Evaluating the Marriott Bonvoy Daring and Hilton Honors Amex

There are numerous travel rewards credit cards with annual charges starting from zero to a number of hundred {dollars}. Bank cards with annual charges are likely to have higher incomes charges, extra journey perks and annual advantages.

Whereas many factors and miles lovers choose the perks that include premium playing cards, no-annual-fee cobranded cards can nonetheless be an honest possibility for informal vacationers.

If a no-annual-fee resort bank card is in your radar, think about the Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card (see rates and fees) and the Hilton Honors American Express Card (see rates and fees). Each playing cards get you entry-level elite standing and have comparable bonus classes that can assist you earn factors with each buy.

Let’s examine the Marriott Bonvoy Daring and Hilton Honors Amex that can assist you determine which entry-level card most accurately fits your wants.

New Marriott Bonvoy Bold cardholders will earn 60,000 bonus factors and a free evening award value as much as 50,000 factors after spending $2,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening. Sure accommodations have resort charges.

The Daring’s welcome bonus is value as much as $770, per TPG’s June 2025 valuations.

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That is one in all the best offers we have seen on this card, so if you happen to’re out there for a no-annual-fee Bonvoy card, we suggest making use of now.

However, new Hilton Honors Amex cardmembers can earn 100,000 bonus factors plus a $100 assertion credit score after spending $2,000 on purchases within the first six months of card membership.

This is without doubt one of the best offers for this card, so it is a good time to use if you happen to’re fascinated with doing so.

In line with TPG’s June 2025 valuations, the Hilton Honors Amex’s welcome bonus is value $600. That is a bit lower than the Daring’s present welcome provide.

Winner: Bonvoy Daring. Its extra precious welcome bonus makes this card the clear winner.

Associated: This month’s best welcome offers

Each playing cards present entry-level elite standing, which is beneficial when seeking to begin a dedication with a resort loyalty program. The Marriott Bonvoy Bold offers computerized Silver Elite status, which incorporates primary perks like a ten% bonus on factors earned for Marriott stays, precedence late checkout (when accessible) and complimentary Wi-Fi.

The Hilton Honors Amex’s complimentary Silver status additionally contains related entry-level perks, together with a 20% level bonus and elite rollover nights. These are helpful when attempting to maximise Hilton’s fifth night free on award stays.

Fortunately, each playing cards additionally provide a pathway to greater elite standing. The Bonvoy Daring offers you 5 elite evening credit yearly that can assist you earn a better standing. The elite evening credit earned from this card can be stacked with elite evening credit earned from the Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card to convey you nearer to greater elite standing with Marriott.

The Hilton Amex grants cardmembers computerized Gold standing by means of the tip of the subsequent calendar yr after they spend $20,000 on the cardboard in a calendar yr.

For anybody who plans to make use of both card continuously, this could be a nice choice to unlock an elite tier that is far more rewarding. Nonetheless, you could be sacrificing worth by not making these purchases with a card that is good for everyday spending.

Equally, each playing cards have no foreign transaction fees, so you need to use both card when touring outdoors the U.S. with out incurring charges. Each playing cards additionally include an honest record of journey and buy protections, with the Marriott Bonvoy Daring taking the lead.

The Daring comes with baggage delay insurance, misplaced baggage reimbursement and trip delay reimbursement coverage, together with purchase protection. These are spectacular advantages in comparison with the Hilton Honors Amex, which solely offers purchase protection*, extended warranties* and car rental insurance.**

That is very true when contemplating that no-annual-fee playing cards sometimes do not include in depth journey protections.

*Eligibility and profit ranges fluctuate by card. Phrases, situations and limitations apply. Go to americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for particulars. Insurance policies are underwritten by AMEX Assurance Firm.

**Eligibility and Profit degree varies by Card. Phrases, Situations and Limitations Apply. Please go to americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for extra particulars. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Firm. Automotive Rental Loss or Injury Protection is obtainable by means of American Categorical Journey Associated Providers Firm, Inc.

Winner: Marriott Bonvoy Daring. It has extra journey protections and a better path to greater elite standing with out a minimal spending requirement.

The Marriott Bonvoy Bold earns factors on the following charges:

• 3 factors per greenback spent on eligible purchases at properties taking part within the Marriott Bonvoy program
• 2 factors per greenback spent on groceries; ride-hailing providers; choose meals supply providers; and choose streaming, web, cable and telephone providers
• 1 level per greenback spent on different purchases

It is necessary to keep in mind that though this card earns 3 factors per greenback spent on Marriott purchases, being a Marriott Bonvoy member offers you a bonus 11 factors per greenback spent on Marriott purchases, due to Silver Elite standing.

This brings the incomes potential for Marriott purchases as much as 14 factors per greenback spent when utilizing the Bonvoy Daring, a 9.8% return on spending in accordance with TPG’s June 2025 valuations.

