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On August 26, 2018, American Express and Chase introduced a complex set of application restrictions for Marriott's co-brand cards, making it much harder for applicants to obtain welcome offers on more than one card.
In most cases, the application rules don’t restrict you from applying for Marriott cards, or holding more than one co-brand card at a time; they apply only to obtaining the welcome bonus.
The new rules layer on top of application restrictions already in place from each provider, including Amex’s ‘once per lifetime per card’ welcome bonus rule and Chase’s 5/24 policy. Each card has a separate policy, and the rules are an elaborate tangle that is bound to trip up even the most switched on points and miles fans.
Application Restrictions for Marriott Bonvoy Credit Cards
To make it a little easier to digest, we’ve transferred the information into the table below and listed the new welcome bonus restrictions next to the card to which they apply. We've only included cards that are open to new applications in the table, as if you are upgrading or downgrading to one of Marriott's other cards, you will not be eligible for the welcome offer in any case.
| CARD | APPLICATION RESTRICTIONS |
|---|---|
| Marriott Bonvoy Bold™ Credit Card | The product is not available to either: 1) current cardmembers of the Marriott Bonvoy™ Premier credit card (also known as Marriott Rewards® Premier), Marriott Bonvoy Boundless™ credit card (also known as Marriott Rewards® Premier Plus), or Marriott Bonvoy Bold™ credit card,OR 2) previous cardmembers of the Marriott Bonvoy™ Premier credit card (also known as Marriott Rewards® Premier), Marriott Bonvoy Boundless™ credit card (also known as Marriott Rewards® Premier Plus), or Marriott Bonvoy Bold™ credit card, who received a new cardmember bonus within the last 24 months. If you are an existing Marriott Rewards Premier or Marriott Bonvoy™ Premier customer and would like this product, call the number on the back of your card to see if you are eligible for an upgrade bonus. ---- The bonus is not available if you're a current cardmember, OR, were a previous cardmember within the last 30 days, of the: • Marriott Bonvoy™ American Express® Card OR applied and were approved for any of the following cards in the last 90 days: • Marriott Bonvoy Business™ American Express® Card (also known as the Starwood Preferred Guest® Business Credit Card from American Express) • Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant™ American Express® Card (also known as the Starwood Preferred Guest® American Express Luxury Card) OR are a current or previous cardmember of the following cards and received a new cardmember bonus within the last 24 months: • Marriott Bonvoy Business™ American Express® Card (also known as the Starwood Preferred Guest® Business Credit Card from American Express) • Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant™ American Express® Card (also known as the Starwood Preferred Guest® American Express Luxury Card) |
| Marriott Bonvoy Boundless™ Credit Card (previously the Marriott Rewards® Premier Plus Credit Card) | The product is not available to either: 1) current cardmembers of the Marriott Bonvoy™ Premier credit card (also known as Marriott Rewards® Premier), Marriott Bonvoy Boundless™ credit card (also known as Marriott Rewards® Premier Plus), or Marriott Bonvoy Bold™ credit card,OR 2) previous cardmembers of the Marriott Bonvoy™ Premier credit card (also known as Marriott Rewards® Premier), Marriott Bonvoy Boundless™ credit card (also known as Marriott Rewards® Premier Plus), or Marriott Bonvoy Bold™ credit card, who received a new cardmember bonus within the last 24 months. If you are an existing Marriott Rewards Premier or Marriott Bonvoy™ Premier customer and would like this product, call the number on the back of your card to see if you are eligible for an upgrade bonus. ---- The bonus is not available if you're a current cardmember, OR, were a previous cardmember within the last 30 days, of the: • Marriott Bonvoy™ American Express® Card OR applied and were approved for any of the following cards in the last 90 days: • Marriott Bonvoy Business™ American Express® Card (also known as the Starwood Preferred Guest® Business Credit Card from American Express) • Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant™ American Express® Card (also known as the Starwood Preferred Guest® American Express Luxury Card) OR are a current or previous cardmember of the following cards and received a new cardmember bonus within the last 24 months: • Marriott Bonvoy Business™ American Express® Card (also known as the Starwood Preferred Guest® Business Credit Card from American Express) • Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant™ American Express® Card (also known as the Starwood Preferred Guest® American Express Luxury Card) |
| Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant™ American Express® Card (previously the Starwood Preferred Guest® American Express Luxury Card) | Welcome offer not available to applicants who have or have had: • Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant™ American Express® Card • Starwood Preferred Guest® American Express Luxury Card OR the following cards in the last 30 days: • The Ritz-Carlton™ Credit Card • J.P. Morgan Ritz-Carlton Rewards® Credit Card OR have acquired any of the following cards from Chase in the last 90 days: • Marriott Bonvoy Boundless™ Credit Card (or the Marriott Rewards® Premier Plus Credit Card) • Marriott Bonvoy Bold™ Credit Card • Marriott Bonvoy™ Premier Credit Card (or the Marriott Rewards® Premier Credit Card) • Marriott Bonvoy™ Premier Plus Business Credit Card (or the Marriott Rewards® Premier Plus Business Credit Card) OR have received a welcome or upgrade offer for any of the following cards from Chase in the last 24 months: • Marriott Bonvoy Boundless™ Credit Card (or the Marriott Rewards® Premier Plus Credit Card) • Marriott Bonvoy Bold™ Credit Card • Marriott Bonvoy™ Premier Credit Card (or the Marriott Rewards® Premier Credit Card) • Marriott Bonvoy™ Premier Plus Business Credit Card (or the Marriott Rewards® Premier Plus Business Credit Card) |
| Marriott Bonvoy Business™ American Express® Card (previously the Starwood Preferred Guest® Business Credit Card from American Express) | Welcome offer not available to applicants who have or have had: • Marriott Bonvoy Business™ American Express® Card • Starwood Preferred Guest® Business Credit Card from American Express OR the following cards in the last 30 days: • Marriott Bonvoy™ Premier Business from Chase (or the Marriott Rewards® Premier Plus Business Credit Card) • Marriott Bonvoy Business™ from Chase (or the Marriott Rewards Business Credit Card) OR have acquired any of the following cards from Chase in the last 90 days: • Marriott Bonvoy Boundless™ Credit Card (or the Marriott Rewards® Premier Plus Credit Card) • Marriott Bonvoy Bold™ Credit Card • Marriott Bonvoy™ Premier Credit Card (or the Marriott Rewards® Premier Credit Card) OR have received a welcome or upgrade offer for any of the following cards from Chase in the last 24 months: • Marriott Bonvoy Boundless™ Credit Card (or the Marriott Rewards® Premier Plus Credit Card) • Marriott Bonvoy Bold™ Credit Card • Marriott Bonvoy™ Premier Credit Card (or the Marriott Rewards® Premier Credit Card) |
What some will find confusing with the new rules is they change depending on what cards you hold now, which you’ve held in the recent past, and those you’ve received a welcome or upgrade bonus on as far back as 24 months ago.
Final Thoughts
With the new rules are in place, it will be much harder to obtain welcome bonuses on cards earning Marriott points.
Before jumping straight into card applications, it’s important to factor in other applicable rules such as Chase’s 5/24 policy and the rule restricting Amex welcome offers to once only per card. Think about your overall application strategy to ensure you're not jumping the gun and foregoing other bonuses by applying for these co-brand cards.
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Thanks for this helpful compilation, much easier to have all these restrictions in table form in one location.
For Chase cards, like the Boundless, Chase will just deny the applicant without a credit inquiry if it’s been within 24 months of earning the welcome/sign-up bonus for the same card. As AMEX is lifetime, does AMEX do the same for an application of the same/similar card? For example, if I don’t remember if I opened a SPG Business card years ago, but try to apply for the Bonvoy Business card. Would the application system automatically detect my prior SPG Business account and deny me the Bonvoy Business without proceeding all the way to the credit check stage of the application?
Much appreciated
Yes! Amex will pop up a window letting you know (when you click apply, but before pulling credit) if you aren’t eligible for the welcome bonus.
If we have the Amex Marriott business card that is still open can we apply for the Chase Boundless card and get the bonus? It has been 24 months since we received the bonus on the Amex Marriott business card. I have read conflicting reports and trying to decide if we really need to cancel the business card. Thanks!
