Chase Sapphire Preferred Card vs. Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant Card [Detailed Comparison]

If you frequent a specific hotel chain, you may have struggled to select a hotel-branded credit card or a travel rewards card.

Each option has a case to be made. Select a travel rewards card and earn flexible rewards that can be used for several different redemption options, including award flights and free hotel nights.

Or, select a hotel-branded card and receive elevated earnings, hotel-related benefits, and redemption options normally most valuable with that brand.

Our card comparison today considers both types of cards. The Chase Sapphire Preferred^® Card and the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant^® American Express^® Card are fine examples of a popular travel rewards card and a premium hotel-branded card.

We’ll discuss the key benefits of each card to help you decide which type of card makes the most sense. We’ll also warn you to keep an open mind to the possibility that both cards could be good choices for Marriott Bonvoy loyalists.

Chase Sapphire Preferred Card vs. Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant Card — Overview

Before we get to specifics, reviewing an overall summary of how the Chase Sapphire Preferred card and Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant card compare side-by-side can be helpful.

Here’s how our featured cards compare in key features and benefits:

Feature or Benefit	Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card	Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card
Welcome Offer	Earn 60,000 points after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months.	Earn 185,000 points after spending $6,000 within the first 6 months.
Earning	5x points on travel via Chase Travel 3x points on dining, select streaming services, and online groceries 2x points on all other travel 10% annual points bonus	6x points on Marriott hotels 3x on restaurants worldwide and on flights purchased directly with the airlines 2x points on all other purchases
Top Redemption Options	Redeem points for 1.25 cents each for travel via Chase Travel, transfer points to airline/hotel partners	Free hotel nights, transfer to airline partners, redeem at Marriott Bonvoy Boutique
Top Travel Protections and Benefits	Car rental insurance, trip cancellation/interruption, $50 hotel credit each year	Trip cancellation/trip interruption, free hotel night certificate each card anniversary year, Priority Pass Select membership upon enrollment
Top Shopping Protections and Benefits	Purchase protection, extended warranty	Cell phone protection, purchase protection, extended warranty, return protection
Annual Fees and Authorized Users	Annual fee of $95 No additional fees for authorized users	Annual fee of $650 (rates & fees) No additional fees for authorized users (rates & fees)

The Value of a Welcome Offer

Once approved for the Chase Sapphire Preferred card or the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant card, you’ll have an opportunity to earn a welcome offer.

The bonus can be earned by meeting minimum spending requirements within the specified period immediately following card approval. You won’t want to miss this chance to accumulate rewards quickly.

Card welcome offers vary but can be worth hundreds of dollars when redeemed for travel. Here are the most current offers for our featured cards, plus additional information:

Bottom Line:

The Chase Sapphire Preferred card and the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant card each come with a generous welcome bonus offer that can be earned immediately following card approval by meeting minimum spending requirements.

Earning Potential

Once approved for either card, you’ll want to start earning rewards.

The Chase Sapphire Preferred card earns flexible Ultimate Rewards points, while the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant card earns Marriott Bonvoy points.

You’ll find several similarities in the way points are earned. These similarities carry over to how rewards can be redeemed, which we’ll cover next.

First, let’s look at all the ways you can earn rewards with each of our featured cards:

Earning Category	Chase Sapphire Preferred Card	Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant Card
Travel	5x points on travel purchased via Chase Travel 5x points on Lyft rides through March 2025 2x points on all other travel	6x points on Marriott hotels 3x points on flights purchased directly with the airline 2x points on all other travel
Dining	3x points	3x points on restaurants worldwide
Select Streaming Services and Online Groceries	3x points	2x points
All Other Purchases	1x points	2x points

With the Chase Sapphire Preferred card, you’ll receive elevated earnings on travel purchased via Chase Travel, general travel, dining, select streaming services, and online groceries.

The Chase Sapphire Preferred card also issues a 10% points bonus based on your yearly rewards.

The Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant card earns best on Marriott purchases, flights purchased directly with the airlines, and restaurants worldwide.

