? I have not seen that clearly outlined in the terms and conditions.
Thanks! No that is incorrect, they don’t get their own TSA credit. My mistake!
Thanks! I appreciate the clarification. An outstanding card nonetheless
Stan, Stan, Stan the man - this was such a 🔥 video and supremely, valuable and love the way you have such a duava way of explaining this type of info which can be very detail heavy for sure 😁😁
Hey Lalit! Thanks so much man! Yeah, I really enjoy going into the advanced-level strategies, but it's often difficult to get the point across without getting too much into the weeds. It's definitely a balance for sure, and I tried to highlight all the must-know points, so I'm really pleased to hear that from you! Hopefully, I can add some value to your advanced strategies and experience as well since I know you have like 50+ cards or something like that!!
Great video! If I already had the Bonvoy Business Amex card for years, how would the road map sequence look like if I want to go the luxury strategy?
Is there a faster way or is it still year 0 Bonvoy Boundless, year 2 Bonvoy Brilliant + change Boundless to Ritz, year 3 Bonvoy Boundless?
Thanks! I don't think anything would change. If you still want to maximize bonuses while getting the luxury setup, would still start with Boundless first as you described!
extremely helpful! is the brilliant card worth it over the other hotel programs ?
Thanks! Yeah, the Brilliant card is great for a few reasons: 1. the 85k FNA, 2. The auto Platinum status, and 3. The 25 elite night credits you can combine with the Business card (+15) to make +40 elite nights from just credit cards alone. I think that if you were a Marriott loyalist and stay a Marriotts a lot, then the Brilliant card is a great credit card for that purpose. But, if you're only staying at Marriotts once or twice a year, Chase Boundless (budget stays) or Ritz Carlton (luxury stays) offer the better value IMO.
Hey man! Loved the vid! New sub. Loving the videos!
I had a quick question. I’m approaching the 2 year mark on my brilliant. Do you think it’s a good idea to jump over to the chase side and grab the boundless so I can make my way to the Ritz Carlton Card? I think that’s a bit different than your set up but I hope it can still work. Thanks!
Thanks man! Really appreciate the support! So since you have the Brilliant card for about 2 years, yes, I think the best move would be to grab the Chase Bonvoy Boundless card after the 24 month mark. When you get this card (hopefully with a great SUB), this starts your 1-year clock for the Ritz Carlton card. Of course, this will lock you out of the Bonvoy Business card SUB for 2 more years (once you apply and get approved for the Bonvoy Business) so you have to weigh your options to see which card is a better fit. If you are gunning for 2 85k FNAs, then go with the Boundless next, but if you find some value from the Amex Bonvoy Business, definitely keep that card in mind as well!
@@TheCreditFrog Oh gotcha! So if i go for the boundless I will be locked out of the Amex Bonvoy business until I am able to upgrade to the Ritz card, right? Also, will having all of these cards essentially earn me titanium? Does the status stack that way on my Marriot account or not really? Thanks for the response!
@@OneMinuteConcerts So when you get the Boundless, you'll be locked out of any Amex cards for 24 months! You can change the Boundless to the Ritz in 12 months, but I would wait until AFTER getting the Brilliant because you can't get the Brilliant SUB while you have the Ritz card. Although none of these cards get you Titanium, having the Bonvoy Brilliant and Business gets you 40 Elite night credits and so you only need 35 more to get Titanium (or 30 if you choose to get 5 free elite nights after you hit 50 stays and select elite nights as your choice award)!
@@TheCreditFrog thanks again for the great information man! Keep up the great work 🫱🏽🫲🏼
Thank you for the great video.
Wish I saw this earlier.
I already got the AmEx business card. But not the Chase Boundless nor the AmEx Brilliant.
Does this mean, I can never get the sign on bonus for the Chase Boundless since I am starting with the AmEx?
Thank you for any advice.
So if you started with Amex Marriott, you have to wait 24 months after you got the Business SUB to get the Boundless SUB. You could do that, or if you got the Business card recently, get the Brilliant card before jumping over to Chase. Generally, you have to wait 24 months to get the SUB from Chase if you have an Amex, or vice-versa.