You should be set as long as you only have the Amex Marriott Business Card and earned the bonus more than 24 months ago. That portion of the T&C read: “The bonus is not available to you if you…are a current or previous cardmember of either Marriott Bonvoy Business™ American Express® Card (also known as The Starwood Preferred Guest® Business Credit Card from American Express) or Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant™ American Express® Card (also known as the Starwood Preferred Guest® American Express Luxury Card), and received a new cardmember bonus or upgrade bonus in the last 24 months”
So, if I have an AMEX Marriott Bonvoy Business card, under a tax ID or my social security number, and I have a 2nd business under my name with a 2nd tax ID#, would I be able to apply for any of the cards with this promotion – and get the bonus miles?
Sorry for the delay. You can get the Chase issued Personal cards as long as you didn’t (a.) open the Amex Marriott business card in the past 90 days AND (b.) Didn’t earn a welcome bonus on the Amex Marriott business card in the past 24 months.
For a new Marriott business card, I believe you are not allowed to have more than one, but it’s possible that a different biz ID could be an exception.
WP20: 100,000 Bonvoy points aren’t all that much, as the points themselves have been devalued. Hotels with low point redemptions are usually in places I would generally not visit.
What a load of… from Marriott. What does a SPG biz card have to do with a personal Chase card? Do you know when the 100k offer will end? My wife got the SPG biz April of 2017 and so I’m guessing she didn’t get the bonus until a month or so after that so should we be thinking of applying in May or even June? Or is she ok to apply in April as that will be 2 years?
This is the easiest post I have seen in regards to this, thanks for all your great work to educate!
Quick question, if I have a second business with a second tax ID number, am I eligible for a second SPG Business card?
Yes
Thanks for the cleanest and easiest to read blog on those credit cards! By the way, it’s been exceedingly frustrating to get the SPG and Marriott accounts combined. It seems that everyone needs a NEW SPG number to log in and combine. However, Marriott/SPG has not sent all of those numbers out yet! Calling in yesterday and today….and finally getting the process done was over the top ridiculous! I finally asked for complimentary points …for the hassel….and they gave them! FYI – they probably will not offer…you may want to ASK…and ye shall Receive!
Thank you- very helpful
conclusion is points bonus is getting less and less! but still we love these hotels and will stick to them for long time
I’m really getting tired of hearing about SPG and Marriott and all of the stunts that they pull and all of the switching of the rules!!
Thanks for keeping us informed. I’m ready to look at the glamour and simplicity of Hilton. We just returned from a delightful stay at the Hilton Rose Hall all-inclusive resort in Montego Bay, Jamaica. It is a wonderful family friendly Resort!
Thx , I will let my friend know that he is not going to get bonus miles , he is going to be mad.
Hope to see more options in Canada as well!
I’m sure a lot of people aren’t going to realize this until they apply for a card and don’t get the sign up bonus.
Almost seems like a devaluation. Thanks for the update.
More and more restrictions are taking the opportunities and fun away.
Thanks for the reminder.
Still debating whether to get the new luxury card at this moment…
painful to follow these rules.
Thanks – this is one of the best summaries of this convoluted subject!
Agreed!
Too bad I had AMEX SPG personal and biz before and I don’t do chase. The only choice is the SPG lux card.
thanks for the reminder!
People who are maxed out due to the 5/24 rule should take advantage of this while they can.
Marriott is going to loose alot of patrons between this and the merger devaluation.
Too much power for Marriott!!!!
It’s a lot for sure, but at least we’ve had a good 2 years to “plan.”
We’ll probably see more and more of this in these situations moving forward. Just means we’ll have to be smarter in our plans.
Thanks for the reminder – i can’t follow up on all changes myself!
Quick question – are Amex and Chase working together on this. How does one company know what the other one gives?
Marriott is serving as the intermediary validating accounts.
Thanks for the reminder!
Thank you for the reminder. It is hard to keep up with all the changes towards more difficult restrictions.
The bottom line is points game is getting less and less interesting to play! I miss good old days really.
There will be something new around the corner!
Yes, we must keep the faith that the pendulum simply must swing back at some point. Loyalty programs are very valuable to companies, and they will not want to lose our interest. At some point, they will have to compete for it with quality.