Marriott Bonvoy Boundless vs Amex Gold: Which Is Better In 2025?

American Express® Gold Card Breakdown

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Why We Like It

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Here’s a breakdown of what makes the American Express® Gold Card (See Rates & Fees) a top contender for foodies and frequent flyers alike.

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• It offers generous rewards on dining at restaurants and shopping at U.S. supermarkets (Terms Apply).
• Cardholders earn bonus rewards on flights and benefit from travel-friendly perks (Terms Apply).
• Valuable monthly credits for dining and rideshare services can help offset the card's annual fee (Terms Apply).

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_{Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Enrollment may be required for select American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more. Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions, and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by Amex Assurance Company.}

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Pros

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• Generous rewards on dining at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets (Terms Apply).
• Valuable travel perks, including bonus rewards on flights and no foreign transaction fees (Terms Apply).
• Annual statement credits for select dining partners and Uber (Terms Apply).

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Cons

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• Carries a significant annual fee.
• Statement credits are distributed in monthly increments, which can be difficult to fully utilize (Terms Apply).
• Limited acceptance compared to Visa or Mastercard.

American Express® Gold Card vs Marriott Bonvoy Boundless®

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Categories

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When deciding which is better, Marriott Bonvoy Boundless or Amex Gold, it's essential to look at the primary spending and lifestyle categories each card targets.

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• Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card - This card is tailored for frequent travelers who regularly stay at Marriott properties and want to accelerate their elite status within the Bonvoy loyalty program. It also suits value-focused travelers and those looking to earn points on everyday spending categories.
• American Express® Gold Card - This card is ideal for individuals with high spending at restaurants and U.S. supermarkets. It also benefits travel enthusiasts who book flights directly with airlines and value flexible point redemption options.

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Redemption

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Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card: Points earned with this card are primarily redeemed for stays across the extensive Marriott Bonvoy portfolio of hotels. You can also use your points for flights and other travel-related experiences through the loyalty program.

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American Express® Gold Card: Membership Rewards® points provide significant flexibility, as they can be transferred to a wide array of airline and hotel loyalty programs. Cardholders can also redeem points for travel booked through Amex, statement credits, and gift cards.

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Travel Perks

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• Travel Ecosystem: The Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® card is deeply integrated into the Marriott Bonvoy travel program, with redemptions and benefits centered on its hotel portfolio. The American Express® Gold Card offers broader flexibility through the American Express Travel portal and its extensive list of transfer partners.
• Foreign Transaction Fees: Both cards are excellent choices for international travel as neither charges foreign transaction fees.
• Airport Lounge Access: Complimentary, recurring airport lounge access is not a standard feature of either card.
• Core Travel Benefits: The Bonvoy Boundless card’s main perks include an annual Free Night Award and automatic Silver Elite status within the Marriott program. The Amex Gold card provides access to The Hotel Collection for hotel credits and potential upgrades, along with travel protections like a baggage insurance plan and car rental loss and damage insurance.

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Compare Top Rated Credit Cards with Kudos

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To make the right choice, a tool like Kudos can help you compare thousands of credit cards using your own financial data.

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• Test Drive Cards: The ‘Test Drive’ feature lets you simulate your potential earnings with any card by analyzing your real spending history—all before you apply and without affecting your credit score.
• Personalized Recommendations: Get data-driven suggestions for cards that best match your unique spending patterns from a database of nearly 3,000 options.
• Approval Odds Analysis: Receive a detailed analysis of your approval chances for different cards based on your credit report.
• Welcome Offer Guarantee: If you find a better public welcome offer for a card you got through Kudos within three months, the platform will match it.
• Extra Rewards and Incentives: Earn Kudos Boost rewards when you shop at participating stores and take advantage of special offers, like a $20 bonus for signing up with a promo code.

Who Should Choose the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless®?

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The Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card is ideally suited for frequent Marriott guests who want to maximize their point earnings and enjoy automatic Silver Elite status. It also delivers significant value for travelers who can leverage the annual free night award, which can easily offset the $95 annual fee. Additionally, the card is a strong contender for status seekers aiming for higher elite tiers and for everyday spenders who can earn bonus points on gas, groceries, and dining.

Who Should Choose the American Express® Gold Card?

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The American Express® Gold Card is an excellent choice for food enthusiasts who spend significantly on both dining out and groceries at U.S. supermarkets. It rewards these spending habits with 4X points at restaurants worldwide and 4X points at U.S. supermarkets on up to $25,000 per calendar year, then 1X. The card also suits travelers who can take full advantage of the up to $120 annual dining credit and up to $120 in Uber Cash to help offset the annual fee (Terms Apply).

Alternatives to Consider

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If the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless vs. Amex Gold comparison has you thinking that neither card is the right choice for your wallet, several other cards offer compelling rewards that might be a better fit.

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Tips for Application Success

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Before You Apply

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• Check your credit score to ensure it aligns with the card's typical approval requirements.
• Plan your spending to meet the welcome offer requirement without overextending your budget.
• Research the card's redemption options to confirm they match your travel and spending habits.

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Application Strategy

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• Know the issuer's rules:Be aware of policies like Chase's 5/24 rule or Amex's once-per-lifetime Welcome Offer restrictions.
• Check for pre-qualification:Some issuers, like American Express, let you check for offers with only a soft credit pull.
• Time your application:Apply before a large planned purchase to help meet the spending requirement for the Welcome Offer.

Our Methodology

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We evaluate nearly 3,000 credit cards across the U.S. market — far more than the ~150 cards commonly featured on sites that focus only on products tied to affiliate commissions. Our goal is to provide a comprehensive, unbiased view of the credit card landscape so you can make confident, data-driven decisions.

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Our editorial team combines deep industry experience with rigorous verification standards. While our experts surface the most relevant recommendations in our guides, you can also explore the full dataset yourself through our card explorer tool, which includes thousands of cards — more than 95% of which do not provide us with commissions.

Frequently Asked Questions

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Can I transfer points from the American Express® Gold Card to Marriott Bonvoy?

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Yes, you can. American Express Membership Rewards points, which you earn with the Gold Card, can be transferred to the Marriott Bonvoy program, often with favorable transfer ratios.

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Which card is better for dining rewards?

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The American Express® Gold Card is generally superior for dining rewards, offering a high earning rate at restaurants worldwide. The Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card also earns points on dining, but typically at a lower rate.

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What kind of welcome offer can I expect from these cards?

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Both cards typically feature valuable introductory offers for new cardmembers. The Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card's offer is usually a large sum of Bonvoy points, while the American Express® Gold Card's Welcome Offer is a significant amount of Membership Rewards points after meeting a spending requirement.

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