Travel rewards are a difficult conversation when hardly anyone is traveling. It gets even more complicated when annual fees and lost benefits, like complimentary annual hotel nights come into play, with no clear end date in sight.
To smooth things over, Marriott and American Express have added big spending benefits to their suite of Marriott Bonvoy American Express cards, including earning 10X points on things people find themselves buying locally.
Up To 75,000 Points From 10X Spending
After hooking cardmembers up with increased earning and statement credits for takeout, delivery and supermarket spending in May, June and July, Amex is back with fresh benefits for Marriott Bonvoy American Express Cards through the end of October, including…
- 10x at U.S. Gas Stations
- 10x at U.S. Restaurants
- 10x on eligible purchases at participating Marriott Bonvoy hotels
With everyone and their brother taking up the good ole’ American pastime of renting an RV and traveling in their own literal bubbles, that 10X at gas stations is sure to come in handy, as will the 10X at US restaurants.
Of course, restaurant take out would count too, if you’re still keeping your distance.
The offer is capped at a combined $7,500 in spending, for a grand total of up to 75,000 Marriott Bonvoy Points. With most Marriott Bonvoy hotels currently offering off peak points pricing for the foreseeable future, that could be quite a lucrative haul.
Yep, that $7,500 in spending could return a “free night” at a hotel with a $1000 a night value, by redeeming your points.
Best Place To Put Your Spending?
Many rewards cards are offering heightening spending offers to help ease the pain of lost travel, but 10X is a tough offer to pass up.
Marriott Bonvoy Points aren’t as valuable on a “per point” basis as American Express Membership Rewards, or other “flexible” bank points, but at 10x, you’re getting a fantastic return on spend, which rivals other current offers.
Here’s how Amex describes the offers…
How to Enroll:
- Eligible Card Members will receive an email communication with details on these offers, as well as terms and conditions.
- Card Members will be able to review and enroll in the offers via “Amex Offers” through their online account or the Amex Mobile app. They can enroll at any time during the offer period (August 3 – October 31, 2020).
Additional Information:
- Each offer requires a separate enrollment for each Card Member.
- $7,500 cap on each category.
- After the $7,500 cap is reached Card Members will go back to the base earn for each category.
Cash back cards are another safe play, but for dining spend and US gas stations, this may be the go to card for the time being. The offers stand until October 31st, 2020, or until you hit the 75,000 point maximum, whichever comes first.
I wonder if 10x is ymmv. I only got 6x for gas and restaurants through the end of October.
Amending my earlier comment, I have the Amex Business Bonvoy card which earns 4x regularly for restaurants and gas stations, so the +6x on both categories brings the card inline with the other Amex Bonvoy products.
Gilbert, why don’t UKAMEX card holders ever get similar type of us.
Of course, the AMEX Bonvoy card annual fee is $450, as opposed to the Chase Bonvoy card costing $95, plus an annual free night. Since the 10x offer is valid only 3 months, I don’t see a bargain at all.
I’d say the $300 in fee credits from the last three months probably helped with that…
Gilbert-
I received an email from Amex for this offer. I tried to add it to my Bonvoy Business card-No Luck. Called Amex and after 1&1/2 hours on the phone, including a supervisor, she found there are “technical” difficulties with this offer and it will NOT be available for any purchases until at least 8/11. Just FYI for your readers.