HUGE Updates to Amex Bonvoy Brilliant ($650 Annual Fee)

Huge changes to the Amex Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant and what it means for you.
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Timeline
0:00 Start Here
0:38 Bonvoy Brilliant Changes
7:34 Card Benefits
13:42 Major Flaws

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The content in this video is accurate as of the posting date. Some of the offers mentioned may no longer be available

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[robertscott]

The platinum status alone puts it in the keeper card category for me...(the annual certificate helps too). One has to wonder what's going to happen with the Hilton Aspire? Right now the perks it provides are insane compared to the AF. I hope it doesn't jump to $650 too.

[Flyguy]

I’m trying to see if it’s worth it to give up my grandfathered Amex Bonvoy and upgrade to this. 🤦‍♂️

[soyeanlee]

Help Plz! Welcome Offer not eligible (Bonvoy Brilliant).

I don't believe I did anything to make myself not eligible for the welcome offer on Bonvoy Brilliant, but I guess I did somehow. I own three Americanexpress cards and have been using it for a while. 1) Blue Cash (never use it - opened it almost 10 years ago) 2) Hilton Surpass Card (main card currently using) 3) Delta Blue Card (I used to have one level up and downgraded 2 years ago when travel is restricted during covid - don't use it often).

After talking to Amex representative, one thing that may cause this is that I have Chase Bonvoy credit card which is my main card. would having chase bonvoy card can impact welcome offer eligibility on Amex card just because they are both Bonvoy? if that so, what's the action I can take (I like Brilliant better than Chase, so if cancelling chase helps, I am willing to do so). Just don't want to cancel and still not eligible for welcome offer... Is there anyway I can know how to act on this?

FYI - I never had Amex Bonvoy card before in my life..

[jcbadgett]

🧽 Dislike: breakage on the $300 restaurant credit. The $300 Marriott Statement Credit was better.
Like: 85K free night certificate. It was weird to me that the premium Marriott card was capped at 50K. The question moving forward, can you get any availability to use your free night certificate at a cat 7/8 hotel?

[nyrehman]

I just signed up for the card today, does that mean I won't get the free hotel stay until next year May 2025?

[NewSnack]

Great video. Just want to add that the status along with the card earn you up to 21 bonvoy points when staying with marriott (10 base bonvoy points * 50% boost w/ platinum status + 6 points that the card gives you).

[alanxu]

The platinum status is absolutely a game changer here. Free breakfast and possible suite upgrades are super attractive to me. I normally travel 5-10 times annually, not frequent enough to gain that platinum status, but more than frequent enough to use up all the benefits coming from my chase Marriott boundless card and Amex Plat. An enhanced platinum status will certainly encourage me have this card in the future.

[TravisGafford]

Having to track the food credit each month seems like such a pain.

[haijimmyha]

🧽yO Sebs! Love your stuff as usual! Surprised you didn't mention anything about the Marriott Lifetime status.. Maybe content for another video? Would love to hear your preference between the different hotel reward programs - Marriott vs Hilton vs Hyatt.. etc.

[jdawg]

Overall I am happy with the new card because I typically get the most value out of increased status and stay points multipliers associated with higher status, and I don’t mind paying more for that as long as the annual fee is offset by credits. However, I am bummed about the $300 dining credit change because I much preferred the hotel stay credit, which was easy to knock out after one trip early in the year. Plus I will now have to forego earning 5X points on my Citi Prestige to chase those $25 monthly dining credits.

[tbyashi]

Literally cancelled the card a month ago prior to the announced changes, due to the change regarding the hotel credit. But once they announced the changes I don’t really regret my decision. When I had platinum status it was hardly acknowledged and didn’t see much of a difference between gold and titanium besides a welcome gift of chocolates.

[mintico]

Don’t really care about the AF. The instant platinum status easily offset the $650 AF

I value instant platinum elite status @ $1200 easily

[jimmyjames]

I'll stick with my Ritz Carlton for now. Thanks for the info + video!

[TXCraig]

I stayed as a platinum for over 10 years and stayed over 700 lifetime days to achieve lifetime Platinum status... now anyone with a pulse and this card can have platinum.... boo!

[szearc]

I think alot of people may be aspirational travellers for hotels but not for flights... Eg. families with a couple kids - first or business class plane tickets make little sense when you need 4 separate tickets but staying in an aspirational hotel with 2 double beds and possible suite upgrades at amazing properties is well worth it. For this reason I will always book economy on flights but book really nice hotels for family travel.

For this reason, I really like this update. I experienced Bonvoy platinum for the first time this year (got platinum status for the first time due to a signup bonus during COVID), and it is a significant improvement over Bonvoy gold imho. Both my wife and I have the Brilliant card and this is a keeper... We both also have the Aspire and its such a huge value having top elite statuses at both Hilton (diamond) and Marriott (platinum).

[aarontheblackfox]

I love statement credits for food/dining. I travel for work and I get per diem. I submit receipts and get reimbursed. My employer isn't going to know if I got the statement credit or not. Same with the gold/plat Uber credit. They just see I paid. Then I get the full amount of the meal in the bank on pay day.

[SPat]

50k certificate was worth the $150 for me. 85k certificate isn't worth the $350 for me since if I want to stay multiple nights, I'm paying the cash rate for the second and later nights.

[sdallnct]

Wow…think I’m a bit disappointed. I’m about to hit year 2 with this card. I already earned Lifetime Titanium prior to getting the card, and Ambassador now. I preferred the $300 for Marriott properties and now AF of $650. I’m going to keep for now…as u say the certificate (if used right) could pay the entire AF. And I can throw on $25 a month on my Starbucks card. But now I’m thinking of getting the Hilton card. Seems better overall benefits now.

[randomsonmymind]

Thanks sebby. Will you make a video comparing this to the ritz carlton card?

[LK_EBM]

Your reviews are the best! Most other YouTubers just read out the perks, without any assessment of the card. Thanks for being critical and giving us a deep give!