Brilliant 150k + $250: the Marriott card that nearly covers its own fee.
The new welcome offers on the Amex Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant (150,000 points plus $250 statement credit after $6K spend) and Bevy (125,000 points plus $150 credit after $5K spend) cut the previous minimum spend by roughly 25% and add a statement credit that offsets a chunk of the annual fee. The Brilliant's $650 annual fee is partly neutralized by the $300 dining credit and $250 statement credit, making the effective cost low for a card that also delivers an 85K free night award and Platinum status. The Bevy at $250 remains a harder sell without an anniversary free night certificate, though the 4X at restaurants and supermarkets on up to $15K per year is useful. Both offers expire 9/30/2026.
the play
Apply for the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant before September 30 if you value Platinum status, the 85K free night, and can use the dining credits; skip the Bevy unless you specifically need its grocery multiplier.
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source signal
This drop was reframed from a real reader question asked around the web. Written with the assistance of a language model in the voice of Vanessa Bloome.