In the meantime, the Hilton Honors Amex earns 7 factors per greenback spent on eligible purchases made straight with Hilton portfolio properties. This contains paying for the room and on-site spending at US eating places and spas.

Just like the Bonvoy Daring, the Hilton Honors Amex earns extra than simply the bottom factors with Hilton purchases. Because of their complimentary Hilton Honors Silver standing, cardmembers additionally earn a further 12 factors per greenback spent, for a complete of 19 factors per greenback spent (a 9.5% return on spending, in accordance with TPG’s June 2025 valuations).

The Hilton Honors beats the Marriott Bonvoy Daring on non-hotel spending as you earn 5 factors per greenback spent at U.S. eating places (together with takeout and supply), U.S. supermarkets and U.S. fuel stations and three factors per greenback spent in every single place else.

Regardless of Hilton Honors factors being valued barely lower than Bonvoy factors, the cardboard affords extra alternatives to earn factors. Nonetheless, we do not suggest utilizing a resort bank card for nonbonus spending except you are attempting to earn elite standing or a welcome bonus.

Winner: Hilton Honors Amex. It comes with higher incomes charges in fashionable spending classes.

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

As a Marriott Bonvoy Bold cardholder, you may, in fact, redeem factors for Marriott stays. Or, you may transfer them to a long list of airline partners. Nonetheless, utilizing your factors without cost nights at Marriott accommodations normally offers you the most effective worth.

Marriott has a dynamic pricing mannequin for its redemptions, which implies charges fluctuate primarily based on numerous components, together with money charges. To stretch your factors additional, you may maximize the Marriott Cash + Points rate, which lets you cut up the associated fee between factors and money. If you happen to’re quick on factors, this might help you cowl your total keep.

Better of all, Marriott additionally offers a free evening profit on award bookings. When redeeming factors for a keep of 5 consecutive nights, you will be eligible for the “Stay for 5, Pay for 4” benefit, which provides members the lowest-cost award evening without cost.

TPG bank cards author Chris Nelson not too long ago redeemed 47,000 Bonvoy factors per evening for a three-night keep on the JW Marriott Lodge Beijing.

Hilton Honors redemptions are fairly much like Marriott Bonvoy’s, since award nights are additionally dynamically priced.

The Hilton Honors program additionally offers a fifth free evening on award stays as an elite member, so it is best to analysis totally different dates to your property of curiosity to get the most effective worth to your hard-earned factors. Not like Marriott Bonvoy, Hilton Honors has a nifty software, Points Explorer, that can assist you discover award costs primarily based on location or varieties of holidays you are occupied with.

TPG bank cards author Augusta Stone not too long ago redeemed 130,000 Hilton Honors factors for a two-night keep at Cover by Hilton London Metropolis. This can be a nice redemption because the property is inside strolling distance of the Tower Bridge.

As a rule of thumb, be sure that to calculate what number of factors you will want for a keep to assist decide if redeeming factors is value it versus paying money. I’ve amassed almost 800,000 Bonvoy factors and am considering redeeming them for a keep within the normally costly Maldives or transferring my factors to an airline to redeem for premium-cabin airfare.

Associated: The credit cards that help fuel my luxury travel

Winner: Marriott Bonvoy Daring. Marriott has extra properties in whole, so it ought to be simpler to search out redemptions to your factors.

The Marriott Bonvoy Bold and Hilton Honors Amex are entry-level cobranded resort playing cards that supply first rate worth for being no-annual-fee bank cards. If you happen to’re not after top-tier elite standing and are in search of simply the fundamentals or are simply beginning out with a resort bank card, you may’t go incorrect with both possibility. The selection comes all the way down to which model you favor and whether or not both card’s restricted perks will probably be of use to you.

Associated: How to choose a hotel credit card

The Marriott Bonvoy Bold Credit Card and Hilton Honors American Express Card are entry-level, no-annual-fee playing cards that ship primary advantages and a few journey protections. Regardless that these playing cards present a pathway to a better elite standing, they are not something spectacular.

Frequent vacationers may discover it worthwhile to use for a cobranded card with a better annual charge to entry many extra advantages.

As a frequent traveler, I do not need a cobranded resort card. Nonetheless, I do have The Platinum Card® from American Express, which offers me with Gold elite status with each Marriott and Hilton and makes the cardboard value it (enrollment required). This might be a card value contemplating if you need elite standing with each manufacturers and premium travel perks.

That mentioned, if you happen to’re simply beginning out, these playing cards are a sensible choice to start out your loyalty journey with both program.

To study extra, learn our full critiques of the Marriott Bonvoy Bold and the Hilton Honors Amex.

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

For charges and charges of the Hilton Honors Amex, please click on here.