So close to pulling the trigger on the Amex Bonvoy Business card so glad I saw this first. Question, I'm 4/24 so I was gonna just go for business cards until my new two cards drop off the 5/24 rule next April or a solid SUB offer on a private card come up before then. I'm thinking of picking up a ink business card and then burn my last 5/24 slot with the Chase Bonvoy card before closing myself off to Chase until April. Thoughts?
I think that's a solid strategy. If you haven't gotten any Amex Marriott SUBs in the past 24 months, getting the Boundless as soon as you can would be the move, but since you want an Ink card first, better get that one first so you can keep your 4/24 status. That's how I would play it. The sooner you get the Boundless, the sooner the opportunity there is to get the Ritz card, but again remember that you sacrificice the Brilliant SUB if you have the RC card so just keep that in mind.
Hey Stan! Amazing video!! I wanted a clarification on the Ritz card. You said that authorized users get the $100 global entry fee waived. Was this correct or am i misunderstanding it. I haven't seen that benefit listed anywhere, so I wanted to clarify. Thank you!
Thanks Abrar! The TSA Pre-check/GE credit was an error. AUs don’t get it for free, that’s my bad!
No worries. I just wanted to clarify. That would be awesome to have though since I know that Amex Plat members get that perk when they add someone to their gold card (not the amex gold card)
@@TheCreditFrog
Great video. I was already looking at the Boundless for the free night each year, but now will definitely work toward some version of this multi plan, Question about the Free Night Credit though is do they expire? If my wife and I want to work toward a large multi-night stay 2-3 years from now for a special anniversary, can I store 85k awards till we need them? Thanks for all your hard work!
Thanks! Yeah, so the FNAs expire approximately 12 months after they are issued, which is why having multiple of these cards can help get you at least 2 nights to use simultaneously for a trip!
Thanks!
Bro, thank you SO MUCH for the Super Thanks! I hope that these strategies help you get to whatever goal you're looking for when it comes to the Marriott Bonvoy program 👍!!
I have the ritz card but wanted to get the Amex bonvoy business card. Would I need to product change ritz to receive the sub or does that only apply to the brilliant card? Great video btw. Thank you!
You should be good if you want the Amex Bonvoy Business card! No PC of the RC card needed. Just make sure you've waited at least 24 months since your last welcome offer on a Chase Bonvoy card, and you should be eligible for the welcome offer!
Could you get the brilliant card and then PC to the Ritz and then get the Bonvoy business SUB still? Or do I need to get both Amex cards before product changing?
You can product change to the Ritz card after you get the Brilliant card and still get the Bonvoy business welcome offer! But you’ll have to wait at least 2 years after that to get another Chase Marriott welcome offer!
When you product change from bonvoy boundless to ritz carlton are you still able to get the free night award from that card? Assuming you product change at lets say the 25th month after opening
If you PC after you receive the 35k FNA on the Boundless, yes, you should be able to initially get that free night! You could do this in the first year if you wanted, but you could also wait until the second year.
Thanks for splitting budget vs luxury stays. It’s tough to analyze when people always talk about point values in the context of high-end hotel stays or business class airline flights.
Of course! There’s something for everyone in this Marriott strategy! Not everyone stays at luxury hotels so having the budget stay option was important!
I have been waiting for this! The question is, how can a player 2 situation expedite this process? Additionally, if you already have had a boundless card, or one of the cards for over two years, how would this affect the strategy?
Of course Solomon! Ok, so since the SUB rules are specific to the individual, there really is no way to "expedite" the process, but instead, you could double the process by applying for the cards at the same time. Of course, you want to do the classic P1 refers P2 for the same card for those referral bonuses as well for added value, but that's the only change I think. In regards to having the Boundless card already, I would apply for the Brilliant card first (probably best to wait until you get the SUB first and have it post to your account) and then right after that, product change that Boundless into the Ritz Carlton card. You'll be able to apply for the Boundless card again 24 months after your last Amex card SUB so whether you stick with the Brilliant or also apply for the Business is totally up to you! Having the Boundless already will fast-track this strategy by 2 years so you're in a great spot!
