Marriott is the world’s largest lodge chain, with over 9,000 properties worldwide, and when I’m touring, more often than not I discover myself unlocking one in every of its lodge room doorways.
Marriott affords six cobranded bank cards between two issuers, American Specific and Chase. Though I’ve Marriott Titanium elite standing, you is perhaps stunned to study that my favourite card for paying for my Marriott stays is not a Marriott card in any respect — it is the Chase Sapphire Most popular® Card (see charges and costs).
For a restricted time, new Sapphire Most popular candidates can earn the highest-ever welcome provide in years of 100,000 bonus factors after spending $5,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening. This provide ends Could 15 at 9 a.m. EDT. Based mostly on TPG’s Could 2025 valuations, that is value a whopping $2,050.
Let’s dive into why I select to make use of my Sapphire Most popular as a substitute of a cobranded Marriott card for my stays.
Why is Marriott my go-to lodge chain?
I am a frequent worldwide traveler, and Marriott lodge manufacturers are usually essentially the most available properties in my expertise. There have been some cities I’ve visited the place the one main lodge chain property was beneath the Marriott portfolio. Moreover, I’ve held Marriott Bonvoy Titanium Elite standing since 2022 and try to keep up that yearly. The primary perks of Titanium Elite standing which can be helpful to me embrace:
Whereas the latter two advantages additionally include Platinum Elite standing, which in my view is the very best candy spot lodge standing, the United Silver elite standing is just discovered with Titanium Elite standing and up. It’s extremely helpful to me since I fly United Airways a good variety of occasions all year long, and over the previous few years, I’ve been teetering on the road between incomes and never incomes standing. Having Titanium Elite standing ensures I’ll at all times have some airline standing.
Associated: How Marriott and United elite members can use RewardsPlus to standing match and convert rewards
Why the Sapphire Most popular as a substitute of a Marriott card?
You could ask why the Sapphire Most popular is my go-to card for Marriott stays. Merely put, it is due to its incomes fee of two factors per greenback spent on journey and the worth of Chase Final Rewards factors, which TPG’s Could 2025 valuations peg at 2.05 cents a bit. This implies I get a 4.1% return on my Marriott spending.
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Moreover, having Titanium Elite standing means I earn an extra 17.5 Bonvoy factors per greenback spent on most Marriott stays (it may be much less for those who’re staying at an extended-stay model or choose different properties).
5 of the six Marriott Bonvoy playing cards earn 6 factors per greenback spent at Marriott lodges, with the no-annual-fee Marriott Bonvoy Daring® Credit score Card (see charges and costs) incomes simply 3 factors per greenback spent on Marriott stays.
Marriott Bonvoy factors are value 0.7 cents every in keeping with TPG’s Could 2025 valuations, so incomes 6 factors per greenback equates to a 4.2% return on spending.
Here is a quick breakdown evaluating the earnings of Sapphire Most popular and the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® (see charges and costs):
| Chase Sapphire Most popular | Marriott Bonvoy Boundless | |
|---|---|---|
| Incomes fee on Marriott stays | 2 Final Rewards factors per greenback (4.1% return)* | 6 Bonvoy factors per greenback (4.2% return)* |
| Titanium Elite standing bonus (17.5 factors per greenback on most stays) | 17.5 factors per greenback (12.25% return)* | 17.5 factors per greenback (12.25% return)* |
| Complete return on spending* | 19.5 factors (16.35% return)* | 23.5 factors (16.45% return)* |
*Based mostly on TPG’s Could 2025 valuations
By utilizing the Sapphire Most popular, I solely sacrifice 0.1% in bonus earnings, which is effectively value it. Given their immense flexibility, I might a lot slightly earn Chase Final Rewards factors than Marriott Bonvoy factors.
I can switch the factors earned with my Sapphire Most popular to Chase’s 14 lodge and airline companions, together with Marriott. Peridically, Chase even affords switch bonuses for Marriott; simply final month there was a 50% switch bonus.
Moreover, the Chase Sapphire Most popular provides me a 10% anniversary factors bonus, giving me 10% bonus factors on my whole spending on the cardboard that 12 months, which additional incentivizes me to spend on my Sapphire Most popular.