If you don’t frequent the Marriott brand and can utilize Chase Travel for travel purchases, you’ll earn more with the Chase Sapphire Preferred card on most travel purchases.

The Value of Earned Rewards

While earnings appear similar on both cards, reward point values can differ.

We value Ultimate Rewards earned on the Chase Sapphire Preferred card at 2.0 cents each and Marriott Bonvoy points at 0.7 cents each. When redeemed for travel, 10,000 Ultimate Rewards points are worth approximately $200, and 10,000 Marriott Bonvoy points are worth around $70.

How you redeem the points you earn on either card will determine their actual value.

Next, we’ll look at redemption options and the potential value associated with each type of reward.

Bottom Line:

The Chase Sapphire Preferred card earns well on travel purchased via Chase Travel, Lyft rides, and dining. The card also includes bonus earnings on select streaming services and online grocery stores. All other purchases earn 1 point per dollar spent. The Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant card earns well at Marriott properties, restaurants worldwide, and flights purchased directly with the airlines, and 2x points on all other purchases.

Redemption Options

Once you’ve earned a nice stash of reward points, it’s time to look at the choices you’ll have to redeem them.

While Chase Ultimate Rewards is known for its flexibility at redemption time, Marriott Bonvoy points also have several redemption options.

Here are the options at redemption time with each of our featured cards:

Redemption Option	Chase Sapphire Preferred Card	Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant Card
Travel	Redeem points for 1.25 cents per point for travel via Chase Travel Transfer points to airline or hotel partners for award flights and free hotel nights Redeem points for 1 cent each toward a statement credit for previous travel purchases	Redeem points for free hotel nights Transfer points to airline partners Redeem points for select travel, including cruises, experiences, car rentals, and flights.
Statement Credit	Redeem points for 1 cent each toward a general statement credit	N/A
Additional Redemption Options	Gift cards, shopping with retailers, Amazon, Apple	TSA PreCheck fees, shopping at the Marriott Bonvoy Boutique, merchandise, and gift cards

The best potential value for Ultimate Rewards points earned on the Chase Sapphire Preferred card is to transfer them to airline or hotel partners. The best potential value for Marriott Bonvoy points is to redeem them for free hotel nights.

As mentioned, Ultimate Rewards points can be worth approximately 2.0 cents each when utilizing the transfer option. We value Marriott Bonvoy points at approximately 0.7 cents each. The actual value you receive could be more or less, depending on the redemption option you select.

Chase Sapphire Preferred Card Redemption Example

While you can redeem points for 1.25 cents each via Chase Travel, you may receive greater potential value with airline and hotel partners.

For example, transferring points to Air France-KLM Flying Blue may allow you to secure a business class ticket from the U.S. to Europe for as few as 37,500 miles. Prices vary by city and season, but it’s possible to find greater value in booking premium cabin fare tickets when transferring to select airline partners versus using Chase Travel.

Hot Tip:

You can book Air France Flying Blue promotional awards for up to 50% off with monthly Promo Rewards. Chase Ultimate Rewards points transfer to Flying Blue at a 1:1 ratio. Marriott Bonvoy points transfer at a 3:1 ratio + a 5,000-mile bonus when transferring 60,000 points.

You may also redeem Ultimate Rewards points for hotel stays. Hotel partners include IHG One Rewards, Marriott Bonvoy, and World of Hyatt — all with a transfer ratio of 1:1. While IHG and Marriott point transfers are generally not a good value, transferring to Hyatt is known to be a potentially good option.

Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant Card Redemption Example

With well over 8,000 properties worldwide, you’ll have no trouble booking a getaway with your Marriott Bonvoy reward points.

For example, the JW Marriott Santo Domingo could be booked for as few as 30,000 points or the JW Marriott Bangkok for around 40,000 points. Rates may be lower or higher, depending on the season.

While Marriott hotel properties may be the best value for your reward points, you can transfer points to dozens of airline partners. The ratio for most transfers is 3:1, Marriott Bonvoy points to airline miles, with a 5,000-mile bonus when transferring 60,000 Marriott Bonvoy points to select airlines.