Are you going to do a Hilton equivilent video as well and would it inckude the various upgrade offers on the cards so that folks can end up with 3 Hilton Aspire cards?
Yes! I plan on doing a video covering the Hilton ladder at some point. Probably around the time I start on my own Hilton ladder because that's the last frontier with Amex for me!
@Stan - I'm over 5/24, can I start with 2 Amex Marriott Bonvoy Cards and then go to the chase one after 24 months (budget set up one)?
Yup! Would start with the Brilliant card (or Bevy card, but Brilliant would have the better welcome offer) then you can downgrade to the $95 Bonvoy card. You can also get the Business card for that second FNA!
I've watched this video so many times :P Got another question though---Could you downgrade the Amex Bonvoy Bevy card into the OG Amex Bonvoy card?
I'm contemplating your budget strategy and I feel like you could make it even more budget by switching out the Brilliant in year 2 for the Bevy instead. That would cut down on $400 in AF in that 2nd year....and, in the future you could still get the Brilliant after year 5 and have 5 FNAs.
What do you think?
Hi Mark! Yes, you can certainly go from Bevy to OG Bonvoy. The only issue with the Bevy is that it doesn't generate an FNA unless you spend $15k on the card in a calendar year, but it does have a lower AF. Also, there's that one-year waiting period before your first FNA so it's important to keep the cards open for as long as possible to keep generating those FNAs!
@@TheCreditFrog totally makes sense! Thank you so much!
Stan did you keep this setup with you having reward fatigue and your new 3 card setup?
Great question! Yes, I plan to do the Marriott strategy too! I talk about this in my video coming out tomorrow (9/4)
Can you use a mix of free night awards and cash? For example if you wanted to do a weeklong stay, could you use four of the free night awards and then pay for the remaining 3 nights in cash? Thanks
Hi Antonia. So yes, you could use the free night awards and redeem them however you like and then if you wanted to add more nights on using cash, you could do so. I haven't done this myself so I'm not completely sure, but if you mixed FNAs and cash, you would book each FNA as a single night, but at check-in, they can combine your individual redmeptions plus your cash booking into a single stay so you won't have to change rooms with every itinerary.
Great strategy, and tempting to try. However, I get nervous that after a couple years of setting all this up the rules and terms may change and mess up the whole strategy.
Such is life Joe! The credit card world moves fast, but as it stands now, this strategy is still valid and can set you up for multiple free nights that generate every year!
thanks for explanation, i have amex business marriot so now i have to wait 2 years, which direction is ideal > chase > 1 yr to ritz , or get amex brillant now > then downgrade > yr 2 go to chase
If you want to get the Brilliant SUB, I would go Brilliant first because once you get the Ritz card, you won’t be able to get that Brilliant card SUB until you cancel/PC the Ritz. I personally would go for Brilliant as soon as you’re able!
thanks, i wish i saw your video before, execellent video, the best on this topic, very well done..
Can I apply for the Marriott Brilliant in say January 2026, then in April 2026 product change to the Ritz-Carlton and In June 2026 apply for the Bonvoy Business?
Yes, you can do this. But make sure there's been at least 24 months since your last Chase Marriott card welcome offer so you can make sure you qualify for the Brilliant welcome offer.
Can you the ritz carlton card and marriott brilliant card can you stack both free night?
Yeah, you can get both cards and stack both free nights!
Hey Stan, just a quick question about the Ritz Carlton card. Since it's a product change at the beginning of year 2, there is no sign up bonus. I am correct to understand that you get the free night award at the beginning of year 3? So effectively in year 2, you're paying the $450 annual fee and only getting the $300 airline incidental credit.
Yup! That’s exactly how that works. It’s an investment, so to speak, but remember it has a pretty powerful Priority Pass so using that throughout the year could bring in some extra value!
