Editorial take: Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful
Mid-tier Marriott card. The 50k free night cert can pay for the fee on a single stay at a Cat 5 property, but Hyatt is a more valuable program for most people, consider that card first.
Free during beta. Plus launches at $12/mo or $99/yr on July 1. Annual is locked for 12 months during beta.
Both are well-respected travel cards. The Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful comes from Chase at $250/yr; the Chase Sapphire Preferred from Chase at $95/yr. Below: side-by-side specs, an opinionated verdict, and the FAQs people actually ask before applying.
For most people the Chase Sapphire Preferred is the stronger pick today, the sign-up bonus is meaningfully larger ($1,500 more in estimated value) than the Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful's. Get the Chase Sapphire Preferred first; revisit the Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful after you've earned that bonus.
| Feature | Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful | Chase Sapphire Preferred |
|---|---|---|
| Annual fee | $250 | $95 |
| Sign-up bonus | 85,000 Bonus Points | 75,000 points |
| Bonus value (est.) | - | $1,500 |
| Min spend to unlock bonus | $4,000 in 3 mo | $5,000 in 3 mo |
| Issuer | Chase | Chase |
| Card category | hotel | travel |
| Best earning category (Travel) | 6x | 5x |
| Transfer partners | None | chase-ur |
| Headline benefits |
|
|
Mid-tier Marriott card. The 50k free night cert can pay for the fee on a single stay at a Cat 5 property, but Hyatt is a more valuable program for most people, consider that card first.
The best starter travel card, period. Transferable points, solid bonus categories, and a low annual fee make this the card we recommend to almost everyone getting into the points game. Note: the 10% anniversary points bonus sunsets October 1, 2026.
Card details on this page reflect the most recent data we've verified against the issuer's own site. Sign-up bonuses and fees can change at any time, confirm the current offer on the issuer's page before applying.