If you were to transfer 60,000 points from Marriott Bonvoy to Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan, for example, you would receive 25,000 miles.

Bottom Line:

Ultimate Rewards points earned on the Chase Sapphire Preferred card can be redeemed for 1.25 cents each via Chase Travel or transferred to airline/hotel partners for greater potential value. Points can also be redeemed for 1.0 cents each toward a statement credit. Marriott Bonvoy points can be redeemed for hotel nights or transferred to airlines and redeemed for award flights. Points earned on either card can be redeemed for gift cards and shopping at select retailers.

Travel Protections and Benefits

Travel protections come complimentary with the Chase Sapphire Preferred card and the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant card. These protections can provide economic relief if a trip needs to be canceled or is disrupted for a covered reason.

Travel benefits can make your trip more comfortable. They can also save you money on travel-related purchases.

Here are the travel protections and benefits you’ll find on our featured cards and the unique additional benefits that come with each card.

• Car Rental Insurance — The Chase Sapphire Preferred card comes with primary car rental coverage, while the Marriott Bonovy Brilliant card comes with secondary car rental coverage. Primary coverage means you do not have to file a claim with any other applicable insurance before card coverage applies. The Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant card does have access to primary coverage for a fee.
• Trip Cancellation and Trip Interruption — If a covered loss causes you to cancel or disrupt your trip, you could receive reimbursement for eligible non-refundable trip expenses. Coverage limits for both cards are $10,000 per covered trip and $20,000 per card/account. Other terms and conditions apply.
• Trip Delay — If your trip is delayed more than 12 hours for a covered reason, you could receive up to $500 with the Chase Sapphire Preferred card. If delayed more than 6 hours, you could receive up to $500 with the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant card, with a limit of 2 claims per 12-month period.
• Baggage Insurance — If your bags are lost, stolen, or damaged, you could receive up to $3,000 per person. Both cards have lower coverage limits for high-risk items.
• No Foreign Transaction Fees — You’ll save money when you make purchases abroad since you won’t be paying foreign transaction fees with the Chase Sapphire Preferred card and the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant card (rates & fees).
• Travel and Emergency Assistance/Premium Global Assist Hotline — Receive help 24/7 with a dedicated assistance line while traveling with the Chase Sapphire Preferred card’s travel and emergency assistance benefit and the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant card’s Premium Global Assist hotline. Receive assistance booking emergency transportation, translation services, legal or medical referrals, and more.

Chase Sapphire Preferred Card

• Baggage Delay — If your bags are delayed 6 hours or more, you could receive up to $100 per day for eligible incidentals for up to 5 days.
• Roadside Dispatch — Make just 1 call, 24/7, and pay 1 set service fee to receive limited towing, emergency fuel delivery, tire changing of your inflated spare, standard winching, and lockout or jumpstart service.
• Annual Hotel Credit — Book a stay via Chase Travel and receive a $50 statement credit each year.

Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant Card

• Access to Primary Car Rental Coverage — Pay one low fee ($12.25 to $24.95) and receive Premium Protection for the entire rental period, up to 42 consecutive days. Premium Protection includes primary car rental coverage.
• Global Entry/TSA PreCheck Fee Reimbursement — Pay for your application or renewal fee with your card and receive reimbursement via a statement credit of $100 for Global Entry and up to $85 for TSA PreCheck.
• Marriott Bonvoy Elite Status — The card comes with complimentary Platinum Elite status. You typically need to stay 50 nights or more to earn this status level.
• A Faster Path to Higher Elite Status — If higher elite status is important to you, the 25 elite night credits that come with the card could be helpful. To achieve the next level of Titanium Elite status, you would need to stay a total of 75 nights each year, and the 25 elite night credits count toward that requirement.
• Complimentary Premium Annual Hotel Night Certificate — This certificate is good for a night that costs up to 85,000 points. You can add up to 15,000 points to the cert and book a night that costs up to 100,000 points!
• Annual Earned Choice Award — Spend $60,000 in a calendar year on your card and choose from 5 Nightly Upgrade Awards, a $1,000 bed purchase discount, or a free night award with a redemption value of up to 85,000 points.
• $300 Dining Credit — Receive up to $25 in statement credits each month, up to $300 yearly, for dining purchases. As dining purchases worldwide earn 3x points, plus qualify for the dining credit, you could consider this a great travel benefit as well as an everyday benefit. Enrollment might be required, so make sure to check your account first.
• $100 Hotel Credit — Use your card to book a minimum 2-night stay at a Ritz-Carlton or St. Regis property. Use an eligible member rate for an on-site property credit of up to $100.
• Priority Pass Select Membership — With this complimentary membership, you can enjoy access to over 1,400 lounges worldwide upon enrollment. Cardholders can also bring up to 2 additional guests, depending on individual lounge capacity limitations.