Thanks!
When booking a two or more night stay using two or more free night certificates, would we have to book separate stays online or can we combine in one stay? My guess is we would have to call and it might be at least a moderate hassle with calling or dealing with the front desk?
I'm not entirely sure since I haven't yet had to use 2 Marriott FNAs back to back. I do plan on doing this once my Brilliant and Riz cards start generating 2 85k FNAs every year. I would imagine that you'd have to call in to apply both certificates to one stay, but again, not sure.
I’m at Chase 4/24 now- should I get the Amex business first and then start this strategy . Great video
Hi Amy! Yes, you certainly could do that to avoid going over Chase 5/24. Just remember that if you start with Amex (and want to get the welcome offers), you have to wait at least 24 months after you get the welcome offer on your last Amex Bonvoy credit card until you qualify for any Chase Bonvoy welcome offers! You could go Chase first or Amex first, up to you 👍!
Do you know if the Ritz Carlton Rewards card is still available if we hold the Boundless for a year?
At this point, it's still be available, but things can change so you never know!
Can you apply for the Amex marriot business and a boundless from chase at the same time? Or you can only do Amex person and Amex business at the same time in year 2
You can apply for them at the same time, but the issue with applying for Chase and Amex at the same time is that you will not receive the sign-up bonus on the other card. If you apply Amex/Amex business, you can get the sign-up bonus on both cards. Chase Bonvoy SUBs locks you out of Amex Bonvoy SUBs for 24 months and vice-versa
how long do you think I should wait to apply for the second Chase Marriott boundless card after the product changes my first one to Ritz Carlton? 1st boundless is 13 months old. Not interest in Amex Brilliant.
You need to wait at least 24 months from the time you got the SUB from the first Boundless card.
yeah its a bummer!
Should have applied for amex brilliant card before upgrading to ritz Carlton!
But wonder if there is still a way to get sing up bonus of Marriott brilliant amex card even tho I already have a Ritz Carlton Card!?
One method people have been suggesting is to downgrade your RC to Boundless, wait 30 days, get the Brilliant, and then PC back to Ritz. Not sure if it works though!
Hey Man, awesome video!!!
Just got a new subscriber here.
But I have a question. I have boundless since July 2022, got bonus in September 2022, upgraded it to Ritz in November 2023, now would like to open either new Boundless or Amex business since both have current offer of 5 free nights as sing-up bonus. Am I eligible for any of those, or still have to wait till I get 24mo ?
Thank you man! 🙏
Thank you so much! Yeah, so to get the welcome offer on either the Boundless or the Amex Bonvoy Business, you'll need to wait 24 months to get either one - so Sept 2024. Hope that helps!
Thank you, that helps! 🙏
Hey Stan,
I want to start the product change cycle to the Ritz card but have an issue as I have the Amex Marriot Bonvoy card(my second oldest account) via the old SPG card which makes me ineligible for the chase it seem.
Any Suggestions as Id really enjoy getting the Marriot boundless in order to get that 85K night from the ritz.
(Currently, I'm free on both Chase and Marriot rules and have the Brilliant and Business Marriot's cards.)
Hmm, yeah, there's only several options that I can think of. The first is to cancel the Bonvoy card, but as it's your second oldest account, I can see your reservations in doing so. The second is to PC it to a different card, which are either the Bonvoy Bevy or get a 2nd Brilliant. Bevy is nice because it has a lower AF (than the Brilliant) and you can then get the Boundless. You could possibly then PC back to the Bonvoy card, although I'm not sure if you have to wait the full year to do so. I would certainly at least wait until you got the welcome offer on the Boundless just to be safe. That way you can secure the Boundless and start the 1-yr timer for the RC card and still retain your 2nd oldest card! Alternatively, you could also get a 2nd Brilliant, but that's going to depend on how much value you think you can get from the $300 dining credit and an additional 85k FNA.
Question, if I use an ITIN instead of my SSN to apply for the Bonvoy Business AMEX card, can I receive the SUB even if I got the Chase Boundless SUB recently (under 24 months)? How do AMEX and Chase verify that the accounts belong to the same user?
