Marriott Bonvoy Bold vs. Hilton Honors American Express Card: Comparing hotel cards with no annual fee

Editor’s note: This is a recurring post, regularly updated with new information and offers. 

There are various travel rewards credit cards with annual fees ranging from zero to several hundred dollars. Credit cards with annual fees tend to have better earning rates, additional travel perks and annual benefits.

While many points and miles enthusiasts prefer the perks that come with premium cards, no-annual-fee cobranded cards can still be a decent option for casual travelers.

If a no-annual-fee hotel credit card is on your radar, consider the Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card (see rates and fees) and the Hilton Honors American Express Card (see rates and fees). Both cards get you entry-level elite status and have comparable bonus categories to help you earn points with every purchase.

Let’s compare the Marriott Bonvoy Bold and Hilton Honors Amex to help you decide which entry-level card best suits your needs.

Marriott Bonvoy Bold vs. Hilton Honors Amex comparison

*Eligibility and benefit levels vary by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for details. Policies are underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company.

**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. 

Marriott Bonvoy Bold vs. Hilton Honors Amex welcome offer

The no-annual-fee Marriott and Hilton cards both have compelling bonus offers.

New Marriott Bonvoy Bold cardholders will earn 60,000 bonus points and a free night award worth up to 50,000 points after spending $2,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening. Certain hotels have resort fees.

The Bold’s welcome bonus is worth up to $770, per TPG’s June 2025 valuations.

This is one of the best offers we’ve seen on this card, so if you’re in the market for a no-annual-fee Bonvoy card, we recommend applying now.

On the other hand, new Hilton Honors Amex cardmembers can earn 100,000 bonus points plus a $100 statement credit after spending $2,000 on purchases in the first six months of card membership.

This is one of the best offers for this card, so it’s a great time to apply if you’re thinking about doing so.

According to TPG’s June 2025 valuations, the Hilton Honors Amex’s welcome bonus is worth $600. That’s a bit less than the Bold’s current welcome offer.

Winner: Bonvoy Bold. Its more valuable welcome bonus makes this card the clear winner.

Related: This month’s best welcome offers

Marriott Bonvoy Bold vs. Hilton Honors Amex benefits

Both cards provide entry-level elite status, which is useful when looking to start a commitment with a hotel loyalty program. The Marriott Bonvoy Bold provides automatic Silver Elite status, which includes basic perks like a 10% bonus on points earned for Marriott stays, priority late checkout (when available) and complimentary Wi-Fi.

The Hilton Honors Amex’s complimentary Silver status also includes similar entry-level perks, including a 20% point bonus and elite rollover nights. These are useful when trying to maximize Hilton’s fifth night free on award stays.

Luckily, both cards also offer a pathway to higher elite status. The Bonvoy Bold gives you five elite night credits annually to help you earn a higher status. The elite night credits earned from this card can be stacked with elite night credits earned from the Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card to bring you closer to higher elite status with Marriott.

The Hilton Amex grants cardmembers automatic Gold status through the end of the next calendar year after they spend $20,000 on the card in a calendar year.

For anyone who plans to use either card frequently, this can be a great option to unlock an elite tier that’s much more rewarding. However, you might be sacrificing value by not making those purchases with a card that’s good for everyday spending.

Similarly, both cards have no foreign transaction fees, so you can use either card when traveling outside the U.S. without incurring fees. Both cards also come with a decent list of travel and purchase protections, with the Marriott Bonvoy Bold taking the lead.

The Bold comes with baggage delay insurance, lost luggage reimbursement and trip delay reimbursement coverage, along with purchase protection. These are impressive benefits compared to the Hilton Honors Amex, which only provides purchase protection*, extended warranties* and car rental insurance.**

That’s especially true when considering that no-annual-fee cards typically don’t come with extensive travel protections.

*Eligibility and benefit levels vary by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for details. Policies are underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company.

**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. 

Winner: Marriott Bonvoy Bold. It has more travel protections and an easier path to higher elite status without a minimum spending requirement.

Earning points with the Marriott Bonvoy Bold vs. Hilton Honors Amex

The Marriott Bonvoy Bold earns points at the following rates:

• 3 points per dollar spent on eligible purchases at properties participating in the Marriott Bonvoy program
• 2 points per dollar spent on groceries; ride-hailing services; select food delivery services; and select streaming, internet, cable and phone services
• 1 point per dollar spent on other purchases

It’s important to remember that although this card earns 3 points per dollar spent on Marriott purchases, being a Marriott Bonvoy member gives you a bonus 11 points per dollar spent on Marriott purchases, thanks to Silver Elite status.

