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 Citi / AAdvantage Executive World Elite Mastercard from Citi at $595/yr. Below: side-by-side specs, an opinionated verdict, and the FAQs people actually ask before applying.
For most people the Citi / AAdvantage Executive World Elite Mastercard is the stronger pick today, the sign-up bonus is meaningfully larger ($980 more in estimated value) than the Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful's. Get the Citi / AAdvantage Executive World Elite Mastercard first; revisit the Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful after you've earned that bonus.
| Feature | Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful | Citi / AAdvantage Executive World Elite Mastercard |
|---|---|---|
| Annual fee | $250 | $595 |
| Sign-up bonus | 85,000 Bonus Points | 70,000 miles |
| Bonus value (est.) | - | $980 |
| Min spend to unlock bonus | $4,000 in 3 mo | $7,000 in 3 mo |
| Issuer | Chase | Citi |
| Card category | hotel | airline |
| Best earning category (Travel) | 6x | 1x |
| Transfer partners | None | None |
| Headline benefits |
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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.
Pure Admirals Club access card. If you spend more than ~$850/year on lounge passes or visit AA hubs frequently, the $595 fee is a layup. The 2024 refresh added ~$360/year in Lyft/Grubhub/Avis credits that often go unclaimed, plus the free checked bag for 9 travelers is undersold for family travelers.
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.