Bottom Line:

Both cards come with several useful travel protections and benefits, including car rental insurance, trip cancellation/interruption/delay, baggage insurance, no foreign transaction fees, and emergency assistance. The Chase Sapphire Preferred card also includes baggage delay coverage, roadside dispatch, and an annual hotel credit. The Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant card offers Global Entry/TSA PreCheck fee reimbursement, Platinum Elite status, 25 credits toward higher status, a premium free hotel night certificate, up to $300 in dining credits, and Priority Pass Select membership.

Shopping Protections and Benefits

Which credit card you use to make select purchases matters. If something goes wrong with an eligible item, having shopping protections on the card can ease the economic strain with a repair, replacement, or even reimbursement.

Shopping benefits are also valuable as they can save you money or help you earn additional rewards.

Here are the shopping protections and benefits of the Chase Sapphire Preferred card and the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant card, along with the additional benefits of each card:

• Purchase Protection — Purchase an eligible item with your card and receive coverage for damage, loss, and theft. Items are covered for up to 120 days from the purchase date with the Chase Sapphire Preferred card, and limits are up to $500 per item and up to $50,000 per account. The Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant card covers items for up to 90 days, up to $10,000 per purchase, and $50,000 per card account.
• Extended Warranty — Qualifying items with manufacturer’s warranties of 3 years or less with the Chase Sapphire Preferred card or 5 years or less with the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant card may be extended by 1 additional year.

Chase Sapphire Preferred Card

• DoorDash DashPass — Register by December 31, 2024, and receive a complimentary 12-month membership that includes $0 delivery fees and reduced service fees for orders of $12 or more.
• Chase Offers — Login to your online card account and choose money-saving offers from select retailers and service providers. Add the offers to your card, make the required purchase, and enjoy the savings.

Hot Tip:

For a limited time, the Chase Sapphire Preferred card offers 6 months of complimentary Instacart+ delivery service membership. Card members also receive up to $15 in statement credits per quarter. Enroll by July 2024.

Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant Card

• Cell Phone Protection — If your cell phone is damaged or stolen, you could receive reimbursement for repair or replacement, up to $800 per claim. There is a limit of 2 claims per 12-month period. There is also a $50 deductible per claim, and the cell phone line must be listed on the card statement.
• Return Protection — If a merchant does not accept the return of an eligible item purchased with your card within 90 days of the purchase date, you could receive up to $300 per item. The limit is $1,000 per card member account per calendar year.
• Amex Offers — Login to your online card account and select from up to 100 Amex Offers. Add the offers you’ll use to your account, make the associated purchase, and receive a statement credit or bonus earnings.

Bottom Line:

Both cards come with purchase protection and extended warranty coverage. The Chase Sapphire Preferred card also comes with a complimentary DoorDash DashPass, Instacart+ benefits, and Chase Offers. The Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant card has cell phone protection, return protection, and access to Amex Offers.

Annual Fees and Authorized Users

It’s important to consider the cost of card membership to receive as much net value as possible.

The Chase Sapphire Preferred card has an annual fee of $95. The Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant card has an annual fee of $650.

Neither card charges a fee to add authorized users.

