Fantastic news for folks who use Marriott, Ritz-Carlton, or Starwood points!
You can now earn 100,000 Marriott points with the increased sign-up bonus on the Marriott Rewards® Premier Credit Card after completing minimum spending requirements. That’s 20,000 more points than the previous offer!
And if you recently applied or are planning to apply for the limited time AMEX Starwood offer (available until April 5, 2017), you could have a total of 225,000 Marriott points! That’s enough for 5 award nights at the Scrub Island Resort, Spa & Marina, Autograph Collection.
I’ll share details of the improved sign-up bonus. And help you decide if you should apply!
Marriott 100,000-Point Sign-Up Bonus
Link: Marriott Rewards® Premier Credit Card
With the Chase Marriott card, you’ll earn 100,000 Marriott points after spending $5,000 on purchases within the first 3 months of account opening.
The previous offer was 80,000 Marriott points with a $3,000 minimum spending requirement. I think the higher spending requirement is worth it to earn the increased sign-up bonus!
For example, the extra 20,000 points is worth a free night at Marriott hotels like the Residence Inn Irvine Spectrum in Irvine, California.
Along with the higher sign-up bonus, you’ll also get:
- 1 free night in a Category 1 to 5 Marriott hotel on your card anniversary
- 5X Marriott points per $1 spent at Marriott, Ritz-Carlton, and Starwood hotels
- 2X Marriott points per $1 at restaurants, on car rentals, and airline tickets purchased directly from the airline
- 1X Marriott point per $1 spent on all other purchases
- NO foreign transaction fees
- 15 nights credit towards elite status (so you get Marriott Silver status)
And you can earn another 7,500 bonus Marriott points when you add an authorized user and make a purchase within the first 3 months of opening your account. But keep in mind, the new card will count toward the authorized user’s “5/24” card limit with Chase.
The $85 annual fee is NOT waived for the first year.
Is This a Good Deal?
Link: Marriott Award Chart
This offer is a terrific deal!
After completing the minimum spending, you’ll have at least 105,000 Marriott points (100,000 point sign-up bonus + 5,000 points from minimum spending).
And there are plenty of ways to use these points for Big Travel!
For example, 105,000 Marriott points is enough for:
- 3 nights at a Category 7 Marriott (35,000 Marriott points per night), like the JW Marriott Guanacaste Resort & Spa in Costa Rica
- 4 nights at a Category 5 Marriott (25,000 Marriott points per night), like the Courtyard Phoenix Camelback
- Or splurge for a special occasion with 2 nights at a Tier 3 Ritz-Carlton (50,000 Ritz-Carlton or Marriott points per night) like the The Ritz-Carlton, Marina del Rey
Remember, you can also link your Marriott and Starwood accounts and instantly transfer points between your Starwood and Marriott accounts at a 3:1 ratio. So 105,000 Marriott points are worth 35,000 Starwood points.
I’ve written how you can use 35,000 Starwood points for a week-long hotel stay. Or for award nights at top Starwood hotels in Mexico and the Caribbean.
Combine With the Limited Time AMEX Starwood Offer for Even More Big Travel!
Link: Starwood Preferred Guest® Credit Card from American Express
Link: Starwood Preferred Guest® Business Credit Card from American Express
Link: Limited Time: Best-Ever 35,000 Point Sign-Up Bonus With AMEX Starwood Cards Returns!
If you’re looking to really boost your Marriott or Starwood points balance, you can consider getting the Chase Marriott card AND the AMEX Starwood card.
Because until April 5, 2017, you can earn a total of 35,000 Starwood points with the AMEX Starwood personal or small business card after meeting tiered minimum spending requirements.
I’d only recommend this if you’re comfortable meeting the spending requirements on both cards.
With just 2 card sign-up bonuses, you can earn at least 75,000 Starwood points or 225,000 Marriott points after meeting the minimum spending requirements.
You’ll earn 40,000 Starwood points with the AMEX Starwood card (35,000 point sign-up bonus + 5,000 points from minimum spending). That’s equal to 120,000 Marriott points with the 1:3 ratio.
And you’ll have 105,000 Marriott points from the Chase Marriott card. (100,000 point sign-up bonus + 5,000 points from minimum spending). That’s the same as 35,000 Starwood points.
That’s enough Marriott points to book 3 nights at the most spectacular Tier 5 Ritz-Carlton hotels.
Or you might redeem the Starwood points for a Disney World Package.
Consider you can also transfer Starwood points to airline partners for award flights on American Airlines, Alaska Airlines, Delta, Emirates, and many more!
Don’t forget to check out my post about making the most of your Starwood and Marriott points after the merger.
Before You Apply, Consider Chase Application Rules
Link: Rules for Chase Credit Card Approvals & What to Do About It!
It’s difficult to get approved for most Chase cards, including the Chase Marriott card, if you’ve opened ~5 or more credit cards (from any bank) in the past 24 months (excluding certain business cards).
If you’re not sure how long you’ve had certain cards, here’s an easy way to check your Chase 5/24 status.
For folks who previously had the Chase Marriott card, you might be eligible to earn the sign-up bonus again. But 24 months must have passed since the last time you earned the sign-up bonus.
And if you have the Marriott Rewards Premier Business Credit Card, you can still apply and earn the sign-up bonus with the personal version because it’s considered a different card product!
Bottom Line
You can now earn 100,000 Marriott points from the Chase Marriott card when you sign-up and meet minimum spending requirements.This is an excellent deal because you can use the points for award stays at Marriott, Ritz-Carlton, and Starwood hotels.
For example, the sign-up bonus is worth 2 award nights at the Scrub Island Resort, Spa & Marina, Autograph Collection where Emily recently stayed.
Keep in mind, this card is impacted by Chase’s tougher application rules.
How would you spend 100,000 Marriott points?