This brings the earning potential for Marriott purchases up to 14 points per dollar spent when using the Bonvoy Bold, a 9.8% return on spending according to TPG’s June 2025 valuations.

Meanwhile, the Hilton Honors Amex earns 7 points per dollar spent on eligible purchases made directly with Hilton portfolio properties. This includes paying for the room and on-site spending at US restaurants and spas.

Like the Bonvoy Bold, the Hilton Honors Amex earns more than just the base points with Hilton purchases. Thanks to their complimentary Hilton Honors Silver status, cardmembers also earn an additional 12 points per dollar spent, for a total of 19 points per dollar spent (a 9.5% return on spending, according to TPG’s June 2025 valuations).

The Hilton Honors beats the Marriott Bonvoy Bold on non-hotel spending as you earn 5 points per dollar spent at U.S. restaurants (including takeout and delivery), U.S. supermarkets and U.S. gas stations and 3 points per dollar spent everywhere else.

Despite Hilton Honors points being valued slightly less than Bonvoy points, the card offers more opportunities to earn points. However, we don’t recommend using a hotel credit card for nonbonus spending unless you’re trying to earn elite status or a welcome bonus.

Winner: Hilton Honors Amex. It comes with better earning rates in popular spending categories.

Related: The best no-annual-fee hotel credit cards

Redeeming points with the Marriott Bonvoy Bold vs. Hilton Honors Amex

As a Marriott Bonvoy Bold cardholder, you can, of course, redeem points for Marriott stays. Or, you can transfer them to a long list of airline partners. However, using your points for free nights at Marriott hotels usually gives you the best value.

Marriott has a dynamic pricing model for its redemptions, which means rates fluctuate based on various factors, including cash rates. To stretch your points further, you can maximize the Marriott Cash + Points rate, which allows you to split the cost between points and cash. If you’re short on points, this can help you cover your entire stay.

Best of all, Marriott also provides a free night benefit on award bookings. When redeeming points for a stay of five consecutive nights, you’ll be eligible for the “Stay for 5, Pay for 4” benefit, which gives members the lowest-cost award night for free.

TPG credit cards writer Chris Nelson recently redeemed 47,000 Bonvoy points per night for a three-night stay at the JW Marriott Hotel Beijing.

Hilton Honors redemptions are quite similar to Marriott Bonvoy’s, since award nights are also dynamically priced.

The Hilton Honors program also provides a fifth free night on award stays as an elite member, so it’s best to research different dates for your property of interest to get the best value for your hard-earned points. Unlike Marriott Bonvoy, Hilton Honors has a nifty tool, Points Explorer, to help you find award prices based on location or types of vacations you’re interested in.

TPG credit cards writer Augusta Stone recently redeemed 130,000 Hilton Honors points for a two-night stay at Canopy by Hilton London City. This is a great redemption as the property is within walking distance of the Tower Bridge.

As a rule of thumb, make sure to calculate how many points you’ll need for a stay to help determine if redeeming points is worth it versus paying cash. I’ve amassed nearly 800,000 Bonvoy points and am contemplating redeeming them for a stay in the usually expensive Maldives or transferring my points to an airline to redeem for premium-cabin airfare.

Related: The credit cards that help fuel my luxury travel

Winner: Marriott Bonvoy Bold. Marriott has more properties in total, so it should be easier to find redemptions for your points.

Should I get the Marriott Bonvoy Bold or Hilton Honors Amex?

The Marriott Bonvoy Bold and Hilton Honors Amex are entry-level cobranded hotel cards that offer decent value for being no-annual-fee credit cards. If you’re not after top-tier elite status and are looking for just the basics or are just starting out with a hotel credit card, you can’t go wrong with either option. The choice comes down to which brand you prefer and whether either card’s limited perks will be of use to you.

Related: How to choose a hotel credit card

Bottom line

The Marriott Bonvoy Bold Credit Card and Hilton Honors American Express Card are entry-level, no-annual-fee cards that deliver basic benefits and some travel protections. Even though these cards provide a pathway to a higher elite status, they aren’t anything spectacular.

Frequent travelers could find it worthwhile to apply for a cobranded card with a higher annual fee to access many more benefits.

As a frequent traveler, I do not have a cobranded hotel card. However, I do have The Platinum Card® from American Express, which provides me with Gold elite status with both Marriott and Hilton and makes the card worth it (enrollment required). This could be a card worth considering if you want elite status with both brands and premium travel perks.

That said, if you’re just starting out, these cards are a good choice to start your loyalty journey with either program.

To learn more, read our full reviews of the Marriott Bonvoy Bold and the Hilton Honors Amex.

Apply here: Marriott Bonvoy Bold
Apply here: Hilton Honors Amex

For rates and fees of the Hilton Honors Amex, please click here.