That’s a great question! I don’t know the answer to that, but they probably identify you by SSN (or ITIN if that’s what you’re using).
Excellent video! Unfortunately, I upgraded my Chase MBB to the RC before applying for the Amex MBB. Considering, the new Amex MBB 2FN limited time offer ends on 11/1, would you say it's feasible to downgrade the RC back to the Chase MBB, wait 30 days, apply for the Amex MBB, and re-upgrade to the RC? A bit of a stretch but curious to see if there are any data points out there on this scenario. Many thanks in advance!
Hey Carlos! Yeah, this is probably the way to go if you’re thinking of trying to get that Brilliant SUB! I had someone else reach out to me with the same dilemma and we agreed that what you described was the best method. Not sure if it will work, but based on what is described in the T&Cs, it should!
Great video!
@neerajkaps Thank you!
Do u think if it’s possible to downgrade the ritz carlton for a few months and apply for the Amex Bonboy brillant?, and if so, is it possible to call chase few months later to upgrade it back again from the Chase Bonvoy boundles to the Ritz? Thx, great video, very very informative.
PS. Lets say, complete this task in 6 months, what do u think??
Thanks! Glad you enjoyed the video. It's certainly possible to do this since you should be able to get the Brilliant SUB as long as you don't hold a Chase Ritz Carlton card. I'm not sure what the rules are about downgrading and then upgrading within a few months so I would check on that before you proceed. It's all about SUB timing when it comes to Amex and Chase and if you have a 24-month period between SUBs. The Ritz Carlton card an Brilliant card terms make things a little more complicated.
Great breakdown and clever use of all those cards! Let's hope that rules around these cards don't change anytime soon!
Thanks Kevin! Yeah, the rules are always changing, which is why we can't have nice things 🤣
Good job on the vid! This alone deserves a sub. I was wondering recently how to approach this situation myself since I had actually made the mistake of getting a second Bonvoy Boundless and upgrading my first one to the Ritz. My second Boundless has recently hit the one year anniversary, so I might do damage control by at least upgrading that one to a second Ritz. Then by the middle of next year, I could downgrade both back to Boundless cards and then get the Brilliant and the biz card on AmEx side. Maybe I’d then go back double Ritz. Can you confirm if this is legal?
Thanks Earl! I think in your situation, it's difficult because, remember, when you upgrade/downgrade these cards, you may lose out on the FNA for the (new) card that year since you have to wait until the first cardmember anniversary to get it. What I would do in your situation is use the 85k FNA for the Ritz whenever you get it, and then you can safely downgrade that card back to the Boundless card (not sure if you can have two Boundless cards, but there's only a restriction on SUBs, not # of cards from what I can see from the terms). If that's the case, you can then go for the Brilliant card and once you nail that SUB, you can PC back the Ritz cards as soon as you can to maximize those 85k FNAs. You can get the Bonvoy Business card whenever, as long as your last Chase SUB was 24 months ago.
This video was very helpful. I didn’t know you could product downgrade from the Amex $650 annual fee to $95 annual fee.
Sure thing Micah! Always learning something new every day 👍. There's a direct link in the description to the Amex Bonvoy card if you want to know more about it's specific benefits. Tldr, it's the Boundless card but on the Amex side.
@@TheCreditFrog I have the $95 Amex business and Amex personal. Any strategies for getting the $650 Amex brilliant and ritz card?I’m also currently at the 5 Amex credit card limit. No chase Marriott cards.
Thanks. I got approved for Brilliant in first week of March. I am wondering since I won't get Bevy WB, why not apply for Bevy and Business after 3 months (mid June). And then, the 24 months period will be until June 2026 for chase or will it be March 26. Also I can still get chase WB offers on non Marriot cards in between right if I apply for Hilton in March 2025?
