Anne K.Toronto, ON · Mar 2026
★★★★★
Used my free annual night at a Marriott in Banff. Would have cost $389 — fee paid back 3x in one stay. Silver Elite got me upgraded to a suite once. Worth every penny.
Overview
The Marriott Bonvoy American Express is Canada's only co-branded Marriott Bonvoy card. $120/year for the headline benefit: a free 35,000-point hotel night certificate annually (typically worth $200-400 at Marriott hotels). The certificate alone covers 2-4 years of the annual fee.
You earn 6x Marriott Bonvoy points at Marriott hotels (resorts, business hotels, all-inclusives — anywhere with the Marriott brand), 2x on travel + dining, 1x on everything else. Bonvoy points are extremely flexible: redeem at Marriott (1.0-1.2 cents/point typical), transfer to airline partners (varies), or stack with stay-eligible category-bonus offers.
Other perks: auto Marriott Silver Elite status (free room upgrades when available, free WiFi, priority late checkout). 15 elite-qualifying nights per year credit toward higher status (Gold = 25 nights, Platinum = 50 nights — combining the card credit + actual stays can fast-track elite tiers).
Welcome bonus
★ NEW CARDHOLDER OFFER
Earn 90,000 Marriott Bonvoy Points
Strong welcome bonus = 3-5 free nights at typical Marriott hotels.
90,000 pts
Spend $3,000 in first 3 months
≈ $540-1,080 hotel value
Rewards & earn rates
Here's exactly what you earn per dollar across every category — and where this card pulls ahead of the field.
6xx
Marriott Bonvoy propertiesAll Marriott brands worldwide
2xx
Travel + dining (Canada)Flights, restaurants, transit
1xx
Everything elseAll other purchases
Benefits & perks
Beyond the rewards, here are the perks worth knowing about.
🏨Free 35,000-pt annual night
Every year on your card anniversary. Use at any Marriott hotel where 35,000 pts covers the night (typically Category 1-4 properties, often $200-400 value).
⭐Auto Marriott Silver Elite
Free room upgrades when available, free WiFi, priority late checkout, early bookings.
📅15 elite-qualifying nights
Card credit applies toward higher Marriott elite status. Combined with actual stays, fast-tracks Gold/Platinum.
🛡️Travel insurance
Emergency medical, trip cancel, baggage, car rental CDW.
Fees & rates
The numbers that show up on your statement.
ANNUAL FEE$120Free night alone exceeds fee
SUPPLEMENTARY CARDS$50 eachUp to 9 supplementary
CARD TYPECharge cardPay in full monthly
FX MARKUP2.5%⚠ Not FX-free
MIN INCOME$15,000/yrLower bar than premium cards
Pros and cons
✓ PROS
- Free 35,000-pt annual night alone covers fee
- 6x earn at Marriott hotels is unmatched in Canada
- Auto Silver Elite status benefits
- 15 elite-qualifying nights fast-tracks higher tiers
- Welcome bonus = 3-5 free nights
- Lower income requirement than Visa Infinite cards
✗ CONS
- 2.5% FX markup
- Only valuable for Marriott loyalists
- Bonvoy point inflation has occurred (devaluation risk)
- 1x baseline on non-category spend is low
- Amex acceptance gaps
Who it's for
★ APPLY IF
- Marriott loyalists staying 4+ nights/year
- Business travelers with hotel-heavy spend
- Households who stay at Marriott-brand all-inclusives or resorts
- Anyone working toward Gold/Platinum status (15-night credit speeds this up)
✗ SKIP IF
- Non-Marriott loyalists (Hilton, Hyatt, IHG users)
- Travelers who use hotel points but for non-Marriott
- Foodies (Cobalt 5x dining wins)
- International shoppers (FX markup)
How it compares
We pitted this card against its closest rivals.
How to apply
The eligibility checklist before you hit the application button.
MIN CREDIT SCORE725+ recommended
MIN INCOME$15,000/year personal
OTHER ELIGIBILITYCanadian resident · 18+
DECISION TIMEInstant decision · 5-7 day delivery
Editor's verdict
8.4/10
★★★★★
FINAL VERDICT
The right card for any Marriott loyalist.
For households staying 4+ Marriott nights per year, the math is clear: free annual night certificate ($200-400 value) + Silver Elite status + 6x earn at Marriott. The $120 fee pays itself back on the very first stay. For non-Marriott travelers, look elsewhere. Pair with Amex Cobalt for everyday spending.
Apply for Marriott Bonvoy Amex ↗User reviews
What current and former cardholders are saying. Aggregated from Trustpilot, Reddit (/r/PersonalFinanceCanada), and our own community comments.
4.2 / 5 ★
723 reviews
Phil R.Vancouver, BC · Feb 2026
★★★★★
Marriott loyalty card is great if you commit to the brand. Used 90k welcome bonus for 4 nights in Maui. App + Amex combo is seamless.
Kira P.Calgary, AB · Jan 2026
★★★★★
Cancelled. Don't travel enough for Marriott loyalty to matter. The free night was nice but I only had one stay last year.