And for those who’re questioning why I do not go for the Chase Sapphire Reserve® (see charges and costs), with its 3 factors per greenback spent on journey, it is as a result of I’m not eligible for a Sapphire card welcome bonus as I opened my Sapphire Most popular in 2022.
I additionally do not need to improve to the Reserve as a result of I must pay a considerably increased annual payment and lose the chance to earn a welcome bonus within the close to future.
Associated: 11 causes to decide on the Chase Sapphire Most popular over the fancier Chase Sapphire Reserve
Why do not I’ve a Marriott card?
Since Marriott is my go-to lodge chain and I maintain Titanium Elite standing, it might appear shocking that I do not maintain a Marriott cobranded card. I’ve thought of getting a Marriott bank card previously, and the one which was at all times on the high of my checklist was the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless. This was because of the cheap $95 annual payment and the annual free night time certificates.
Listed below are the explanation why I do not at present have a Marriott bank card:
- I earn elite standing organically, so I do not want the bonus nights or automated elite standing offered by the bank cards.
- The free night time certificates is changing into tougher to make use of because of frequent devaluations as properties increase redemption costs.
- Most significantly, I’m at present above Chase’s 5/24 rule.
Incomes elite standing
It’s simple for me to earn Marriott Titanium Elite standing organically, as I simply want to remain 75 nights per 12 months at a Marriott. That will seem to be loads, however yearly from mid-February to April, Marriott runs a double-night promotion the place for every paid night time you keep, you will earn a bonus elite night time credit score.
I stayed 24 nights throughout this promotion this 12 months and earned 48 elite night time credit. Presently, I’m at 51 elite nights this 12 months, which has requalified me for Platinum Elite standing.
I solely want 24 extra nights to requalify for Titanium Elite standing. Marriott bank cards provide 5, 15 or 25 elite night time credit, relying on the cardboard — however I have already got stays deliberate for the remainder of the 12 months that might simply requalify me for Titanium Elite standing, so I do not want these credit.
The following-highest tier of elite standing is Ambassador Elite, and that’s out of attain for me as I will not organically meet the necessities of 100 nights and $23,000 in eligible spending.
Free night time certificates
Moreover, the free night time certificates provided on the Bonvoy Boundless Card could be exhausting for me to make use of. It’s value as much as 35,000 factors per night time, or about $245 primarily based on TPG’s Could 2025 valuations. This free night time certificates might be topped up with 15,000 factors for a complete of fifty,000 factors.
Though this greater than covers the annual payment, current devaluations to Marriott Bonvoy have made these awards tougher to make use of.
The issue lies with the redemption worth both being too low for me to really feel I received enough worth, or the property being proper exterior the edge for me to high up these free night time awards.
I’ve just a few 40,000-point free night time certificates I earned as my Titanium Elite Annual Alternative Profit, and I’m having problem utilizing them, so a 35,000-point free night time certificates could be much more troublesome to make use of. Moreover, lots of the lodges I keep at provide higher worth by simply paying money versus redeeming a free night time certificates or factors.
The notorious 5/24 rule
Lastly, I’m above 5/24, so I might not get permitted for any Chase playing cards in the mean time, making me ineligible for 3 of the six playing cards. I might probably apply for an Amex Marriott card, just like the Marriott Bonvoy Sensible® American Specific® Card, however I am not significantly excited about any of the advantages offered by the cardboard, as I earn them organically or by way of one other bank card.
Associated: Why I am maintaining my Marriott Bonvoy Boundless for the long run
Backside line
Marriott has a handful of nice cobranded card choices, however they have not earned a spot in my pockets. Perhaps as soon as I’m beneath 5/24, I’ll rethink including a Marriott card.
Even then, I might seemingly select to enroll in playing cards that earn a transferable foreign money, as I typically have problem discovering good worth when redeeming Marriott factors. For now, I will stick with utilizing my Chase Sapphire Most popular to pay for my Marriott stays.
To study extra, learn our full opinions of the Chase Sapphire Most popular and Marriott Bonvoy Boundless.
Final probability: Chase Sapphire Most popular — 100,000-point bonus after spending $5,000 on purchases throughout the first three months of account opening.