It will be later than June 2026 because the 24-month clock will start after you receive the welcome offer on the Bonvoy Business. And yes, you can still get Chase welcome offers on non-Marriott cards as well as on Amex Hilton cards since those aren't affected by one another. It's just Chase Marriott and Amex Marriott welcome offers you have to be careful with!
@@TheCreditFrog oh so 24 month is not from date of approval but Welcome Bonus earned. Hence, the sooner you meet MSR the better it is
Can you technically get 5 if you apply for Brilliant. downgrade to modern art bonvoy. then apply for brilliant again. or does marriott only allow one personal bonvoy card per card issuer
I think that it should be ok to get the Brilliant after downgrading to the $95 Bonvoy, but of course, without the sign-up bonus. I don’t think there are any rules about only being able to have 1 personal Marriott card
One of the best videos! Clear and to the point. Question Stan - Would creating a new Marriott online profile help us bypass the 24 mo rule?
Thanks Ashish! Unfortunately, I don't think creating separate Marriott profiles will have any affect on the 24 month rule since the Marriott accounts don't determine eligibility, but (most likely) what's on your credit report. This may be something to consider regarding the Business card to get around this rule, specifically, since this card doesn't show up on your credit report as a business card, but I'm not entirely sure how they determine eligibility, and is risking losing out on a SUB, so it's probably best to go through the front door with this one.
Hey Stan, with the new Amex changes (not being able to get Gold if you go straight to Platinum) possibly coming to Marriott cards as well, would you change this strategy?
Hey Mark! So no, I wouldn’t change the strategy as I think the Boundless card is still the best entry point for Marriott credit cards. The Bold, Bountiful, and Bevy cards are all pretty useless IMO, but if you wanted to get the SUBs on them, I could see how you’d may want to get the lower tier cards first. I don’t really think those cards are worth your time though, but it depends on your situation for sure.
@@TheCreditFrog awesome! I rewatched the video a couple of times too, but I just wanted to make sure :P
Thank you always!
Is there a reason that you chose to do the chase credit cards before the amex ones in year 0? Is it because we don't know when the ritz carlton card product change will close?
I am planning to do the same strategy but year 0, apply for the brilliant and business. Then in year 2 apply for a boundless and then product change in year 3. What do you think?
Yeah, so both methods work, but starting with Chase saves you one year. Because you have to wait at least 12 months to product change the Boundless to the Ritz card, it is better to start with that card first. When you do so, in year 2, you can apply for amex Bonvoy business, Bonvoy brilliant, and PC the Boundless to Ritz all in the same year (year 2). If you start with the Amex side, you have to wait until year 3 to PC to the Ritz Carlton card.
@@TheCreditFrog I see, that makes sense. Thanks for the info.
Can you choose which night certificate you want to use if you have 4? I don’t see an option for me to choose which night cert i will use first.
I'm not sure, but if that's something that I'm sure that if you call in to customer service, you can ask them to see if they can make sure to use the free night award that will expire first!
Am I missing something regarding year 2 on the Lux strat? You're sub locked for 24 months after the first chase card right? Is there a reason chase goes before the double amex?
Yeah, so you need to start the clock on the Boundless since you need to wait 1 year at least to product change the card to the Ritz Carlton. If yo do it the other way around, you’d have to wait 2 years after the Amex cards to get the Boundless and then wait an additional year to be able to PC to the Ritz!
For the Amex Mariott business card, I thought you also can't open the card if you received a Chase SUB for mariott cards? Wouldn't that mean you would have to either pick the Brillant or business after boundless?
Yeah, so after you get a SUB for a Chase Marriott card, you are locked out of Amex SUBs for 24 months. So yes, this includes the Amex Business and the Brilliant cards. But once the 24 months are over, you can freely apply for Amex Bonvoy cards, including Brilliant, Business, or both, and their SUBs, which are subject to standard Amex rules (once-in-a-lifetime, 1/30, 2/90, etc). The only thing you have to worry about on the Chase side after you get Amex SUBs is that you have to wait 24 months after your LAST Amex Bonvoy card SUB to qualify for a Chase Bonvoy SUB.