Final Thoughts

If you’re a frequent traveler, having a travel rewards credit card is a smart move. You’ll earn rewards that can help offset the cost of travel and receive valuable travel insurance benefits. The Chase Sapphire Preferred card is one of the best for offering high value with a low annual fee.

Having a hotel-branded credit card can also be a smart decision. If you frequent a particular hotel brand, receiving elite benefits, elevated earnings, and free hotel nights can result in tremendous value.

Having both types of cards allows you to maximize earnings, benefits, and redemption options.

The Chase Sapphire Preferred card and Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant card are just 2 examples of cards that can work well together.

The best card combination for you will be the one that matches your spending and has redemption options you value. You’ll also want to receive value that exceeds any associated annual fees.

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For the car rental loss and damage insurance benefit of the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant^® American Express^® Card, car rental loss and damage insurance can provide coverage up to $75,000 for theft of or damage to most rental vehicles when you use your eligible card to reserve and pay for the entire eligible vehicle rental and decline the collision damage waiver or similar option offered by the commercial car rental company. This product provides secondary coverage and does not include liability coverage. Not all vehicle types or rentals are covered. geographic restrictions apply. 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 trip cancellation and interruption insurance benefit of the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant^® American Express^® Card, the maximum benefit amount for trip cancellation and interruption insurance is $10,000 per covered trip and $20,000 per eligible card per 12 consecutive month period. 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 Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant^® American Express^® Card, up to $500 per covered trip that is delayed for more than 6 hours; and 2 claims per eligible card per 12 consecutive month period. 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 baggage insurance plan benefit of the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant^® American Express^® Card, baggage insurance plan coverage can be in effect for covered persons for eligible lost, damaged, or stolen baggage during their travel on a common carrier vehicle (e.g. plane, train, ship, or bus) when the Entire Fare for a ticket for the trip (one-way or round-trip) is charged to an eligible card. Coverage can be provided for up to $2,000 for checked baggage and up to a combined maximum of $3,000 for checked and carry-on baggage, in excess of coverage provided by the common carrier. The coverage is also subject to a $3,000 aggregate limit per covered trip. For New York State residents, there is a $2,000 per bag/suitcase limit for each covered person with a $10,000 aggregate maximum for all covered persons per covered trip. 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 purchase protection benefit of the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant^® American Express^® Card purchase protection is an embedded benefit of your card membership and requires no enrollment. It can help protect covered purchases made on your eligible card when they’re accidentally damaged, stolen, or lost, for up to 90 days from the covered purchase date. The coverage is limited up to $10,000 per occurrence, up to $50,000 per card member account per calendar year. Coverage limits apply. 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 premium global assist hotline benefit of the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant^® American Express^® Card, you can rely on Global Assist Hotline 24 hours a day / 7 days a week for medical, legal, financial or other select emergency coordination and assistance services while traveling more than 100 miles away from your home. Plus, we may provide emergency medical transportation assistance and related services. Third-party service costs may be your responsibility. 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 extended warranty benefit of the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant^® American Express^® Card, when an American Express^® card member charges a covered purchase to an eligible card, extended warranty can provide up to one extra year added to the original manufacturer’s warranty. Applies to warranties of five (5) years or less. Coverage is up to the actual amount charged to your card for the item up to a maximum of $10,000; not to exceed $50,000 per card member account per calendar year. 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 cell phone protection benefit of the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant^® American Express^® Card, coverage for a stolen or damaged eligible cellular wireless telephone is subject to the terms, conditions, exclusions and limits of liability of this benefit. The maximum liability is $800, per claim, per eligible card account. Each claim is subject to a $50 deductible. Coverage is limited to two (2) claims per eligible card account per 12 month period. 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 return protection benefit of the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant^® American Express^® Card, with return protection, you may return eligible purchases to American Express if the seller won’t take them back up to 90 days from the date of purchase. American Express may refund the full purchase price excluding shipping and handling, up to $300 per item, up to a maximum of $1,000 per calendar year per Card account, if you purchased it entirely with your eligible American Express^® Card. Purchases must be made in the U.S. or its territories. Eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details.